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The Ruby Key (Moon & Sun) |
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Author:
Holly Lisle
By Orchard Books
Average Customer Rating: 
List Price: $16.99
Our Price: $6.79
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Product Description
Mankind is Sunkind And rules by the light; Nightlings are Moonkind, And rule in the night; Or there will be war. Human and Nightlings are never to meet, but when Genna and her brother Dan venture into the old forest at night, they encounter a Nightling slave who reveals a terrifying secret: Genna and Dan's village chieftain has made a dangerous deal with Letrin, ruler of the Nightlings, offering the lives of his people in exchange for his own immortality. To save the villagers and themselves, Genna and Dan strike their own bargain with the Nightling lord, but the stakes are even higher. Now, the siblings must embark upon a journey along the Moonroads, and bring back the key to Letrin's downfall. Written in haunting, lyrical prose, Holly Lisle transports readers to the twilit realms of the Night Worlds. Holly Lisle is a native of Salem, Ohio, but she's also lived in Alaska, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. She is the author of many bestselling adult suspense and fantasy novels. She has three children, a handful of cats, and believes writing is the best job a person can have. She currently resides in Georgia, with her family. Holly Lisle is a native of Salem, Ohio, but she's also lived in Alaska, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. She is the author of many bestselling adult suspense and fantasy novels. She has three children, a handful of cats, and believes writing is the best job a person can have. She currently resides in Georgia with her family.
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Impatient for sequels, 2008-09-18
The mark of a good book is wanting to have the sequel waiting for you by page 20. This was one of those books. I got an advance copy at a library conference six or seven months before it was officially published. It definitely whet my appetite for more... though it's painful to fall in love with a series before it's even begun!
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 2008-08-02
Due to an agreement between the humans and Nightlings, the two are never to meet. But when Genna and her younger brother, Dan, venture outside at night, when everyone is supposed to be safe inside, to get a special sap to save their mother, things begin to change. They are told by a Nightling slave the truth of what is really happening between the Nightlings and humans. The leader of the human village, Genna and Dan's "uncle," has made a deal with the Nightling king that will result in his own immortality but the downfall of every other human.
Genna and Dan must strike their own deal with the Nightling king and set out on their own journey to not only save themselves and their family but everyone in their village -- as well as the Nightlings.
Filled with adventure and striking prose, THE RUBY KEY is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in a while. The characters, even the non-human ones, were realistic, and every single one of them played an important part in the unfolding plot. The plot itself was unpredictable and filled with twists and turns you never see coming. The ending even keeps you begging for more.
Holly Lisle may be an accomplished adult author, but her name is sure to become a popular one among teen fiction, too.
Reviewed by: Harmony
An exciting new fantasy, 2008-07-24
"The two most engaging powers of an author," said William Makepeace Thackeray, "are to make new things familiar, familiar things new." In THE RUBY KEY, book one in the Moon & Sun series, Holly Lisle has accomplished both. Drawing on elements characteristic of fairy tales and fantasy novels, and adding inventive touches, this work is sure to engage young readers as it draws them into the original world of the Sunkind and Moonkind, two races struggling for power and peace.
It is the night of the offering in the small village of Hillrush. With her father missing and presumed dead and her mother ailing, 14-year-old Genna will make the offering for her family. Every year, in order to keep peace with the Nightlings, the humans offer food, cloth and more to the mysterious creatures who live in darkness and with whom they share an uneasy peace. If the offering is unacceptable or if humans are out after dark, they can be stolen away to the deep forest in which the Nightlings, the Moonkind, reside. Late that night, after the ritual, Genna and her 12-year-old brother Dan venture out and into that dangerous forest in search of the magical tree sap they hope will bring their mother back to strength, save her life and rescue their family from the foul intentions of Banris, who wants to marry her and raise the children, and their younger siblings, as his own.
