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Day by Night
The planet did not rotate. On one side eternal day, the sun shining down hotly from the center of the heavens. On the opposite side eternal night, the stars glowing cold in the black and airless sky.
Yet the planet had been colonized. In ages past civilization had dug into the rock of the darkside and had thrived. Aristocrats vied with aristocrats, and the poor, as ever, struggled to keep home and body together against the ever-encroaching cold surface.
To keep the lower classes happy, Vitro, the storyteller, spun romantic sagas on the popular network. She imagined a strange world on the sunside, inhabited by men and women enmeshed in crime and love, schemes and intrigues.
Vitro believed she was making this up. But was she? Was there really another civilization on the bright side and could it be that what she related was not fiction - but events which would inevitably send both worlds out of synch to mutual disaster?
Yet the planet had been colonized. In ages past civilization had dug into the rock of the darkside and had thrived. Aristocrats vied with aristocrats, and the poor, as ever, struggled to keep home and body together against the ever-encroaching cold surface.
To keep the lower classes happy, Vitro, the storyteller, spun romantic sagas on the popular network. She imagined a strange world on the sunside, inhabited by men and women enmeshed in crime and love, schemes and intrigues.
Vitro believed she was making this up. But was she? Was there really another civilization on the bright side and could it be that what she related was not fiction - but events which would inevitably send both worlds out of synch to mutual disaster?
316 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 4, 1980
11 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Tanith Lee
615 books1,969 followersTanith Lee was a British writer of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. She was the author of 77 novels, 14 collections, and almost 300 short stories. She also wrote four radio plays broadcast by the BBC and two scripts for the UK, science fiction, cult television series "Blake's 7."
Before becoming a full time writer, Lee worked as a file clerk, an assistant librarian, a shop assistant, and a waitress.
Her first short story, "Eustace," was published in 1968, and her first novel (for children) The Dragon Hoard was published in 1971.
Her career took off in 1975 with the acceptance by Daw Books USA of her adult fantasy epic The Birthgrave for publication as a mass-market paperback, and Lee has since maintained a prolific output in popular genre writing.
Lee twice won the World Fantasy Award: once in 1983 for best short fiction for “The Gorgon” and again in 1984 for best short fiction for “Elle Est Trois (La Mort).” She has been a Guest of Honour at numerous science fiction and fantasy conventions including the Boskone XVIII in Boston, USA in 1981, the 1984 World Fantasy Convention in Ottawa, Canada, and Orbital 2008 the British National Science Fiction convention (Eastercon) held in London, England in March 2008. In 2009 she was awarded the prestigious title of Grand Master of Horror.
Lee was the daughter of two ballroom dancers, Bernard and Hylda Lee. Despite a persistent rumour, she was not the daughter of the actor Bernard Lee who played "M" in the James Bond series of films of the 1960s.
Tanith Lee married author and artist John Kaiine in 1992.
Before becoming a full time writer, Lee worked as a file clerk, an assistant librarian, a shop assistant, and a waitress.
Her first short story, "Eustace," was published in 1968, and her first novel (for children) The Dragon Hoard was published in 1971.
Her career took off in 1975 with the acceptance by Daw Books USA of her adult fantasy epic The Birthgrave for publication as a mass-market paperback, and Lee has since maintained a prolific output in popular genre writing.
Lee twice won the World Fantasy Award: once in 1983 for best short fiction for “The Gorgon” and again in 1984 for best short fiction for “Elle Est Trois (La Mort).” She has been a Guest of Honour at numerous science fiction and fantasy conventions including the Boskone XVIII in Boston, USA in 1981, the 1984 World Fantasy Convention in Ottawa, Canada, and Orbital 2008 the British National Science Fiction convention (Eastercon) held in London, England in March 2008. In 2009 she was awarded the prestigious title of Grand Master of Horror.
Lee was the daughter of two ballroom dancers, Bernard and Hylda Lee. Despite a persistent rumour, she was not the daughter of the actor Bernard Lee who played "M" in the James Bond series of films of the 1960s.
Tanith Lee married author and artist John Kaiine in 1992.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 29, 2018
This is a brilliant, colorful, adventurous and disturbing novel. I've thought about it for years, and it moves me at times to wonder about my own reality. Also I wonder about YOUR reality, but I am less moved to worry there. You are, or you are not, and either way I will probably babble to you.
