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The Wind on Fire Trilogy #2
Slaves of the Mastery
Five years have passed. The city of Aramanth has become kinder--weaker.
When the ruthless soldiers of the Mastery strike, the city is burned, and the Manth people are taken into slavery. Kestrel Hath is left behind, separated from her beloved brother Bowman, and vowing revenge.
Now Kestrel must find Bowman again, and Bowman must learn the secrets of the Singer people. Only then will they break the power of the Mastery.
Cover illustration by David Scutt
When the ruthless soldiers of the Mastery strike, the city is burned, and the Manth people are taken into slavery. Kestrel Hath is left behind, separated from her beloved brother Bowman, and vowing revenge.
Now Kestrel must find Bowman again, and Bowman must learn the secrets of the Singer people. Only then will they break the power of the Mastery.
Cover illustration by David Scutt
340 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
63 people are currently reading
3193 people want to read
About the author
William Nicholson
211 books478 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
William Nicholson was born in 1948, and grew up in Sussex and Gloucestershire. His plays for television include Shadowlands and Life Story , both of which won the BAFTA Best Television Drama award in their year; other award-winners were Sweet As You Are and The March . In 1988 he received the Royal Television Society's Writer's Award. His first play, an adaptation of Shadowlands for the stage, was Evening Standard Best Play of 1990, and went on to a Tony Award winning run on Broadway. He was nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay of the film version, which was directed by Richard Attenborough and starred Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger.
Since then he has written more films - Sarafina, Nell, First Knight, Grey Owl , and Gladiator (as co-writer), for which he received a second Oscar nomination. He has written and directed his own film, Firelight ; and three further stage plays, Map of the Heart , Katherine Howard and The Retreat from Moscow , which ran for five months on Broadway and received three Tony Award nominations.
His novel for older children, The Wind Singer, won the Smarties Prize Gold Award on publication in 2000, and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award in 2001. Its sequel, Slaves of the Mastery , was published in May 2001, and the final volume in the trilogy, Firesong , in May 2002. The trilogy has been sold in every major foreign market, from the US to China.
He is now at work on a new sequence of novels for older children, called The Noble Warriors . The first book, Seeker , was published in the UK in September 2005.The second book, Jango, in 2006 and the third book NOMAN, will be published in September 2007.
His novels for adults are The Society of Others (April 2004) and The Trial of True Love (April 2005).
He lives in Sussex with his wife Virginia and their three children.
from williamnicholson.co.uk
William Nicholson was born in 1948, and grew up in Sussex and Gloucestershire. His plays for television include Shadowlands and Life Story , both of which won the BAFTA Best Television Drama award in their year; other award-winners were Sweet As You Are and The March . In 1988 he received the Royal Television Society's Writer's Award. His first play, an adaptation of Shadowlands for the stage, was Evening Standard Best Play of 1990, and went on to a Tony Award winning run on Broadway. He was nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay of the film version, which was directed by Richard Attenborough and starred Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger.
Since then he has written more films - Sarafina, Nell, First Knight, Grey Owl , and Gladiator (as co-writer), for which he received a second Oscar nomination. He has written and directed his own film, Firelight ; and three further stage plays, Map of the Heart , Katherine Howard and The Retreat from Moscow , which ran for five months on Broadway and received three Tony Award nominations.
His novel for older children, The Wind Singer, won the Smarties Prize Gold Award on publication in 2000, and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award in 2001. Its sequel, Slaves of the Mastery , was published in May 2001, and the final volume in the trilogy, Firesong , in May 2002. The trilogy has been sold in every major foreign market, from the US to China.
He is now at work on a new sequence of novels for older children, called The Noble Warriors . The first book, Seeker , was published in the UK in September 2005.The second book, Jango, in 2006 and the third book NOMAN, will be published in September 2007.
His novels for adults are The Society of Others (April 2004) and The Trial of True Love (April 2005).
He lives in Sussex with his wife Virginia and their three children.
from williamnicholson.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
August 24, 2012
First off, What I didn't like...
I absolutely hated like the implication that in order to be beautiful you must also be waif thin.
I liked Sisi's character to a certain degree, but the message she promoted within the book was wrong, there is no other way of describing it.
In your quest for that emaciated figure you so desire you must not eat anything for days on end.
You must not drink anything more calorific than water.
After you have married that all changes, you no longer need to be attractive, you may become as fat - and subsequently ugly - as you so desire. But whilst you are young and single, to have any hope of finding a mate you must must be beautiful and to be beautiful you must be thin!
This of course is absolute poppycock, I know that, you probably know that too; but impressionable young girls could be severely damaged by the message this book seems to promote.
If you nourished you body the way Sisi does you will not be thin, you will be emaciated. You will not be beautiful, you will be malnourished, gaunt and sallow. But more importantly than the aesthetics you would be putting you health - and in some cases you life - in danger.
This book glamorises anorexia, by portraying the disorder in such a positive way. There is no mention of the damaged immunity, lethargy and general weakness Sisi must surely be suffering, there is only mention of the perceived beauty of her malnourished state. I can't forgive it that
Now I have got that out of my system, lets continue with the rest of my review...
I liked Kestrel, she is a strong character one of two main protagonists. She is devoted to her twin brother Bowman and would go to the ends of the earth to save him. She doesn't feel the need to throw herself at every boy that crosses her path.
The other main character of the series is Bowman, Kestrel's twin brother. We were introduced to his empathic sensibilities in The Wind Singer, and in this volume we learn that his powers extend far beyond those we encountered in book one.
I appreciated that the author has avoided the cliched romance of young adult fiction and instead focused his attentions on the relationships developed between friends and family.
The characterisation, was good, most of the characters were well rounded and believable.
I rather liked Dogface and "his" cat. Mist (the cat) brought some lighthearted humour to the proceedings and the book would have felt his absence greatly.
Whilst on the subject of characters, I have to say I did struggle to compare the Mumpo that we met in 'The Wind Singer' with the boy we encounter in this second instalment.
The Mumpo we met previously was very slow. He didn't understand the consequences of his actions and he behaved in a manner that seemed to indicate that he had some form of learning disability. I actually quite admired the book for portraying somebody so different to the usual characters we meet.
