What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last Wild #2
L'última foscor
Aquesta és la història d’un nen anomenat Kester. Ha rescatat les últimes criatures salvatges de la Terra i creu que la seva aventura s’ha acabat. Però no podia equivocar-se més perquè:
1. Un helicòpter es dirigeix directament cap a ell
2. Pot sentir murmuris estranys sota terra
El seu viatge no ha fet més que començar...
Guanyadora del Premi de Novel·la de The Guardian
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2014
87 people are currently reading
1034 people want to read
About the author
Piers Torday
38 books220 followersPiers Torday is an award-winning and best-selling children's writer. Books include The Last Wild, The Dark Wild, The Wild Beyond, The Wild Before, There May Be a Castle, The Lost Magician, and The Frozen Sea, with his latest one, Midnight Treasure, out in September 2024. His work has been translated into 14 languages.
His plays include The Box of Delights (Wilton’s/RSC), Christmas Carol, The Child in the Snow, and The Wind in the Wilton’s (Wilton’s Music Hall). The Little Angel Theatre has adapted his book There May Be a Castle for the stage.
The son of Paul Torday (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen), he completed his father’s final unfinished novel, The Death of an Owl and co-founded the Paul Torday Memorial Prize for Debut Novelists over 60.
He has contributed short stories to Winter Magic, Scoop, and Return to Wonderland, nonfiction pieces for The Book of Hopes, The Writer’s Map, and Swallowed by a Whale, reviewed books for The Guardian, The Literary Review, and The Spectator, and judged The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, The Costa Book Awards, and the British Book Awards.
Piers is also Chair of the Society of Authors Sustainability Steering Committee, a trustee of The Unicorn Theatre, Patron of Shrewsbury Book Fest and an Artistic Associate at Wilton’s Music Hall.
His plays include The Box of Delights (Wilton’s/RSC), Christmas Carol, The Child in the Snow, and The Wind in the Wilton’s (Wilton’s Music Hall). The Little Angel Theatre has adapted his book There May Be a Castle for the stage.
The son of Paul Torday (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen), he completed his father’s final unfinished novel, The Death of an Owl and co-founded the Paul Torday Memorial Prize for Debut Novelists over 60.
He has contributed short stories to Winter Magic, Scoop, and Return to Wonderland, nonfiction pieces for The Book of Hopes, The Writer’s Map, and Swallowed by a Whale, reviewed books for The Guardian, The Literary Review, and The Spectator, and judged The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, The Costa Book Awards, and the British Book Awards.
Piers is also Chair of the Society of Authors Sustainability Steering Committee, a trustee of The Unicorn Theatre, Patron of Shrewsbury Book Fest and an Artistic Associate at Wilton’s Music Hall.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 5, 2014
So I’ve been missing someone recently. Not a person exactly, but a character. An animal in fact – possibly the most fumbly-brained, accidentally hilarious animal any author has created: Piers Torday’s white pigeon. Last seen in his bestselling The Last Wild (and what an impact he made there) – I heard that the sequel, The Dark Wild, was out and there was a chance the white pigeon may be making another appearance.
Twelve-year-old Kester Jaynes thought he had rescued the last wild animals in the land. He thought his adventure was over. He was wrong. Below the sparkling city of Premium, deep underground, Kester finds more survivors: a menacing white dog, a cohort of foxes, an interfering starling, and the world’s most miserable rat. A dark wild hiding from the deadly virus that destroyed their friends; a dark wild with a plan to rise up against their human enemies. Together with his loyal friend Polly and a brave gang of child outlaws, Kester must find a way to stop them before it’s too late. Kester Jaynes saved the animals. Can he save the humans, too?
Right from the start, the story packs pace: Polly is hiding secrets, a helicopter is circling and there is a strange whispering in the drain. And so Kester and his loyal wild are thrown headlong into another adventure. But what’s so brilliant about this book is that the story matters. Really matters. Because what would our world look like without animals? What would it look like without humans? The reader is on tenterhooks at the end of each chapter: will Kestrel and his wild be enough against the dark wild, against the cullers, against Captain Skuldiss and Selwyn Stone?