But would I give you a glance if I were a Aristo-prince in "Day by Night", and you a peasant worker? Probably nope. And if cheated of my position, sent to live among you peasants, would I give you my only pair of gloves, because you were cold? Nuh uh. "Day by Night": two worlds mirroring each other, and neither are what they seem. Neither am I, but I'm keeping my gloves.
And that, dear reader, could be my summation of this novel, if I didn't leave out two awful, believable villains and two damnably wonderful heroes... not to mention conspiracy, trial and wonder in a very wrong reality. Day by Night is a book to be read, to be enjoyed for the adventure: and then to be thought about.
But would I give you a glance if I were a Aristo-prince in "Day by Night", and you a peasant worker? Probably nope. And if cheated of my position, sent to live among you peasants, would I give you my only pair of gloves, because you were cold? Nuh uh. "Day by Night": two worlds mirroring each other, and neither are what they seem. Neither am I, but I'm keeping my gloves.
And that, dear reader, could be my summation of this novel, if I didn't leave out two awful, believable villains and two damnably wonderful heroes... not to mention conspiracy, trial and wonder in a very wrong reality. Day by Night is a book to be read, to be enjoyed for the adventure: and then to be thought about.
August 27, 2015
The first Tanith Lee book I ever read was Dark Dance. It was awesome. I've read a few more of Lee's work since then, but none have given me the same delicious, nail-biting experience that one did.
Day by Night comes really close, though. It's about two sides of a planet which never rotates. So, like our moon, one side is always light and one is always dark. Each side has adapted in different ways, but they are mirrors of each other. In both cities there are super rich people who live in mansions, waited on at every turn by humanoid robots. The "aristos" live up to three hundred years, when they eventually die of boredom. There are also slum sections, where people work themselves to the bone and die before a hundred. Rarely do the aristos and slums meet, unless the aristos are bored and go into the slums, or if they're bleeding hearts and try to help the less fortunate.
Each set of main characters, one from the light side and one from the dark, are also mirrors of each other. I loved them all, the good, the evil, the spoiled. I loved reading about the way they took advantage of each other, or were taken advantage of. Everybody suffers, even if it's this kind of suffering:
This book won't be for everyone. The worldbuilding is phenomenal, but it takes up like half the book, while the rest is devoted to the drama between characters. It's tedious at times, and some people don't like reading about spoiled, thoughtless idiots who think the world revolves around them. But everything in this book has a mirror image.
And everyone gets what they deserve.
Day by Night comes really close, though. It's about two sides of a planet which never rotates. So, like our moon, one side is always light and one is always dark. Each side has adapted in different ways, but they are mirrors of each other. In both cities there are super rich people who live in mansions, waited on at every turn by humanoid robots. The "aristos" live up to three hundred years, when they eventually die of boredom. There are also slum sections, where people work themselves to the bone and die before a hundred. Rarely do the aristos and slums meet, unless the aristos are bored and go into the slums, or if they're bleeding hearts and try to help the less fortunate.
Each set of main characters, one from the light side and one from the dark, are also mirrors of each other. I loved them all, the good, the evil, the spoiled. I loved reading about the way they took advantage of each other, or were taken advantage of. Everybody suffers, even if it's this kind of suffering:
They had driven Vitra to this wretched pass. She, so sensitive and rare, should not have had to bear it.
This book won't be for everyone. The worldbuilding is phenomenal, but it takes up like half the book, while the rest is devoted to the drama between characters. It's tedious at times, and some people don't like reading about spoiled, thoughtless idiots who think the world revolves around them. But everything in this book has a mirror image.
And everyone gets what they deserve.
August 26, 2020
This novel consists of a number of story threads, layered, and with characters who have counterparts in other threads. Initially, the sunward side of a planet which has a fixed rotation in relation to its sun is shown, from the viewpoint of decadent aristocrats who depend upon an underclass that lives in a decayed area called the Slumopolis. Then the focus switches in the second part of the first chapter to another set of decadent aristocrats, living on the dark side which is cold but has a higher technology, who have apparently created the first habitation as the setting of a fantasy which is used to lull the underclass, who labour and live in poverty and squalor to support the upper classes.
Each chapter then has the same structure, showing first the sunward side and then the darkside, with the parallel stories of characters in each who frame a fellow aristocrat for murder, out of spite and envy, resulting in that person - in the sunward side, a woman, in the darkside, a man who has used his command of technology to actually help the underclass out of guilt at their plight - being banished to the respective enclave of the underclass where they are expected, one way or another, to have a short life expectancy.
