Daring moves, amazing battles, fierce Vikings!
If you like all these things than this is the book for you. I especially liked this book. It is the real medieval battles that would have taken place long ago.
The book starts with two brave Vikings. One dies and the story progresses with his child the other Viking losing his arm but still raising his friend`s child to be as great as his father. His son Hal has a creative mind and has designed his very own ship for Brother Band. Brother Band is where young Vikings go to learn how to sail, raid, use weapons and detect ambushes.
There is only one little problem. Hal can`t enter because he does not have enough friends to assemble a crew. He does not have many friends at all, well only one friend in fact. How will Hal be able to assemble a crew without friends? Without a crew he will not be able to sail around the world discovering new places or ever being as great as his father.
This is great book for 10-14 year olds because it discusses peer pressure and also allows you to realise you don`t need many friends to be happy, you just need good ones and that is really all that matters in life – having good friends that will always be there for you
I rate it**** stars because it is a little slow to start off because the Viking that lived turned into a mean homeless piece of junk, until Hal’s mother gets him off his feet and makes him a better sober man. After that he ends up being the handy man of the house, getting through life with only one hand but that hand becomes very strong and that might help Hal out later on.
Rohan, Year 8
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Hal, an inventor like no other, experiences the dusk and dawn of Skandia battle training. Hal is joined by fellow outcasts to win. The test to strength and teamwork was at hand for a bunch of outcasts. Could Hal and Stig lead their team to victory? Find out in the amazing book: ‘BrotherBand: the Outcasts’.
The book ‘BrotherBand’ is set in the country of Skandia, known to be a not so populated country, but it is well known for battle and boats. Hal, a young adult, is being bullied as he is an outcast. An old warrior by the name of Thorn has helped Hal and his mates to train. The story is about the lives of outcasts who have to use teamship and tactics, as they are to be the future warriors. The main characters in the story are Hal and Stig. They are only young adult outcasts, fighting for their team. Hal had created a new and fast boat, as Hal is known to be an amazing inventor.
The amazing author John Flanagan, who is also known for an international bestselling series ‘Rangers Apprentice’, produced the book ‘BrotherBand: The Outcasts’. I personally enjoy the book, as I would rate it a three and a half out of five. The parts I appreciate the most would be when they battle against the others. Another few moments would be when Hal is creating a new invention. I would recommend this book to readers from the ages of nine to fourteen who are interested in medieval Vikings and battle tactics. I would also recommend it to people who enjoy a story of medieval battle. The only slight disappointment was that the start slightly drifted away from the story itself and it was slow until the action and crafting of Hal.
Jordan, Year 8
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Imagine you’re 16 and you’re about to face life or death situations. Welcome to Hallasholm in Skandia where there is only one way to become a feared warrior. When boys turn 16 they are put into brotherband training, which is three months of grueling challenges, fitness and warrior training, where you need important teamwork, leadership and extreme strength.
The main character in this book is Hal. He and his best friend Stig are both outcasts. It’s time to pick the brotherbands. Names are called and people are walking to their new brotherbands. But Hal and Stig aren’t chosen along with six other boys. Sigurd makes these outcasts a brotherband. Hal is elected skirl and knows he is about face an even tougher three months. In these three months the three brotherbands will face challenges like grueling fitness, extreme battle training, challenging seamanship and stealth in night raiding. Will they be able to overcome these impossible challenges and win brotherband?
I really enjoyed this book because of the way John Flanagan wrote it, the way you couldn’t stop reading it. There was climaxes in many parts of the book. The start of the book was very slow but when it reached the middle of the book it was great, and action filled. The ending was great, left on a cliff hanger. I will definitely read the rest of the series.
I would recommend this book to 12-16 year olds who are interested in vikings and seamanship. This was a complicated book at times so the younger kids wouldn’t be able to read it. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 because of its slow start. This book was a great read it had many climaxes and many action filled parts.
Mitchell, Year 8
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The Ranger’s Apprentice series were thrilling, mysterious reads – and all were excellent books. But John Flanagan’s new series, Brotherband, has taken all of the best traits, qualities and elements out of Ranger’s Apprentice and merged them together to create a stunning new accompanying series that dwells in the depths of the dark side in the unknown world he created.
Welcome to the Hallasholm, in the fictional country of Skandia. This book is filled to the brim with daunting pirate ships, dangerous adventures, and challenges that push the characters to their very limits! John Flanagan really has shown us his imagination and creativity in this novel!
Hallasholm is a seaside town, where the mountains meet the sea, and the sea meets the forest. The streets of Hallasholm are filled with local breweries, merchants, townhouses, eateries, and boat docks and shipyards. Hallasholm is the ideal place for Brotherband training, where young knights challenge themselves to become fighting warriors!
When Hal reaches the age of 16 and begins brotherband training he’s a little worried because he has no other real friends in life except for Stig. So when head counting commences, the trainers start to realize that there are too many boys for only two brotherbands. Hal is a little shocked when a sudden change in the rules allows for another Brotherband, full of other outcasts just like himself who are complete strangers to each other; and Hal is voted in as their leader. No one is serious about this training, but the instructors give them a real sample of what brotherband training is all about. Hard work, discipline, seamanship, good sportsmanship and fitness challenges are all that the boys have in store for them for the next three months and Hal isn’t even sure what to do with his team yet!
Will the other Brotherband members ever unite and work as a team? And will Hals team ever prevail when they have to compete against the other competent and dominant Brotherbands?
The story is a mix of fantasy, adventure, action, and challenges with surprises found around every corner on EVERY page. I was entertained by the feeling of suspense, mystery and the author’s practical, detailed and inventive writing technique. It provided me with a sense of realism but at the same time it took me away to a whole new and unfamiliar world that was completely different to the one we know now. The author’s writing style keeps you on the edge of your seat, making you want to know what’s going to happen straight away.
I recommend this book to people that are aged between 12-16. This is book is VERY well written by a great author and is very descriptive but can be a little confusing at times with the storyline. I’d rate this book 8/10 stars as it is truly a great read!
Owen, Year 8