The story has an Animals of Farthing Wood / Watership Down feel, partly because the characters Torday creates are wonderfully real, each with a unique voice. The gorgeously boastful but brave wolf cub: ‘I know I am the best at scaring off giant metal birds ever,’ the brilliantly stupid Skulker: ‘I mean… what he said basically,’ the sycophantic starling: ‘I think you’ve orchestrated this really, really well. The whole charges thing, building up the drama…’ and of course, the white pigeon: ‘You will be completely forgotten, don’t worry.’
And Torday’s villains are properly frightening. In fact Skuldiss, ‘like a spider with a white human face,’ is so creepy Moontrug couldn’t read him before bed (he’s as creepy as The Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and Selwyn Stone, with his ghastly hobby, sends shivers down your spine. But set against them you have a pack of friends who won’t be beaten, despite the odds stacked against them: ‘And as if he has been listening to the dream as well, the damp orange insect in the palm of my hand begins to stir, muttering something inaudible to himself. While the stag and the cub watch back, I tuck him safely into my inside pocket, hidden from the storm. Then, frozen, soaking and tired, without another word, we turn away from the arcade back along the flooded river road and march forward together.’
Kester’s is a story that champions bravery and friendship where ‘the smallest things, the things you never thought would make the grade, the things it’s so easy to ignore because they were there every day’ turn out to make the difference between winning and losing. The Dark Wild is a fantastic adventure for 8-12 years. And did I mention the insecure rat and the dog with golden teeth? No? Then you’d better get reading…
Twelve-year-old Kester Jaynes thought he had rescued the last wild animals in the land. He thought his adventure was over. He was wrong. Below the sparkling city of Premium, deep underground, Kester finds more survivors: a menacing white dog, a cohort of foxes, an interfering starling, and the world’s most miserable rat. A dark wild hiding from the deadly virus that destroyed their friends; a dark wild with a plan to rise up against their human enemies. Together with his loyal friend Polly and a brave gang of child outlaws, Kester must find a way to stop them before it’s too late. Kester Jaynes saved the animals. Can he save the humans, too?
Right from the start, the story packs pace: Polly is hiding secrets, a helicopter is circling and there is a strange whispering in the drain. And so Kester and his loyal wild are thrown headlong into another adventure. But what’s so brilliant about this book is that the story matters. Really matters. Because what would our world look like without animals? What would it look like without humans? The reader is on tenterhooks at the end of each chapter: will Kestrel and his wild be enough against the dark wild, against the cullers, against Captain Skuldiss and Selwyn Stone?
The story has an Animals of Farthing Wood / Watership Down feel, partly because the characters Torday creates are wonderfully real, each with a unique voice. The gorgeously boastful but brave wolf cub: ‘I know I am the best at scaring off giant metal birds ever,’ the brilliantly stupid Skulker: ‘I mean… what he said basically,’ the sycophantic starling: ‘I think you’ve orchestrated this really, really well. The whole charges thing, building up the drama…’ and of course, the white pigeon: ‘You will be completely forgotten, don’t worry.’
And Torday’s villains are properly frightening. In fact Skuldiss, ‘like a spider with a white human face,’ is so creepy Moontrug couldn’t read him before bed (he’s as creepy as The Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and Selwyn Stone, with his ghastly hobby, sends shivers down your spine. But set against them you have a pack of friends who won’t be beaten, despite the odds stacked against them: ‘And as if he has been listening to the dream as well, the damp orange insect in the palm of my hand begins to stir, muttering something inaudible to himself. While the stag and the cub watch back, I tuck him safely into my inside pocket, hidden from the storm. Then, frozen, soaking and tired, without another word, we turn away from the arcade back along the flooded river road and march forward together.’
Kester’s is a story that champions bravery and friendship where ‘the smallest things, the things you never thought would make the grade, the things it’s so easy to ignore because they were there every day’ turn out to make the difference between winning and losing. The Dark Wild is a fantastic adventure for 8-12 years. And did I mention the insecure rat and the dog with golden teeth? No? Then you’d better get reading…
May 29, 2023
this book is so sweet, I think it's even better than the first one, which isn't common with series I don't think. The end really introduces the concept of the third book very well
July 1, 2019
Took a while to get back into the story but now I can't wait to finish the series
December 12, 2022
Molto bello ma é meglio il primo
May 26, 2024
واقعا شاید از ویژگی های خوب این کتاب مناسب گویی است. اینکه در داستان گزافه گویی نمی کنه و از اون طرف هم کم نمیگه که زمان مطالعه نفهمیم چطور شد. برای سن نوجوان کتابی ۳۰۰ صفحه ای واقعا مناسبه.
