The Secret Hour

Last updated
The Secret Hour
Westerfeld - The Secret Hour Coverart.png
The Secret Hour first edition cover.
Author Scott Westerfeld
Cover artistKamil Vojnar & Karin Paprocki
LanguageEnglish
Series Midnighters Trilogy
Genre Science fiction novel
Publisher EOS Books
Publication date
2004
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback)
Pages297
ISBN 0-06-051951-7
OCLC 52287815
LC Class PZ7.W5197 Se 2008
Followed by Touching Darkness and Blue Noon  

The Secret Hour is a science-fiction fantasy novel written by Scott Westerfeld. It was published by EOS Books, a now-defunct branch of HarperCollins, in 2004. It is the first book of The Midnighters Trilogy.

Contents

Plot summary

The 15-year-old Jessica Day moves with her family to Bixby, Oklahoma, after her mother is employed at a high-tech aerospace company. Soon after the move, Jessica awakens to find time frozen and rain stopped in mid air. Although she thinks it is a dream, she is suspicious when she wakes to find her clothes wet. The next night, it happens again. Leaving her room, she finds that her family is frozen and the only other living thing is a cat, which leads her out of her house. Once outside, the cat transforms into a snake, which reveals that it is actually a slither. It, along with other slithers and a darkling in the form of a large cat, attacks her. Jessica is rescued by the "Midnighters:" Dess, Rex and Melissa, who chase away the animals by using 13-letter words and steel.

The next day, they explain that in Bixby time freezes for an hour every midnight and that only Midnighters, people born at midnight, can enter it. Creatures known as darklings live in the secret hour in which they can hide from advances in human technology. Darklings hate people and fear new inventions, complex concepts and the number 13. It was the darklings who took one hour of each 25-hour-day and hid inside it so that people could not get to them. They also explain that each Midnighter has a special power - Dess is a polymath, Rex is a Seer (someone who can read the lore, the ancient history of the midnighters) and Melissa is a mindcaster (meaning she has a variety of telepathic abilities). They do not know what Jessica's power is except that it different from any of theirs.

The next midnight, Jonathan, a boy from Jessica's school, arrives outside her house and takes her flying with him. He is an Acrobat, and in the secret hour, gravity does not have a strong hold on him. He and Rex do not get along, and the other Midnighters avoid talking about him. After flying for most of the hour the pair are chased by a darkling and narrowly escape, only to be arrested by policemen enforcing Bixby's eleven o'clock curfew. Jessica is grounded for the rest of the month. Meanwhile, the Midnighters are becoming suspicious of why the darklings, who normally avoid Midnighters, are so intent on killing Jessica.

Rex decides to take Jessica out to the Snake Pit, a place in the badlands, where she will be able to discover her power. Unfortunately, the badlands are also the home to the darklings. Dess sets up protection beforehand and the Midnighters plan to be inside it before the Secret Hour arrives. However, they are all late and rely on Jonathan to fly them inside the protection, which causes Rex to get jealous and Melissa to get disgusted and angry. The darklings are so desperate to attack Jessica that they suicidally attack the defenses, which weakens them considerably. Just before the defenses collapse, Rex discovers Jessica's power is Flamebringer, but none of the group know how they can make a fire. As the defenses are breached, Jessica realizes that her watch is still ticking, which implies that her ability allows her to use technology in the secret hour. She uses a flashlight to kill the darklings, and the Midnighters leave safely.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bixby, Oklahoma</span> City in Oklahoma, United States

Bixby is a city in Tulsa and Wagoner counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma; it is a suburb of Tulsa. Its population was 28,609 at the 2020 census and 20,884 in the 2010 census, an increase of 13.70 percent In 2010, Bixby became the 19th largest city in Oklahoma. It is nicknamed "The Garden Spot of Oklahoma" for its rich agrarian heritage. Although it is one of the fastest-growing communities in Oklahoma, it remains a sod-growing center and a popular location for purchasing fresh vegetables. The per capita income of $36,257 is the highest in the Tulsa metropolitan area and is more than 50 percent higher than the state average.

<i>Dinosaucers</i> Television series

Dinosaucers is a 1987 animated television series co-produced in the United States and Canada; developed and produced by DIC Animation City in association with Lightyear Entertainment and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. The show was created by producer Michael E. Uslan, who considered it a "harebrained idea". Despite only running for one season, it did run for a total of 65 episodes as ordered to be a 13-week-long series, when it aired on first-run syndication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rex Balsom</span> Fictional character from One Life to Live

Rex Balsom is a fictional character from the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by John-Paul Lavoisier from May 9, 2002, to the show's finale on January 12, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Buchanan</span> Soap opera character

Clint Buchanan is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live.

