The Kings of Clonmel by John Flanagan

Random House, 2009 ISBN 9781741663013
(Ages 11-14) Book Eight in the highly successful Ranger's Apprentice series, will hardly be on the shelves as Will comes to the Ranger Gathering, an annual event, where he is expecting to see his old mentor, Blade. Disappointed at not seeing him there, Will finds that Blade is off investigating a religious cult, called the Outsiders, who are bent on bringing down the Hibernian Kingdoms. Five of the six kingdoms have fallen, and they are now intent on destroying the last, Clonmel. So Will joins his old friends, Halt and Horace, planning on driving out the intruders. But the king of Clonmel is not eager to accept their help.
As with all the Ranger's Apprentice books, courage and adventure are their catch cry. The boys are courageous in the face of adversity, win through because of their stalwart comradeship and sense of what is right, and use their learned spying techniques to win the day. Their adversaries are formidable as Will and Halt, along with Horace, must face things which have happened in Halt's past to be able to recognize the terror ahead. The heroism, courage under fire, and sense of justice which pervades all of these books makes them a worthy addition to any school library.
Jenny Brisbane, Richmond Primary School