کتاب دوم به نام «اتحاد سیاه دلان» به اتحاد مجزای حیوانات می پردازه که این بار رویارویی شخصیت اصلی داستان، یعنی کستر با اون حیوانات هست. اینکه نویسنده تونسته یه مرزی بین آزار حیوانات و همزیستی با اونها رو درست به تصویر بکشه از هنرهای این شخص هست و چالش های ذهنی کستر که انسانها در برابر دیگر جانداران چه خشونت ها و اشتباهاتی داشتن. شاید این داستان در نوجوان بذری باشه که در آینده دیگر انسان ها، حیوانات رو ملعبه خودشون قرار ندن و این میزان خودخواهی بشر کنار گذاشته بشه.
کتاب دوم به نام «اتحاد سیاه دلان» به اتحاد مجزای حیوانات می پردازه که این بار رویارویی شخصیت اصلی داستان، یعنی کستر با اون حیوانات هست. اینکه نویسنده تونسته یه مرزی بین آزار حیوانات و همزیستی با اونها رو درست به تصویر بکشه از هنرهای این شخص هست و چالش های ذهنی کستر که انسانها در برابر دیگر جانداران چه خشونت ها و اشتباهاتی داشتن. شاید این داستان در نوجوان بذری باشه که در آینده دیگر انسان ها، حیوانات رو ملعبه خودشون قرار ندن و این میزان خودخواهی بشر کنار گذاشته بشه.
June 24, 2020
Such incredible imagination. I've loved reading this to my 13 year old.
October 3, 2014
After seeing this long listed for The Guardian Children's Fiction Award 2014 I thought I should get myself a copy. Glad I did! (Although don't do what I did and read this first. It's the second in a trilogy which I'm a little miffed the most excellent LoverReading4Kids didn't explain.)
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where 99% of all animals have either died from the mysterious Red Eye virus or culled by humanity for fear of infection. Sea levels have risen so only one human city remains and is dominated by a giant foreboding megalithic corporation that controls everything including the production of humanities only food source, a synthetic mush called Pink.
This is Soylent Green for 10 year olds and that is why it is so vital. To have a book (or trilogy) like this to read to young people is a gift. It not only asks them to question the environmental concerns that will sadly define their future world, it also questions humanities treatment of animals as a food source and in science. These are deep concepts for anyone let alone 9+ readers and it is a testament to Piers Torday's skill as a writer and his unique vision, that this narrative is so fresh, exciting and engaging yet easy to read and digest.
There is a fantastical element that will capture the imaginations of young readers in the form of a mysterious mute boy called Kester who can communicate with animals. As we join the narrative in this part of the trilogy he finds himself caught between mankinds final push to bring about extinction to all animals and an underground rising of the remaining animals lead by the vicious and terrifically scary Dagger. What will he do?
There are too many characters in this book that I fell in love with. It's enchanting, enthralling and can be a bit of a tearjerker as you find yourself time and time again worrying about the fates of so many beautiful characters. My only gripe is that the 2 young girl characters in this quest promise so much but are given little time. There was a real chance here to provide positive female representation but too often they are left as supporting characters, especially Polly who reminded me so much of Lyra from Phillip Pullman's Dark Trilogy. Still, there is a third on the way and I for one will be buying it asap.
Read...this .....book. And if you have little people then you really really should be reading this book!
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where 99% of all animals have either died from the mysterious Red Eye virus or culled by humanity for fear of infection. Sea levels have risen so only one human city remains and is dominated by a giant foreboding megalithic corporation that controls everything including the production of humanities only food source, a synthetic mush called Pink.
This is Soylent Green for 10 year olds and that is why it is so vital. To have a book (or trilogy) like this to read to young people is a gift. It not only asks them to question the environmental concerns that will sadly define their future world, it also questions humanities treatment of animals as a food source and in science. These are deep concepts for anyone let alone 9+ readers and it is a testament to Piers Torday's skill as a writer and his unique vision, that this narrative is so fresh, exciting and engaging yet easy to read and digest.
