| The Dead of The Night | |
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The Dead of the Night |
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| Author(s) | John Marsden |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Series | Tomorrow series |
| Genre(s) | Young adult Action Adventure novel |
| Publisher | Pan Macmillan (Australia) |
| Publication date | 1994 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
| Pages | 271 |
| Preceded by | Tomorrow, When the War Began |
| Followed by | The Third Day, The Frost/The Killing Frost |
The Dead of the Night Is the second book in the Tomorrow series series by John Marsden. It is a young adult invasion literature novel, detailing the occupation of Australia by an unnamed foreign power. It continues the story started in Tomorrow, When the War Began. The novel is told in the first person perspective by the main character, a teenage girl named Ellie Linton, who is part of a small band of teenagers waging a guerrilla war on the enemy in their fictional home town of Wirrawee.[1]
In the wake of losing Corrie and Kevin, and not knowing how either of them are faring in enemy territory, the group's morale deteriorates. Homer suggests the group attempt to track down Corrie and Kevin. They release a smoke bomb into the hospital and investigate during the evacuation. They discover that Corrie is comatose and that Kevin was beaten when he arrived.
Fresh from the discovery of what had happened to their friends, the group agrees to make an attack on the convoys on the highway to Cobbler's Bay. That afternoon, the group is surprised by an enemy sentry, but Homer pulls a sawn-off shotgun on them, The attack on the convoy is successful, but Ellie is forced to kill a wounded soldier. Not wanting to return to Wirrawee after this, they decide to investigate the other paths out of Hell to determine where they lead. Chris, however, decides not to go and to stay behind instead.
Their exploration leads them to a group of free Australians called "Harvey's Heroes", led by a man named Major Harvey. He refuses to allow any portion of the group to return to Hell to find Chris. Harvey spent some time in the army reserves. Although Harvey brags about having made several enemy attacks, these attacks are revealed to be low-risk acts. The group is invited to spectate as Harvey's Heroes attack an abandoned tank, but they are led into an enemy ambush and have to flee from the scene, leaving most of their possessions behind; Fi is chased by an enemy soldier and Lee stabs him.
When they return to Hell, Chris is not there. The group take refuge in Robyn's music teacher's house, where Ellie and Lee consummate their relationship for the first time. They move on to a church, where they keep watch over some of the early colonists. Here they discover that Major Harvey, presumed dead in the ambush, is now working directly with the enemy. Reeling from this discovery, they arrange to blow up several of the houses.
The experience is exciting and works well, but on their way back to Hell they see an overturned vehicle near a dam; further investigation reveals that Chris had overturned the car and died weeks ago. The book ends where it begins, with the group depressed and with low morale.
The story continues in The Third Day, the Frost.
The book was well received having been considered notable by The Children’s Book Council of Australia in 1995[2]. As well as the Canberra’s own outstanding list in 1998.[3]
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