Sergei Lukyanenko
Author of Night Watch
About the Author
Image credit: Wikipedia
Series
Works by Sergei Lukyanenko
Rytsari soroka ostrovov ;: Malchik i tma (Zvezdnyi labirint) (Russian Edition) (2000) 19 copies, 2 reviews
Die Wächter - Licht und Dunkelheit: Roman (Die neuen Abenteuer der Wächter, Band 1) (2015) 12 copies, 1 review
Die Wächter – Nacht der Inquisition: Roman (Die neuen Abenteuer der Wächter 3) (German Edition) (2016) 9 copies
Dozory. Nochnoi Dozor. Dnevnoi Dozor. Sumerechnyi Dozor. Poslednii Dozor [fantasticheskie romany] (in Russian) (2008) 3 copies
Destiny Inc 3 copies
калеки 3 copies
Звездная тень : [Фантаст. роман] 2 copies
Черновик: Фантастический роман 2 copies
Sergei Lukyanenko Night Watch Trilogy Collection: Last Watch, the Day Watch, the Twilight Watch, the Night Watch (2011) 2 copies
Temporary Vanity 1 copy
Der eigene Kreis 1 copy
Die gemeinsame Sache 1 copy
Ночь накануне 1 copy
Лабиринт отражений 1 copy
Прекрасное далеко 1 copy
Der gemeinsame Feind 1 copy
Where the Mean Enemy Lurks 1 copy
Eine andere Kraft 1 copy
Foxtrot at High Noon 1 copy
Son Nöbet 1 copy
Fremd unter Anderen 1 copy
Das gemeinsame Schicksal 1 copy
Сумеречный дозор: Дозоры 3 1 copy
Осенние визиты 1 copy
Прозрачные витражи 1 copy
Три дня Индиго 1 copy
Šesta straža 1 copy
Нощен патрул 1 copy
Семь дней до Мегиддо 1 copy
From Fate 1 copy
Wächter des Tages : Roman 1 copy
Spektrum 1 copy
"Л" - значит люди 1 copy
Segodnia, mama! ;: Ostrov Rus ; TSar, tsarevich, korol, korolevich-- (Biblioteka fantastiki "Khronos") (Russian Edition) (1997) 1 copy
Тени снов (Линия грёз, #3) 1 copy
Associated Works
The SFWA European Hall of Fame: Sixteen Contemporary Masterpieces of Science Fiction from the Continent (2007) — Contributor — 134 copies, 4 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Lukyanenko, Sergei Vasilievich
- Other names
- Lukianenko, Sergej
Łukjanienko, Siergiej - Birthdate
- 1968-04-08
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Alma-Ata State Medical Institute (1992)
- Occupations
- fantasy writer
science fiction writer - Awards and honors
- Ruscon (SF writer of the year) 2005
- Short biography
- Sergei Lukyanenko (as his name appears on books and films in U.S. markets) is a science-fiction and fantasy author, writing in Russian, and is arguably the most popular contemporary Russian sci-fi writer. His works often feature intense action-packed plots, interwoven with the moral dilemma of keeping one's humanity while being strong.
Recently his works have been adapted into film productions, for which he wrote the screenplays. He lives in Moscow with his wife Sonia and two sons, Artemiy and Danil, keeps mice as pets and enjoys cooking. - Nationality
- Russia
- Birthplace
- Karatau, Kazakhstan, USSR
- Places of residence
- Karatau, Kazakhstan (formerly USSR)
Moscow, Russia
Members
Discussions
Night Watch in Thing(amabrarian)s That Go Bump in the Night (August 2006)
Reviews
This was a reasonably strong finish to the Night Watch series. I can respect an author for, whether the overarching arc was planned from the beginning of a series or not, recognizing that for a story to be told it must have a definitive end rather than letting it drag on. I am not sure if this was where Night Watch was going from the beginning or not, but it is definitely an apt ending to Anton’s story. It serves as an ending not only to his story, but in many ways signals the end of an show more age...an age for the Others themselves, but also reflecting a possible end/change to many factors within the world and society.
