Book excerpt: The first book in William Nicholson's award-winning fantasy adventure series, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Mortal Engines and Star Wars.In the walled city state of Aramanth, rules are everything. When Kestrel Hath dares to rebel, the Chief Examiner humiliates her father and sentences the whole family to the harshest punishment. Desperate to save them, Kestrel learns the secret of the wind singer, and she and her twin brother, Bowman, set out on a terrifying journey to the true source of evil that grips Aramanth...