Yet in book two we are to believe that Mumpo has transformed in to a young man capable of protecting not only himself but Kestrel and Bowman too. Perhaps it is my lack of imagination but I found his transformation quite unreal. I also found Pinto's infatuation with Mumpo a little creepy, she is 7 for goodness sake. She shouldn't have a crush on a teenage boy, she should still be under the impression that all boys have the lurgi!
There is a sense of growing maturity within this book that was not present in the first volume. I appreciate how the author has changed his writing to reflect the advancing years of his protagonists. And unless I am mistaken even the font size has altered, bringing the style into the more suitable YA market.
There is some horrific cruelty portrayed in this novel, and although not graphic in his descriptions William Nicholson paints a picture with words that is quite horrifying, the monkey cages are the stuff of nightmares.
Although Slaves of the Mastery does leave some questions unanswered it also wraps the story up sufficiently that you have some form of closure.
I wouldn't recommend this book to readers under the age of 14, or those with sensitive sensibilities.
I absolutely hated like the implication that in order to be beautiful you must also be waif thin.
I liked Sisi's character to a certain degree, but the message she promoted within the book was wrong, there is no other way of describing it.
In your quest for that emaciated figure you so desire you must not eat anything for days on end.
You must not drink anything more calorific than water.
After you have married that all changes, you no longer need to be attractive, you may become as fat - and subsequently ugly - as you so desire. But whilst you are young and single, to have any hope of finding a mate you must must be beautiful and to be beautiful you must be thin!
This of course is absolute poppycock, I know that, you probably know that too; but impressionable young girls could be severely damaged by the message this book seems to promote.
If you nourished you body the way Sisi does you will not be thin, you will be emaciated. You will not be beautiful, you will be malnourished, gaunt and sallow. But more importantly than the aesthetics you would be putting you health - and in some cases you life - in danger.
This book glamorises anorexia, by portraying the disorder in such a positive way. There is no mention of the damaged immunity, lethargy and general weakness Sisi must surely be suffering, there is only mention of the perceived beauty of her malnourished state. I can't forgive it that
Now I have got that out of my system, lets continue with the rest of my review...
I liked Kestrel, she is a strong character one of two main protagonists. She is devoted to her twin brother Bowman and would go to the ends of the earth to save him. She doesn't feel the need to throw herself at every boy that crosses her path.
The other main character of the series is Bowman, Kestrel's twin brother. We were introduced to his empathic sensibilities in The Wind Singer, and in this volume we learn that his powers extend far beyond those we encountered in book one.
I appreciated that the author has avoided the cliched romance of young adult fiction and instead focused his attentions on the relationships developed between friends and family.
The characterisation, was good, most of the characters were well rounded and believable.
I rather liked Dogface and "his" cat. Mist (the cat) brought some lighthearted humour to the proceedings and the book would have felt his absence greatly.
Whilst on the subject of characters, I have to say I did struggle to compare the Mumpo that we met in 'The Wind Singer' with the boy we encounter in this second instalment.
The Mumpo we met previously was very slow. He didn't understand the consequences of his actions and he behaved in a manner that seemed to indicate that he had some form of learning disability. I actually quite admired the book for portraying somebody so different to the usual characters we meet.
Yet in book two we are to believe that Mumpo has transformed in to a young man capable of protecting not only himself but Kestrel and Bowman too. Perhaps it is my lack of imagination but I found his transformation quite unreal. I also found Pinto's infatuation with Mumpo a little creepy, she is 7 for goodness sake. She shouldn't have a crush on a teenage boy, she should still be under the impression that all boys have the lurgi!
There is a sense of growing maturity within this book that was not present in the first volume. I appreciate how the author has changed his writing to reflect the advancing years of his protagonists. And unless I am mistaken even the font size has altered, bringing the style into the more suitable YA market.
There is some horrific cruelty portrayed in this novel, and although not graphic in his descriptions William Nicholson paints a picture with words that is quite horrifying, the monkey cages are the stuff of nightmares.
Although Slaves of the Mastery does leave some questions unanswered it also wraps the story up sufficiently that you have some form of closure.
I wouldn't recommend this book to readers under the age of 14, or those with sensitive sensibilities.
April 16, 2013
I really, really enjoyed the second book of this series. Once again Nicholson gives us a somewhat vague criticism of government (the second book must be communism, but the first? I'm not really sure, it was definitely a punishment/rewards system though) as the backdrop for the story, but I wasn't terribly interested in the precise nature of his philosophical leanings. No, once again I found myself completely in love with the characters, Kestrel in particular.
Kestrel is passionate and intelligent. She's a revolutionary, and she has to force herself to see the bigger picture at the expense of Sisi, which pains her. [Oh, how I loved Sisi! I really liked her and Kess's friendship, even if it was on unequal footing at times. I really hope to see more of them in the third book.] Personally, I read her to be asexual, and I love how the text doesn't punish her for her lack of interest in boys or marriage or children. Kestrel has quickly become one of my favorite female protagonists in YA. I just admire her so much.
Really, I'd say the only thing about this book I really didn't like was Pinto. She's what, seven years old? And she doesn't sound like it at all. I guess it's just one of those cases of adults failing to capture the voices of children, but regardless, I never found myself really invested in her or her character. I'm not really looking forward to the continuation of her story, to be quite honest.
From what I remember of the final book, there is some pretty depressing stuff coming. Oh well, time to crack out the tissues.
[On a completely unrelated note, I ended up finding a dried leaf tucked between the pages of my slightly battered old copy of this book, which made me smile. It was a lovely little token of the times when I used to press flowers, and then promptly forgot about them. I put the leaf back in the book for me to rediscover later.]
"...And yet, glorious as it was, beautiful even, Kestrel had laid plans for its destruction. This skinny fifteen-year-old with no title and no position had judged the Mastery and passed sentence of death. Her weapon was her own passionate and merciless will. Today was the day of the wedding, and the day of the execution.
I am the avenger.
Kestrel is passionate and intelligent. She's a revolutionary, and she has to force herself to see the bigger picture at the expense of Sisi, which pains her. [Oh, how I loved Sisi! I really liked her and Kess's friendship, even if it was on unequal footing at times. I really hope to see more of them in the third book.] Personally, I read her to be asexual, and I love how the text doesn't punish her for her lack of interest in boys or marriage or children. Kestrel has quickly become one of my favorite female protagonists in YA. I just admire her so much.