There is a fantastical element that will capture the imaginations of young readers in the form of a mysterious mute boy called Kester who can communicate with animals. As we join the narrative in this part of the trilogy he finds himself caught between mankinds final push to bring about extinction to all animals and an underground rising of the remaining animals lead by the vicious and terrifically scary Dagger. What will he do?
There are too many characters in this book that I fell in love with. It's enchanting, enthralling and can be a bit of a tearjerker as you find yourself time and time again worrying about the fates of so many beautiful characters. My only gripe is that the 2 young girl characters in this quest promise so much but are given little time. There was a real chance here to provide positive female representation but too often they are left as supporting characters, especially Polly who reminded me so much of Lyra from Phillip Pullman's Dark Trilogy. Still, there is a third on the way and I for one will be buying it asap.
Read...this .....book. And if you have little people then you really really should be reading this book!
March 16, 2016
Ich hatte ganz vergessen wie düster und un-middle-grade-ig diese Geschichte ist. Ja, es gibt sprechende Tiere, aber dazu gehören auch riesige Spinnen und ein fieses Wolfsrudel (außgenommen das halb-erwachsene Wolfsjunges, das die putzigsten Sprüche abliefert)... wobei die Tiere ja eigentlich gar nicht sprechen, sondern nur Protagonist Kester mit ihnen kommunizieren kann. Daran mag ich vor allem den Ausgleich, denn Kester kann dafür nicht sprechen. Alles hält sich die Waage und niemand ist perfekt. Kester trifft viele fragwürdige Entscheidungen, die ich ihm in seiner Situation nie übel nehmen konnte.
Außerdem mag ich, dass die Geschichte trotz der Themen Artensterben und Nachhaltigkeit nie belehrend rüberkommt.
Am Ende verlief alles etwas zu glimpflich, aber ich freue mich total auf den letzten Band The Wild Beyond.
Außerdem mag ich, dass die Geschichte trotz der Themen Artensterben und Nachhaltigkeit nie belehrend rüberkommt.
Am Ende verlief alles etwas zu glimpflich, aber ich freue mich total auf den letzten Band The Wild Beyond.
February 10, 2015
I was disappointed to find that this was a sequel after it won the big prize. I can imagine the first book was good, this was ok. I did like Torday's gentle style and there were some good characters but I found it hard to follow not having read the first. There was a large amount of backstory to try and understand at the beginning. I love talking animals at all times in all places, so that bit worked. There was some horrendous grammar though - where are the educated editors these days?
April 4, 2014
In the sequel to Piers Torday’s wonderful The Last Wild, Kester Jaynes discovers his adventure is not over. Piers (son of Paul Torday) is the master of the opening sentence: ‘In the shadow of our apple tree, looking out across a river at a city full of glass and whispers, I take my dad’s hand and watch our enemy fly towards us.’ Hard to resist, even for parents. Age 11+
November 13, 2017
My favourite teacher gave this to me as a leaving present. I'm only just started reading it after reading the last wild (which he showed me) and I'm already loving it. A must read the whole series!
December 11, 2021
Kester finally feels safe after getting most of his animals to safety and surviving the human cullers’ constant attacks. He has fulfilled his promise and his dad has manufactured medicine that will help the animals with him and those left behind in the Last Wild.
His relief is short lived as it’s only a week later when a helicopter roars above them, letting them know they weren’t safe after all. They target Kester’s new friend Polly, accusing her of having a secret. She has been hiding something so important that Kester and his animals are all at risk if she doesn’t give it up to the authorities.
Kester is surprised, and even more so when Polly is suddenly gone. She might be gruff and prickly but she has become important to him. He sets off to find her, and runs into a gang of children he has met before. They have a hideout in the centre of the sparkling city of Premium, and they too have heard of a secret weapon. They are keen to fight back at the Corporation that has taken over their world.
Like Kester they have no idea what it really is, but believe it is what they need to return the world to how it was. The situation becomes even worse when Kester escapes the gang only to find himself deep underground facing more animals than he’d ever dreamed off, let alone still alive. These animals are the opposite of his Last Wild. They are The Dark Wild and have their own leader. He is after one thing – REVENGE.
