# Absolute Midnight > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Absolute_Midnight > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Absolute_Midnight.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Midnight > Source revision: 1354741398 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Novel by Clive Barker This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Absolute Midnight" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Absolute Midnight The first edition cover of Absolute Midnight. Author Clive Barker Illustrator Clive Barker Cover artist Clive Barker Language English Series The Books of Abarat Genre Fantasy Published 27 September 2011 Publisher HarperCollins Pages 592 ISBN 0-06-029171-0 Preceded by Days of Magic, Nights of War Followed by Kry Rising ***Absolute Midnight*** is the third book in the *[Abarat](/source/The_Books_of_Abarat)* series by [Clive Barker](/source/Clive_Barker). It is a dystopian fantasy-adventure which follows the story of [Candy Quackenbush](/source/Candy_Quackenbush) and her journeys through the world of the Abarat. The book contains more than 125 full color illustrations. The story continues Candy's journey in the extraordinary world of the Abarat with familiar friends and new foes. With war looming on the horizon, Candy is put to the test to save the Abarat from total destruction and rescue the people of Abarat from eternal darkness.[1] *Absolute Midnight* was released by [HarperCollins](/source/HarperCollins) on 27 September 2011.[2] ## Plot summary [Candy Quackenbush](/source/Candy_Quackenbush) visits the enchantress Laguna Munn to remove Princess Boa's soul from her body; upon which, Boa attempts to kill Candy herself. Later in the novel, Boa searches for [Christopher Carrion](/source/Christopher_Carrion) on Gorgossium and (failing to find him) captures Finnegan Hob, her former fiancé. In a brief visit to the human world, Candy resists her father, Bill Quackenbush, who tries to obtain her memories. After return to the Abarat, Candy re-unites with her now-numerous supporters and befriends Christopher Carrion and later his father, Zephario Carrion. Pursued by Mater Motley's subordinates, Candy falls in love with a boy named Gazza, who immediately requites the affection. Gazza later learns that Malingo the Geshrat is also in love with Candy. At the climax of this installment, Mater Motley releases the arthropod 'Sacbrood', who in turn cover the sky and give the book its name, and collaborates with the extraterrestrial Nephauree, who seek to dominate the Abarat. A struggle follows in which much of the Abarat is destroyed or damaged, and wherein Mater Motley encounters the submarine 'Requiax'. At the edge of the Abarat, a Nephauree makes an appearance; Candy uses a piece of the Abarataraba (the Abarat's supreme book of magic) to save Mater Motley's prisoners; [Christopher Carrion](/source/Christopher_Carrion) and Malingo prevent Mater Motley from killing Candy; and Christopher Carrion's siblings are released from the dolls on Mater Motley's dress. Having fallen from the Abarat into the 'Void' beyond, Candy, Malingo, and Gazza enter another, unidentified parallel universe, concluding the book. ## Critical reception Gina Mcintyre of the *Los Angeles Times* identified [protagonist](/source/Protagonist) Candy Quackenbush, after reading *Absolute Midnight*: "Like Dorothy or Alice before her, 16-year-old Candy is an innocent plucked from the mundanity of her everyday life and thrust into a mystical place filled with untold wonders and horrors. Barker acknowledges his heroine's literary lineage, but he also crafts a wonderfully contemporary girl who is brave, resourceful, loyal and willing to sacrifice herself for the betterment of the world".[3] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Barker, Clive. ["HarperCollins Editorial"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120225161623/http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Abarat-Absolute-Midnight-Clive-Barker/?isbn=9780060291716). Harpercollins.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Abarat-Absolute-Midnight-Clive-Barker/?isbn=9780060291716) on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Barker, Clive. ["Release Date"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120225161623/http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Abarat-Absolute-Midnight-Clive-Barker/?isbn=9780060291716). Harpercollins.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Abarat-Absolute-Midnight-Clive-Barker/?isbn=9780060291716) on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["'Abarat: Absolute Midnight': Book review - Los Angeles Times"](https://www.latimes.com/books/la-xpm-2011-oct-05-la-et-book-20111003-story.html). Articles.latimes.com. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2012. - [Children and Young Adult Literature portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Children_and_Young_Adult_Literature) v t e Works by Clive Barker Literature The Damnation Game The Hellbound Heart Weaveworld Cabal Imajica The Thief of Always Sacrament Galilee Coldheart Canyon Mister B. Gone Mr. Maximillian Bacchus and His Travelling Circus The Scarlet Gospels Books of the Art The Great and Secret Show Everville The Books of Abarat Abarat Days of Magic, Nights of War Absolute Midnight Collections Books of Blood (short stories) Clive Barker, Illustrator (art) The Painter, The Creature and The Father of Lies (essays) Comic books Razorline Ectokid Hokum & Hex Hyperkind Saint Sinner Films, TV and video games Directed by Barker Hellraiser (1987) Nightbreed (1990) Lord of Illusions (1995) Written only Underworld (1985) Rawhead Rex (1986) Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988; story only) A-Z of Horror (1997) Produced only The Plague (2006) The Midnight Meat Train (2008) Book of Blood (2009) Dread (2009) Hellraiser (2022) Night of the Zoopocalypse (2025) Video games Clive Barker's Nightbreed: The Interactive Movie Clive Barker's Undying Clive Barker's Jericho Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival Recurring characters Cenobites Chatterer Pinhead Kirsty Cotton Candyman Harry D'Amour Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Absolute Midnight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Midnight) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Midnight?action=history)). 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