Anton himself, though by far not the oldest of others, is in many ways already an anachronism (musical formats and tastes, ideas about men’s and women’s roles, ideas about teenage sexuality,etc.). This is reflected in the overall structure of the Night and Day Watches themselves. When we finally see the interior of the Day Watch we find that while the Night Watch has failed to evolve in structure and function, the Day Watch is the very epitome of modernity. Even the pondrerings on Anton’s inability to fully adapt to either human or Other lifestyles,this failure to embrace anachronism or modernization, leaves him a man out of time and place, doomed to pass from influence. Doomed in a somewhat obfuscated bit of foreshadowing, to end.
I saw other reviewers object to some of the casual sexism and homophobia present in this books, which I think is partially a product of the current climate in Russian society (similar to veiled comments about the biased, ‘liberal’ media), but prerhaps it is more closely tied to this idea of ending eras. Most of the casual homophobia and sexism are voiced by characters who are likely to see their active roles in Other society (and by extension their influence of the society of humans) passing away. I would like to think this is a subtle nod by the author that these ideas are outdated, of the past.
I say that I hope that because while in have loved this author’s literally work, some additional biographically reading has left me feeling unsettled about supporting him through the purchase of any additional books (unless used). It seems he is a staunch supporter of the violent invasion and domination of the Crimea by the Russian government. It seems he is also a vocal supporter of the patently false propagandistic claims by the Russian government that the ban on US adoption of Russian children is anything other than using those children as a weapon to protest the Magnitsky Act. Perhaps this should not surprise me, as he was successful even under the state run publication of science fiction and fantasy, some in some sense would have to be a loyalist. This go easy long way to explaining the lack of social commentary on the government of Russia itself, and the occasional jabs at foriegn media and liberalism. show less
Anton himself, though by far not the oldest of others, is in many ways already an anachronism (musical formats and tastes, ideas about men’s and women’s roles, ideas about teenage sexuality,etc.). This is reflected in the overall structure of the Night and Day Watches themselves. When we finally see the interior of the Day Watch we find that while the Night Watch has failed to evolve in structure and function, the Day Watch is the very epitome of modernity. Even the pondrerings on Anton’s inability to fully adapt to either human or Other lifestyles,this failure to embrace anachronism or modernization, leaves him a man out of time and place, doomed to pass from influence. Doomed in a somewhat obfuscated bit of foreshadowing, to end.
I saw other reviewers object to some of the casual sexism and homophobia present in this books, which I think is partially a product of the current climate in Russian society (similar to veiled comments about the biased, ‘liberal’ media), but prerhaps it is more closely tied to this idea of ending eras. Most of the casual homophobia and sexism are voiced by characters who are likely to see their active roles in Other society (and by extension their influence of the society of humans) passing away. I would like to think this is a subtle nod by the author that these ideas are outdated, of the past.
I say that I hope that because while in have loved this author’s literally work, some additional biographically reading has left me feeling unsettled about supporting him through the purchase of any additional books (unless used). It seems he is a staunch supporter of the violent invasion and domination of the Crimea by the Russian government. It seems he is also a vocal supporter of the patently false propagandistic claims by the Russian government that the ban on US adoption of Russian children is anything other than using those children as a weapon to protest the Magnitsky Act. Perhaps this should not surprise me, as he was successful even under the state run publication of science fiction and fantasy, some in some sense would have to be a loyalist. This go easy long way to explaining the lack of social commentary on the government of Russia itself, and the occasional jabs at foriegn media and liberalism. show less
I think I'm a bit amazed.
There's an awful lot I love about this novel and I had to put aside a lot of my well-misinformed prejudices about what I think I like most about modern Urban Fantasy.
Let's be clear here... this novel came out before most of the modern batches. 1998.
When it comes to similar themes of dark magic vs. light and the exploration of an amazingly deep moral ambiguity between them, I actually prefer Benedict Jacka's UF novels when it comes to straight action, magic, and show more characters, but Night Watch takes things slightly farther with the honest questions.
