Young Writers Society

Just recently, a friend of mine wanted me to borrow a book of hers. It was called Midnighters: The Secret Hour. For a while I didn't want to read it, and was quite skeptical, but eventually I borrowed, knowing that that particular weekend I would be at my grandmother's house, with absolutely nothing to do.

The Midnighter's series is written by Scott Westerfeld. I guess I'd classify this book as an Fantasy/Intellectual Fiction. The premise is basically in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma, there is a certain hour. According its history, long ago, humans lived among creatures. These creatures were actually smarter than the human beings, and had the advantage over them, until more technology began being developed, as the creatures feared advances in technology, with fire being their main weakness. They also feared the number 13, and even more so, 39. Anyway, these creatures decided to compress the 25th hour into an instant. (There used to be 25 hours in a day.) Now, in Bixby, Oklahoma, the only people who are able to experience this "secret hour" are ones that are born in that instant; the instant it becomes midnight. The story is much more than just that, but you know, I'm not going to spell everything out for you. (If you're wondering why Bixby, Oklahoma, count the letters. ) The monsters are scared of metal and anything with 13 letters, or a pattern of 13. In the book, the main characters gave pieces of metal 13-letter names, or a 39-letter phrase consisting of three 13-letter words, and used them as weapons against the creatures.

I, personally, enjoyed the story. It makes you think a little bit, but it's pretty fun. I'd give it a 7/10. It creeped me out at the end because I finished the book and then looked at my watch...11:59pm.

*MisterWaffles goes and doesn't post for a month.