Customer Reviews

Firesong: Book Three in the Wind on Fire Trilogy

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Children's books about the horrors of standardized testing are increasingly popular these days. From Edward Bloor's well-intentioned, Story Time to The Report Card by the otherwise talented Andrew Clements, these books have attempted to capture the dangers of this destructive teaching tool. Both books have fallen short, leaving some people to wonder if there could ever be a book that discusses this controversial subject well. What few people know is that there's a fantastic well-written and beautifully put together fantasy series that begins with the horrific results of what happens when a society bases all decisions on testing. Regular methodical testing. In William Nicholson's, "The Wind Singer", (the first in his "Wind On Fire" trilogy), the term "distopia" takes on a whole new look and meaning. In a book that is simultaneously wise, beautifully penned, and deeply moving, "The Wind Singer", gets to the bottom of rigid test-based communities and show us a great worst-case scenario.

Aramanth is a community that loves its tests. Living by the daily pledge, "I vow to strive harder, to reach higher, and in every way to seek to make tomorrow better than today", its citizens embody the ultimate caste system. Based on strict standardized testing, people live according to how well they test. The nicest homes belong to those members of society that answer quizzes effectively and intelligently. For those people who don't like tests or don't do well on them for a variety of reasons, they live on the bottom rungs of society. There's very little rebellion in Aramanth due to its rigid control of any possible insubordination on the part of its citizens. That is, until the day little Kestrel Hath decides that she doesn't want to live in a world based on testing anymore. Suddenly she's endangered her family and herself. There seems no escape from Aramanth's rules and regulations, until the ancient Emperor, a disused ruler, tells Kestral about the Wind Singer. This gigantic and ancient construction of pipes that towers over the town was once given the ability to sing to its citizens, calming their hearts and making them happy. When the key to the Wind Singer's voice was stolen, the society became cold and hardened into its current state. With her twin brother Bowman and their initially unwanted tagalong Mumpo at her side, Kestral and company embark on a quest to save Aramanth from itself once and for all.

I nominate this book for the title, Perfect Distopian Novel. I've not fallen for a fabulous fantasy in a long time, and this book has everything you could want in it. A great (and little used) moral. Characters you care about deeply. A gripping plot. Everything. I greatly appreciated that the parents of the heroes in this book were not only both alive (not usually the case in fantasies) but also active, amusing, and subversive aids to their kids' efforts. Too often parents fret and flail in children's novels, adding nothing to the story but woe. In this book Mr. and Mrs. Hath recognize the quest their children are on and decide to raise a little hooplah in Aramanth on their own. The results are quite fabulous. I was also impressed by the character of Mumpo. A developmentally challenged boy who loves the Hath twins desperately, Mumpo could easily have been a kind of mock-Forest Gump character, spouting simple platitudes and giving everyone around him a patented new lookout on life. Ugh. There's a little of that, but Nicholson is clever enough to know how to give Mumpo more complexity than Mr. Gump. His character learns and grows (sometimes frighteningly) through his experiences and his very existence makes the twins kinder people through his presence.

There are an awful lot of other great moments in this story, though. For one thing, I think it contains the scariest evil army I've ever read. You can keep your The Lord of the Rings-type orcs and goblins. I personally believe that the army of the Zars, a relentlessly cheery troop of endless, young, white-suited, peppy people given to singing "Kill Kill Kill" at the top of their voices, is the most horrifying group to ever appear in a children's book. The Zars are rivaled in evil, however, by a prematurely old group of children with the ability to suck the youth out of anyone they touch. Worst of all is the evil spirit-lord, the Morah. The Morah has long since convinced the citizens of Aramanth that he's a myth. It reminds me of the quote, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist". With these incredibly awful foes, it's a wonder Kestrel and Bowman keep their wits about them. Finally, the book has a deep emotional core that I think will be appreciated by all readers. The Hath family is very loving and caring. The bond between the twins is deep and Nicholson deftly portrays the depths of Mumpo's loneliness and despair. Plus the book has an amazing array of different worlds through which the kids travel. From the deep mud world below Aramanth to a traveling city on wheels (somewhat similar those found in the more recent Hungry City Chronicles by fellow Brit, Phillip Reeve), Nicholson creates new fantastical universes out of thin air. The result is a book that'll have you continually reading for hours on end, unable to stop even part way through.

The most recommended fantasy book in schools nation-wide is undeniably Lois Lowry's, The Giver. I suggest that, as good as it is, we give, "The Giver", a break for once and encourage our kids to read "The Wind Singer" instead. Those children that suffer under the strain of repeated testing will appreciate the book's strong message. Children who like great action sequences and heightened danger will fall for the book's fast-paced escapes and battles. And those children that simply like a good story with good writing will be entranced. I say with conviction that this is probably one of the strongest British fantasy book for children written in the twenty-first century. It's simply the best.

