The Last Ranger by J.D.L Rosell

4/5 stars, A well-crafted fantasy with some great themes running through it

I picked this up on Kindle Unlimited, one of the many on my to-read list. Right off I knew I was in safe hands, the writing was accomplished and error-free for the most part and it was clear to me, after looking at the author’s back catalogue, that JDL has honed his craft and polished it to a sparkly shine. At least judging by this offering. That is reassuring but it is not always a guarantee of a great tale.

The story revolves around Leiyn, a ranger who patrols the Titan Wilds, whose oath it is to perceive, preserve and protect the people of the Wilds. A great start, who doesn’t love a ranger? Sauron, put your hand down!

What was interesting for me though was the first and greatest of the themes running through this story, and the great irony of their oath because the Rangers are there to protect against Titans, magical creatures of sizeable proportions that lie dormant most of the time unless roused, but also against Gasts. Gasts, being the indigenous peoples of the wilds. They hold the wild magic that can summon Titans and are a threat to the new colonies. It all felt very native American Indian to me, at least that is how I perceived the Gasts in my mind’s eye but equally they could be Maori, Aborigine, Inca,  Maya, Aztec or Olmec or any of the multitude of other ‘colonised’ peoples. So yes, I found this quite intriguing. In actuality, I was rooting for the ‘bad guys’ from the very start who were, it must be said, sorely misunderstood.

Another theme I liked was the magic system and in particular the portrayal of each Titan. Mystical giants that conjured Japanese Monster Anime to me, from a Tortoise so large trees grew from its huge shell to a river snake the size of a London Tube train. Good stuff.     

Leiyn herself is an interesting protagonist. A woman with a dark secret (which I will not reveal – no spoilers here). She is as fiery as her mane of red hair and hard to reason with, forged as she was from a hard childhood and the travails that seem to follow her. Taken in by Tadeo, Lodge Master of the Rangers she was trained in the ways of the wilds and thrives in them.

The story itself is engaging. There is treachery and when tragedy strikes the rangers’ Lodge it sends Leiyn on a path of vengeance, not knowing who to trust. No one apart from Isla her best friend that is. Isla is the reasoning voice. The calm to Leiyn’s storm. Along the way, there is plenty of magic and splendour. The Titans, the few we encounter, are each of them unique and unfathomable. The Gasts were fierce, the different colonial factions full of intrigue and treachery. All the ingredients for a good yarn.

My final observation, and I write this with tongue firmly in cheek, is that Isla was also a Ranger and the book is called ‘The Last Ranger’. I keep adding it up in my head and get two every time <input smily face> so I am making a case for Isla to not be forgotten.   

So, the big question. Was it a great tale? Did it grip me enough to rip through the pages to get to the end? Truthfully, no. But I did enjoy it and some tales are better savoured than blasted through. I feel there is scope for this story and the themes (not just those mentioned above but others as well) to play out and grow. Certainly, I can see why this book has been so enjoyed and well-reviewed.

As ever, if you like the sound of all this, why not read a sample of the first half dozen or so chapters from Amazon’s Look Inside feature. It will grip you by then or it won’t. Click on the cover below to go to the book on Amazon UK.