Slaves of the Mastery (The Wind on Fire, Book 2) [Hardcover]

William Nicholson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2001 | Series: Wind on Fire (Book 2)

The people of Aramanth are finally free of the Morah, the evil power that controlled them for generations. But a ruthless attack by soldiers from a distant land destroys the city, and its people are driven off as slaves. During the invasion, Kestrel and Bowman are separated for the first time in their lives. Bowman becomes a slave of the Mastery. Kestrel escapes, then sets off to avenge the enslavement of her family. As the twins embark on their parallel adventures, their mother's prophetic dreams reveal their true identity and their dangerous fate. Bowman's mind power and Kestrel's fierce spirit are soon joined once again to fight for the freedom of their people.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Continuing the Wind on the Fire Trilogy, which began with The Wind Singer, William Nicholson follows heroes Kestrel and Bowman when they become separated in Slaves of the Mastery. A psychic connection binds the twins and eventually draws them back together as they fight the evil powers that have taken over their homeland.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-A masterful sequel to The Wind Singer (Hyperion, 2000). The city of Aramanth, having experienced five years of peace, is attacked and its people, including Bowman Hath and his family, are taken as slaves to the city of the Mastery. The 15-year-old's twin sister Kestrel is separated from them, but eventually meets up with Bowman, and they use a combination of magic and cunning to overthrow the Master. Political intrigue, magical power, and quiet humor will keep the pages turning as readers follow the adventures of the heroic twins, but at the heart of this tale is an exploration of slavery, freedom, and destiny. Bowman's struggle to convince his people, who are well treated and content, that slavery is inherently evil is truly chilling, while his sibling's dealings with the desire, greed, and na‹vet‚ of Very Important People can be hilarious. Every character, from sensible Kestrel to the larger-than-life Master to a cat that is determined to fly, is compelling and full of life. Readers won't need to have read the first book in the proposed trilogy to fully enjoy this one, but they will certainly clamor for the third.

Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 434 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; First U.S. Edition, First Printing edition (September 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786805706
• ISBN-13: 978-0786805709
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #249,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended by SPECTRUM Home and School Magazine, October 22, 2001

By 

KB Shaw "incwell.com" (Chandler, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slaves of the Mastery (The Wind on Fire, Book 2) (Hardcover)

SLAVES OF THE MASTERY begins five years after the events of the first book of this trilogy, THE WIND SINGER.The social circles of Aramanth have been forever broken by the somewhat peculiar Hath family and soon, Aramanth itself will be destroyed and the Manth people made slaves of a distant country called The Mastery.

William Nicholson, whose screen writing credits include "Gladiator", has once again crafted a fast moving story of intersecting plots. And like THE WIND SINGER, there is much below the surface of the action. At the heart of the tale is the duality of life. Nicholson explores the similarity and differences between good and evil, freedom and slavery (even self slavery), beauty and violence, love and hatred, and life and death.

The author has drawn on many sources to create this story, the most obvious of which is the Moses story and the "Book of Exodus." He has utilized his research for "Gladiator" in creating an artistic death sport called the Manaxa. But most intriguing is his exploration of slavery. On this point long hours of discussion can ensue, because Nicholson's implications are vast. We may even pause to ask are we slaves ourselves -- slaves of culture, religion, and even work? Just who does the Master represent in Nicholson's grand design. I have a definite opinion, and I'm sure you will too.

The themes and juxtaposed scenes of beauty and violence make this a more mature book for older readers and adults. For these same reasons, SLAVES OF THE MASTERY rises above the level of the first book as Nicholson immerses us in two new cultures populated with characters, customs, and cultures that range from awe inspiring to absurd.

The only negative may be that this book may not stand on it's own, particularly in the area of character development. If you haven't read the first book, the characters seem rather sketchy and thin, particularly the Hath family around whom the story revolves. Solution? Read THE WIND SINGER first.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprising Sequel to a Great Book, July 16, 2003

By 

Kaila Searl "a girl who likes military history" (Eugene, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Slaves of the Mastery (The Wind on Fire, Book 2) (Hardcover)

I picked up the first book of this series (The Wind Singer) off the library shelf because I thought the cover looked cool. I was very surprised when I liked it as much as I did. Normally, when a book is that good, I do not go on to read the entire series, because often the first book is the best and it is down hill from there. I went ahead and broke that line of thought because I enjoyed the first one so much, and checked out Slaves of the Mastery from my library. I couldn't believe it: it was BETTER than the first book. That's never happened to me before. I have now bought the entire series and am reading through them again.

I think that certain parts of this book could be a little scary for youngsters, because William Nicholson addresses all kinds of social issues (and not pretty social issues, at that), and there a couple battle scenes that are pretty graphic. It is a perfect young adult book, however, and I recommend it above any other young adult fantasy book I have ever read, including Harry Potter, and the Sabriel series (which was one of those series where the first book was REALLY good and the last two kept getting worse). In fact, there were parts that had me laughing out loud (the boy, Bowman, is very clever sometimes. The cat had me cracking up, too), and there were parts that brought me to the brink of tears. It is a hard call between this one and The Wind Singer for which is my favorite of the trilogy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, May 6, 2002

By 

"sarybearie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slaves of the Mastery (The Wind on Fire, Book 2) (Hardcover)

The day I bought this book I sat down on the couch and read for the rest of the day. William Nicholson's Slaves of the Mastery isn't just a book for children and teens. It deals with mature issues such as slavery and violence. If you read The Wind Singer and didn't like it enough to read the sequel, reconsider, because this book is so much better. Kestrel, Bowman and Mumpo are unique, appealing characters and there is always a new spin on the story. As for me, I'm anxiously awaiting the third book in the trilogy. Read this book- you won't regret it!