Review: Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

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Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

Publisher: Harper Paperbacks

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Pages: 457

Publication Date:  1998

Rating: 4.5/5

Summary (From Goodreads):

            “They are the "Others," an ancient race of supernatural beings—magicians, shape-shifters, vampires, and healers—who live among us. Human born, they must choose a side to swear allegiance to—the Dark or the Light—when they come of age.

For a millennium, these opponents have coexisted in an uneasy peace, enforced by defenders like the Night Watch, forces of the Light who guard against the Dark. But prophecy decrees that one supreme "Other" will arise to spark a cataclysmic war.

Anton Gorodetsky, an untested mid-level Light magician with the Night Watch, discovers a cursed young woman—an Other of tremendous potential unallied with either side—who can shift the balance of power. With the battle lines between Light and Dark drawn, the magician must move carefully, for one wrong step could mean the beginning of annihilation.”

Pros:

·       I thought the format of having three stories in one book kept it interesting and fast paced.

·       The concept of a treaty between the Light and Dark to keep a balance, complete with a watch force from each side to enforce it, is quite interesting.

·       I really liked the main characters, they all have personalities that make them stand out from each other.

Cons:

·       The first story in the book was a bit difficult to get into. I’m not sure if that’s because of the writing or because I saw the horrific movie version of it first, which almost made me not read the book (skip the movie, read the book).

·       This book was translated into English which makes some of the sentences a bit awkward to read and understand.

Final Thoughts:

            I will definitely read the next book in the series, which is told from someone else’s perspective. The overall premise of Light and Dark, the twilight world, and having night and day watches made it stand out compared to other fantasy novels I have read.

Say Nice Things About Detroit by Scott Lasser

Published by: W. W. Norton & Company

Genres: Fiction

Pages: 267

Rating: 2/5

Summary: David Halpert moves back to Detroit after his marriage failed and his young son passed away. He is visiting his parents in Detroit at first but decides to move there permanently after his dad asks for help dealing with David’s aging mother. Shortly after returning, he reads that his childhood sweetheart, Natalie, and her brother Dirk, an FBI agent, were murdered. This murder draws Natalie’s sister Carolyn back from L.A. to Detroit. This book follows how David and Carolyn’s lives intertwine as they come back home to Detroit.

Pros:

-        The murder of Natalie and Dirk provide an interesting way to set up the return of David and Carolyn.

-        The book focuses on why someone would want to return to Detroit. I generally enjoy books that are focused on the love of a city.

-        A few bits of suspense.

Cons:

-        The story jumped between years and characters. While this was needed to an extent to tell the story, it could have been done in a less confusing way. It took me a while to fully understand the characters because of this.

-        Overall, the plot was very slow moving. Towards the end there were a few pages that had some action, but not enough to keep me interested.

Final Thoughts: An interesting book if you want a slow-paced story about a middle-class white man and rich, white woman moving back to the rough parts of Detroit after living elsewhere for a few decades.