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Seize the Night (novel)
Encyclopedia
Seize the Night is a novel written by the best-selling author Dean Koontz
, released in 1998. The book is the second in a trilogy of books known as the Moonlight Bay Trilogy
, involving Christopher Snow, who suffers from the rare (but real) disease called XP (xeroderma pigmentosum
). The first in the series is Fear Nothing
and the third is tentatively titled Ride the Storm
(release date unknown).
Seize the Night was originally released by Cemetery Dance Publications
as two different limited edition hardcovers, both with different artwork on their front cover:
Bobby and Chris search the base, but find nothing except a few strange devices and rooms. After leaving, they stop by Lilly's house. Sasha and Chris head to their place, while Bobby heads off to Lilly's mother-in-law Jenna, to bring her back to Lilly's.
The next day, Chris calls Manuel Ramirez, the acting chief of police and gives him info about Jimmy Wing's kidnapper's vehicle, and to call him after noon. Bobby stops by a bit later to say Jimmy is not the only child missing.
Manuel stops by later and tells Chris in no uncertain terms to back off, while confiscating his and Bobby's guns and trashing his house. After he leaves, Roosevelt Frost arrives with his cat, Mungojerrie. They all leave and head out to an old road a few miles away where Sasha's coworker at the radio station, Doogie, meets up with them. They then head back to Fort Wyvern to continue the search for the children and Orson.
Chris and company head into the base, where Bobby is critically wounded in an ambush. He sends everyone else on to find the kids and Orson, and when they return with them in tow, Bobby dies. Chris, refusing to leave Bobby's body behind, demands it be taken with them on the way out. On the elevator ride back up, they actually encounter themselves at the top of the shaft, and Chris is able to stop Bobby's past self from being shot. With the past now altered, Bobby's body disappears from the elevator, and Chris takes the live Bobby with him out of the base to return Jimmy and the other kids to their parents.
found Seize the Night to be "an excellent, fast-paced, keeps-you-on-the-seat-of-your-pants adventure", but faulted it for "miss[ing] the depth of characterization I've come to expect in a Koontz novel."
Dean Koontz
Dean Ray Koontz is a prolific American author best known for his novels which could be described broadly as suspense thrillers. He also frequently incorporates elements of horror, science fiction, mystery, and satire. A number of his books have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List, with...
, released in 1998. The book is the second in a trilogy of books known as the Moonlight Bay Trilogy
Moonlight Bay Trilogy
The Moonlight Bay Trilogy is a proposed trilogy of three novels by Dean Koontz. They revolve around the mysterious events in Moonlight Bay that are investigated by the main character Christopher Snow, who suffers from the genetic disorder Xeroderma pigmentosum.Only the first two books have been...
, involving Christopher Snow, who suffers from the rare (but real) disease called XP (xeroderma pigmentosum
Xeroderma pigmentosum
Xeroderma pigmentosum, or XP, is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder of DNA repair in which the ability to repair damage caused by ultraviolet light is deficient. In extreme cases, all exposure to sunlight must be forbidden, no matter how small. Multiple basal cell carcinomas and other skin...
). The first in the series is Fear Nothing
Fear Nothing (novel)
Fear Nothing is a novel released in 1997 by the best-selling author Dean Koontz. The book is the first installment in what is reported to be a three part series of books, known as the Moonlight Bay Trilogy, featuring Christopher Snow, who suffers from the rare disease called XP . The second of...
and the third is tentatively titled Ride the Storm
Ride the Storm (novel)
Ride the Storm is the final book in the Moonlight Bay Trilogy written by NYT best-selling author Dean Koontz. The book is the third installment featuring Christopher Snow, a young man who suffers from the rare disease called XP...
(release date unknown).
Seize the Night was originally released by Cemetery Dance Publications
Cemetery Dance Publications
Cemetery Dance Publications is a specialty press publisher of horror and dark suspense. Cemetery Dance was founded by Richard Chizmar, a horror author, while he was in college. It is associated with Cemetery Dance magazine, which was founded in 1988. They began to publish books in 1992.Cemetery...
as two different limited edition hardcovers, both with different artwork on their front cover:
- A traycased lettered edition of 52 signed and lettered copies
- A slipcased limited edition of 698 signed and numbered copies
Plot summary
Seize the Night begins a few months after Fear Nothing. It starts with Chris and his dog Orson happening upon Chris's ex-girlfriend, Lilly Wing, whose son Jimmy has just disappeared. Chris swears to Lilly he'll find Jimmy, and departs with Orson to begin the search. The trail leads them to Fort Wyvern, the abandoned military base Chris likes to explore. They search the base, but soon become separated, and Orson goes missing. Fearing for his dog's well-being, along with that of Jimmy, Chris calls his best friend Bobby Halloway to join him in the search and then sends his girlfriend Sasha Goodall to Lilly's house to console her. Soon after calling them, Chris sees about thirty or so of the rhesus monkeys encountered towards the end of Fear Nothing and takes refuge from them in a nearby bungalow. The monkeys follow him in, and he is saved from being found by Bobby's arrival.Bobby and Chris search the base, but find nothing except a few strange devices and rooms. After leaving, they stop by Lilly's house. Sasha and Chris head to their place, while Bobby heads off to Lilly's mother-in-law Jenna, to bring her back to Lilly's.
The next day, Chris calls Manuel Ramirez, the acting chief of police and gives him info about Jimmy Wing's kidnapper's vehicle, and to call him after noon. Bobby stops by a bit later to say Jimmy is not the only child missing.
Manuel stops by later and tells Chris in no uncertain terms to back off, while confiscating his and Bobby's guns and trashing his house. After he leaves, Roosevelt Frost arrives with his cat, Mungojerrie. They all leave and head out to an old road a few miles away where Sasha's coworker at the radio station, Doogie, meets up with them. They then head back to Fort Wyvern to continue the search for the children and Orson.
Chris and company head into the base, where Bobby is critically wounded in an ambush. He sends everyone else on to find the kids and Orson, and when they return with them in tow, Bobby dies. Chris, refusing to leave Bobby's body behind, demands it be taken with them on the way out. On the elevator ride back up, they actually encounter themselves at the top of the shaft, and Chris is able to stop Bobby's past self from being shot. With the past now altered, Bobby's body disappears from the elevator, and Chris takes the live Bobby with him out of the base to return Jimmy and the other kids to their parents.
Reception
Charles de LintCharles de Lint
Charles de Lint is a Canadian fantasy author and folk musician. He is also the chief book critic for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction....
found Seize the Night to be "an excellent, fast-paced, keeps-you-on-the-seat-of-your-pants adventure", but faulted it for "miss[ing] the depth of characterization I've come to expect in a Koontz novel."