Saturday Read: The Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

Considering today is Halloween (finally on a weekend!), I was in the mood for something supernatural this week. Of course, you first think of the blockbusters: Twilight, The Historian, maybe even a classic like Frankenstein. But, I decided to go with something a little less mainstream. Something darker and more of a true horror novel. So I rummaged through my bookshelf and found “The Night Watch” by Sergei Lukyanenko.

By Alex

I bought “The Night Watch” a while ago, but had yet to pick it up. I remember very clearly seeing it at the bookstore and being intrigued by the critical acclaim on the front. “Harry Potter in Gorky Park” is what it said, which totally hooked me (Gorky Park is a famous amusement park in Moscow, Russia and I REALLY feel compelled by Russia for some odd reason….). Anyways, back to the book.

The story revolves around Anton. In Anton’s Moscow, there is a fight going on between Good and Evil that the humans don’t even see. Only the Others see, special beings who choose to fight for either the Light or the Dark. Anton, our protagonist, is of course of the Light and also a member of the Night Watch. He patrols the streets and subways of Moscow, protecting humans from the agents of the Night (vampires, supernatural beings, etc). I don’t know about you, but that totally reminds me of the opening fight scene in the subway platform from “Underworld,” which is SO badass. Okay, seriously, back to the book.

The book is written in a straightforward fashion, not wasting time on unnecessary description. It moves at a fast pace and doesn’t hold back. The characters are well-written and believable and, as I said, a bit stronger and darker than those of the popular vampire series. It’s so odd to read about a violent vampire attack instead of, you know, Bill sucking on Sookie when they are making love, or the Cullen’s feasting on animal blood (I know, that sounded a bit sadistic, but I swear that it’s a just a nice change!). I found this one to be very refreshing and totally got me in the mood for some ghoulish fun this Halloween!

I am definitely a fan of supernatural and horror novels and I can’t say whether or not someone who was impartial to them would enjoy “The Night Watch.” However, if you’re finding “Twilight” and the Sookie Stackhouse novels a bit too “nice,” then maybe it is time to come to the dark side of “The Night Watch”….