The Caldera: Brotherband Chronicles, Book 7
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Caldera is the seventh book in the Brotherband Chronicles, the companion series to John Flanagan's popular Ranger's Apprentice series. After taking on malicious slave traders in Book 4, a cult of assassins in Book 5, and ruthless island warriors in Book 6, the crew of the Heron battles pirates to recover a hostage emperor-to-be. There's plenty of pirate fighting, but only once is it gory: when a man is sliced in half with a sword. Spears, knives, swords, arrows, darts, and a big cannon-type weapon do damage. A few ships sink, one after being rammed and ransacked. Injuries sustained among the Brotherband include an arrow to the arm and near-drownings. A volcano spews rocks and lava and causes a dangerous tidal wave. Lessening the violence some: When the Brotherband come up against unarmed opponents, they knock them out instead of causing lasting harm. Overall, the members of the Heron Brotherband, under the strong leadership of the captain, Hal, are loyal to one another and are a great example of teamwork and ingenuity in action. In the scenes of drinking, the Brotherband always choose coffee instead. The first mate, Stig, faces the disappointing father who abandoned him as a child. He handles it with grace, remembering that even without a strong father figure in his life, he always has the support of his friends.
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What's the Story?
In THE CALDERA, members of the Heron Brotherband are vying for the title of Skandia's best warrior, or Maktig. Stig, the first mate, is the one to watch in the competition, but his chance at glory is thwarted when his absentee father, Olaf, sneaks into his house one night asking for his immediate help. Olaf was the head of the palace guard in Byzantos to the south and was dismissed when the teen emperor-to-be, Constantus, was kidnapped by pirates. Olaf needs a fighting ship to rescue Constantus and get his post back. Stig and the rest of the Brotherband, sorry to miss the competition but keen on a new adventure, load up the ship and start the long journey south. After a few river-pirate attacks, they arrive in the bustling port of Byzantos. The plan was to gather information about the kidnappers at the taverns before shipping out again, but then Olaf is arrested. Good thing for Olaf he's with the Heron Brotherband. It won't be the first time they've broken someone out of prison, nor will it be the last.
Is It Any Good?
Great news for Brotherband fans: We're on voyage seven with the Heron crew and, with the help of more nasty pirates and a lava-spewing, rock-hurling volcano, it's still a worthwhile adventure. (We're not giving anything away about the explosive finale when it's right on the cover.) Readers can expect the usual meandering story opening with Stig, Ulf, and Wulf preparing for the Maktig (warrior) competition. Luckily the warm-up doesn't last as long as it does in some Brotherband books. And Ulf and Wulf twin antics are always a fun diversion.
If you enjoyed Book 3, The Hunters, you get to revisit some old River Dan pirate haunts on the way to Byzantos. And Jesper's lock picks, used so skillfully in The Slaves of Socorro, get dusted off again here. What adventure fan doesn't love a prison break? Even as action builds, more time could have been spent on the difficult relationship between Stig and his father, Olaf. It's a missed opportunity to add more depth to the story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Stig in The Caldera. What choices does he make about how to behave around his father? How is Stig like his father? How is he more admirable?
If you were in a Brotherband, what would your role be? What skills would you bring to help your shipmates? What skills would you need to work on?
Which is your favorite Brotherband book so far? How does Book 7 compare with the others?
Book Details
- Author: John Flanagan
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Pirates
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Philomel
- Publication date: November 21, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 18
- Number of pages: 432
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: February 10, 2020
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