Really, I'd say the only thing about this book I really didn't like was Pinto. She's what, seven years old? And she doesn't sound like it at all. I guess it's just one of those cases of adults failing to capture the voices of children, but regardless, I never found myself really invested in her or her character. I'm not really looking forward to the continuation of her story, to be quite honest.
From what I remember of the final book, there is some pretty depressing stuff coming. Oh well, time to crack out the tissues.
[On a completely unrelated note, I ended up finding a dried leaf tucked between the pages of my slightly battered old copy of this book, which made me smile. It was a lovely little token of the times when I used to press flowers, and then promptly forgot about them. I put the leaf back in the book for me to rediscover later.]
December 31, 2018
I really enjoyed this, and more than the first in the series. It's an engaging, enjoyable and thought-provoking read.
January 6, 2021
I would urgently recommend the Wind on Fire trilogy, and especially Slaves of the Mastery, to any middle-grade students who love fantasy. Because they too will be adults one day, and it's rare to find fantasy that is so unapologetically romantic and non-judgemental. I would as easily recommend this book to any adults who are into fantasy and still have a beating heart.
The Wind Singer, entry #1 in the Wind on Fire trilogy, was a romantic, unique adventure, held back mostly by its simple, often comic writing and its beat-by-beat formulaic nature. It was charming and fun, and sincere, but the story told is only really coherent and engaging during its more active plot sequences; the overall themes and pacing are generally vague. Slaves of the Mastery, book #2, is a substantial improvement in every way.
Slaves of the Mastery absolutely bleeds sincerity. There is suffering, death, unequivocal beauty, pain and pining, and so much love, love, love, love, love. I have never in my life read a book in which characters love each other so much. There is no pretense, no conditions, no overly-gendered or performative hang-ups, there is literally just love overflowing to a painful boiling point that completely opened and captured my heart the first time I ever read this book when I was in the 7th grade. I felt a deep, bittersweet longing for a family, a sibling, a crush, a friend that I had never felt in real life pouring from these pages. I feel all of the same feelings over 15 years later.
The writing itself suffers from some of the same hang-ups as book #1, although to a much lesser degree, and with much more maturity. Bowman and Kess were 11 years old in the first book, but are older now, but still so young at 15, and the writing reflects this shift very well. The whimsy of adventure is replaced by anxiety and uncertainty and the comedic irritations are replaced by angst and feelings of inadequacy. There is real, tangible character development throughout the story, especially with help from new characters (huge nod to Sisi), and it is an immensely emotional treat to witness Bowman discovering his purpose in life, Kess being humbled and opening up, Sisi learning what it means to both be and have a friend, and Mumpo finding self-confidence, all these feelings sandwiched between one horrible disaster and another impending, inevitable, horrible disaster.
That being said, yes, the writing does still suffer from the middle-grade oversimplifying of greater issues, the overly comic dialogue in some unfitting moments, and ultimately a lack of detail on the macro level.
But if you have the ability and allow yourself to use the vineyard of your own mind to embellish on those moments that are lacking in subtlety and bury yourself in this world and these characters, you will find yourself immersed in a story that is so entirely lacking in cynicism, absolutely blanketed in love and hope, and front to back emotionally unguarded, that you too will bleed.
The Wind Singer, entry #1 in the Wind on Fire trilogy, was a romantic, unique adventure, held back mostly by its simple, often comic writing and its beat-by-beat formulaic nature. It was charming and fun, and sincere, but the story told is only really coherent and engaging during its more active plot sequences; the overall themes and pacing are generally vague. Slaves of the Mastery, book #2, is a substantial improvement in every way.
Slaves of the Mastery absolutely bleeds sincerity. There is suffering, death, unequivocal beauty, pain and pining, and so much love, love, love, love, love. I have never in my life read a book in which characters love each other so much. There is no pretense, no conditions, no overly-gendered or performative hang-ups, there is literally just love overflowing to a painful boiling point that completely opened and captured my heart the first time I ever read this book when I was in the 7th grade. I felt a deep, bittersweet longing for a family, a sibling, a crush, a friend that I had never felt in real life pouring from these pages. I feel all of the same feelings over 15 years later.
The writing itself suffers from some of the same hang-ups as book #1, although to a much lesser degree, and with much more maturity. Bowman and Kess were 11 years old in the first book, but are older now, but still so young at 15, and the writing reflects this shift very well. The whimsy of adventure is replaced by anxiety and uncertainty and the comedic irritations are replaced by angst and feelings of inadequacy. There is real, tangible character development throughout the story, especially with help from new characters (huge nod to Sisi), and it is an immensely emotional treat to witness Bowman discovering his purpose in life, Kess being humbled and opening up, Sisi learning what it means to both be and have a friend, and Mumpo finding self-confidence, all these feelings sandwiched between one horrible disaster and another impending, inevitable, horrible disaster.
That being said, yes, the writing does still suffer from the middle-grade oversimplifying of greater issues, the overly comic dialogue in some unfitting moments, and ultimately a lack of detail on the macro level.
But if you have the ability and allow yourself to use the vineyard of your own mind to embellish on those moments that are lacking in subtlety and bury yourself in this world and these characters, you will find yourself immersed in a story that is so entirely lacking in cynicism, absolutely blanketed in love and hope, and front to back emotionally unguarded, that you too will bleed.
November 18, 2017
Benim distopyala serilerinin tamamını beğendiğim -biri hariç- nerede görülmüş Allah aşkına?
İlk kitaptaki ritmi kendi içimde yakalayamadım. :(
İlk kitaptaki ritmi kendi içimde yakalayamadım. :(
August 23, 2019
story 3/5 It does get a little bit repetitive unfortunately.
characters 4/5
writing 3,5/5
audio/paper Paper.
reread? I think I will.
characters 4/5
writing 3,5/5
audio/paper Paper.
reread? I think I will.
April 26, 2009
This is officially one of the best books I have ever read and it is certainly in my Top Five Young Adult Books list. This book has it all – action, adventure, imagination, likeable characters, wonderful worlds and an excellent plot.
The story takes place five years after the events of The Wind Singer and our protagonists are now 15 years old. Aramanth is attacked and the Manth people are taken into slavery by the army of the Mastery.
Kestrel Hath is the only living person left behind and she embarks on a solo journey tracking her family and her people across the desert. She is rescued by the people of the Gang who happen to be travelling in the same direction.
