Midnight (book)

Midnight is the first book in The New Prophecy arc. Brambleclaw is the cat depicted on the original coverRevealed on warriorcats.comRevealed on Facebook messenger with the Erin Hunter marketing team and on the reprinted cover. It features Brambleclaw and Leafpaw as the main protagonists. 
==Dedication==
:For Chris, Janet, and Louisa Haslum
:Special thanks to Cherith Baldry
==Blurb==
:Darkness, air, water, and sky will come together... and shake the forest to its roots.
:The wild cat Clans have lived in peace and harmony for many moons - but now, strange messages from their warrior ancestors speak of terrifying new prophecies and a mysterious danger.
:All the signs point to young warrior Brambleclaw as the cat with the fate of the forest in his paws. But who are the other cats mentioned in the prophecy? All he knows for sure is that the strength and courage of the greatest warriors will be needed now, as the quest to save the Clans begins.
===UK book blurb variation===
:Darkness, air, water and sky will come together... and shake the forest to its roots.
:The wild cats of the forest have lived in peace and harmony for many moons — but a doom that will change everything is coming. Strange messages from their warrior ancestors speak of terrifying new prophecies, danger, and a mysterious destiny.
:The time has come for a new generation of heroes to rise, and all any cat knows for sure is that the strength and courage of every warrior will be needed now, as the quest to save the Clans begins.
==The praise==
"Action packed. Certain to please any young reader who has ever wondered what dreams of grandeur may haunt the family cat."
:::::::::::-Publishers Weekly
"A suspenseful adventure story that urges the reader onward."
:::::::::::-ALA Booklist
"Packed with riveting suspense, compelling new characters, and classic themes of epic fantasy, this is an adventure not to be missed for both fans of the previous six books and readers unfamiliar with the world of the warrior Clans."
:::::::::::-Editorial review on Amazon
"[...] Structurally solid; this will please Redwall-genre fans and cat devotees."
::::::::-Kirkus ReviewsRevealed on Kirkus Reviews 
==Detailed plot description==
:The next generation of cats from the Clans, Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, Feathertail, and Stormfur are now warriors, and Firestar has had two kits with Sandstorm: Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw.
:StarClan sends a prophecy revealing that the forest is in danger. Four cats, one from each Clan, are chosen to go on a journey in order to save the Clans. Brambleclaw is chosen to represent ThunderClan, Feathertail to represent RiverClan, Crowpaw to represent WindClan, and Tawnypelt to represent ShadowClan. Squirrelpaw also stubbornly joins Brambleclaw, with Stormfur joining Feathertail. Each cat is visited by their StarClan ancestors and is told to go and see what midnight has to say, although they are not told who or what "midnight" refers to. They meet at Fourtrees and learn about each other's dreams, but do not know where to search for Midnight. However, after Brambleclaw has a dream about drowning in salty water and after Ravenpaw tells him that the place in his dream is real, they decide to set out for the so called sun-drown-place.
:While Leafpaw and her mentor Cinderpelt are searching for herbs, StarClan sends Cinderpelt a vision of a tiger leaping forward from fire. She concludes that the warning must mean that Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw, the daughter of Firestar and the son of Tigerstar, will represent a danger to the forest, or to each other. Cinderpelt shares the warning with Firestar, who decides to keep Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw apart. His plan fails when Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw meet with Feathertail, Stormfur, Tawnypelt, and Crowpaw at Fourtrees, and the cats begin their journey to the sun-drown-place. When Sandstorm points out to Firestar that the fire and tiger prophecy might have meant that Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw could save them from trouble instead of brewing it, Firestar becomes worried, thinking he scared them away.
:Soon, all leaders find out that the other Clans lost cats as well, and discuss about it on a Gathering. They are uneasy, wondering why StarClan did not send them a message, and asking if there is some new enemy in the forest hunting them down. Only Leafpaw, Squirrelpaw's sister knows about the mission StarClan gave to the cats, but does not tell about it to any other cat.
:Meanwhile, the six cats continue their journey, passing Highstones, then traveling through farmland. They get separated after crossing a Thunderpath, ending up in gardens of different Twoleg nests. Brambleclaw gets chased by a very young Twoleg kit. Eventually, they find each other, and escape from some kittypets that are about to attack them. During the next days, they travel through farmland, avoiding Twoleg nests. During the journey, each of them has an illusion of tasting salty water, convincing them that they are on the right path.
:When they are chased by a dog, they are rescued by an old loner who introduces himself as Purdy and later leads them into a large Twolegplace. Purdy takes the cats to a abandoned Twoleg nest for food. The same young Twoleg kit that chased Brambleclaw had been following them. The Twoleg kit picks up a startled Feathertail. Squirrelpaw and Stormfur convince the Twoleg kit to let go of her. They continue through the big Twolegplace. The young Twoleg kit continues to follows them. With Purdy guiding them they continue through the Twolegplace and are attacked by rats while passing by a dump. They manage to defeat the rats, but Tawnypelt gets an infected bite on her shoulder and limps painfully for the rest of the journey. It takes the cats three days to get out from the Twolegplace, and they enter a forest where they find shelter and prey.
:Eventually, they reach the sun-drown-place and enter a cavern inhabited by a highly intelligent badger named Midnight. She eventually reveals that all Clans are in danger as the forest is about to be completely destroyed by Twolegs to construct a new Thunderpath. The six cats must lead the Clans to find a new home.
:This book contains an epilogue, which is set back in the forest, where Twolegs and their tree-destroying monsters are beginning the destruction of the forest. Graystripe, walking behind Firestar, exclaims the Thunderpath smells foul. Sandstorm and Cloudtail join the two cats, as does Leafpaw, the last member of the patrol, who was examining a clump of marigold. Cloudtail snorts in disgust, complaining that every time they come there, it takes the entire day to get the smell out of his pelt. Firestar speaks up, saying that this day is unusual, as the reek of the monsters is worse than ever, but there are none. Leafpaw pricks her ears, saying she can hear something, as the wind is carrying a deep-toned roar coming toward the patrol, faint, yet growing louder.
:Cloudtail turns to Firestar with a puzzled look in his eyes, asking what the sound is, as he has never heard anything like it. From a rise in the Thunderpath emerges the biggest monster any of the cats had ever seen. The roaring grows extremely loud. It moves slowly, but is being followed by more monsters, and the cats realize that the destruction of the forest had begun.
==Trivia==
===Mistakes===
:A compiled list of the errors present in Midnight can be found here.
:*Reading Guide, June 2007 
:*Teaching Guide, March 2008 
==Publication history==
*Midnight (EN), HarperCollins (hardcover), 10 May 2005
*Midnight (EN), HarperCollins (library binding), 10 May 2005Revealed on 
*Полночь (RU), OLMA Media Group (hardcover), 17 June 2005, translated by Veronica MaximovaRevealed on ru.wikipedia
*Midnight (EN), HarperCollins (paperback), 4 April 2006
*Midnight (EN), HarperCollins (e-book), 6 November 2007
*Midnight & Moonrise (EN), HarperCollins (hardcover), unknown release dateRevealed on abe-books.com 
*Minuit (FR), Pocket Jeunesse (paperback), 4 September 2008, translated by Aude CarlierRevealed on pocketjeunesse.fr
*真夜中に (JP), Komine Shoten (hardcover), 25 November 2008, translated by Yukako TakabayashiRevealed on komineshoten.co.jp
*午夜追蹤 (TW), Morning Star Publishing Co., Ltd (paperback), 22 February 2009, translated by Takako plum (高子梅)Revealed on eslite.com
*Полночь (RU), OLMA Media Group (e-book), 20 June 2009, translated by Veronica MaximovaRevealed on books.google.com 
*Mitternacht (DE), Verlagsgruppe Beltz (hardcover), 19 February 2011, translated by Klaus WeimannRevealed on beltz.de
*Mitternacht (DE), Verlagsgruppe Beltz (audiobook), 19 February 2011, translated by Klaus Weimann narrated by Marlen DiekhoffRevealed on beltz.de
*Midnight (EN), HarperCollins UK (paperback), 28 April 2011Revealed on mightyape.co.nz
*Middernacht (NL), Fantoom (hardcover), 19 June 2012, translated by Huberte VriesendorpRevealed on standaardboekhandel.be
*Keskiyö (FI), Art House (hardcover), 30 June 2012, translated by Nana SironenRevealed on risingshadow.fi
*Minuit (FR), 12-21 (e-book), 18 October 2012, translated by Aude CarlierRevealed on 12-21editions.fr
*真夜中に (JP), Komine Shoten (paperback), 15 January 2014, translated by Yukako TakabayashiRevealed on hanmoto.com
