Night Watch

I've wanted to sample Russian authors for a long time, but I did not want to take the tried and tested route of so many other Bibliophiles before me and engorge on the works of Tolstoy, Chekhov, Dostoyevsky and the usual suspects of Russian literary greats. Thus, my search for something different led me to Night Watch.The story (or collection of stories) follows the life of Anton Gorodetsky, a young magician in the employ of The Night Watch, a paranormal organization which polices and monitors the activities of both the 'goodies' and the 'baddies'. I stoop to using such childish generalization because in the book, the concepts of Good and Evil are anything BUT general . The USP of this book (for me) is the level of complexity that is brought into the inherently opposing views of Good & Bad, Light & Dark, Night Watch & Day Watch.It is ultimately the story of a group of people who although supernatural in their abilities, are stuck in pretty much the same ideological and philosophical rut as the rest of humanity. My only criticism is that the plot-points do tend to get away from you at certain moments, and you're left with a sense that something's happened, but you don't quite know what or how. However, this could also be a quirk of the translation or perhaps the inability of someone who's unfamiliar with Russian works to fully grasp the plots and characters, so it is a minor criticism.Looking forward to continuing with the rest of the series.

Not so much 'Harry Potter, Russian style', but rather 'Harry Potter for grown-ups'To put one thing straight from the beginning - I do like Harry Potter. It is a very nice, funny and imaginatively written line of fairy tales. However, this book is not very much alike although it also deals with those who are presumedly working magic.The books of Andreij Lukyanenko depict a reality in which magicians, vampires, witches and werewolves exist, but are thoroughly regulated and observed by the members of the 'Watches'.The 'Night Watch' consists of light magicians that make sure no 'Dark One' transgresses during the nightly hours, while the 'Day Watch' makes sure that the 'Light Ones' do not step out of line (i.e. unfairly gain an advantage in the fragile balance between Good and Evil) during daytime. Not to forget the 'Inquisition' that presides over the two watches and makes sure that everybody plays fair. Apart from maintaining the balance of power, it is of course of prime importance that the nature of the 'Others' - those able to work magic - is concealed from normal people.After all, this construction was found preferrable to engaging in an endless series of fights, so the 'Treaty between Light and Dark' was drawn up some 100 years ago.That is a great starting point for a series of 4 books (so far Night Watch, Day Watch, Twilight Watch, Last Watch, hopefuly more to come!) that depict the epic fight between Good and Evil - however, in this case not as a romantic Fairy tale, but rather as a game of chess played with cunning strategy by the Great Light Magician Gesar and his dark adversary Zabulon. To make matters more interesting, it is accounted for from the perspective of Anton Gorodetsky, who is best described as a chess piece (not exactly a pawn, but maybe a bishop) on the light side. His account is realistic, sometimes cynical, sometimes fatalistic, but never boring.Give the series a try - you will most likely not be disappointed!

Conforme à mes attentes.

Cover looks good but the pages inside is dull & old looks faded too, seems old doesn't gives new book smell, looks like an old book is washed out to resell, but book is in extremely good condition, but not worth for money though, packaging was also not so good it was just wrap in a plastic cover not even a box

Ich glaube, das ist eher etwas für Fans. Ich kann mich den positiven Rezensionen nicht anschließen. Ich habe es gekauft, weil ich das Setting und Idee gut fand, aber die Erzählung nimmt mich nicht mit, die Figuren bleiben Schablonen. Irgendwann wusste ich einfach nicht mehr, warum ich das eigentlich lese. Ein bisschen schade ist es um die Ausgangsidee.