Ok im only 13 years old and it wasnt a struggle to read at all. I cant write very good rewievs, so make sure you read all the other ones written by intelligent and extremely helpful people. I just want to say if you are thinking of buying this book go RIGHT AHEAD! i guarantee you will not be dissapointed. The characters are all brilliant. I have written books myself but i have never got so involved witht he characters emotions and feelings before. It even made me cry- which i dont often do. I keep reading it again and again and again. Im still not bored of it just sad that it's ended.I rate this book a well deserved 5 out of 5! It is extremely gripping, adventurous and jam packed with stuff. PLEASE read it, especially if you have read the other two in the trilogy. If you like teen books like artemis fowl, his dark materials ect you will LOVE this. It is even better! The ending isn't absolutely great as it is a bit soppy but who cares??? Its... its... its...amazing! INGENIOUS!!!

This book is insane.

There's no point trying to read the third book without the first two, because they build to the beauty of the trilogy. Actually, I read the first book in fourth grade when I was nine and I loved it because it was funny and awe-inspiring. Last year, at age eleven, I remembered the first book and I came here to buy the other do, impulsively. The second book was not immature. Each scene was beautiful in its own way, with titles like "Terror at Dawn" that were very symbolic in deeper ways. You started to see the beauty of Kestrel and Bowman's connection and how much they needed each other. The action wasn't what turned me on about the book, but the pure beauty of what was happening. The third book was a great ending. The Wind of Fire was so beautiful it made me cry. You must find out what that is.

One word to describe this book: beautiful.

WHERE BROOKLYN AT!

Nowadays many books for children, like Harry Potter or the Golden Compass books, focus on societies or people that are wholly good or bad, and act accordingly. What captured me about this trilogy was the concept that oppressive societies, slavery, and other cruelties can be the catalyst for goodness, artistic beauty, and personal growth and understanding. Although this is closer to reality, it is refreshingly painted in an unambiguous, stark style that is compelling without being overpowering. The children are clever and confront challenges with creative, bold action. A wonderful story with great inspiration hidden under the edges. Recommended for kids in 6th grade or so.

I've read a lot and even though I don't have much time to describe this book, I must say it is the best trilogy ever, even beating The Lord Of The rings. Best money ever spent!

Reading Level: Young Adult

The final book of the Wind on Fire trilogy is firesong. Unlike the gap between books one and two, Firesong begins only a short time after the fateful events in the Mastery. The rich literary heritage of this story continues as the Manth people, lead by the Hath family, embark on their epic exodus from slavery as they wander the wastelands of a disintegrating world, in search of their homeland and safety. It is an odyssey that has challenges of character and trials of trust and faith worthy of biblical or classical Greek heros.

After reading the three books I have modified my view about the lack of depth to the main characters. I never felt the humanity of Bo or Kestral in the same way as I felt for say, Harry Potter or Lyra, the heroine of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. But then, the Hath family is cut from a different mold. They are descendents of mythic heros like Moses, Hercules, Oedipus, and Sir Gawain. In the end, The Wind on Fire is about deeds, choices, and fate.

If your child likes this story, I would serve well as a springboard into re-tellings of other classic epics like The Iliad, The Odyssey,or the Knights of the Round Table.

- KB Shaw, Publisher
SPECTRUM Children's Book Club
www.incwell.com

I had already read the first two books and loved them, but I have to say that after reading this book, I felt kind of disappointed, like I got ripped off. For one, this book has a lot less action, making it less interesting. For a large part of the book, all that is described is the Manth people trudging in the snow. There are only about five significant "occurrences" before the ending. Most importantly though, I thought that the ending was not only extremely sad, but kind of unfair to the characters. Although I like to read, I don't normally feel any special bond(s) with the characters, but these books were an exception. I think that there could have been a much better alternative to the ending, something a bit more true to the characters. While I can understand why the author wrote the book that way, I really think that the ending was only fair to Pinto in the end. The overall effect seemed unnatural to me, like this wasn't supposed to happen that way.
Well, if you're like me and don't care if something gets bad reviews; you have to see for yourself, by all means, read the book. I just think that some may be unsatisfied with the final book in the Wind on the Fire Trilogy.

This is a good book but I want to explain something that happend in the second book. Remember that slave boy that fell in love with Kestril that she accidentaly killed. Now think about how she dies at the end of this trilogy. put these two together and know that if that boy had lived she might have fallen in love. So it would have been harder to kill herself if she was in love, also her brother and her would both have had a future they could live so there would be no way for them to decide who would sacrifice themself.

The story is ectremely good. Kestrel, Bowman, and Mumpo (the main characters) set out of their home (Aramanth) to retrieve the Wind Singer's voice made by the Manth people. On the way, they ecounter wierd people on rolling cities, Ombaraka and Omchaka. They manage to escape from them and find the Morah, an ancient enemy. Find out for yourself to see if they live while they run away form the Morah's army, the invincable Zars!

It was nice to see that this series ended on good terms, with the author wrapping things well without any gaping plot holes or nasty loose ends. The continued development of the characters was a treat. There shoule be more authors like Mr. Nicholson.