The Dead of Night (novel) facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | John Marsden |
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| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Series | Tomorrow series |
| Genre | Young adult Action Adventure novel |
| Publisher | Pan Macmillan (Australia) |
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Publication date
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1994 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
| Pages | 271 |
| Preceded by | Tomorrow, When the War Began |
| Followed by | The Third Day, the Frost |
The Dead of the Night is the second book in the popular Tomorrow series by John Marsden. This exciting young adult novel tells the story of Australia being taken over by a foreign power. It continues the adventure that began in Tomorrow, When the War Began. The book is told from the point of view of Ellie Linton, a teenage girl. She is part of a small group of teenagers fighting against the invaders in their made-up hometown of Wirrawee.
Contents
Story Summary
After their friends Corrie and Kevin are captured, the group feels very sad and worried. Homer suggests they try to find Corrie and Kevin. They create a smoke bomb and use it at the hospital. During the confusion of the evacuation, they sneak in to look for their friends. They find out that Corrie is in a coma. They also learn that Kevin was hurt when he was taken prisoner.
Highway Ambush
After learning what happened to Corrie and Kevin, the group decides to attack enemy convoys. These convoys are traveling on the highway to Cobbler's Bay. While they are getting ready for their ambush, a small enemy patrol surprises them. Homer bravely fights back, injuring some soldiers. He then goes into shock. One soldier runs away, leaving his gear behind. Ellie takes charge. She makes a tough decision about an injured soldier. The group then continues with their plan. Their attack on the convoy works, and they return to their hidden base, Hell.
Exploring New Paths
The group decides to explore other paths leading in and out of Hell. They want to see where these paths go. However, Chris chooses to stay behind. Their exploration leads them to a group of free Australians. This group is called "Harvey's Heroes." It is led by Major Harvey, who used to be a school principal and an army reservist. Major Harvey does not let any of the group go back to Hell to find Chris. Harvey often boasts about his attacks on the enemy. But it turns out these attacks are not very risky.
A Dangerous Trap
Harvey's Heroes invite Ellie's group to watch them destroy an old tank. But this turns out to be a trap set by the enemy. The group has to run away quickly. Fi is chased by an enemy soldier. Homer and Ellie manage to stop the soldier. They are shocked to find out he is also a teenager, just like them. They cannot bring themselves to harm him. Then Lee arrives and takes a drastic action, which shocks the others.
Return to Wirrawee
When they return to Hell, Chris is not there. So, the group heads into Wirrawee. They find shelter in Robyn's music teacher's house. Here, Ellie and Lee's relationship becomes stronger. They then move to a church. From there, they watch some of the early settlers. They make a shocking discovery: Major Harvey, who they thought died in the ambush, is now working with the enemy. Upset by this news, they plan to blow up several houses.
Tragic Discovery
Their attack on the houses is successful. On their way back to Hell, they see an overturned vehicle near a dam. When they investigate further, they make a sad discovery. Chris had overturned the car weeks ago and had died. The book ends with the group feeling very sad and discouraged, just as it began.
The story of Ellie and her friends continues in the next book, The Third Day, the Frost.
Film Plans
In December 2010, a newspaper called The Age reported some news. It said that The Dead of the Night was approved to be made into a movie. Filming was supposed to start in September 2011. The movie was planned for release in 2012.
However, on November 20, 2011, another newspaper, Daily Telegraph, reported that the movie sequel was likely cancelled. Actor Lincoln Lewis said, "At this stage it doesn't look like it's going to go ahead."
See also
In Spanish: Los muertos de la noche para niños
