Ranger's Apprentice book one: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

"A littel over an hour?" Will said. He saw Halt's eyebrows draw together in a frown and remembered that the Ranger also disliked being answered with a question. "Are you asking me, or telling me?" Halt said. Will shook his head, annoyed at himself. "A little over an hour," he replied more confidently and, this time, the Ranger nodded agreement.
Will is one of the orphans who live in the keep of the Baron. Unlike the others, however, he doesn't know who his father is, who his mother is, or even what they did. All he knows is that he's different from the others. Will is the shortest of all the orphans, he's fast, quick, can climb anything, and knows how to be out of sight without hiding. He also dreams of being a knight- nearly impossible for a boy shorter than the rest.
When Choosing day finally comes, the battlemaster won't accept him. None of the craftmasters will. Will thinks he's destined to go out to work as a field hand- until the Ranger, Halt, shows the Baron a piece of paper. Will doesn't know whats on it. He doesn't know anything- until he tries to steal the paper. Becoming a Ranger's apprentice isn't what Will wants, but if it stops him from working in a field, he's good. Through a series of (many) events, Will has to help stop the evil lord Morgarath... and he's not even a real Ranger yet.
"Very well, Salt Peter, I want you to take a message to Baron Arald."
"Baron Arald?" the farmer asked nervously. Halt frowned again. "See what you've done?" he said to Will. "You've got him answering questions with questions now!"
This book was, I thought, going to be stupid. I picked it up from the library because of a reccomendation. Not because I would ordinarily pick it up. It just seemed to be one of those stupid popular books that everyone is crazy about now, and in a couple of years no one will remember it. I read it, though, and I have to say "don't judge a book by it's cover." This book was well written, funny, had amazing characters, exciting, and it described EVERYTHING. :) I ♥ this book. I would give it five stars, and recommend people to read it.
It was an unearthly sound that twisted the stomach into knots of fear and turned the blood cold. Involuntarily, the Baron and Sir Rodney reined in as they heard it. Their horses plunged wildly against the reins. It came from straight ahead of them and rose and fell, until the night air quaked in the horror of it. "Good God in heaven!" The Baron exclaimed. "What is that?" His face was ashen as the hellish song soared through the night toward them, to be answered immediately by another, identical howl. But Will had heard the terrible noise before. He felt the blood leave his face now as he realized his fears were being proven correct. "It's the Kalkara," he said. "They're hunting."