The plot involves great character development of both Kestrel and her twin brother Bowman. It is a great story and a wonderful adventure and I will certainly reading the rest of William Nicholson’s books now.
William Nicholson is actually quite famous as a screen writer and you are probably familiar with his work including Shadowlands, Sarafina!, Gladiator, First Knight and Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
The story takes place five years after the events of The Wind Singer and our protagonists are now 15 years old. Aramanth is attacked and the Manth people are taken into slavery by the army of the Mastery.
Kestrel Hath is the only living person left behind and she embarks on a solo journey tracking her family and her people across the desert. She is rescued by the people of the Gang who happen to be travelling in the same direction.
The plot involves great character development of both Kestrel and her twin brother Bowman. It is a great story and a wonderful adventure and I will certainly reading the rest of William Nicholson’s books now.
William Nicholson is actually quite famous as a screen writer and you are probably familiar with his work including Shadowlands, Sarafina!, Gladiator, First Knight and Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
March 24, 2016
This entire series has stayed with me since I was a child, and this is definitely the best installment. The world building is still intriguing, but both more carefully crafted and more "narrow" than in the previous and following books. The kids are grown up and passions (of very different types) take over, and it's way more compelling than you would've thought. And basically, Kestrel. She's everything. Best young adult female heroine ever, really. Flawed, stubborn, rebellious and vicious at times, but with an honest, kind heart, she's everything I wanted to be as an 11 year-old. I think we need more heroines in literature, period, and therefore I don't love making this comparison, but seriously... Katniss who?
Although my patience was seriously tested by the weird-ass third book of the series, I promise this one makes it all worth it and the first one is an entirely different animal, but also really good.
Although my patience was seriously tested by the weird-ass third book of the series, I promise this one makes it all worth it and the first one is an entirely different animal, but also really good.
July 16, 2018
This is an all nighter. What's going to happen? How will they get out of this mess? Try as I might, I couldn't go to sleep until I found out.
January 4, 2021
It's been five years since Bowman, Kestrel and Mumpo saved the city of Aramanth but now they are under attack. When the army of the Mastery invades and takes the Manth people as slaves, only Kestrel is left free. Seeking revenge, Kestrel embarks on another journey to follow the trail left by her brothers' presence. In the land of the Mastery, Bowman, who has a newly discovered his destiny must become the one to save his people. And all the while the wind is rising...
I had mixed feelings about this book. I loved the first book in this series, but a lot of what I felt while reading that book was missing from this one. A couple of things I didn't like: Mumpo's character is entirely different from the boy we meet in The Wind Singer. Even though new Mumpo is strong and confident, I miss the old, sweet and snivelly Mumpo. I also don't think the author did a very good job of portraying Pinto's character. She was just a baby in the last book so we never got to see who she was and it was disappointing that when she's finally old enough for us to see some of her character she was depicted as being so much older than she really is. She's supposed to be seven in this book, but is written as being at least twelve. Finally, this book gets a lot more violent and lost a lot of the fun action adventure that takes place in the last book.
What I did like: The world-building. It was complex, but fun and still easy to understand. Also the plot, I honestly didn't see the twist in the middle coming at all! The Hath family continue to inspire me. Their bond is still so strong and no matter the circumstances, their love for each other remains. Kestrel is still an amazing heroine and I love her character. Bowman has grown up and, unlike Pinto or Mumpo, I like how his character was developed and the strength that he's gained. I was wary of Sisi at first but, whatever my thoughts of her were in the beginning, the ending changed everything. I really loved the courage she found and hope we'll be seeing more of her in the final book of this trilogy!
I will still be reading the last book in this trilogy but if your thinking about giving this series a try I would recommend reading The Wind Singer as a stand-alone. You can see my review of The Wind Singer here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Happy Reading!
I had mixed feelings about this book. I loved the first book in this series, but a lot of what I felt while reading that book was missing from this one. A couple of things I didn't like: Mumpo's character is entirely different from the boy we meet in The Wind Singer. Even though new Mumpo is strong and confident, I miss the old, sweet and snivelly Mumpo. I also don't think the author did a very good job of portraying Pinto's character. She was just a baby in the last book so we never got to see who she was and it was disappointing that when she's finally old enough for us to see some of her character she was depicted as being so much older than she really is. She's supposed to be seven in this book, but is written as being at least twelve. Finally, this book gets a lot more violent and lost a lot of the fun action adventure that takes place in the last book.
What I did like: The world-building. It was complex, but fun and still easy to understand. Also the plot, I honestly didn't see the twist in the middle coming at all! The Hath family continue to inspire me. Their bond is still so strong and no matter the circumstances, their love for each other remains. Kestrel is still an amazing heroine and I love her character. Bowman has grown up and, unlike Pinto or Mumpo, I like how his character was developed and the strength that he's gained. I was wary of Sisi at first but, whatever my thoughts of her were in the beginning, the ending changed everything. I really loved the courage she found and hope we'll be seeing more of her in the final book of this trilogy!
I will still be reading the last book in this trilogy but if your thinking about giving this series a try I would recommend reading The Wind Singer as a stand-alone. You can see my review of The Wind Singer here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Happy Reading!
August 30, 2012
With all the fuss over The Hunger Games,I was never drawn into actually reading it.
Though I blundered into this middle volume in the Wind On Fire trilogy,(there is nothing on the cover to indicate this status)it seems to me that it presents a very similar but more coherent alternate reality as a setting for its young protagonists to acheive moral awareness.The ritual of manaxa,with its combination of lethal grace,wrestling and dancing,provides a far more compelling contest than the aimless brutality of the hunger games.
Drawing extensively yet subtly from world mythologies, WN explores the permutations of power and power dynamics.Laconic as his writing style,he is droll rather than overtly hilarious,but his irony cuts deep. His characters are fresh and endearing and the plot never stands still long enough to get bogged down in all its twists and turns. The philosophical questions he introduces add an intruiging element to our simplistic notions of freedom and loyalty, and the role of beauty and order in the great scheme of things.
I look forward to locating the rest of this series and reading in order,but in fact this book stands alone just fine.