When they tap the tree to collect the sap, they meet a young Nightling. She is friendly and seems to know who they are and much about their family. She tells them the story of Banris and the deal he has made with the evil Kai-lord, Letrin, who rules the Nightlings through fear and violence. Their own deal with Letrin, she suggests, may ruin Banris's plans and save not only their family but their whole village and even the lives of innocent Moonkind. Genna and Dan follow her deep into the world of the Moonkind and are brought face to face with the cunning Letrin.
In bargaining with Letrin, Genna and Dan not only embark on the journey recorded in THE RUBY KEY but also set in motion changes that will alter the lives of the Moonkind and Sunkind forever.
In the end, it is the characters, especially Genna, who really drive THE RUBY KEY. Genna is likable: brave yet humble, smart yet occasionally overcome with self-doubt, cultivating the strength of a woman but still, in many ways, a little girl. Lisle hits all the right notes with her. The supporting characters, while far less fleshed out, are all compelling as well: Dan is poised to enter manhood and a career as a leader of his village; Yarri is a crafty and fearless figure who has suffered terrible loss; and the cat is by far the most enigmatic and witty character in the book. The villains are scary but with weaknesses appropriately obvious, and there are a few nasty frights lurking in the pages as well.
By blending classic fairy tale and coming-of-age themes with a fantasy setting, Holly Lisle gives readers a fun and adventurous book that is thoughtful and well-written. They will surely look forward to encountering Genna and the others again in the second installment of this series.
--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman
A satisfying fantasy story for young adults, 2008-06-15
Holly Lisle's Moon & Sun: The Ruby Key tells of Gemma and her brother Dan, who encounter a nightling slave in an old forest who reveals a dangerous deal made by their village chief and the ruler of the nightlings. The two must make their own dangerous deal with the dark lord to save their families and homes - a deal which takes them on a long and dangerous journey in this satisfying fantasy story for young adults.
 Interesting start to a new series, 2008-05-23
Genna (14) and her brother, Danrith (12), live in a village called Hillrush with their ailing mother and their 5 younger siblings. The village is getting ready for the annual offering ceremony to the Nightlings, a race of beings that inhabit the world at night, whereas Genna and her people inhabit the world during the daytime. In order to keep the peace Genna's people must sacrifice something either useful or precious to the Nightlings in the ceremony, but this must be done by the head of the family. Genna's mother lays dying in her bed and their father has gone missing a few years prior. Genna's Uncle Banris, the Caer of the village, has offered to make it in their stead. Banris has also approached Genna's mother with a marriage proposal, in the event that she dies and leaves her children orphaned.
After the ceremony Danrith and Genna decide to take matters into their own hands and go into the forest to gather Taandu sap. Taandu sap is precious in that it is rare and also a curative to the saku which their mother suffers. This violates all of the precepts established with the Nightlings in that they should not go into their realm during their time. Genna and Danrith know this, but venture anyways because of their devotion to their mother. In the Nightling forest they meet a Nightling who takes them into the heart of their realm to meet the Kai-lord, Letrin, who reveals something horrifying to the children about their Caer. This leads to a bargain struck between the three that tests the two beyond anything they ever thought they might encounter in the village of Hillrush.
Lisle's "The Ruby Key" is a subtle novel. The characters are likeable and you do care about them as the book progresses. I did have an issue in the middle of the book in that I was bored with the story. I felt like Lisle could have cut 30-45 pages out of the middle in order to streamline the storyline quite a bit. The Moonroads were not my favourite bit in the book. I adored the scenes in the heart of the Nightlings with Letrin at the beginning and at the end of the book... but the middle of the book still bored me. I'm curious to see where Lisle goes with the series because this is clearly not a singular story... but I'm not going to be running out to get it when it arrives in the story. A for effort... C for dullness... B for final grade overall.
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Binding: Hardcover
EAN: 9780545000123
ISBN: 0545000122
Label: Orchard Books
Manufacturer: Orchard Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 368
Publication Date: 2008-05-01
Publisher: Orchard Books
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Studio: Orchard Books |
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