In both, anyone can be good or evil despite the categories, and there's a LOT of ground covered in both series, but Night Watch actually comes close to laying down a foundation of philosophical thought. I can be summed up as balance if I wanted to be crude. Let's not be surprised this is a modern Russian novel writing about modern Russia as a full-out UF with vampires, magicians, alternate dimensional side-realms, and a fight between the light and dark. Add the police-like drama and ramp up the focus of a morality of action versus the singularity of truth and the ambiguity of all the details will bring a hoard of devils home to us.
Sometimes slow, very often broken up into what could be a series of novellas, this first book is nevertheless pretty brilliant.
Where do dark magicians get their power? Suffering. Where do light magicians get theirs? Joy. Both diminish the source. It's quite delightful.
But if I'm being very honest, this is more of a 4.5 than a full 5 stars, but that's only due to my sheer enjoyment (or lack) that pulled down this otherwise sprawling philosophical twist to a traditional gritty UF. Maybe my issue is in the translation. Maybe it's my greater enjoyment coming from similar series to have treated the topic. I do not know.
Even so, I did enjoy this very much. Especially the end. show less
There's an awful lot I love about this novel and I had to put aside a lot of my well-misinformed prejudices about what I think I like most about modern Urban Fantasy.
Let's be clear here... this novel came out before most of the modern batches. 1998.
When it comes to similar themes of dark magic vs. light and the exploration of an amazingly deep moral ambiguity between them, I actually prefer Benedict Jacka's UF novels when it comes to straight action, magic, and show more characters, but Night Watch takes things slightly farther with the honest questions.
In both, anyone can be good or evil despite the categories, and there's a LOT of ground covered in both series, but Night Watch actually comes close to laying down a foundation of philosophical thought. I can be summed up as balance if I wanted to be crude. Let's not be surprised this is a modern Russian novel writing about modern Russia as a full-out UF with vampires, magicians, alternate dimensional side-realms, and a fight between the light and dark. Add the police-like drama and ramp up the focus of a morality of action versus the singularity of truth and the ambiguity of all the details will bring a hoard of devils home to us.
Sometimes slow, very often broken up into what could be a series of novellas, this first book is nevertheless pretty brilliant.
Where do dark magicians get their power? Suffering. Where do light magicians get theirs? Joy. Both diminish the source. It's quite delightful.
But if I'm being very honest, this is more of a 4.5 than a full 5 stars, but that's only due to my sheer enjoyment (or lack) that pulled down this otherwise sprawling philosophical twist to a traditional gritty UF. Maybe my issue is in the translation. Maybe it's my greater enjoyment coming from similar series to have treated the topic. I do not know.
Even so, I did enjoy this very much. Especially the end. show less
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 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 show more 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. show less
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 show more 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. show less
This is an interesting series in that, each time a new book comes out, I tend to pick it up out of obligation, having gone through the full series, yet, as soon as I get a few pages in, I then remember that I actually enjoy the writing, the characters, and the world that Lukyanenko had built over the six novels.
But I think I can say I never had more fun that with this one, supposedly the conclusion of the series. Not only are all the incredible concepts that make this world come alive all on show more display, but the author simply seems to find more and more avenues to run down, each one a diamond mine of sparkling creativity.
And dammit, this one was just fun. I was intrigued and bought in early for the ride, but I didn't count on all the chuckles along the way.
If I had one quibble about the story, it was the fact that no one seemed to be more upset about the impending apocalypse. Other than that, this story was bang-on perfect. show less
But I think I can say I never had more fun that with this one, supposedly the conclusion of the series. Not only are all the incredible concepts that make this world come alive all on show more display, but the author simply seems to find more and more avenues to run down, each one a diamond mine of sparkling creativity.
And dammit, this one was just fun. I was intrigued and bought in early for the ride, but I didn't count on all the chuckles along the way.
If I had one quibble about the story, it was the fact that no one seemed to be more upset about the impending apocalypse. Other than that, this story was bang-on perfect. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 149
- Also by
- 5
- Members
- 14,476
- Popularity
- #1,583
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 332
- ISBNs
- 503
- Languages
- 19
- Favorited
- 60