It isn't as straightforward as that, however, but I won't give more away. However, the format of having characters who supposedly were not real, though I did start to wonder given the viewpoint used, did mean I had less engagement with them. There are quite a few twists towards the end, and a big one at the very end, but I wasn't keen on that one in particular, and overall didn't really enjoy the book, hence an OK 2 star rating.
Each chapter then has the same structure, showing first the sunward side and then the darkside, with the parallel stories of characters in each who frame a fellow aristocrat for murder, out of spite and envy, resulting in that person - in the sunward side, a woman, in the darkside, a man who has used his command of technology to actually help the underclass out of guilt at their plight - being banished to the respective enclave of the underclass where they are expected, one way or another, to have a short life expectancy.
It isn't as straightforward as that, however, but I won't give more away. However, the format of having characters who supposedly were not real, though I did start to wonder given the viewpoint used, did mean I had less engagement with them. There are quite a few twists towards the end, and a big one at the very end, but I wasn't keen on that one in particular, and overall didn't really enjoy the book, hence an OK 2 star rating.
October 25, 2025
I really liked the concepts of the novel: two worlds influencing each other, the relationship between wealth and how you treat others, the stories creators tell and stepping away from those stories entirely.
I wish the writing spoke to me the way the themes did. I struggled the entire book and wanted to DNF it every day. Almost gave it a 2 star for that reason. Never figured out what j’ara and maram and jate were. All the interesting stuff was at the last 20% of the book but I’m amazed I got there. Maybe I just don’t appreciate 80s writing style? Idk.
I wish the writing spoke to me the way the themes did. I struggled the entire book and wanted to DNF it every day. Almost gave it a 2 star for that reason. Never figured out what j’ara and maram and jate were. All the interesting stuff was at the last 20% of the book but I’m amazed I got there. Maybe I just don’t appreciate 80s writing style? Idk.
September 13, 2010
I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did; as it was I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I'll be holding on to my copy.
The book definitely had its good points; her world is interesting, and there was some very evocative descriptive prose (always one of Lee's strengths), and the day-side/night-side structure of the world being paralleled in the actual structure of the story was quite clever.
But... it moved a little slowly for my tastes. I don't mind leisurely books but I like the lingering to be over the psychological development of the characters rather than over things depressing and degrading. And while the 'good' characters were quite sympathetic and I enjoyed reading about them, a lot of the book is spent in the viewpoint of someone so incredibly self-centred, short-sighted and cruel that I couldn't wait to get outside of her head.
Recommended with reservations: genre fans who like dystopias or lengthy descriptive passages or who don't mind unpleasant POV characters will probably like it more than I did.
The book definitely had its good points; her world is interesting, and there was some very evocative descriptive prose (always one of Lee's strengths), and the day-side/night-side structure of the world being paralleled in the actual structure of the story was quite clever.
But... it moved a little slowly for my tastes. I don't mind leisurely books but I like the lingering to be over the psychological development of the characters rather than over things depressing and degrading. And while the 'good' characters were quite sympathetic and I enjoyed reading about them, a lot of the book is spent in the viewpoint of someone so incredibly self-centred, short-sighted and cruel that I couldn't wait to get outside of her head.
Recommended with reservations: genre fans who like dystopias or lengthy descriptive passages or who don't mind unpleasant POV characters will probably like it more than I did.
September 7, 2010
My experience with Tanith Lee’s novels is rather hit and miss, and I’m afraid this one falls into the latter category. Only my love of some of her other works kept me reading until the end - to be ultimately disappointed.
This is actually two stories; in one the vapid Vitra is a Fabulast who lives on the dark side of the planet, and she is writing a story about the spoiled Vel Thaidis who lives on the light side of the planet. Or is it a story? After a crime is committed in each world, the stories strangely take on a life of their own – which is explained in the last chapter.
Definitely not Lee’s best work, but you can see shadows of concepts explored more fully in other books, like the spoiled teens from Don’t Bite The Sun and the evil (almost incestuous) twins of The Silver Metal Lover. She hints at the eroticism that is an integral part of her other works, but never delivers.
This is actually two stories; in one the vapid Vitra is a Fabulast who lives on the dark side of the planet, and she is writing a story about the spoiled Vel Thaidis who lives on the light side of the planet. Or is it a story? After a crime is committed in each world, the stories strangely take on a life of their own – which is explained in the last chapter.
Definitely not Lee’s best work, but you can see shadows of concepts explored more fully in other books, like the spoiled teens from Don’t Bite The Sun and the evil (almost incestuous) twins of The Silver Metal Lover. She hints at the eroticism that is an integral part of her other works, but never delivers.