<i>Touching Darkness</i> 2005 novel by Scott Westerfeld

Touching Darkness is a young adult novel by Scott Westerfeld. The second book in his Midnighters series, it was released in 2005 through EOS Books, a now-defunct branch of HarperCollins.

The Midnighters Trilogy is a science-fiction fantasy series written by Scott Westerfeld. It was published by Eos in 2004. It comprises three books: The Secret Hour, Touching Darkness. and Blue Noon. Over the course of the trilogy, Jessica encounters other Midnighters with whom she allies herself. The protagonists in the trilogy are the eponymous Midnighters Desdemona, Rex, Jonathan, and Melissa. The antagonists of the series are Darklings and Slithers, dangerous and powerful beings that created and live in the Blue Hour.

<i>Blue Noon</i> 2005 novel by Scott Westerfeld

Midnighters 3: Blue Noon is a young adult novel by Scott Westerfeld. Blue Noon is the third and final book in his Midnighters series and was released in 2005 through EOS Books, a now defunct branch of HarperCollins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gigi Morasco</span> Soap opera character

Gigi Morasco is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. She was portrayed by Farah Fath from October 24, 2007, through January 12, 2012.

<i>Dark Fire</i> (<i>The Last Dragon Chronicles</i>) Book by Chris dLacey

Dark Fire is the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris d'Lacey. It was released on 2 July 2009 in the UK and was published on May 1, 2010 for the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Hastings</span> Fictional character in Pretty Little Liars

Spencer Jill Hastings is a fictional character, one of the five main characters who appear in the Pretty Little Liars novel series and its Freeform television adaptation. Created by American author Sara Shepard, she is a member of the group known as the Liars, and is best friend to the four other members, who are protagonists of the story. Portrayed by Troian Bellisario, the character was developed for television by the series' showrunner I. Marlene King and appeared in each of the show's 160 episodes during its seven-years-long run, from its premiere on June 8, 2010, to its finale on June 27, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Hastings</span> Fictional character

Melissa Hastings is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars franchise. Created in 2006 by Sara Shepard for the book series, the character was later reworked by I. Marlene King, the developer of the television series, in which she is portrayed by Torrey DeVitto. An antiheroine, Melissa is sister to protagonist Spencer Hastings, and the daughter of Peter and Veronica Hastings. She is a fierce woman who does everything to succeed in her life goals. In print, she is a guest character, while on screen Melissa has a much bigger presence in the story.

<i>Goliath</i> (Westerfeld novel) 2011 Book by Scott Westerfeld

Goliath is a biopunk/steampunk novel by Scott Westerfeld, and illustrated by Keith Thompson. The novel is the third and final installment in the Leviathan series after Behemoth, released on September 20, 2011.

"A" is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars franchise. Created by author Sara Shepard in 2006, the character serves as the main antagonist in both the television and book series. "A" has also appeared in the web series Pretty Dirty Secrets (2012).

Sanjay and Craig is an American animated sitcom and television series created by Jim Dirschberger, Jay Howell, and Andreas Trolf for Nickelodeon. Produced by Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi, the series revolves around Sanjay, voiced by Maulik Pancholy, and his best friend Craig, voiced by Chris Hardwick, a talking snake.

Heather (<i>The Secret Circle</i>) 4th episode of the 1st season of The Secret Circle

"Heather" is the 4th episode of the first season of the CW television series The Secret Circle, and the series' 4th episode overall. It was aired on October 6, 2011. The episode was written by David Ehrman and it was directed by Dave Barrett.

Slither (<i>The Secret Circle</i>) 5th episode of the 1st season of The Secret Circle

"Slither" is the 5th episode of the first season of the CW television series The Secret Circle, and the series' 5th episode overall. It was aired on October 13, 2011. The episode was written by Dana Baratta and it was directed by Liz Friedlander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babe Smith</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Babe Smith is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by Annette Badland. She first appeared in episode 4796 of the show, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 31 January 2014, and was introduced as the maternal aunt of established characters Shirley Carter and Tina Carter. She was introduced as part of a set of new characters that expanded the Carter family across 2013 and 2014, headed by executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. Babe and Badland's casting were announced on 12 December 2013.

References