Book III of Abarat. The adventures of Candy Quackenbush continue in the Abarat, a vast archipelago where every island is a different hour of the day - from The Great Head that sits in the mysterious twilight waters of Eight in the Evening to the sunlit wonders of Three in the Afternoon, where dragons roam, to the dark terrors of Gorgossium, the island of Midnight, ruled over by the evil Mater Motley. With villains resurrected and morphed and the Old Mother of darkness herself, Mater Motley, at the heart of a ruthless scheme, Abarat is in danger of being destroyed forever.  Mater Motley plans to create a darkness so complete that it blots out every glimpse of the light and vanquishes the sun, moon, and stars from the Abarat, ending all hope and happiness. Her hour has come—she is prepared to unleash the end of the world. When evil begins rising from the sea, tumbles The Great Head, and sets islands aflame, the Abarat is filled with fear. Only one person can stop her - Candy Quackenbush from Chickentown, U.S.A., a heroine who has traveled between the Hereafter and the Abarat. She valiantly fights for the sake of her friends and her mother and to speak and act for those who have no voice. Candy and her crew battle on to ultimately defuse Mater Motley and rescue the 7,000 who have survived, with the message that even in the face of this terror and loss, they may find hope. Cover art by Clive Barker.