Though I blundered into this middle volume in the Wind On Fire trilogy,(there is nothing on the cover to indicate this status)it seems to me that it presents a very similar but more coherent alternate reality as a setting for its young protagonists to acheive moral awareness.The ritual of manaxa,with its combination of lethal grace,wrestling and dancing,provides a far more compelling contest than the aimless brutality of the hunger games.
Drawing extensively yet subtly from world mythologies, WN explores the permutations of power and power dynamics.Laconic as his writing style,he is droll rather than overtly hilarious,but his irony cuts deep. His characters are fresh and endearing and the plot never stands still long enough to get bogged down in all its twists and turns. The philosophical questions he introduces add an intruiging element to our simplistic notions of freedom and loyalty, and the role of beauty and order in the great scheme of things.
I look forward to locating the rest of this series and reading in order,but in fact this book stands alone just fine.
July 16, 2020
It happened, I'm so surprised in the absolute best way! The first book in this series, The Wind Singer, was a bit of a disapointment to me, I didn't really enjoy it, I found it very childish, and it was a slog to get through. But this book? Slaves of the Mastery? I sped through it! Adoring it every second of the way and whilst it was childish it was in a more mature way which I enjoyed. I don't know if this is just because I have changed as a reader in the times between these readings, as I've not seen anyone else state the same thing.
In this book the twins have been separated and must work to get back to one another whilst saving their people from the Mastery, I loved the two different viewpoints and seeing how their knowledge of the Mastery, and other big names in the region, develops. The world building was dynamic and really built the world up inside of my head.
I really do recommend this series. William Nicholson has created a beautiful world and I'm now much more excited to finish this trilogy with the Firesong book!
In this book the twins have been separated and must work to get back to one another whilst saving their people from the Mastery, I loved the two different viewpoints and seeing how their knowledge of the Mastery, and other big names in the region, develops. The world building was dynamic and really built the world up inside of my head.
I really do recommend this series. William Nicholson has created a beautiful world and I'm now much more excited to finish this trilogy with the Firesong book!
November 9, 2019
I am continuing my re-read of this series as an adult. This book also delivered and was a pleasant read, although I had a few little niggles with characterisation and the portrayal of love, marriage and gender roles. That said, Nicholson definitely made efforts to have his characters evolve and grow, and challenge these problematic ideas of marriage and obligations, and that somewhat made up for it.
The plot was again quite simple and predictable, but still well-paced and entertaining enough to keep me interested. I do feel like it is much more graphic and violent than the first volume though, and is therefore more suited to a slighlty older audience. It is also a shame that the focus is less on family and kindness and more on romantic love and freedom. I had enjoyed the themes in the first volume and these were a lot more generic and less refreshing.
The plot was again quite simple and predictable, but still well-paced and entertaining enough to keep me interested. I do feel like it is much more graphic and violent than the first volume though, and is therefore more suited to a slighlty older audience. It is also a shame that the focus is less on family and kindness and more on romantic love and freedom. I had enjoyed the themes in the first volume and these were a lot more generic and less refreshing.
January 9, 2024
There is no better feeling than being happily surprised by how good a book is. With Slaves Of The Mastery, Nicholson has taken everything that made The Wind Singer good, and transformed it into something brilliant.
One of the things that impressed me most in the first book was the imagination. The different landscapes, peoples and cultures encountered were all unique, with just enough real-world parallels to make them vividly imaginable. That same creative talent recurs in Slaves Of The Mastery but on an even grander scale. I can so clearly picture the new settings in this book and the people we meet there. Nicholson has a tendency to exaggerate features and personalities to an almost farcical extent - the antagonism of Ombaraka and Omchaka in the first book, the wedding train and its customs in this - which to an older audience might appear unsubtle, but in Slaves Of The Mastery the ridiculousness is somehow transformed into a part of a much more serious climax so that everything feels deliberate and planned.
The step up in character work between books one and two is incredible. I was surprised that the books were published only a year apart, as the second one feels like the work of a much more experienced author. Our protagonists are now a believable fifteen years old and we see how much they have grown since the events of The Wind Singer. Mumpo, in particular, has come so far from his original self and over the course of the book we also see huge developments for both Kestrel and Bowman. New, memorable characters are also introduced and given their own arcs: In contrast to the first book, they are all nuanced and complicated; while their behaviours might be caricatured, they are all capable of surprising you, and the strength of their personalities made moments of character-based tragedy all the more impactful.
What struck me most with this book was how dark it was willing to go. It is often the case with books targeted at a younger audience that the painful moments hit all the harder because of how unexpected they are. Children's authors do not shy away from including horrific things, but as adults we expect that they should somehow be censored out. Nicholson uses this book to dig into big questions: freedom and oppression, fear and how it can control us, the unfortunate impact of rebellion and what goodness means in a society ruled by terror. As an adult reader, some moments of this book hit hard.
And yet it is not inappropriate for a younger audience. What affects us as adults can be only a passing moment of sadness for a child. That ability to read the book on different levels is what makes it powerful and brings readers back to it again and again.
I have finished Slaves Of The Mastery with so many questions, but in the best possible way. I can feel the series building so something spectacular and this second installment has convinced me that Nicholson has the skills to deliver an ending that hits in all the right ways.
One of the things that impressed me most in the first book was the imagination. The different landscapes, peoples and cultures encountered were all unique, with just enough real-world parallels to make them vividly imaginable. That same creative talent recurs in Slaves Of The Mastery but on an even grander scale. I can so clearly picture the new settings in this book and the people we meet there. Nicholson has a tendency to exaggerate features and personalities to an almost farcical extent - the antagonism of Ombaraka and Omchaka in the first book, the wedding train and its customs in this - which to an older audience might appear unsubtle, but in Slaves Of The Mastery the ridiculousness is somehow transformed into a part of a much more serious climax so that everything feels deliberate and planned.
The step up in character work between books one and two is incredible. I was surprised that the books were published only a year apart, as the second one feels like the work of a much more experienced author. Our protagonists are now a believable fifteen years old and we see how much they have grown since the events of The Wind Singer. Mumpo, in particular, has come so far from his original self and over the course of the book we also see huge developments for both Kestrel and Bowman. New, memorable characters are also introduced and given their own arcs: In contrast to the first book, they are all nuanced and complicated; while their behaviours might be caricatured, they are all capable of surprising you, and the strength of their personalities made moments of character-based tragedy all the more impactful.