December 16, 2018
This was not the best Tanith Lee I've ever read. Over flower-y and so verbose in setting up the pair of worlds and then the characters were literally spoiled brats or wooden heroes. I get what she was trying to do but ... it was a chore to read. Skip this unless you love her as a writer.
October 30, 2023
3.5/5 stars. Maybe 3 stars flat.
I really liked the prose and political maneuvering of the novel. Each section focused on the Day and Night sides of the planet, but one was definitely stronger than the other (the Day). I even liked the solid reveal at the very end.
My only issue is that the pacing was very, very slow. And by the time that our heroes begin to succeed, the focus shifts to away solely to the villains so we can see them get their comeuppance.
I still would compare Tanith Lee’s prose to Philip K Dick’s, but this time it felt more stilted as compared to her great masterpiece, Don’t Bite the Sun, and its equal sequel, Drinking Sapphire Wine. Still good, but more oblique.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to people who are new to reading Tanith Lee. But it’s still a decent read despite not quite meeting my expectations.
I really liked the prose and political maneuvering of the novel. Each section focused on the Day and Night sides of the planet, but one was definitely stronger than the other (the Day). I even liked the solid reveal at the very end.
My only issue is that the pacing was very, very slow. And by the time that our heroes begin to succeed, the focus shifts to away solely to the villains so we can see them get their comeuppance.
I still would compare Tanith Lee’s prose to Philip K Dick’s, but this time it felt more stilted as compared to her great masterpiece, Don’t Bite the Sun, and its equal sequel, Drinking Sapphire Wine. Still good, but more oblique.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to people who are new to reading Tanith Lee. But it’s still a decent read despite not quite meeting my expectations.
September 24, 2020
AHHHHHH. My mind has been blown. So, I feel like this is Lee’s nod to George MacDonald’s “The Day Boy and the Night Girl “ fairy tale, only in reverse because the girl is on the end of the planet in perpetual sunlight and the boy is in darkness. I have always loved that concept/fairy tale and it was so cool to see Lee play with it in an adult sci-fi setting. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the minor characters are all critically important and have surprising roles. I just.... ahhhhhh it’s so so good.
November 16, 2023
I had an extremely difficult time getting into this book. At first the parallel stories on the day and night side of this planet were quite intriguing, and reality was intriguing, but as the story dragged on, I was overwhelmed by how much I grew to hate nearly everyone and how much needless description there was of the world. Even the ending didn't save this story for me (not that it would've anyway).
June 5, 2013
This just wasn't one of Tanith Lee's best. Her usual lush descriptions simply went on too long and were far too involved. The story plodded up until the end, where there was a rather satisfactory ending.
May 24, 2019
Day by Night (1980) by Tanith Lee contains two stories, in parallel, each informing the other, each driving each other. Her text is turgid, of course, but the story underneath is generally engaging. As with all Tanith stories, the fantasy in this SF story jumps the rails and runs screaming naked into the wilderness, creating a world so thick in differentness that the differentness often overwhelms the reader.
If you know Tanith, you'll get what you're expecting. If you don't know Tanith, this might not be the best book to begin with. The text is thickish and overblown, which can distract you while you're getting to the interesting games that she plays between the characters. Sometimes her style leaes you scratching your head, wondering what it was that she actually just wrote. Her style is polarizing, her story very relationship centric, more tragic drama than action-adventure.
As an educated guess, she wrote this book late in the 60's or early in the 70's, finally selling it to DAW in the late 70's. The work doesn't quite match the tone or tenor of its time, feeling much like an earlier period where all fantasy had to masquerade as SF in order to get published because fantasy wasn't its own genre yet.
I found the ending rather poor. Tanith is brilliant in writing without an outline, developing as she goes, but one hazard of this style is a lackluster ending. When I got to the end, I felt disappointed. "That's it?" I didn't buy the ending at all. Fortunately, I enjoyed getting there.
If you know Tanith, you'll get what you're expecting. If you don't know Tanith, this might not be the best book to begin with. The text is thickish and overblown, which can distract you while you're getting to the interesting games that she plays between the characters. Sometimes her style leaes you scratching your head, wondering what it was that she actually just wrote. Her style is polarizing, her story very relationship centric, more tragic drama than action-adventure.
