Ranger's Apprentice - Book 5: The Scorceror of the North

     Several years have passed since the apprentice and his master, Will and Halt, led the Skandians to victory against invaders, and Will is finally a full-fledged Ranger with a fief of his own. The fief seems sleepy -boring even - until Lord Syron, master of a castle far in the north, is struck down by a mysterious illness. Joined by his friend Alyss, Will is suddenly thrown headfirst into an extraordinary adventure, investigating fears of sorcery and trying to determine who is loyal to Lord Syron...and who is planning to betray him.
     Will and Alyss must battle growing hysteria, traitors, and most of all, time. Lord Syron is fading, but when Alyss is taken hostage, Will is forced to make a desperate choice between loyalty to his mission and loyalty to his friend.




Language
 "Damn" is used 9 times, 'hell' twice. The Lord's name is misused 9 times. John Buttle, a very unsavory character, is talking about a dog and says "Little bitch tried to bite me." Since it's talking about a dog, it's unclear whether he's being 'correct' or profane.

Sexual Content
Alyss changes in the woods, and Will turns away as he sees 'bare arms and shoulders', Alyss is amused at his embarrassment. Will and Alyss kiss a few times. Will admires Alyss' legs while she's wearing pants. A surly housekeeper advises Will to keep his hands to his self, and Will wonders how long it has been since a traveling bard pinched her backside.

Other Negative Elements
[*SPOILER WARNING*] The 'sorcerer' is actually a combination of clever props and sound effects, but Malcolm uses the myth to keep people away. Halt and Crowley explain to Will that sorcery is usually fraudulent, but 1% is unexplained.

Violence
The usual. Mentions of shooting, but no descriptions.

I, as usual, adored and devoured this book. Extremely good, well written follow-up! PG for violence and language, some minor darkness and innuendo (I hesitate to use 'innuendo', it seems very strong for what is in here)