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.
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