Batman: Nightwalker

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did like this story, I would have given it 3.5 stars but thought is deserved a round up. Though I cannot say if this was because of my bias of Batman being my one of favorite characters of all time. Though this is also the reason I would take off at least one star. As good as the story is this is Bruce Wayne's story, this is not quite an origin but a before he was Batman story.

One of the things that made Batman different from almost every other character is Superman take off his cape and put on the glasses and lives his life as Clark Kent, Spider-man hangs up the mask and faces his unsuccessful attempt to be Peter Parker (I am talking new Marvel Universe Parker here), but Batman is the true identity Bruce Wayne is a resource for him. It is sometimes said Bruce "died" the day his parents did and the creature of vengeance that is Batman took over and everything in his life since them about his mission to stop crime. On the other hand it has also been argued could Bruce Wayne do a better job then Batman, better funding/equipping the GCPD (Gothem City Police Depaetment), or the city in general to remove the root of the problem. This story seems to take the latter apporach, as Bruce has grown up (he is 18 at the start of the book), as a pretty much well adjusted young man. Haunted by the death of his parents but not driven/obsessed by it.

The parts of the book that were done very well is book showed Bruce's intelligence. He is not just some rich kid getting by on his parents money, going to the best schools because of his family name he is an intelligent young man (still a little naive) doing well at school and shouldering the responsibilities of his company, with good people to help him. He is not as well trained as a fighter, but he has great instincts when threatened he does not flinch away from danger but moves towards it. There some familiar characters and couple of new ones, but I was surprised how little Alfred was used in the book.

This is a good modernization of a story taking a different direction to the traditional Batman. It fits in perfectly in the modern world. If I am being honest I thing this story would have suited Terry McGinnis more then Bruce Wayne, especially with Technology making up for training (though as Bruce has gotten older he has had to put more tech in his suit to compensate). However it is a likable and a good story, but it needed Batman!!! I did find it funny in the acknowledgments page the author said part of the reason she wrote this is because she could say "I am Batman", but she does not write it in the book, actually Batman is not mentioned in the whole book apart from the title. This story is more White Knight then Dark Knight but good.

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