Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Arrow (2008), Edition: Reprint, 496 pages
Description
Fiction. Science Fiction & Fantasy. HTML: The second book in the internationally bestselling fantasy series, Day Watch begins where Night Watch left off, set in a modern-day Moscow where the 1,000-year-old treaty between Light and Dark maintains its uneasy balance through careful vigilance from the Others. The forces of darkness keep an eye during the day, the Day Watch, while the agents of Light monitor the nighttime. Very senior Others called the Inquisitors are the impartial judges insisting on the essential compact. When a very potent artifact is stolen from them, the consequences are dire and drastic for all sides. Day Watch introduces the perspective of the Dark Ones, as it is told in part by a young witch who bolsters her evil power by leeching fear from children�??s nightmares as a counselor at a girls�?? summer camp. When she falls in love with a handsome young Light One, the balance is threatened and a death must be avenged. Day Watch is replete with the thrilling action and intricate plotting of the first tale, fuelled by cunning, cruelty, violence, and magic. It is a fast paced, darkly humorous, haunting world that will take root in the shadows of your mind and live there forever… (more)
Media reviews
Andrew Bromfield's translation of... Day Watch... showcases Lukyanenko's sardonic sense of humor.
User reviews
LibraryThing member .Monkey.
Dawatch is the only work in the series which is not told from Anton's point of view, and I think it suffers a bit for that. I don't think the stories were quite as good as Nightwatch, and I think it's partially due to their not being related by Anton. I think some of the magic from Nightwatch was
However, I still found it very enjoyable. It was interesting to be on the "other side" for a little while, get a fuller idea of what they're like and how they think. I enjoy how each "story" is its own element, but also a part of the larger whole, and continuing on from the first book as well. I thought the philosophical aspects in this one were not quite as fleshed out and poignant as the previous book. But the stories themselves were unique and interesting and enjoyable.
Also, and maybe these things were fixed in later editions, but there were several fairly glaring errors, whether it was Bromfield's translation suffering or Lukianenko or Vasil'ev getting confused, I don't know, but in one point Igor is referred to as being one level, and a mere 5 pages later he is suddenly a lower level "with little chance of advancing to anything higher." In the rest of the story he's referred to as the lower one. The spelling of one name changed from one story to the next (Yura/Yury), and the location of an incident changed from one airport to a different one! Those things were a bit irritating, as we're not just talking about a little typo that was overlooked!
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just missing in this book. However, I still found it very enjoyable. It was interesting to be on the "other side" for a little while, get a fuller idea of what they're like and how they think. I enjoy how each "story" is its own element, but also a part of the larger whole, and continuing on from the first book as well. I thought the philosophical aspects in this one were not quite as fleshed out and poignant as the previous book. But the stories themselves were unique and interesting and enjoyable.
Also, and maybe these things were fixed in later editions, but there were several fairly glaring errors, whether it was Bromfield's translation suffering or Lukianenko or Vasil'ev getting confused, I don't know, but in one point Igor is referred to as being one level, and a mere 5 pages later he is suddenly a lower level "with little chance of advancing to anything higher." In the rest of the story he's referred to as the lower one. The spelling of one name changed from one story to the next (Yura/Yury), and the location of an incident changed from one airport to a different one! Those things were a bit irritating, as we're not just talking about a little typo that was overlooked!
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LibraryThing member Crowyhead
This is the sequel to Night Watch, and focuses mainly on the lives of the Dark Others. Oddly enough, I didn't find this as compelling, character-wise, as Night Watch -- usually morally ambiguous or dark characters are more interesting than their virtuous counterparts, but since the Light Ones have
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already been established as being extremely morally ambiguous and conflicted, the Dark Ones end up feeling positively straightforward and simple. The plot, on the other hand, is excellent, and I enjoyed this book hugely. I'm very much looking forward to Twilight Watch. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
The sequel to Night Watch, this is three linked stories in the dark Moscow and Russia of the author's imagination. It's three stories from the dark side this time.
The first is Alisa's story, starting with a mission that drains her power and ending with her falling in love for one of the night
Second is a man without a memory but with a lot of power, which seems to be increasing with time. What's happening to him and why can't he remember his past?
The third is a sequence where they all come together and events in the first and second book come to a head. There are a lot of plots and a lot of side issues, some of which remain unresolved at the end.
The first is Alisa's story, starting with a mission that drains her power and ending with her falling in love for one of the night
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watch. Second is a man without a memory but with a lot of power, which seems to be increasing with time. What's happening to him and why can't he remember his past?
The third is a sequence where they all come together and events in the first and second book come to a head. There are a lot of plots and a lot of side issues, some of which remain unresolved at the end.
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LibraryThing member lewispike
Continuing the saga from The Night Watch, but this time told from the perspective of the agents of the Day Watch and Dark Others. This book makes me slightly uncomfortable, I find the attitude of the Dark Others hard to cope with, even as I understand it and applaud the author for writing it so
Things move along quite quickly and with much excitement and a few twists and turns plus quite a lot intrigue, and there is that continuing insight in Russian culture, all of which made The Night Watch so good and so much better than the excellent film.
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convincingly.Things move along quite quickly and with much excitement and a few twists and turns plus quite a lot intrigue, and there is that continuing insight in Russian culture, all of which made The Night Watch so good and so much better than the excellent film.
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LibraryThing member drneutron
Day Watch is a fantastic sequel to The Night Watch, in the true sense of the word sequel. It continues the story of the Others, both Light and Dark, as they jockey for advantage and the end to the balance enforced by the Inquisition in a slightly twisty Moscow leading up to the turn of the
The best part of both books is the back-and-forth plotting to build advantage that inherits so much from the best of Cold War spy novels while still keeping the fantastical elements of a great imaginary world of Others. There are layers upon layers upon layers here, and Day Watch builds wonderfully on the plots from its predecessor.
Frankly, I can't wait until the third volume is out in English to see how it all ends. Highly recommended, but best if read after the first volume.
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millennium.The best part of both books is the back-and-forth plotting to build advantage that inherits so much from the best of Cold War spy novels while still keeping the fantastical elements of a great imaginary world of Others. There are layers upon layers upon layers here, and Day Watch builds wonderfully on the plots from its predecessor.
Frankly, I can't wait until the third volume is out in English to see how it all ends. Highly recommended, but best if read after the first volume.
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LibraryThing member mchrzanowski
What a great second novel by Lukyanenko. I found myself completely sucked into this world he has created once more. In similar fashion, the second book in the series is comprised of three separate stories that all tie together... and directly to the first. I am completely hooked to this story and
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can not wait to start the third novel, Twilight Watch. It was great to see the perspective of the Dark Others and see their take on the whole situation. Everything is not as it seems and the decisions are very complex. This was also a refreshing read. It is great to take a break and read some fresh material from another different voice. I am interested to see if anything else by Lukyanenko is translated into English, otherwise I may have to learn Russian just to read more of his work. I highly recommend these novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member stillbeing
A great follow on to the first book, and good to look at the world a little more through the eyes of the Dark Ones and through other characters rather than sticking just with Anton (as cool as he may be). The plot thickens, and just when you think you have everything worked out, something new comes
The worst thing now is knowing that there is only one book left!
(I should also point out, this is *nothing* like the film, which has completely diverged from the book plot-wise by this stage).
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out to turn everything on its head again.The worst thing now is knowing that there is only one book left!
(I should also point out, this is *nothing* like the film, which has completely diverged from the book plot-wise by this stage).
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LibraryThing member furriebarry
JK Rowling for emo kids - without the charm.
LibraryThing member seraphitta
Well, this one got rave reviews.
Better than the first, apparently.
And I can't say it isn't. The story is solid, flows better.
We are thrown deeper into the workings of the Light & Dark side and in the end leave with few definite lines of boundary between the two.
This time, we are looking through
And although this worked well for others, I myself found it hard to like the characters, particularly the witch. It's no fault of the writer, to be honest.
I suppose I was so attached to the characters from the 1st book, the agents of the Light, that I could not side with the other side no matter how far I could see with their eyes. It was strange, because it IS a real page-turner, but at the same time I really disliked the voice at times because in the back of my mind, they were attacking "my" side. It was a strange kind of loyalty that I don't think I've experienced reading another book.
Other than that, Day Watch makes one hell of a read.
Better than the first, apparently.
And I can't say it isn't. The story is solid, flows better.
We are thrown deeper into the workings of the Light & Dark side and in the end leave with few definite lines of boundary between the two.
This time, we are looking through
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the eyes of a Day Watch witch. And although this worked well for others, I myself found it hard to like the characters, particularly the witch. It's no fault of the writer, to be honest.
I suppose I was so attached to the characters from the 1st book, the agents of the Light, that I could not side with the other side no matter how far I could see with their eyes. It was strange, because it IS a real page-turner, but at the same time I really disliked the voice at times because in the back of my mind, they were attacking "my" side. It was a strange kind of loyalty that I don't think I've experienced reading another book.
Other than that, Day Watch makes one hell of a read.
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LibraryThing member ohdani
I honestly couldn't tell you what it is exactly about this book (and the one before) that I love. But I do. I love them. I had a hard time getting into it at first, and honestly, not being familiar with the setting it's difficult for me to imagine some of this and to get a grip on the names.
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However, once I got rolling I couldn't stop. I'm anxious to pick up the next in the series. These books are hypnotizing. Show Less
LibraryThing member teharhynn
I think that, although some of his stories ruin my life, I think his writing is amazing. I love everything about it. I hope that he keeps writing, and that they change their minds and make more movies. You hear me, powers that be?
LibraryThing member sapnolan
Second in the series - just as good as the first
LibraryThing member danconsiglio
The second book in the Watch series follows pretty much the same general narrative structure as the first. It's trashy and a little predictable, but sufficiently badass to keep me going. I liked trying to figure out all of the Russian cultural references. I hate the bad Russian gothrock lyrics.
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Part of that is probably the translation and part of that is that gothrock lyrics are bad in all languages. More good stuff than bad stuff. Looking forward to the next in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member seekingflight
I really enjoyed the first book in this series (Night Watch), and consequently started this with high hopes. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this nearly as much as the first in the series. Perhaps the novelty value of the first book had worn off, and it was the world building and scene setting and
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philosophising in the first book that I loved so much, and not the plot, which started to seem a bit repetitive and cyclic in the second book. I wasn't nearly as engaged this time around, although I've noticed below that other readers actually preferred it ... Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
An original take on the science fiction genre. Day Watch continues the themes of Night Watch, with Others, both Light and Dark, scheming for power in post-Soviet Russia. Their schemes, however, come under the jurisdiction of the Inquisition, which is devoted to preserving peace between the two
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sides, since in the past war has nearly destroyed both sides. In contrast to Night Watch, Day Watch brings more Dark characters to the fore and shows more of their point of view, although many characters from Night Watch remain visible, such as Anton and Svetalana. An original story, definitely for science fiction fans. Show Less
LibraryThing member LittleKnife
This is the second part of the Night Watch trilogy. It is told from nominally the opposite side of the organisation to the first novel but contains many of the same characters.
The first story tells of dark witch trying to understand lust and love, the second of a man who finds himself in the middle
I found this book more conflicted and bleak than the first. It was fascinating to look at characters from an alternative perspective and to spend more time on the consideration of pleasures of the flesh.
Clearly the author intended to set up for the reader a closer understanding of the similarities between the different Others and the types of bureaucracy and to deepen the moral complexities of his story. Unfortunately it feels like the filler that it is; the stories are vehicles for the ideas and that can be stodgy. Luckily the descriptive style and the minor sideline intrigues keep it readable and evocative.
The first story tells of dark witch trying to understand lust and love, the second of a man who finds himself in the middle
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of the continuing conflict and the third of a trial in Prague. All three are interlinked but told from different people's viewpoints.I found this book more conflicted and bleak than the first. It was fascinating to look at characters from an alternative perspective and to spend more time on the consideration of pleasures of the flesh.
