Slaves of the Mastery (Wind on Fire) [School & Library Binding]

William Nicholson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Wind on Fire (Book 2)

Sequel to the Smarties Award winning title, The Wind Singer, read by the author. 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 mus learn the secrets of the Singer people. Only then will they break the power of the Mastery.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9--When the soldiers of the Mastery loot and burn the city of Aramanth, the Hath family are taken as slaves along with the rest of the Manth people. Only 15-year-old Kestrel, separated from her twin brother Bowman, remains behind, vowing revenge against the cruel invaders. Samuel West's narration of William Nicholson's sequel (Hyperion, 2001) to The Wind Singer (Hyperion, 2000) is splendid, resonant with complex emotional twists and turns without ever descending into the overly melodramatic. He moves seamlessly from one characterization to another and is equally adept at portraying various ages, genders, and idiosyncratic personalitiesâ€"some gently humorous, others wise, and several consummately evil. Whether describing the horrific monkey cages, the riveting battles of the manaxa, or the tantaraza, the glorious dance of love, West holds listeners spellbound, drawn ever deeper into the classic struggle between good and evil. Filled with memorable scenes and unforgettable people, this second volume in The Wind on the Fire trilogy stands independently of the other two volumes.--Cindy Lombardo, Tuscarawas County Public Library, New Philadelphia, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• School & Library Binding
• Publisher: Topeka Bindery (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613682890
• ISBN-13: 978-0613682893
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,540,204 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!