Erak's Ransom?

Yeah, that's me up there . Let the rant begin...
Since Erak's Ransom (Ranger's Apprentice 7) had like, 20 holds at my library, I got the audio book instead. I had it sitting in my computer for about a month before I finally got around to finishing it. It was just so... BORING. It was like a filler season in an anime! And because it was a flashback, I could already predict what was going to happen.
I get that John Flanagan is trying to get us to feel sorry for Erak, but I just couldn't. I don't have anything against pillaging and plundering, but pillage your enemies towns not the poor innocent ones! And it's like the Skandians can't, simply CAN'T do anything else for a living. Ugh. Really, Flangan.
Here's something else me and noticed. Halt gets himself banished by getting drunk and insulting King Whats-his-face. BANISHED! Is there no free speech in Araluen???
Also, who the heck brings coffee out into the desert? Caffeine dehydrates you. Aren't these rangers supposed to be professional?
Why does Flanagan have to be so darn overly descriptive. He's gotta describe EVERYTHING in nauseating detail, body language, face expression, emotions, thoughts, you name it. "And this character saw this character move his shoulders in this type of way and knew that is was a display of this emotion." Jeeze. Flanagan could've easily fitted Sorcerer of the North and Siege of Macindaw together into one book if he just took out all that unnecessary crap. I'm thinking that when the movie comes out in a couple years (yes, it's confirmed) that they'll be able to fit like five books into one movie. Gah.

I really liked these books at first and I want to thank for introducing them to me. And don't get me wrong, I don't HATE them. I just don't get excited over them anymore. They started out great but they're going downhill. Now they're just plain boooooooring.

End rant.

EDIT: This picture is 6 years old at this point. I was like 13 when I wrote it and no longer care, so you guys can stop correcting me in the comments. Chill.