Book of Night With Moon
Encyclopedia
The Book of Night With Moon is a 1997 fantasy novel by Diane Duane
. Although set in the Young Wizards
universe, it was written as an adult novel. It centers on a team of cat
-wizards.
This book takes place in between books 4 and 5 of the Young Wizards
series. A significant portion of the book uses phrases or words in Ailurin, the language of cats, which contains 37 vowels instead of our usual 5.
The worldgating team at Grand Central Terminal
is there to make sure that the four gates all behave correctly. However, the gates start malfunctioning and it is necessary for them to perform some larger interventions, even facing the Lone Power. They also have a new feline wizard on their hands with some hidden talents.
But a lot more could be said about Rhiow...for when her humans aren't looking, she has a life of her own that they don't dream of. Rhiow is a wizard, and heads an elite team of other feline wizards whose job is to keep the Grand Central worldgates running. With her teammates Urruah (a dumpster-living, foodie tomcat with a yen for opera) and Saash (the "Scotty" of their team, cerebral and witty, but always scratching at fleas that aren't there), they help keep the city's wizardly public transport system purring along.
...Until one morning matters get suddenly complicated with the arrival of Arhu, an abrasive feral tom-kitten in the middle of his Ordeal—the potentially deadly initiation through which every wizard must pass to come into his or her power. The chain of events triggered by Arhu's adoption into their team leads Rhiow and her companions out of their own New York and into another, more ancient, and far deadlier one—to a confrontation with the Lone Power that's intent on the destruction of cats and humans alike.
There, Rhiow and her team must deal with not only the sudden danger wound together with Arhu's fate, but a terrible secret concealed in the heart of the feline underworld, ready to burst out in annihilating force into the world of men, which as wizards they're sworn to protect. Now the cat-wizards' only hope of success lies in their uneasy bond with a race of creatures who've been their enemies for all time—and now hold the key not only to their own survival, but that of the human race...
Saash, a tortoiseshell cat
, is the technical expert on the gates' hyperstrings. She is in her ninth (and final) life in this book, and she has a problem with a scratchy coat.
Urruah has more energy at his disposal than the rest of the team, and is therefore generally the power source for any big workings on the worldgates. He lives in a dumpster and is interested in the Metropolitan Opera
.
Arhu is a new member of the team, discovered after being chewed up by rats. He ends up being a very important part of their mission.
Tom Swale and Carl Romeo are human wizards at the Advisory level in the Manhattan
area. They are some of the team's supervisors.
Mike and Sue are the humans that keep and feed Rhiow. They are called "Iaehh" and "Hhuha" by Rhiow, that being the closest that Ailurin, the feline language, can come to the correct pronunciation.
Sehhff'hhihhnei'ithhhssshweihh (Ith) is a saurian wizard who also becomes an instrumental part in the team's mission.
Ehef is the feline Advisory in the area.
Yafh isn't a wizard, but still an oft' recurring character. He is an apparently long time friend of Rhiow's.
Diane Duane
Diane Duane is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Her works include the Young Wizards young adult fantasy series and the Rihannsu Star Trek novels.-Biography :...
. Although set in the Young Wizards
Young Wizards
Young Wizards is a series of novels by Diane Duane.The Young Wizards series presently consists of nine books, with a tenth in progress, focusing on the adventures of two young wizards named Nita and Kit. Each novel pits Nita and Kit against the "Lone Power", an entity ultimately bent on the...
universe, it was written as an adult novel. It centers on a team of cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
-wizards.
This book takes place in between books 4 and 5 of the Young Wizards
Young Wizards
Young Wizards is a series of novels by Diane Duane.The Young Wizards series presently consists of nine books, with a tenth in progress, focusing on the adventures of two young wizards named Nita and Kit. Each novel pits Nita and Kit against the "Lone Power", an entity ultimately bent on the...
series. A significant portion of the book uses phrases or words in Ailurin, the language of cats, which contains 37 vowels instead of our usual 5.
The worldgating team at Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
is there to make sure that the four gates all behave correctly. However, the gates start malfunctioning and it is necessary for them to perform some larger interventions, even facing the Lone Power. They also have a new feline wizard on their hands with some hidden talents.
Plot synopsis
To her owners, apartment-dwellers on the upper East Side of New York's Manhattan Island, Rhiow looks like nothing more than their little black pet cat: a sweet-tempered, good-natured little creature who shakes them down for food at every possibility, is always ready for a cuddle, and never ventures any further away than the apartment's terrace.But a lot more could be said about Rhiow...for when her humans aren't looking, she has a life of her own that they don't dream of. Rhiow is a wizard, and heads an elite team of other feline wizards whose job is to keep the Grand Central worldgates running. With her teammates Urruah (a dumpster-living, foodie tomcat with a yen for opera) and Saash (the "Scotty" of their team, cerebral and witty, but always scratching at fleas that aren't there), they help keep the city's wizardly public transport system purring along.
...Until one morning matters get suddenly complicated with the arrival of Arhu, an abrasive feral tom-kitten in the middle of his Ordeal—the potentially deadly initiation through which every wizard must pass to come into his or her power. The chain of events triggered by Arhu's adoption into their team leads Rhiow and her companions out of their own New York and into another, more ancient, and far deadlier one—to a confrontation with the Lone Power that's intent on the destruction of cats and humans alike.
There, Rhiow and her team must deal with not only the sudden danger wound together with Arhu's fate, but a terrible secret concealed in the heart of the feline underworld, ready to burst out in annihilating force into the world of men, which as wizards they're sworn to protect. Now the cat-wizards' only hope of success lies in their uneasy bond with a race of creatures who've been their enemies for all time—and now hold the key not only to their own survival, but that of the human race...
Characters
Rhiow, the cat featured on the cover of this book, is the leader of the team of cat-wizards. In the beginning of the book, she is on her fourth life (out of nine). She lives with two humans, Sue and Mike. She also appears briefly in one of the regular series.Saash, a tortoiseshell cat
Tortoiseshell cat
Tortoiseshell describes a coat coloring found mostly in female cats. Cats of this color are mottled, with patches of orange or cream and chocolate, black or blue. They are sometimes called torties...
, is the technical expert on the gates' hyperstrings. She is in her ninth (and final) life in this book, and she has a problem with a scratchy coat.
Urruah has more energy at his disposal than the rest of the team, and is therefore generally the power source for any big workings on the worldgates. He lives in a dumpster and is interested in the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
.
Arhu is a new member of the team, discovered after being chewed up by rats. He ends up being a very important part of their mission.
Tom Swale and Carl Romeo are human wizards at the Advisory level in the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
area. They are some of the team's supervisors.
Mike and Sue are the humans that keep and feed Rhiow. They are called "Iaehh" and "Hhuha" by Rhiow, that being the closest that Ailurin, the feline language, can come to the correct pronunciation.
Sehhff'hhihhnei'ithhhssshweihh (Ith) is a saurian wizard who also becomes an instrumental part in the team's mission.
Ehef is the feline Advisory in the area.
Yafh isn't a wizard, but still an oft' recurring character. He is an apparently long time friend of Rhiow's.