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  • The Wind Singer

  • The Wind on Fire Trilogy, Book 1
  • By: William Nicholson
  • Narrated by: Samuel West
  • Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (295 ratings)
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The Wind Singer cover art

The Wind Singer

By: William Nicholson
Narrated by: Samuel West
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Summary

In Aramanth, exams are everything. When Kestrel rebels, her family are sentenced to the harshest punishment. To save them, Kestrel learns the secret of the wind singer and she sets out to discover the true source of the evil that grips Aramanth.
©2001 William Nicholson (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Wind Singer

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Imaginative, unpredictable and absorbing

I must admit I purchased this trilogy simply because Samuel West is a superb reader and his choice of novels hasn't let me down yet. And here's another great story, this time written with young teens in mind but absorbing for adults too. The Audible description doesn't make it sound that interesting but it's a highly imaginative tale of a city/civilisation under attack and of the girl & boy twins (Kestrel and Bowman) who set out to save their city and people. It's an adventure story with a strong mystical undercurrent. What I liked most was that each twist in the tale was unpredictable, particularly when the twins got themselves into Perils-of-Pauline situations.

Each of these books can be read as a stand-alone, but it's definitely worthwhile listening to them all in sequence (The Wind Singer; Slaves of The Mastery; Firesong) to find out what happens to all the different characters. Samuel West, as usual, does a brilliant job with his narration.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved the trilogy

I hadnt read these books and came across a recommendation.
I simply adored them - buying Books 2 & 3 before I was half way through book 1 - and listened to them all one after the other.
Samuel West is brilliant - he has a wonderful voice and gave the story a perfect delivery.
Highly, highly recommended!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Rollicking good adventure story!

This story is clearly aimed at young people aged between perhaps 10 and 16. However, I, a 51 year-old, also enjoyed its innocent sense of adventure. The tale is set in the fantastical city of Aramanth, where all citizens are segregated by colour and district according to their intelligence and sense of obedience and duty, and controlled by examinations that test the intelligence and ability to learn of its subjects. Three children set out to bring release to the City from this restrictive set of Rules by restoring the voice of the wind singer, which is a music-making high tower in the middle of the square. They face a whole series of dangerous and fantastic adventures before they finally find the voice of the wind singer and (facing death several times over) restore it to the tower where the magical music restores happiness to Aramanth and it becomes like any other city in our world with people freely intermingling and not being restricted by exams or anything else.

I enjoyed the narration very much: the only reason I have deducted one star is because the man narrating it did not have a massive voice range (e.g. children's voices were not spoken in a higher pitch), but it was a very pleasing experience to listen to him anyway, as he carried the story on beautifully.

Another thing I enjoyed very much was that the story started at the beginning, carried on through the middle and ended at the end, which is unlike the modern trend of adult novels where time darts all over the place, using the voice of several different characters past and present, until you don't know whether you are on your head or your heels. I often get confused by this modern genre of moving back and forth in time, so for this reason alone it was a very refreshing change to listen to a book where time behaves in a proper manner!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

amazing

this is one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. I was weeping with emotion several times during the book... suitable from aged 9 up I would say

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good

Just as good as I remember with great delivery. not a good story for younger listeners.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully read

Samuel West's performance made the book immersive and difficult to put down - just brilliant.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

superb

If you could sum up The Wind Singer in three words, what would they be?

brilliant for all ages

What about Samuel West’s performance did you like?

superb narrator

Any additional comments?

i first read this book in school and came across it the other day and decided to give it ago, it is truly brilliant and still facinates me today

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

I know this is classed as a YA book, but my 67 year old husband and 61 year old self really enjoyed listening to it on holiday. I think the main reason is because Samuel West is such a terrific narrator, and gives each character their own distinct voice. The story is well written and would , I think, appeal to all
ages. It is easy listening, I have bought the sequels and hope they are as good.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

amazing

i absolutely love this book ive always struggled with reading book but this way i can listen and it makes it alot easyer for me i love everything about it

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thought-provoking. A great reading as well.

Relevant, well written and imaginative. One of those books that will engage 'old' and young readers alike.

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1 person found this helpful