Post by Maxim on Aug 27, 2008 23:58:16 GMT 3
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The Night Watch (Russian: Ночной дозор, Nochnoy Dozor) is a fantasy novel by a popular Russian writer Sergey Lukyanenko published in 1998.
The story revolves around a confrontation between two opposing supernatural groups (known as 'Others'): the Night Watch, an organisation that seeks to improve the world - but isn't totally perfect and selfless either - and the Day Watch, which champions a Nietzschean, "every man for himself," philosophy, as well as an Aleister Crowley-esque, "do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law," attitude, and fights any Night Watch attempt to limit personal freedom.
The novel is first in a tetralogy that continues with Day Watch (Dnevnoy Dozor, Дневной дозор), Twilight Watch (Sumerechnyy Dozor, Сумеречный дозор) and Final Watch (Posledniy Dozor, Последний дозор).
In the story's worldline there exists a magical realm that exists beneath the surface of all things which is referred to as the Twilight (or Gloom in other translations). The actions in the novels centers around a group of people referred to as the Others - human beings who tapped into the Twilight and gained supernormal abilities. The book mentions that the Others were the humans (shamans, soothsayers, and wisemen) from long ago who figured out how to step into the Twilight. It also mentions, however, that the Others are different from humans altogether. Others are born as such and humans are not able (at least in the first part of the tetralogy) to become Others. The Twilight doesn't offer its gifts freely; it feeds off the strength of those Others who enter it. If sufficiently weakened, they are consumed, never to return to the ordinary world. It also forces those entering it for the first time to choose between the Light and the Dark side in a process called initiation. Such a choice is usually final.
This division had always existed between the Others. Those of the Light believed it was their duty to help the weak and the helpless. Those of the Dark shunned all obligations. They did what they wanted, regardless of morals, and consequences. For many millennia, the two sides fought a vicious battle. Both were willing to use any means that would lead them to victory. Eventually they realized that if they continued their battle, neither side would survive. The leaders of both sides forged the Grand Treaty - a set of laws to govern the way the Others used their powers. The Light Others created the Night Watch, to ensure that the Dark Others would not violate the Treaty. The Dark Others created the Day Watch, to ensure that the Light Others would not violate the Treaty. The Inquisition, a group composed of both Dark and Light Others donning grey mantles, was created to ensure that neither side became too powerful.
The Night Watch (Russian: Ночной дозор, Nochnoy Dozor) is a fantasy novel by a popular Russian writer Sergey Lukyanenko published in 1998.
The story revolves around a confrontation between two opposing supernatural groups (known as 'Others'): the Night Watch, an organisation that seeks to improve the world - but isn't totally perfect and selfless either - and the Day Watch, which champions a Nietzschean, "every man for himself," philosophy, as well as an Aleister Crowley-esque, "do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law," attitude, and fights any Night Watch attempt to limit personal freedom.
The novel is first in a tetralogy that continues with Day Watch (Dnevnoy Dozor, Дневной дозор), Twilight Watch (Sumerechnyy Dozor, Сумеречный дозор) and Final Watch (Posledniy Dozor, Последний дозор).
In the story's worldline there exists a magical realm that exists beneath the surface of all things which is referred to as the Twilight (or Gloom in other translations). The actions in the novels centers around a group of people referred to as the Others - human beings who tapped into the Twilight and gained supernormal abilities. The book mentions that the Others were the humans (shamans, soothsayers, and wisemen) from long ago who figured out how to step into the Twilight. It also mentions, however, that the Others are different from humans altogether. Others are born as such and humans are not able (at least in the first part of the tetralogy) to become Others. The Twilight doesn't offer its gifts freely; it feeds off the strength of those Others who enter it. If sufficiently weakened, they are consumed, never to return to the ordinary world. It also forces those entering it for the first time to choose between the Light and the Dark side in a process called initiation. Such a choice is usually final.
This division had always existed between the Others. Those of the Light believed it was their duty to help the weak and the helpless. Those of the Dark shunned all obligations. They did what they wanted, regardless of morals, and consequences. For many millennia, the two sides fought a vicious battle. Both were willing to use any means that would lead them to victory. Eventually they realized that if they continued their battle, neither side would survive. The leaders of both sides forged the Grand Treaty - a set of laws to govern the way the Others used their powers. The Light Others created the Night Watch, to ensure that the Dark Others would not violate the Treaty. The Dark Others created the Day Watch, to ensure that the Light Others would not violate the Treaty. The Inquisition, a group composed of both Dark and Light Others donning grey mantles, was created to ensure that neither side became too powerful.