What struck me most with this book was how dark it was willing to go. It is often the case with books targeted at a younger audience that the painful moments hit all the harder because of how unexpected they are. Children's authors do not shy away from including horrific things, but as adults we expect that they should somehow be censored out. Nicholson uses this book to dig into big questions: freedom and oppression, fear and how it can control us, the unfortunate impact of rebellion and what goodness means in a society ruled by terror. As an adult reader, some moments of this book hit hard.
And yet it is not inappropriate for a younger audience. What affects us as adults can be only a passing moment of sadness for a child. That ability to read the book on different levels is what makes it powerful and brings readers back to it again and again.
I have finished Slaves Of The Mastery with so many questions, but in the best possible way. I can feel the series building so something spectacular and this second installment has convinced me that Nicholson has the skills to deliver an ending that hits in all the right ways.
September 1, 2021
I'd forgotten just how much happens in this trilogy. I'd completely forgotten about Sisi so it was like reuniting with an old friend when she appeared.
Mist the cat's POV is the best thing I've ever read.
I think I'd read the first book a lot more times than 2 and 3, so that explains why I struggled to get through it. Looking forward to the last book!
Mist the cat's POV is the best thing I've ever read.
I think I'd read the first book a lot more times than 2 and 3, so that explains why I struggled to get through it. Looking forward to the last book!
September 6, 2022
This book is amazing. I really liked the first one, but this one was even better. The characters are SO complex!
My biggest complaint: crying out in pain does not make you less noble or courageous or pathetic or weak. But, that's a pet peeve and not enough to dock points.
My biggest complaint: crying out in pain does not make you less noble or courageous or pathetic or weak. But, that's a pet peeve and not enough to dock points.
February 8, 2023
4.8 ⭐️
Amazing book. Amazing ending. Lots of tears. Big improvement over the first (although that was also great). This entry introduced some of my favourite characters now of the franchise and built upon the characters we had already come to know of from the first book.
Excited to see how the journey ends in the next instalment. :D
Amazing book. Amazing ending. Lots of tears. Big improvement over the first (although that was also great). This entry introduced some of my favourite characters now of the franchise and built upon the characters we had already come to know of from the first book.
Excited to see how the journey ends in the next instalment. :D
June 19, 2024
A great sequel, far darker than the first book and sets up a pretty epic conclusion.
September 10, 2019
One of those series I read as a kid and then didn't remember because I didn't own them then stumbled across them again. And they're just as funny and engaging and interesting as when I was a kid!
August 26, 2021
Enjoyable and thought provoking. A good trilogy.
October 23, 2023
4.5* this was book was definitely a massive step up from the first one. It had less of a children’s book feel to it and was so layered and interesting. Really enjoyed the plot of this one, looking forward to starting the third and final book of the series!
March 15, 2020
I didn’t want this book to end. I deliberately took my time reading this book so that I wouldn’t reach the end so quickly.
Slaves of the Mastery has a lot of depth to it, as did the book before. Nicholson does a really good job of having different cultures with different beliefs and ways of life in his stories that they become enjoyable to read as our protagonists have to find ways around each culture they are faced with in order to achieve their end goals.
5 years after the event of the Wind Singer the city of Aramanth has become weak, even though I don’t know why they couldn’t just build more gates around the walls and have them open instead of knocking them down entirely.
The Mastery takes the Manth people into slavery but Kestrel was left on the Wind singer. She follows in the direction her people were taken on their way to the Mastery, which is another culture that is interesting to read about. The Manth people are given jobs that they are skilled in and learn that the people they work for are slaves too as they have been promoted.
Slaves in the mastery are hardly mistreated unless there is an escape attempt. In the event of an escape, the monkey waggon that has a member of the escapee’s family is set alight, along with 20 or so other people in that cage at that time. This keeps everyone from escaping. It is also a good way of building tension from the start as one of the young brash lads is headstrong and feels the need to escape.
When Bowman challenges the ideals of the masters adopted son by saying that it’s perfect for them and only them, not perfect for the people enslaved. We can see just how they truly believe that they are “saving” people other than enslaving them. They have such interesting conversations on the idea of freedom and it was nice to have this much depth to this story’s antagonists rather than painting the villains as just evil. They are so successful that even a lot of the Manth people want to stay in the mastery.
Kestrel’s storyline was also interesting as she befriends a princess and is more successful in changing her views on the world. I don’t particularly like reading about spoilt princesses but we get more depth to her character, as she is not what she appears to be. She is smarter than she looks and does not want to go through with the arranged marriage. She has been told all her life that her role (or job) is to be beautiful for her husband to be, and after she has provided heirs she doesn’t need her beauty anymore and will grow fat like her mother and father are.
It is shocking to read that her culture is like this, but it is nice having Kestrel help her by reassuring her that she doesn’t have to if she doesn’t want to.
The build up to the arranged marriage is very entertaining as everyone, including the master, sets up their plans. There is a scene where the master is in his palace looking down at his city with binoculars and is waving to people looking up in the same fashion and he gets excited when he gets a wave back. I found this scene so incredibly funny as I would probably do the same thing. This makes the main villain seem more human.
I also like how he is not the only bad guy our protagonists have to face and defeat, as we get a few headstrong and/or corrupt members who Kestrel has to be careful around and when the action starts everyone seems to have a different agenda.
Slaves of the Mastery has a lot of depth to it, as did the book before. Nicholson does a really good job of having different cultures with different beliefs and ways of life in his stories that they become enjoyable to read as our protagonists have to find ways around each culture they are faced with in order to achieve their end goals.
5 years after the event of the Wind Singer the city of Aramanth has become weak, even though I don’t know why they couldn’t just build more gates around the walls and have them open instead of knocking them down entirely.
The Mastery takes the Manth people into slavery but Kestrel was left on the Wind singer. She follows in the direction her people were taken on their way to the Mastery, which is another culture that is interesting to read about. The Manth people are given jobs that they are skilled in and learn that the people they work for are slaves too as they have been promoted.
Slaves in the mastery are hardly mistreated unless there is an escape attempt. In the event of an escape, the monkey waggon that has a member of the escapee’s family is set alight, along with 20 or so other people in that cage at that time. This keeps everyone from escaping. It is also a good way of building tension from the start as one of the young brash lads is headstrong and feels the need to escape.
