Day Watch by Sergi Lukyanenko

Release Date - January 21, 2014 (Reissue)

Sergi Lukyanenko
Harper Paperbacks

Book Review by Bob Walch

Set in Russia, this fantasy has it all. Magicians, shape-shifters, vampires, witches and other odd creatures fill the pages of this sequel to Night Watch – Book One. To set the scene, two factions of the Others (an order of supernatural beings) have endured an uneasy truce for quite a while as the powers of Darkness and the forces of Light maneuver for dominance and control of the world. 

 

In Day Watch the reader gets up close and personal with the members of the Dark Others. Known as the Day Watch (hence the novel’s catchy title), these characters have been given the job of keeping the Light Others in check. 

 

At the heart of this flight of fantasy is Natasha, a young witch who, unfortunately, falls in love with a member of the Light Other. How sad you might think, but it does present some interesting dilemmas for the sultry young woman.

Then there’s a powerful warlock who is suffering from an identity crisis and isn’t sure of his purpose in the war and a top lieutenant of the Day Watch named Zabulon who fears he is about to be betrayed by one of his superiors. 

 

As these troubled folks interact there’s the interesting issue raised by a special artifact that has the ability to bring the most lethal Dark magician in history back to life. This wonderful object has gone missing and who ever possesses it obviously wields a powerful weapon for doing good or evil.

With a conflict between the forces of Darkness and Light threatening to break out into open warfare, Moscow’s very existence is at stake. As you’ll see, the idea of good and evil here is actually a matter of perspective and which side of the line you are standing behind.

It helps to have read the first novel of the Night Watch series, but if you haven’t that won’t hinder your enjoyment of this volume. If you’re into fantasy, this Russian novel, first published in 2000 and translated by Andrew Bromfield, will probably be much to your liking.