Fly by Night (Hardinge novel)

Fly by Night
First edition cover (UK)
Author Frances Hardinge
Cover artist Brett Helquist (US)
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Series None
Subject Fantasy, Adventure, Fiction
Genre Children's Fantasy novel
Publisher UK: Macmillan
US: HarperCollins
Publication date
 7 October 2005
Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages 304 pp (first edition, hardcover)
ISBN 1-4050-2078-4
OCLC 61884943
Preceded by None
Followed by Twilight Robbery

Fly by Night is a children's fantasy novel by Frances Hardinge, published on 7 October 2005 by Macmillan Publishers in the UK and on April 25, 2006 by HarperCollins in the US, and aimed at teens. Fly by Night won the Branford Boase Award in 2006,[1] and was listed in the School Library Journal's Best Books of 2006.[2] It was shortlisted for the 2006 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, as was its sequel Twilight Robbery in 2011.

Characters

  • Mosca Mye-the heroine of the story who has run away from home after burning her uncle's mill down
  • Saracen-Mosca's ill-tempered goose.
  • Eponymous Clent- a traveling wordsmith of dubious repute and spy for the Stationers.
  • Quillam Mye - Mosca's father, who doesn't believe in the beloved. Died when Mosca was eight, his radical books of freedom burnt.
  • Black Captain Blythe- a not so villainous highwayman.
  • Lady Tamarind Avourlace- sister of the Duke of Mandelion.
  • Mabwick Toke- head of the Stationers' Guild in Mandelion.
  • Aramai Goshawk- an agent of the Locksmith Guild.
  • Hopewood Pertellis- a young lawyer and head of an illegal school that teaches children to read.
  • Vocado Avourlace- current Duke of Mandelion who is slowly going mad.
  • Linden Kohlrabi- an aide to Lady Tamarand.
  • Celery Dunnock- the stubborn nursemaid

Factions

Guilds- The Realm is held together by the Guilds, every tradesman from watch makers to playing card makers to millers belong to the guilds who keep the Realm running and the monarchy from reestablishing itself.

Stationers Guild-originally makers of stationery, after the Birdcatcher wars they were given power over all printed material. They control all printing presses and everything from handbills to news sheets to books must be approved by the Guild who affix their seal to it, anything without the Stationers seal is deemed illegal and destroyed.

Locksmiths Guild- once they only made locks and strongboxes but later moved into providing protection for people and even cities. A Locksmith will always wears gloves as the outline of a key is branded on his right palm. The head of each cell wears chatelaine at his waist which match the brands of all the men that answer to him.

Watermens Guild- control all movement along the river

Birdcatchers- a radical religious movement that came to power after the fall of the monarchy. They plunged the Realm into a ten-year war against those They considered heretical which cost the lives of tens of thousands. They were believed to be killed, but actually they went into hiding, and eventually started a plot against the Realm.

References

  1. ↑ "Branford Boase Award 2006". The Branford Boase Award. 2006. Archived from the original on 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  2. ↑ Jones, Trevelyn; et al. (2006-12-01). "Best Books 2006". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2008-06-08. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
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