When Bowman challenges the ideals of the masters adopted son by saying that it’s perfect for them and only them, not perfect for the people enslaved. We can see just how they truly believe that they are “saving” people other than enslaving them. They have such interesting conversations on the idea of freedom and it was nice to have this much depth to this story’s antagonists rather than painting the villains as just evil. They are so successful that even a lot of the Manth people want to stay in the mastery.
Kestrel’s storyline was also interesting as she befriends a princess and is more successful in changing her views on the world. I don’t particularly like reading about spoilt princesses but we get more depth to her character, as she is not what she appears to be. She is smarter than she looks and does not want to go through with the arranged marriage. She has been told all her life that her role (or job) is to be beautiful for her husband to be, and after she has provided heirs she doesn’t need her beauty anymore and will grow fat like her mother and father are.
It is shocking to read that her culture is like this, but it is nice having Kestrel help her by reassuring her that she doesn’t have to if she doesn’t want to.
The build up to the arranged marriage is very entertaining as everyone, including the master, sets up their plans. There is a scene where the master is in his palace looking down at his city with binoculars and is waving to people looking up in the same fashion and he gets excited when he gets a wave back. I found this scene so incredibly funny as I would probably do the same thing. This makes the main villain seem more human.
I also like how he is not the only bad guy our protagonists have to face and defeat, as we get a few headstrong and/or corrupt members who Kestrel has to be careful around and when the action starts everyone seems to have a different agenda.
May 11, 2018
Mixed feelings. It is a better book than the first one, both in terms of the writing itself and in the general structure of the story. But one of the things I judge sequels on is how closely related to the first book they are. I don't mean that they shouldn't stand alone (they should) or that they can't be different (they can be), but presumably, the events of the first book should shape the characters and events of the second.
The weird, ridiculous quality of the first book is completely lost in this one. No one is calling anyone a a "sagahog" or a "pompaprune," which, okay, that was a weird thing in the first book that was never explained and I wasn't sure if I liked or not, but why would the people's vocabulary change so much over just five years? Other than the Morah, who (which?) is only referred to in vague terms, and the fact that the kids had gone on a journey, no one really talks or thinks about what happened in the last book. The Underlake is never mentioned, nor does anyone think about how great it would be if Ombaraka showed up and gave them a lift (I am not saying that it should have showed up an given them a lift, but that it would be perfectly natural, when one is on a forced march and/or preparing for a long journey, to wish that a mobile city would show up and help).
Additionally, in the last book, the Morah was clearly described as a sorcerer of some kind, and in this book, it's a vague expression of humanity's harmful qualities. So who was the old woman in the last book, then? A manifestation of these qualities? Someone who'd been possessed by them? Someone who was taking advantage of them? Idk, no one talks about it.
Interesting social commentary. Not sure if I approve or not.
Oh, also really weird portrayals of beauty and weight. Apparently to be beautiful you have to be super thin and never eat, and also really vain, while fat people are portrayed as somewhat simple, but at least not bad people? There's a lot of fixation of fat people, it's weird.
On the plus side, it has a cat.
The weird, ridiculous quality of the first book is completely lost in this one. No one is calling anyone a a "sagahog" or a "pompaprune," which, okay, that was a weird thing in the first book that was never explained and I wasn't sure if I liked or not, but why would the people's vocabulary change so much over just five years? Other than the Morah, who (which?) is only referred to in vague terms, and the fact that the kids had gone on a journey, no one really talks or thinks about what happened in the last book. The Underlake is never mentioned, nor does anyone think about how great it would be if Ombaraka showed up and gave them a lift (I am not saying that it should have showed up an given them a lift, but that it would be perfectly natural, when one is on a forced march and/or preparing for a long journey, to wish that a mobile city would show up and help).
Additionally, in the last book, the Morah was clearly described as a sorcerer of some kind, and in this book, it's a vague expression of humanity's harmful qualities. So who was the old woman in the last book, then? A manifestation of these qualities? Someone who'd been possessed by them? Someone who was taking advantage of them? Idk, no one talks about it.
Interesting social commentary. Not sure if I approve or not.
Oh, also really weird portrayals of beauty and weight. Apparently to be beautiful you have to be super thin and never eat, and also really vain, while fat people are portrayed as somewhat simple, but at least not bad people? There's a lot of fixation of fat people, it's weird.
On the plus side, it has a cat.
March 19, 2019
I love this series. I go back to them every time I run out of library books.
My only problem with this book (Besides Sisi's eating habits that would surely have killed her by now) is a very important fact that is left out.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MUD PEOPLE?
the entire city was sacked and burned, and the wind singer with it. Did the mud people just get overlooked? fair enough, most of the citypeople didn't know they were there at the beginning of the last book, but surely Mumpo and the twins would have mentioned them to people? or spared a thought to the people that sheltered them and sent them in the right direction?
After the wind singer is gone, will the Morah return with the army of Zars? Come to think of it, how did they get up through the sewers in the first book without slaughtering every mudperson between the cave entrance and the sewer system?
If the mud in the caves is the composted waste from Aramanth (and it is), what will happen to it now that the city is burned and abandoned? the water will cease flowing, there will be no more organic matter. Perhaps they could, or would have to, come up and reoccupy the city. but they can't stand the light.
Please, wont somebody think of the mudpeople.
Except for that, which I only thought about recently, after probably my tenth reading of the series, I LOVE these books.
My only problem with this book (Besides Sisi's eating habits that would surely have killed her by now) is a very important fact that is left out.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MUD PEOPLE?
the entire city was sacked and burned, and the wind singer with it. Did the mud people just get overlooked? fair enough, most of the citypeople didn't know they were there at the beginning of the last book, but surely Mumpo and the twins would have mentioned them to people? or spared a thought to the people that sheltered them and sent them in the right direction?
After the wind singer is gone, will the Morah return with the army of Zars? Come to think of it, how did they get up through the sewers in the first book without slaughtering every mudperson between the cave entrance and the sewer system?
If the mud in the caves is the composted waste from Aramanth (and it is), what will happen to it now that the city is burned and abandoned? the water will cease flowing, there will be no more organic matter. Perhaps they could, or would have to, come up and reoccupy the city. but they can't stand the light.
Please, wont somebody think of the mudpeople.