Kester is up against an impossible wall of problems. His dad and his animals have been taken while he was gone. Polly is still missing. No one knows what secret she was keeping and how it can possibly help, and a huge group of animals have begun attacking the city.
Overwhelmed, Kester wonders whether he can do anything to save his world. Is everything lost?
Kester has come a long way since being a small mute boy in a hospital, hiding from everyone. His powers to talk to animals in his head has saved many from a terrible virus, and he has made a human friend along the way. With Polly missing and his beloved Wild and father at risk, he has to step up to the challenges that brings.
With hope of finding a secret weapon he forges through street gangs, vicious dogs, foxes and starlings who are all bent on revenge. He is increasingly stronger and steadfast in his belief of a better world.
This episode shows a flip side of The Last Wild. Sure there are plenty of human villains, some we know and hate from the first book in the series. But unlike Kester’s animals, the animals of The Dark Wild are angry, and ready to tear humans limb from limb after the treatment they have received over their lives.
Kester’s closest friends remain by his side, but he often has to face problems on his own without his beloved General and Stag. The settings are more complicated in this episode, and many more characters are introduced. But if you’re like me, you’ll be eager to get your hands on the last book in this Dystopian series – The Wild Beyond.
His relief is short lived as it’s only a week later when a helicopter roars above them, letting them know they weren’t safe after all. They target Kester’s new friend Polly, accusing her of having a secret. She has been hiding something so important that Kester and his animals are all at risk if she doesn’t give it up to the authorities.
Kester is surprised, and even more so when Polly is suddenly gone. She might be gruff and prickly but she has become important to him. He sets off to find her, and runs into a gang of children he has met before. They have a hideout in the centre of the sparkling city of Premium, and they too have heard of a secret weapon. They are keen to fight back at the Corporation that has taken over their world.
Like Kester they have no idea what it really is, but believe it is what they need to return the world to how it was. The situation becomes even worse when Kester escapes the gang only to find himself deep underground facing more animals than he’d ever dreamed off, let alone still alive. These animals are the opposite of his Last Wild. They are The Dark Wild and have their own leader. He is after one thing – REVENGE.
Kester is up against an impossible wall of problems. His dad and his animals have been taken while he was gone. Polly is still missing. No one knows what secret she was keeping and how it can possibly help, and a huge group of animals have begun attacking the city.
Overwhelmed, Kester wonders whether he can do anything to save his world. Is everything lost?
Kester has come a long way since being a small mute boy in a hospital, hiding from everyone. His powers to talk to animals in his head has saved many from a terrible virus, and he has made a human friend along the way. With Polly missing and his beloved Wild and father at risk, he has to step up to the challenges that brings.
With hope of finding a secret weapon he forges through street gangs, vicious dogs, foxes and starlings who are all bent on revenge. He is increasingly stronger and steadfast in his belief of a better world.
This episode shows a flip side of The Last Wild. Sure there are plenty of human villains, some we know and hate from the first book in the series. But unlike Kester’s animals, the animals of The Dark Wild are angry, and ready to tear humans limb from limb after the treatment they have received over their lives.
Kester’s closest friends remain by his side, but he often has to face problems on his own without his beloved General and Stag. The settings are more complicated in this episode, and many more characters are introduced. But if you’re like me, you’ll be eager to get your hands on the last book in this Dystopian series – The Wild Beyond.
June 1, 2018
الكتاب لا يصل إلى نصف مستوى الكتاب الجزء الأول من القصة.
واضح جداً أن المؤلف تورط عندما قرر أن يجعل للقصة جزء ثاني، بينما لا يوجد الكثير من الأحداث لملء ٣٠٠ صفحة .. لذلك تجد أن الحوار أصبح أطول والأحداث تسير بوتيرة بطيئة جداً. النهاية مخيبة جداً بعكس نهاية الجزء الأول..
أنا الآن متردد في أن أستمر لقراءة الجزء الأخير أم لا..
