Seize the Night (novel)

Infobox Book |
name = Seize the Night


image_caption = Cover of "Seize the Night"
author = Dean Koontz
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = Moonlight Bay Trilogy
genre = Suspense, Horror novel
publisher = Cemetery Dance Publications (hardcover) Bantam Publishing (paperback)
release_date = 1998
media_type = Print
(Hardcover and Paperback)
pages = 480 pp
isbn = ISBN 1-881475-44-1 (harcover)
ISBN 0-553-58019-1 (paperback)
preceded_by = Fear Nothing
followed_by = Ride the Storm

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:
*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, Bobby's and Sasha'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.

External links and references

* [http://www.allreaders.com/Topics/Info_1133.asp Seize the Night Book Review]
* [http://www.cemeterydance.com/page/CDP/PROD/koontz03 information on hardcover releases]