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skarijay's review against another edition
5.0
Second reading, just as good as the first. I had a little bit of an easier time keeping straight who was who this time, some of the secondary characters have unfamiliar names that are easy to mix up.
sonias's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Знал Антоха, что поступил плохо 😈
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism
goobdiddy's review against another edition
3.0
I saw the movie that was based on this book several years ago, and I really didn't remember at all because this felt like a completely new story! Cool concept, and I liked the "foreign" feel of the story. I'm going to assume that is because of the Russian thing, or an artifact of being a translation. I wish I could read it in the original language, but I don't have time to learn Russian. Not my favorite book ever, but I liked it enough that I'm going to read the next one in the series.
cosymilko's review against another edition
5.0
Night watch is a group of Others, magical beings that exist within our world, who keep an eye on the Dark Ones. In return there is a Day watch where Dark Others keep an eye on the Light ones.
The book(s) follow Anton, a Light magician and the fine line he and the Night Watch walk to maintain the treaty between Light and Dark yet attempt to sway things their way and avoid the consequences of these changes.
I loved this book. It was so visual and the characters are human at heart despite their magical lives. Each part of the story builds on top of the previous part until there is a complex view of the Light which isn't clear like black or white, oddly enough.
The book(s) follow Anton, a Light magician and the fine line he and the Night Watch walk to maintain the treaty between Light and Dark yet attempt to sway things their way and avoid the consequences of these changes.
I loved this book. It was so visual and the characters are human at heart despite their magical lives. Each part of the story builds on top of the previous part until there is a complex view of the Light which isn't clear like black or white, oddly enough.
laurverdi's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
smourning's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good book, and looks into mythical creatures in a different way. Good vs. Evil...Dark vs. Light
myliteraryseaside's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5
badseedgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Gorgeous. No other word would describe Sergei Lukyanenko's first novel in his "Night Watch" Series. This novel was a surprise to me, because it is not actually a novel, but is instead three interlocking short stories about the same cast of characters. I just loved the book. Mr. Lukyanenko's writing style is rich and lush, but does not get bogged down in "wordiness" to the detriment of moving the plot along.
The overarching theme of this novel is the nature of Good and Evil. The main character in all three stories is Anton. A member of the "Night Watch" for five years he is struggling with the nature of his job and the Night Watch in general. He is a creature of "The Light" but throughout the novel, Anton struggles with what he sees as the damage the decisions made by his supervisors in the Nigh Watch in the name of "The Light"
"We don't know how to wish anyone harm. It's just that sometimes our Good is no different from Evil."
My God, what a beautiful, poignant, and heartbreaking line. And this novel is full of them. I will say that I'm not sure that I as the reader or Anton get the answers we are looking for, but as his supervisor tells him at the end of the novel;
"Well Anton, you can't always be a winner. I haven't been, and you won't be either."
I must say I am looking forward to read the next book in the series!
The overarching theme of this novel is the nature of Good and Evil. The main character in all three stories is Anton. A member of the "Night Watch" for five years he is struggling with the nature of his job and the Night Watch in general. He is a creature of "The Light" but throughout the novel, Anton struggles with what he sees as the damage the decisions made by his supervisors in the Nigh Watch in the name of "The Light"
"We don't know how to wish anyone harm. It's just that sometimes our Good is no different from Evil."
My God, what a beautiful, poignant, and heartbreaking line. And this novel is full of them. I will say that I'm not sure that I as the reader or Anton get the answers we are looking for, but as his supervisor tells him at the end of the novel;
"Well Anton, you can't always be a winner. I haven't been, and you won't be either."
I must say I am looking forward to read the next book in the series!
shalini_gunnasan's review against another edition
3.0
The translation is quite simplistic, so I think maybe some better work can be done there. I like the moral ambiguity as compared to straightforward, black and white Good vs Evil. It's a bit more realistic and comparable to real-world compromises and balances. But an idealistic person will find this frustrating, and if they seek such escapism, they will not find it here.
I quite dislike the sexism and homophobia, but that's pretty realistic too for today's Russians. Product of their times. They're already doing something about it though, and anyway, lots of so-called egalitarian countries have a long way to go themselves.
I give a three for the translation, it's rough in places. Otherwise it's something different and worth checking out.
I quite dislike the sexism and homophobia, but that's pretty realistic too for today's Russians. Product of their times. They're already doing something about it though, and anyway, lots of so-called egalitarian countries have a long way to go themselves.
I give a three for the translation, it's rough in places. Otherwise it's something different and worth checking out.