يظهر لي أن المؤلف كان يخطط لأن يكتب القصة في جزئين فقط وذلك واضح إذا اقتنيت أحد الجزئين الأولين، ستجد دعاية للجزء الآخر من القصة.. ولكن عدم وجود أي ذكر أو تنويه لوجود جزء ثالث للقصة في هذين الجزئين يجعلني أخمن أن الكاتب أضاف الجزء الثالث في مرحلة متأخرة جداً وبدون أن يخطط لها جيداً وهذا يحبط ولا يشجعني على قرائته.
سعدت كثيراً بعودة طيور الحمام ولو في نهاية الكتاب، لأن شخصية هذه الطيور يجدر أن تكون رئيسية كما بقية الشخصيات.
مع أن الكتاب يسير بوتيرة بطيئة, إلا أن نهايته تفتقر للتفاصيل النهائية للشخصيات الرئيسية مثل الجرذ وما حصل للكلب. لم يوفق الكاتب لكتابة نهاية تليق وتتناسق مع وتيرة الكتاب بشكل عام.
واضح جداً أن المؤلف تورط عندما قرر أن يجعل للقصة جزء ثاني، بينما لا يوجد الكثير من الأحداث لملء ٣٠٠ صفحة .. لذلك تجد أن الحوار أصبح أطول والأحداث تسير بوتيرة بطيئة جداً. النهاية مخيبة جداً بعكس نهاية الجزء الأول..
أنا الآن متردد في أن أستمر لقراءة الجزء الأخير أم لا..
يظهر لي أن المؤلف كان يخطط لأن يكتب القصة في جزئين فقط وذلك واضح إذا اقتنيت أحد الجزئين الأولين، ستجد دعاية للجزء الآخر من القصة.. ولكن عدم وجود أي ذكر أو تنويه لوجود جزء ثالث للقصة في هذين الجزئين يجعلني أخمن أن الكاتب أضاف الجزء الثالث في مرحلة متأخرة جداً وبدون أن يخطط لها جيداً وهذا يحبط ولا يشجعني على قرائته.
سعدت كثيراً بعودة طيور الحمام ولو في نهاية الكتاب، لأن شخصية هذه الطيور يجدر أن تكون رئيسية كما بقية الشخصيات.
مع أن الكتاب يسير بوتيرة بطيئة, إلا أن نهايته تفتقر للتفاصيل النهائية للشخصيات الرئيسية مثل الجرذ وما حصل للكلب. لم يوفق الكاتب لكتابة نهاية تليق وتتناسق مع وتيرة الكتاب بشكل عام.
January 22, 2025
Not as strong as book one, though the general lore is solid. I think maybe the main character having his will I won't I all over the book with some consequences was a bit of a downer buy maybe more realistic than his dad being 'go on my wayward 12 year old' without any guidance. It's like Dumbledore telling Harry nothing but sending him off to fight. While there are some real consequences and a gruesome fight at the end, some parts remain a bit too unrealistically hopeful. Animals can cover a base buy they're still gonna be shot Kes. Everything was a bit too easy for the faceoff with the real villains too. That being said the connection to Animals and the development of key animal players was good. Will finish it off with book 3.
January 16, 2018
Perhaps it's because the reason why I struggled with this book is because it took me and my daughter so long to read it. A chapter each evening, not counting holidays and weekends. It felt like the story dragged on endlessly with not much ever happening. A trip into the underearth that felt pointless, that led to a pointless quest throughout. Or perhaps this book is suffering from the middle-of-trilogy-syndrome, i.e. the book that is neither the beginning nor the end and therefore a bit dull.
We've moved on to book three now, even though i tried to persuade my daughter that we should read something else, so we'll see if the series redeems itself
We've moved on to book three now, even though i tried to persuade my daughter that we should read something else, so we'll see if the series redeems itself
May 5, 2018
I love this story about a boy named Kester and his friends, both non-human and human. Kester has the ability to talk to animals which is helpful because he's got a lot of work to do to save them and the land from the deadly red-eye virus and the corrupt Factorium. The General, a cockroach with stripes on his back, and the aptly named Stag help Kester subvert the evil industry and its minions including the vicious White Dog. Book 2 in the series but completely readable as a stand alone. However, I don't recommend that because if you're like me you will want to read the whole series and meet all the characters. I'm currently reading book 1 and waiting on book 3 to arrive from the UK.