*Mitjanit (ES), La Galera (paperback), 20 May 2014, translated by Jordi Vidal i TubauRevealed on amazon.es
*Medianoche (ES), Salamandra (paperback), 29 May 2014, translated by Begoña Hernández SalaRevealed on amazon.es
*Midnight (EN), HarperCollins (paperback; reprint), 17 March 2015
*Midnatt (NO), Juritzen jr. (paperback), 3 August 2015, translated by Guro JohansenRevealed on juritzen.no
*Midnatt (NO), Juritzen jr. (e-book), 21 August 2015, translated by Guro JohansenRevealed on ebok.no
*Mezzanotte (IT), Sonda (paperback), 14 April 2016, translated by Maria Teresa MilanoRevealed on sonda.itRevealed on amazon.it
*Keskiyö (FI), Art House (paperpack), June 2016Revealed on tietosanoma.fi
*암흑의 밤 (KO), Garamchild (paperback), 30 October 2016, translated by Seo NayeonRevealed on blog.naver.com
*Mitternacht (DE), Julius Beltz GmbH & Co. KG (audiobook), 21 February 2017, translated by Klaus Weimann and narrated by Marlen DiekhoffRevealed on beltz.de 
*Miez de noapte (RO), Galaxia Copiilor (paperback), 10 July 2017, translated by Daniel ClinciRevealed on all.ro
*Mitternacht (DE), Gulliver von Beltz & Gelberg (paperback; reprint), 7 November 2017, translated by Klaus WeimannRevealed on beltz.de
*Północ (PL), Nowa Baśń (paperback), 13 December 2017, translated by Katarzyna KrawczykRevealed on empik.com
*Północ (PL), Nowa Baśń (e-book), 15 January 2018, translated by Katarzyna KrawczykRevealed on nexto.pl 
*Midnight (EN), HarperCollins (audiobook), 4 June 2019
*Midnight (EN), HarperCollins B and Blackstone Audio (audio cd), 4 June 2019
*Pusnakts (LV), Zvaigzne ABC (hardcover, e-book), 18 February 2020, translated by Ieva ElsbergaRevealed on books.apple.com
*암흑의 밤 (KO), Garamchild (e-book), 10 June 2020, translated by Seo NayeonRevealed on blog.naver.com
*Middernacht (NL), Storyside (audiobook), 29 September 2021, translated by Huberte Vriesendorp and narrated by Kim-Lian van der MeijRevealed on storytel.com
*Miez de noapte (RO), Storyside (audiobook), 24 October 2022, translated by Daniel Clinci and narrated by Dana TapalagăRevealed on thalia.de
*Meia-noite (PT), Wmf Martins Fontes Ltda (paperback), 23 February 2024, translated by Marilena MoraesRevealed on wmfmartinsfontes.com.br
==Gallery==
===US covers===
NP-1.jpg|English Language EditionReleased in North America
NP-1-FC.jpg|English Language EditionTexless Cover
NP-1-FLF.jpg|English Language EditionFront Flap
NP-1-FLB.jpg|English Language EditionBack Flap
NP-1-2.jpg|English Language Paperback EditionReleased in North America
NP-1-UCP.png|English Uncorrected EditionReleased for Reviewers
SPE-4.png|English Paper-over-board Special EditionReleased in North America
NP-1-RR.jpg|English Reprint Language EditionReleased in North America
NP-1-FC-RR.jpg|English Reprint Language EditionTextless Cover
NP-1-A.jpg|English AudiobookReleased in North America
NP-1-CD.png|English Audio CDReleased in North America
===Foreign covers===
NP-1-UK.png|English Language Paperback EditionReleased in the United Kingdom
NP-1-UK2.jpg|English Language Paperback Edition ReprintReleased in the United Kingdom
NP-1-ZH-TW.jpg|Traditional Chinese Language EditionReleased in Taiwan
NP-1-ZH-TW-FC.png|Traditional Chinese Language EditionTextless cover
NP-1-ES2.jpg|Catalan Language EditionReleased in Spain
NP-1-ES3.jpg|Alternate Catalan Language EditionWas never released
NP-1-ZH-TW-RR.jpg|Traditional Chinese Reprint Language EditionReleased in Taiwan
NP-1-CN.jpg|Simplified Chinese Language EditionReleased in China
NP-1-CN-RR.jpg|Simplified Chinese Reprint Language EditionReleased in China
NP-1-CN-RR-FC.png|Simplified Chinese Reprint Language EditionTextless cover
NP-1-CZ.jpg|Czech Language EditionReleased in the Czech Republic
==See also==
*Midnight & Moonrise - Special Edition version of Midnight and Moonrise
==External links==
* 
*
==Notes and references==
cs:Půlnoc (kniha)
de:Mitternacht (Buch)
es:Medianoche (Libro)
fi:Keskiyö (kirja)
fr:Minuit
it:Mezzanotte
ko:암흑의 밤
nl:Middernacht (Boek)
pl:Północ
pt-br:Meia Noite (livro)
ro:Miez de Noapte (carte)
ru:Полночь (книга)
sv:Midnatt (bok)
uk:Північ (книга)
zh:午夜追踪
Category:Books
Category:The New Prophecy arc
Category:Midnight (book)