Except for that, which I only thought about recently, after probably my tenth reading of the series, I LOVE these books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2011
Having just recently read the first book in the trilogy, Wind Singer (see my review here), my immediate impressions about the second book are well done!
The author has transitioned from the simpler writing style of Wind Singer to one that is much more befitting the age group I believe the books are targeted at. The more mature circumstances written about are also appropriate given the main characters' aging into young adulthood.
For me, and I believe for many readers, the outcome of this installment of the trilogy is totally expected but that fact doesn't seem to detract from the enjoyment I experienced in reading the story. In this case, as in many others, the interest and excitement in living the journey with the main characters (the Hath family, Mumpo, Sisi) far outweighs the expected outcome.
All too often I find that stories in installments end up with later books in the series falling flat compared to the first. Happily, I can say that that is not the case here and I heartily recommend this to anyone wondering if they should carve out their precious time to read it (it's a quick read anyway).
The author has transitioned from the simpler writing style of Wind Singer to one that is much more befitting the age group I believe the books are targeted at. The more mature circumstances written about are also appropriate given the main characters' aging into young adulthood.
For me, and I believe for many readers, the outcome of this installment of the trilogy is totally expected but that fact doesn't seem to detract from the enjoyment I experienced in reading the story. In this case, as in many others, the interest and excitement in living the journey with the main characters (the Hath family, Mumpo, Sisi) far outweighs the expected outcome.
All too often I find that stories in installments end up with later books in the series falling flat compared to the first. Happily, I can say that that is not the case here and I heartily recommend this to anyone wondering if they should carve out their precious time to read it (it's a quick read anyway).
January 13, 2022
This was the book I secretly read after bedtime. This was also the first book I read in which the stakes were genuinely high. There is real danger, true bravery, and heartwarming love. I had never before read anything like this, and I was swept away.
This book is officially recommended to children starting from the age of 10, but I can't help but wonder if it shouldn't be categorised as YA. Five years have passed since the events of the first book, and the relatively innocent adventures have turned into a much darker story about slavery. The protagonists are no longer the children they used to be, but teens with serious responsibilities and serious problems. I love how Bo and Kess are able to make sensible decisions, and how excellent their communication skills are. This is truly a rare sight in YA. And maybe, just maybe this is the case, because these teens have no parental issues: they have a loving mother and father who are neither dead, abducted, nor missing, or whatever generally happens to parents in YA.
On to the final book....(which I have never read before).
This book is officially recommended to children starting from the age of 10, but I can't help but wonder if it shouldn't be categorised as YA. Five years have passed since the events of the first book, and the relatively innocent adventures have turned into a much darker story about slavery. The protagonists are no longer the children they used to be, but teens with serious responsibilities and serious problems. I love how Bo and Kess are able to make sensible decisions, and how excellent their communication skills are. This is truly a rare sight in YA. And maybe, just maybe this is the case, because these teens have no parental issues: they have a loving mother and father who are neither dead, abducted, nor missing, or whatever generally happens to parents in YA.
On to the final book....(which I have never read before).
March 19, 2017
To go from the wonderful first book, The Wind Singer, to this book was far beyond disappointing. I loved The Wind Singer. I loved the characters, the settings, the adventure,the climax, and the end. When I read this, I was excited to know where their adventures would take them next, and I was revolted. It was as though the author discovered the latest trend in young adult series between writing book one and two and decided that his series needed an about face to try and catch up with the dystopian craze that was sweeping the young adult industry. Honestly, I regret ever having read this. I would have been happier if The Wind Singer had been a stand-alone book.
June 25, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. This is a delicately crafted novel which like the music described, builds to a crescendo and leaves it's readers wanting more.
A little more mature than the first installment, this novel tells the tale of a nation of slaves and draws on the dichotomy of power vs love and beauty found through suffering. Whilst the path of the novel is clear to see from early on, it is crafted beautifully, characters woven into a world of beauty, built on hate.
The characters are good, I felt compassion for them all at some point and I would have loved to read more of the manaxa, I would have happily read a spin off about the manac trainer and Mumpo's rose to fame. Equally I could happily read more about their town and how Ortiz came to love the master.
This book is better than the first. There is plenty to sink your teeth into and the pace is consistently good. I'm off to read book 3 now.
A little more mature than the first installment, this novel tells the tale of a nation of slaves and draws on the dichotomy of power vs love and beauty found through suffering. Whilst the path of the novel is clear to see from early on, it is crafted beautifully, characters woven into a world of beauty, built on hate.
The characters are good, I felt compassion for them all at some point and I would have loved to read more of the manaxa, I would have happily read a spin off about the manac trainer and Mumpo's rose to fame. Equally I could happily read more about their town and how Ortiz came to love the master.
This book is better than the first. There is plenty to sink your teeth into and the pace is consistently good. I'm off to read book 3 now.
April 7, 2013
"Slaves of the Mastery," the second novel in the Wind on Fire series was absolutely amazing. The story follows many characters including Kestrel, Bowman, the Hath Family, Mumpo, and other new characters. It was interesting to see characters grow and develop, especially Bowman, who matured greatly in this novel. William Nicholson also added interesting, yet crucial characters to this sequel: The Gang, a "clan" who, in this novel, travelled to the Mastery to wed the flawless Johdila.
This was such an interesting novel, and I couldn't take my eyes off of the pages! I personally found this book much more intriguing than the first one of the series. The interaction between the Johdila and Kestrel added an extra flavor to the novel, as Kestrel's search for her family was what really pushed the story forward. All in all, this was an excellent sequel to the first: definitely not a let down!
This was such an interesting novel, and I couldn't take my eyes off of the pages! I personally found this book much more intriguing than the first one of the series. The interaction between the Johdila and Kestrel added an extra flavor to the novel, as Kestrel's search for her family was what really pushed the story forward. All in all, this was an excellent sequel to the first: definitely not a let down!
August 2, 2009
I read these through 2007 and finished the third book in March 2008. These books are one of the few series of YA fantasy I can think of that are UNIQUE. I'd never read anything like them. Nicholson creates a really intriguing world, and keeps adding interesting new elements in each book. He also has great skill at choosing character names!
I ended up using the Manth wedding vows from this book as one of the readings at our wedding. They bring tears to my eyes pretty much every time I read them.
I ended up using the Manth wedding vows from this book as one of the readings at our wedding. They bring tears to my eyes pretty much every time I read them.
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