As an educated guess, she wrote this book late in the 60's or early in the 70's, finally selling it to DAW in the late 70's. The work doesn't quite match the tone or tenor of its time, feeling much like an earlier period where all fantasy had to masquerade as SF in order to get published because fantasy wasn't its own genre yet.
I found the ending rather poor. Tanith is brilliant in writing without an outline, developing as she goes, but one hazard of this style is a lackluster ending. When I got to the end, I felt disappointed. "That's it?" I didn't buy the ending at all. Fortunately, I enjoyed getting there.
June 17, 2024
This the 19th novel/collection I've read from Tanith Lee. After reading The Lords of Darkness trilogy, I decided I had to collect and read everything she wrote. Unfortunately, out of that 19 I've got 4 1-star and 4 2-star books (vs only 3 5-star and 4 4-star). This one barely made it to 3-stars. It got better in the last 3rd, but was kind of a slog for the first two thirds.
The idea was definitely original, she paints a stark dystopian landscape, and the final "reveal" wasn't what I thought it would be, but it still often felt dated and not very exciting.
The idea was definitely original, she paints a stark dystopian landscape, and the final "reveal" wasn't what I thought it would be, but it still often felt dated and not very exciting.
January 3, 2018
Not her best, but I've missed train stops on purpose just to keep reading. Reading this you really do need to know how it turns out.
Also! A planet that does not spin has been found to actually exist. Food for thought? Also won't discourage those who might be put off by an unrealistic world.
Lee really has a way of grounding her societies. Perhaps more than her other works, I felt like this place could exist. Yes, even or especially including the fantastic ending.
Also! A planet that does not spin has been found to actually exist. Food for thought? Also won't discourage those who might be put off by an unrealistic world.
Lee really has a way of grounding her societies. Perhaps more than her other works, I felt like this place could exist. Yes, even or especially including the fantastic ending.
January 1, 2026
Interesting concept about 2 worlds a dark and a light side, influences each other in extraordinary ways. And the end took me by suprise.
December 12, 2025
2 dekadente Adelshäuser, eines auf der Sonnenseite des Planeten, eins auf der dunklen Seite.
Wenig überraschend handelt es sich auch hier nicht um "echte" SF, sondern um Science Fantasy mit viel Fantasy-Feeling. Tanith Lee war halt einfach auf Fantasy eingeschworen. Die Geschichte ist raffiniert gebaut, doch leider viel zu weitschweifig erzählt. Eine Kürzung um 50% wäre meiner Meinung nach nicht zuviel gewesen. Manches ist auch zu vage, z.B. das Verhältnis der Massen zur Aristokratie. Der Stil gefällt mir auch nicht, ich finde ihn unelegant und anstrengend. Außerdem hat das ganze einen deprimiert-dekadenten Anstrich. Ich ertappe mich immer wieder dabei, wie meine Aufmerksamkeit sich davon schleicht und ich ganze Absätze nochmal lesen muss. Nun ja, ich schätze ich mag Tanith Lee nicht mehr so wie in jungen Jahren. Gegen Schluss werden zuviele neue Elemente eingeführt.
Wenig überraschend handelt es sich auch hier nicht um "echte" SF, sondern um Science Fantasy mit viel Fantasy-Feeling. Tanith Lee war halt einfach auf Fantasy eingeschworen. Die Geschichte ist raffiniert gebaut, doch leider viel zu weitschweifig erzählt. Eine Kürzung um 50% wäre meiner Meinung nach nicht zuviel gewesen. Manches ist auch zu vage, z.B. das Verhältnis der Massen zur Aristokratie. Der Stil gefällt mir auch nicht, ich finde ihn unelegant und anstrengend. Außerdem hat das ganze einen deprimiert-dekadenten Anstrich. Ich ertappe mich immer wieder dabei, wie meine Aufmerksamkeit sich davon schleicht und ich ganze Absätze nochmal lesen muss. Nun ja, ich schätze ich mag Tanith Lee nicht mehr so wie in jungen Jahren. Gegen Schluss werden zuviele neue Elemente eingeführt.
June 25, 2016
I liked this story of a future civilisation (or two) in decline, societal breakdown and poetic justice. This is old-school sci-fi so may seem rather plodding to readers of modern works, but the world-building is fantastic and evocative.
December 10, 2008
One story of 2 linked adventures occurring on opposite ends of a planet. A very fun read full of all kinds of poetic polarization.
April 29, 2017
This is not one of my favorites of Tanith Lee's, but it's still weird and thoughtful and good. I wasn't really sure where this book was going, and then that last chapter happened, and...oh!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews