The Ruby Key (Moon & Sun) (Hardcover)

by Holly Lisle (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
*Starred Review* In this strong opener to the Moon & Sun series, which is also a welcome first children’s novel from seasoned fantasist Lisle, 14-year-old Genna and her brother are swept into a tricky bargain with an otherwordly lord. Humans in the village of Hillrush and nightlings in the forest have held an uneasy truce for centuries. But when Genna and Dan meet a nightling slave, they learn the truce is meaningless: Banris, the village head, has struck a deal with the nightling lord, Letrin, to trade his people’s lives for immortality. The siblings and rebel nightlings concoct a plan to defeat their corrupt rulers, and Genna brokers a deal with Letrin that involves locating a nightling in hiding. The world Lisle creates is as distinctive and intriguing as any real place, with a complex history, well-developed societies, and a strong sense of magic. Many readers will find Lisle’s creative embellishments of fairy lore especially arresting. Binding it all together is Genna’s forthright, first-person narrative of the risky adventure, through which she remains steadfast even as her duties expand beyond her personal desires. Though one plot is resolved, hints of a possible romance for Genna and the promise of a larger catastrophe will leave readers clamoring for the next installment. Grades 6-10. --Krista Hutley

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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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545000122
• ISBN-13: 978-0545000123
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #646,140 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Holly Lisle was worth the wait., April 20, 2008

By	C. Kulesa (Central NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

To my great joy I returned home from Texas with 2 boxes of books waiting for me from Amazon.com. I love to preorder! One of the books I received was The Ruby Key by Holly Lisle. I followed the creation of The Ruby Key on Holly's blog - Pocket Full of Words and have waited impatiently for almost a year since her last book Night Echoes was published.

This is Lisle's first foray into the world of youth fantasy fiction and she jumps in with both feet and splashed me from head to toe! Page one hooked me and Saturday was completely lost as I read the entire 368 pages in one sitting. Food? Who needs food? Certainly not me or my kids. Mom hung the do not disturb sign around her neck and parked it on the couch with the dogs curled up at her feet and totally submerged herself in the Night Worlds.

14-year old Genna is spunky and likable, her 12-year old brother Dan so reflects my 13-year old son that I laughed out loud and the Nightling Yarri was easy to love as she fought for her people's freedom. While written and marketed as youth fiction (ages 9-12) it easily kept this 35 year old mother captivated from beginning to end. I happily recognized some of the snippets Lisle posted on her blog during the writing process which is kind of neat too.

As always her world is superbly created and well fleshed out. Her villains range from hard to hate to tough to love and this adds to the overall realness of her world. Even side characters are given enough personality that they are integral to the story and not simply fillers helping to increase word count. The talking cat has such a huge personality I wonder if he could carry his own story in this series.

Speaking of series, it's my understanding this is part of a trilogy but the story was wrapped up in such a way that you felt like you were finished and not left hanging. But there were enough doors left open so that you were left looking forward to the next book in the series (The Silver Door).

All in all a fantastic read by an amazing author. My only regret? I finished it in one day and now have to wait until June for Hawkspar. Thank goodness I already have it on preorder.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For readers from 9 to 90..., May 6, 2008

By	R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The "Harry Potter" series created a new market for young adult books that have inspired the best authors from fantasy, mystery, and other genres to write for the 9-12 market. Now, Holly Lisle has entered this auspicious group with a trilogy beginning with "The Ruby Key."

Her premise is that humankind only ventures forth by day. Should any go about by night, they are subject to the nightlings, elven creatures with magic who would enslave or kill them:

Mankind is Sunkind
And rules by the light;
Sunrise to sunset,
No less, and no more.
Nightlings are moonkind
And rule in the night;
Sun's set to sunrise,
Or there will be war.

But, young Genna, (14), and Dan, (12) of the village Highrush are out after dark the only night they can be. This is the night that the humans give their offerings to the nightlings. They give their best and in return, the nightlings give them trinkets and baubles.

The sibs have risked being taken as slaves by the nightlings to save their mother. They've made their offerings quickly and are sneaking out to secure some sap from the magical taandu tree, which they hope will cure their Mama, who has fallen ill. They have already lost their father, the former caer of the village, and fear that he is dead.

As they are attempting to gather the life-giving sap, they encounter a nightling girl who tells them a tale of treachery. It seems, their "Uncle Banris" who's taken over the job as Highrush's Caer since their father disappeared has made a deal with the Nightling leader, Kai Letrin.

Banris wants to be immortal and he doesn't care who he kills to get there. The sickness, or saku, that is effecting their village and their mother, is a result of this deal. Banris isn't quite immortal yet--he must wed their mother and kill their whole family to achieve his life.

It's up to young Genna and Dan to make a new deal with the Kai to save their family and their village. They are told by their nightling ally that Letrin will ask for something impossible, but not to worry--the rebel nightlings will give them aid. All the nightlings ask of Dan and Genna in exchange for this help is to ask for the Ruby Key.

Genna manages to secure the deal she sought. All she has to do is find one person, the child Doyati, and return him to the Kai by the dark of the moon.

What the Kai didn't tell them was that they'd have to learn to travel on the moonroads, magical roads that can take you anywhere, if you know how to manage them, face a warrior bard, the blind hunt, a dire worm, and other adversaries....

But, they will have help. The young nightling girl will aid them as much as she can--and a talking cat will come to guide them.

As always, Holly Lisle crafts a story with gem-like beauty and precision of phrase that will keep anyone from 9 to 90 reading late into the the night.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ruby Key opens a door to wonder, April 23, 2008

By	Stephen B. Bagley - See all my reviews

Last night I finished The Ruby Key, the new book by Holly Lisle. What a great book, perfect for any young person -- or adult -- looking for a good fantasy. Genna's world is a place that I hope Holly Lisle will return to time after time.

Here's the basic plot: The world is divided into day and night, day ruled by humans, night by the nightlings. Genna and her brother Dan discover that their "uncle" has made a horrendous deal with the lord of the nightlings: He has traded the lives of the people of their village for immortality. Genna and Dan make their own deal with the evil nightling lord and start off on an impossible quest to locate a child and return him to the nightlings. Along with them travel an annoying cat -- which is both more than and less than a cat -- and a young, bright nightling.

But naturally things aren't what they seem. Genna soon learns that the world is different than she had always been told and that her quest has far-reaching consequences. There are monsters and moonroads (you'll have to read the book to discover what those are) and villains and heroes. You will be both surprised and pleased at how it all turns out.

The Ruby Key reminds me of the best of Andre Norton. Genna has resources and bravery that she doesn't even know she does, and this book is the beginning of her journey. I'm looking forward to the next book.

By the way, The Ruby Key is gorgeous with a wonderful cover and neat flourishes throughout, a handsome addition to any library. Add it to your library today.