In medieval times in the mythical town of Skandia there was a group of boys who had a dream: the dream of being included into a BrotherBand. It is one of the highest honours in Skandia.

A BrotherBand is a group of boys who get selected in a team, and train for three months, learning to use weapons and sail a boat. Only one BrotherBand can win the race. The points are totalled up to see, which team wins.  Hals’ BrotherBand is named the “Herons.”  The first activity is to see who can build the best shelter to live in.  If they win the most points they win Skandia’s most valuable treasure.  Hal is an inventor who has designed the Herons’ boat.  They named it the Heron after their team.  He has a revolutionary new idea for the sails. If Hal’s idea works they are certain to win.  Hal is the leader of the BrotherBand, the ‘Herons’, so he drives the boat and coordinates his crew.  He tells them when to row. Hal’s best mate is Thorn. He is a Maktig, which is the champion fighter of the year.  Thorn has been the Maktig for three years in a row when he was in his prime time.  He was like a father figure to Hal.

I liked this book because of its adventurous outlook and the main idea of the book.  If it wasn’t about sailing and adventuring around the sea it wouldn’t be the book for me.  I recommend this book is for 11 to 15 year old boys who are interested in adventure and enjoy being outdoors, otherwise this is not the book for you.  This truly is the book for you, I’d rate this book ‘BotherBand The Outcasts’ 4 out of 5.

Josh, Year 9

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John Flanagan, the author of the worldwide best selling series, Rangers’ Apprentice, has made a return to writing with a new fictional series, Brotherband. Flanagan has taken all of the best components, elements and interesting qualities from Rangers Apprentice and has incorporated and further developed them, to create a remarkable, stunning and truly breathtaking read.

Be prepared to sink into Flanagan’s fictional getaway, which is filled with pirate raids, challenges, and prodigious adventures that make you hold your breath. John Flanagan’s creativity and ability to explain his virtual world really has shown in this new, innovative series.

Hal is the main protagonist in the Brotherband series, whose heritage makes him an outcast among the popular boys in town. Hal faces the daily struggle of a young boy. He and his mother have enlisted the help of the old drunk, Thorn, to guide Hal and train him in the ways of a manly Skandian warrior. At the age of 16, Hal will begin Brotherband training, but without knowledge of the world, strength to defend himself and any real friends to rely on, he’s worried that he’ll be seen as an outcast for the rest of his life.

But things take a turn for the better when the selectors announce Hal as a Brotherband leader. However, the only boys left unselected by the other two Brotherbands are a group of witty, quiet, and relatively unknown boys from the town. Hal needs to give his team a real sample of what Brotherband training is going to be about, and needs to form bonds and become closer with his group if they want to even stand a chance of winning.

This story is a combination of adventure, action, fantasy and cliff-hangers that are found in every corner of the book. It was very entertaining and I felt engaged with the feeling of suspense, mystery, and the authors practicality, his attention to detail and his inventive technique that isn’t seen by many other writers. The book gave me a sense of realism, and provided an insight as to what it would have been like to live in a seaside town full of mighty warriors. Flanagan’s style of writing keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to find out what will happen next.

I recommend this book to people who enjoy adventure, seamanship, and those who take interest in seaside affairs and are aged between 11-14. The book is very well written and the author definitely hasn’t cut any corners with his detailed style of writing. I’d rate this book a 4/5 stars as it kept me deeply interested and entertained and made me want to keep reading.
 – Owen, Year 9