Clearly the author intended to set up for the reader a closer understanding of the similarities between the different Others and the types of bureaucracy and to deepen the moral complexities of his story. Unfortunately it feels like the filler that it is; the stories are vehicles for the ideas and that can be stodgy. Luckily the descriptive style and the minor sideline intrigues keep it readable and evocative.
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LibraryThing member ninjoblio
While I really enjoyed the first book in this series, I found Day Watch to be pretty uneven. It's not 'bad', but it took me forever to get through the first (of three) stories and the first half of the second was all that compelling either. It picked up a lot in the second half and started to
I really like the setting and over-arching story Lukyanenko's created here, but I just didn't feel this was quite as strong as it could have been. It felt kind of like filler in-between the opening and closing acts of the larger story being told. All the same, I will undoubtedly continue and read the rest of this series.
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'feel' like a Watch series book again... but even then the A-HA! moment when everything is inevitably revealed wasn't as stunning as it was in the first book.I really like the setting and over-arching story Lukyanenko's created here, but I just didn't feel this was quite as strong as it could have been. It felt kind of like filler in-between the opening and closing acts of the larger story being told. All the same, I will undoubtedly continue and read the rest of this series.
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LibraryThing member JeremyPreacher
Day Watch takes a closer look at the "bad" guys and the differences - and similarities - between them and the ostensibly good ones. As with the first one, there are some fascinating mechanisms and really interesting philosophical ideas presented under cover of vampire-witch-werewolf antics.
LibraryThing member nmele
I like the basic premise of these books (this review covers both Night Watch and Day Watch), that the supernatural world has created rules and organizations (the two "watches" of the titles) to channel the conflict between the forces of light and darkness. As translated, both books envelop the
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magic, vampires, werewolves, etc., in a kind of gritty reality that enhances the believability of this environment. Show Less
LibraryThing member comixminx
A great galloping read; like the Night Watch, this consists of 3 novella-length stories, intertwined with shared characters and an overall story-arc. It's all very neatly tied together and extremely readble. More!
LibraryThing member Katyas
Read and reviewed in 2007.
In this, the 2nd book of the Others' series, we are again treated to three separate, yet intertwining stories: first, the young Dark witch Alisa loses her powers in a struggle over an illegally practicing Dark witch and is sent to Artek (the most elite of the camps for the
This story is told more from the point of view of the Dark Ones, which is very interesting in that it seems to show that most of the scheming and problems are caused by the Light Ones, because of their misunderstanding of the ultimate goals of the Dark Ones, and their refusal to even try to understand. The Dark Ones are shown to only wish to live their own lives in freedom and do as they wish as long as they don't infringe on others' freedoms - which is very similar to the witches' creed "An it harm none, do as thy will." The Light Ones, however, believe that everything the Dark Ones do is a direct attempt to "start something" and/or as lies. It is truly a tragic situation.
The addition of many references to Russian pop culture means that there will be little bits and pieces here and there that people who aren't familiar with Russian modern culture might find a bit abstruse; however, this does not lessen the enjoyment of this very well-done book. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys thought-provoking works, epic stories about the struggle of Light vs. Dark, paranormal alternate history stories, or just a good book.
In this, the 2nd book of the Others' series, we are again treated to three separate, yet intertwining stories: first, the young Dark witch Alisa loses her powers in a struggle over an illegally practicing Dark witch and is sent to Artek (the most elite of the camps for the
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Young Pioneers during the Soviet era) to regain her strength. There she falls in love with another of the camp leaders ... *edit* and I've been told I left in a spoiler here - sorry! *end edit* In the second story, a Finnish group of the Dark Ones called the Brothers of Regin steal the mystical Talon of Fafnir and attempt to bring it to Moscow. Vitaly Rogoza, an Other who seems to have lost his memory and is gradually gaining it back, along with stronger and stronger powers, gets in the line of several murders, causing the Light Others to attack him. There is not much more I can tell about this story without completely ruining it - you will simply have to read it for yourself. In the third story, we are treated to a gathering of the Inquisition to determine the guilt or lack thereof regarding these events.This story is told more from the point of view of the Dark Ones, which is very interesting in that it seems to show that most of the scheming and problems are caused by the Light Ones, because of their misunderstanding of the ultimate goals of the Dark Ones, and their refusal to even try to understand. The Dark Ones are shown to only wish to live their own lives in freedom and do as they wish as long as they don't infringe on others' freedoms - which is very similar to the witches' creed "An it harm none, do as thy will." The Light Ones, however, believe that everything the Dark Ones do is a direct attempt to "start something" and/or as lies. It is truly a tragic situation.
The addition of many references to Russian pop culture means that there will be little bits and pieces here and there that people who aren't familiar with Russian modern culture might find a bit abstruse; however, this does not lessen the enjoyment of this very well-done book. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys thought-provoking works, epic stories about the struggle of Light vs. Dark, paranormal alternate history stories, or just a good book.
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LibraryThing member andreablythe
The sequel to Night Watch (which I quite enjoyed) continues to explore the world of the Others, which is split into "Dark" and "Light", two factions that have been at unstable peace for centuries with each other for centuries. The Day Watch (operated by the Dark) watches over the day and polices
I didn't like Day Watch as much as I liked the first book, and this was probably because I didn't connect with the characters as much. The first story in the book follows a young Dark witch, who loses her powers and is sent to a children's camp to recuperate. There she unknowingly falls in love with a young man who turns out to be a Light Other with tragic consequences. I thought this story was fine, though the witch didn't seem entirely a complete character. Her attraction to this young man was awkward, suddenly making her a giggling girl instead of the powerful cynical witch she was. The sex scene was equally awkward.
The second story beings with a man who has forgotten his identity. He discovers he has powers and begins to follow a plan he doesn't fully understand. Again, I couldn't quite connect with this character and his constant referencing all he doesn't know, but I guess I'll follow my inner instincts got to be very tedious. If Anton (the main character from Night Watch) hadn't shown up halfway through the story, I might not have wanted to keep going with it.
The third and final story features Anton, who along with a Dark Other, is sent to follow a group of men who are to be tried for their actions in the second story. Because Anton is one of the main characters in this story, I was able to follow it eagerly and keep entertained.
It was clear with this second book that the author wanted to explore the POV of the Dark Others, but didn't quite connect with them, which made it hard for the readers to connect with them. This probably explains why he returned to Anton's POV halfway through the book, which immediately made it more interesting. The book concluded well, and ultimately I enjoyed it. Since Anton is the main character of the next two books in the series, I'm interested to keep reading.
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the forces of Light, making sure they follow the laws of the treaty. Like the first book, Day Watch is split into three novellas, each interconnected so that they form a complete overarching story. I didn't like Day Watch as much as I liked the first book, and this was probably because I didn't connect with the characters as much. The first story in the book follows a young Dark witch, who loses her powers and is sent to a children's camp to recuperate. There she unknowingly falls in love with a young man who turns out to be a Light Other with tragic consequences. I thought this story was fine, though the witch didn't seem entirely a complete character. Her attraction to this young man was awkward, suddenly making her a giggling girl instead of the powerful cynical witch she was. The sex scene was equally awkward.
The second story beings with a man who has forgotten his identity. He discovers he has powers and begins to follow a plan he doesn't fully understand. Again, I couldn't quite connect with this character and his constant referencing all he doesn't know, but I guess I'll follow my inner instincts got to be very tedious. If Anton (the main character from Night Watch) hadn't shown up halfway through the story, I might not have wanted to keep going with it.
The third and final story features Anton, who along with a Dark Other, is sent to follow a group of men who are to be tried for their actions in the second story. Because Anton is one of the main characters in this story, I was able to follow it eagerly and keep entertained.
It was clear with this second book that the author wanted to explore the POV of the Dark Others, but didn't quite connect with them, which made it hard for the readers to connect with them. This probably explains why he returned to Anton's POV halfway through the book, which immediately made it more interesting. The book concluded well, and ultimately I enjoyed it. Since Anton is the main character of the next two books in the series, I'm interested to keep reading.
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LibraryThing member PiyushC
Halloween 2013#6
Night Watch series figures among the best (Urban) fantasy series I have read. I have been reading, savouring, the Night Watch series one book a year, every Halloween. The fulfilling feeling one gets from a book so well conceptualised and written can only be matched by the wait and
There is the supernatural, then the philosophising about good and evil, and finally some serious action and mind games to top it off. This has been a regular feature with both the books. The world is quite simple and easy to understand, a lesson there for young writers like Samantha Shannon. There are the usual vampires and werewolves, shape-shifters, doing totally unusual things and some very unlikely witches and magicians as well - all categorised under "Others". There is no triumph of good over evil, the entire series is based over the concept of balance of light and dark; note the choice of words "light and dark" in place of "good and evil", a point of differentiation which will become much clearer once one reads the book.
Having read the masters like Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Gogol, I was always aware of the depth of concepts in Russian literature. This remains, however, my only modern read from a Russian author and I wasn't disappointed in the least. Everything was well thought, even the choice of Russian songs quoted in the book, at various places, under various settings.
A book out of the mould; a book to read in leisure; a book to remember.
Night Watch series figures among the best (Urban) fantasy series I have read. I have been reading, savouring, the Night Watch series one book a year, every Halloween. The fulfilling feeling one gets from a book so well conceptualised and written can only be matched by the wait and
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the expectations built up over a year.There is the supernatural, then the philosophising about good and evil, and finally some serious action and mind games to top it off. This has been a regular feature with both the books. The world is quite simple and easy to understand, a lesson there for young writers like Samantha Shannon. There are the usual vampires and werewolves, shape-shifters, doing totally unusual things and some very unlikely witches and magicians as well - all categorised under "Others". There is no triumph of good over evil, the entire series is based over the concept of balance of light and dark; note the choice of words "light and dark" in place of "good and evil", a point of differentiation which will become much clearer once one reads the book.
Having read the masters like Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Gogol, I was always aware of the depth of concepts in Russian literature. This remains, however, my only modern read from a Russian author and I wasn't disappointed in the least. Everything was well thought, even the choice of Russian songs quoted in the book, at various places, under various settings.
A book out of the mould; a book to read in leisure; a book to remember.
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LibraryThing member fickledragon
This book was not anywhere near the same level as Night Watch. The same characters were present and I definitely enjoyed Lukyanenko's ability to switch to the "other" side. It felt like the Day Watch other's should have been presented as considerably darker. Other than that mild criticism
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Lukyanenko keeps up a high level of writing and I overall enjoyed the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
I love these books. They are not easy to read, they have complicated plots - but it is well worth the time it takes to understand what is happening.
This book starts with a Light Magician and a Dark Witch being sent to recover at a children's camp to recover (Each magician type uses light or dark
This world is hauntingly beautiful. The people in this world are strange, troubled, not Human (or becoming Not human). The city of Moscow is a full character in these books - a cold place of tall buildings, uncaring residents, beautiful. Its a talented author that can hit the sweet spot of explanation to showing. Also, I want to mention that the translator did an excellent job in this book. Without reading Russian, the book still resonated with me.
I highly recommend this series if you want to read something that is well written, requires thinking, and is not quite like anything else available in print.
This book starts with a Light Magician and a Dark Witch being sent to recover at a children's camp to recover (Each magician type uses light or dark
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energy). When these two enemies discover each other - a duel happens, killing the Dark Witch. This sets off a devious plot of warring factions that starts a complicated convoluted plot in motion, with checks and counter-checks where all pieces on the table are being used for the benefit of the Watches.This world is hauntingly beautiful. The people in this world are strange, troubled, not Human (or becoming Not human). The city of Moscow is a full character in these books - a cold place of tall buildings, uncaring residents, beautiful. Its a talented author that can hit the sweet spot of explanation to showing. Also, I want to mention that the translator did an excellent job in this book. Without reading Russian, the book still resonated with me.
I highly recommend this series if you want to read something that is well written, requires thinking, and is not quite like anything else available in print.
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Language
Original language
Russian
Original publication date
2000
2007-03-21 (English translation)
Physical description
496 p.; 5.08 inches
ISBN
0099489937 / 9780099489931
Local notes
Duplicate
Other editions
The Day Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko (Paperback)