Is this what freedom is supposed to be like? Desperate to provide for himself and his sister Ellie, Bensin searches fruitlessly for work like all the other former slaves in Tarnestra. He needs the money for an even more important purpose, though: to rescue Coach Steene, who sacrificed himself for Bensin’s freedom. When members of two rival street gangs express interest in Bensin’s martial arts … martial arts skills, he realizes he may have a chance to save his father figure after all … at a cost.
Meanwhile, Steene struggles with his new life of slavery in far-away Neliria. Raymond, his young owner, seizes any opportunity to make his life miserable. But while Steene longs to escape and rejoin Bensin and Ellie, he starts to realize that Raymond needs him too. His choices will affect not only his own future, but that of everyone he cares about. Can he make the right ones … and live with the consequences?
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I’ve read all four books in the Krillonian Chronicles, but this one is definitely my favourite.
Although the book follows two protagonists, this is more Steene’s story than it is Bensin’s. It’s not easy for Steene to adjust to life as a slave – and he also gets a taste of what Bensin went through. He may have made some bad choices in the earlier books, but at heart he is a good man and that is obvious as the book goes on.
One of my favourite things was the development of Steene’s relationship with Raymond and the way both of them grew and changed. Raymond starts the book as a spoiled brat and ends it…well, I’m not going to say. But you’ll want to find out!
I thoroughly recommend this book, and the others in the series.
After escaping to freedom with his sister and several other slaves, Bensin struggles to find a job, and although he tries to stay away from the gangs, it may be harder than he thought as he continues to be jobless. Meanwhile, after Steene is captured trying help Bensin and the others escape, he is sold as a slave to a rich, spoiled 13-year-old who wants Steene to teach him martial arts.
The Student and the Slave is just as good as the previous two books! I loved them all very much 🙂
This book has the characters tackling yet another set of challenges. Bensin gets involved in gangs, accidentally. I thought that the way the gangs were portrayed, especially their welcoming in new members with the promise of friendship and family, was accurate according to everything I have read. However, friendship isn’t the only things they offer, which is also true.
The next challenge Bensin is facing is the economy. Like in the American South after the Civil War, the economy was shot, after it released all the slaves: the owners didn’t have the money to pay the people who had previously been slaves, and so there were few jobs, and in addition to the freed slaves already there, more slaves ran there to escape slavery. So there were many homeless ex-slaves. They were free, but … jobless and homeless isn’t too great either.
The third challenge was Steene. He was a free man his whole life, and having to be degraded to a slave with no rights who was bossed around by a bratty 13-year-old was really hard on Steene. That was a pretty accurate portrayal of slavery, and reminds readers how awful it is.
I also enjoyed the characters’ personalities and their development.
It was a very, very good book in many ways, and I hope you’ll read it!
I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for sharing them.
I am a fan of this author’s work and this trilogy is yet another highly recommended read in my opinion.
Yes, it’s a great story, however, the issue of slavery is disturbing and yet, it’s a compelling read.
Why?
The characters are believable and though not all likeable, they are perfect for the plot; you’ll find that you care for what happens to them all.
Not willing to give away too much, I can only say that it’s filled with action, suspense, heart-pumping moments, reality surrounded by fantasy and, of course, the main theme of slavery and what it means to both sides.
There is a fantastic sense of place, yet I would hate it to be real…even if it feels like it is.
Overall, an amazing end to an imaginative fantasy, although it feels so real it’ll disturb you.
You must read it to find out what happens, and if you haven’t read the first two – get them now!
Highly recommended – okay, I’ve said that, but it is!