January 1, 2020
One of my favourite books of 2019 (along with the other two in the trilogy).
Piers Torday is a superlative writer of MG children's literature. The Last Wild series follows the adventures of a boy trying to save the last animals in the world from extinction. As a primary school librarian i have recommended this book to SO many children, and can often be found in our local Waterstones encouraging browsers to buy the set too!
If your young reader loves animals, adventure solid characters and storyline then they will love this series.
Piers Torday is a superlative writer of MG children's literature. The Last Wild series follows the adventures of a boy trying to save the last animals in the world from extinction. As a primary school librarian i have recommended this book to SO many children, and can often be found in our local Waterstones encouraging browsers to buy the set too!
If your young reader loves animals, adventure solid characters and storyline then they will love this series.
November 30, 2021
This fab book was all about a 12 year old boy who can talk to animals and who is trying to save the world from mass extinction.
Though a bit scary at times, I loved it. The author described everything so well that when the characters felt happy or sad, so did I!
This book is part of an awesome trilogy, and in my opinion, you have to read it in order to get the most out of it.
I would recommend this to any 9-12 year olds, especially if you love sci-fi or adventure.
This is a must - read!
( review by a 10 year old girl -RC)
Though a bit scary at times, I loved it. The author described everything so well that when the characters felt happy or sad, so did I!
This book is part of an awesome trilogy, and in my opinion, you have to read it in order to get the most out of it.
I would recommend this to any 9-12 year olds, especially if you love sci-fi or adventure.
This is a must - read!
( review by a 10 year old girl -RC)
October 15, 2020
I'm still enjoying the series, but for some reason I can't put my finger on yet, I didn't quite get as caught up in this book as the first one. It may simply be that the style doesn't feel as new to me as it did before. The plot progressed well and the new characters were interesting, but some of the old characters got left behind a bit in my opinion. I am still keen to finish the third book though.
February 16, 2025
I was so excited for this when I was lended it, and I was happy afterwards for all the new content it had bought to this universe. And, as the name suggests, this one was actually a lot darker than it's predecessor and I think that was a good direction to head in. However, it was definitely not the strongest in comparison to the first.
If I ever find the time I'd love to revisit this series. It means a lot to me.
If I ever find the time I'd love to revisit this series. It means a lot to me.
July 22, 2025
shoutout to the low fantasy 12 year old boy saves the day and almost dies and wakes up in a random bed surrounded by his found family trope. my one complaint through these books though is: kester you are TWELVE get off that stag's back my god. YOU CAN WALK!!!! stag is literally elderly and injured half the time and kester will just be chilling on his back 😭 GIRL just walk why the hell are you on there
February 1, 2020
The struggle from Kester felt so real, running away from duty could be something that related to kids around his age. I really love how in the end he became brave and did what he supposed to do. It's sad that American publisher didn't get the next book of this sequel. I would love to read the next book!
September 29, 2023
Deze was meer een avonturenboek dan deel één, waarbij het hoofdpersonage Kester een betere indruk nalaat. Er is nog steeds een dystopische toekomst en iemand die met dieren kan praten, maar dit keer is er ook een groep dieren die in opstand komt tegen menselijke gruwelijkheden. Al is het verhaal zelf niet helemaal mijn ding, het gaat wel over moeilijke en nodige thema’s.
March 11, 2019
Excellent
Book 2 is everything it should be.
It follows on from The Last Wild superbly, and let’s us continue Kester’s journey.
If anything, I enjoyed this book slightly more.
If you enjoyed the first one, you definitely need to read this!
Book 2 is everything it should be.
It follows on from The Last Wild superbly, and let’s us continue Kester’s journey.
If anything, I enjoyed this book slightly more.
If you enjoyed the first one, you definitely need to read this!
June 6, 2017
Excellent book with great ideas in it
December 31, 2017
Not as good as book 1, but still enjoyable.
December 12, 2017
Goodness gracious it took me about a month to trudge through this book. So much of it is contrived and drawn out.
April 29, 2018
I stuck with the book not normally what I read a little to much and overboard of the story line .
August 11, 2018
Noice
August 22, 2018
The first one is better, but this is still a great book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews