Batman: Nightwalker: DC Icons, Book 2

***Review posted on The Uncharted Word blog***I love Batman. He is my favorite DC hero and possibly my favorite superhero of all time. So you could imagine my excitement when I discovered one of my favorite YA authors was going to write an origin story for The Batman. Was I satisfied with what I got? Heck yes I was.The characters are the strength of this story, particularly young Bruce Wayne himself. I have to admit that I usually find Bruce Wayne to be kind of boring, not as the Caped Crusader, but as Bruce Wayne the billionaire playboy. However, Marie Lu manages to improve on his character by making young Bruce Wayne a compassionate and intelligent character with complex emotions and a vibrant personality, ultimately making him a much more interesting and relatable character.The original source material is drawn upon for certain key facts (i.e. Bruce’s parents are killed by a thug, Alfred Pennyworth is his Guardian, Lucius Fox runs Wayne Tech, etc.) but this story is a complete alternate version. Marie Lu uses these pivotal elements to anchor her readers and to provide us with a new and familiar narrative that feels like a Batman story.From beginning to end, the entire story is extremely fast-paced and rarely boring. This is mostly because the story is packed into 250 pages, which is also a drawback. The story could have been expanded on in some places. More time could have been devoted to the unraveling of the Nightwalker scheme as well as the individual character development of Bruce’s closest friends Dianne Garcia and Harvey (Dent). They were each great characters without much background story, which is a shame because both have so much potential.Madeleine was an amazing villainess. The author really managed to capture her eerie yet charming personality in the description of her movements as well as her speech. I also love how Marie Lu continued with Bruce’s tendency to be attracted to femme fetales (i.e. Selina Kyle and Talia al Ghul)!There were so many things to like about this book. I do feel as if Bruce’s darker musings about his parents’ death and his sense of justice could have been amplified a bit more, but that’s just a personal preference. And although really short and slightly lacking in secondary character development, this book was thrilling, suspenseful, appropriately dark, and so much fun to read.

Batman: Nightwalker is kind of a misnomer, because Batman is not in this book, This is a Smallville version of Bruce Wayne before he was Batman when he turns 18. This left a pretty good opportunity for a great story, but it's just okay. There's was things that I liked a lot is this book, but I felt most of it was a missed opportunity to add the the Batman/Bruce Wayne mythos. The people that are relevant in the later years are few and far between, there's of course Alfred, Lucious Fox, Harvey Dent, James Gordon, and vague hints at Killer Croc and Zsasz. The villains the Nightwalkers are new editions and one of the best parts of this novel.The Plot: The Nightwalkers are terrorizing the rich elites of Gotham. Bruce Wayne has just turned 18 and inherited all of Thomas and Martha Wayne's assets. Bruce throws a huge party for his 18th party, filled with a lot of people he doesn't even know his only friend's are Dianne, and Harvey Dent. He has a run in with a former friend the Mayor's son, who only comes around when he seems to want something, and he wants Bruce to lie for him. Bruce refuses and just wants to leave. He ends up driving around in a supped up WayneTech Aston Marten car. He witnesses a police chase that the suspect is getting away, Bruce snaps and goes into action chasing the criminal down and crashes his car into his. Bruce then finds out the driver was one of the Nightwalkers. Bruce is not rewarded for his action but is give community service at Arkham Asylum for interfering with a police investigation. He has to sweep and mop the female wing and solitary confinement area, Bruce witnesses detective questioning one female prisoner that is a member of the Nightcrawlers, she stares off and doesn't say anything to them. The next day when they are alone she talks to him, he soon learns he is the only person she's talked to and she's murdered three people. The police involve Bruce to try to get information while he's talking to her a riot breaks out and he has to protect her. Bruce is starting to feel attached she gives him information on a weapons stash but doesn't tell him about the next victim where the mayor is murdered. Bruce feels as he's getting closer but his friends and Alfred are starting to worry. She reveals that he's on the list of targets but is vague about details, notices a code in her words and actions, but will he figure it out in time? Is she a killer or a victim?What I liked: The descriptions of Arkham Asylum are really detailed and you feel the dirt and grime of the place. I did like Bruce getting catcalled by the female inmates. The action is written really well, when it is there. I like the question it makes Bruce Wayne ask about what is justice? Madeline is a great femme fatale. The Nightwalkers are kind of throwaway bad guys, But Lu adds a lot to them and giving them reason. The little twist towards the end was well done. There are a lot of women in powerful roles and women henchwomen. something that Gotham is is not know for, so that was refreshing. Alfred called Bruce, his ward, was a great moment.What I disliked: Bruce is moody but not really dark, his parents passed away only 5 years ago and he seems to well adjusted. The friendship with Harvey Dent was wasted, they did dig a little bit into Harvey's abusive relationship with his dad, but there could've been a lot more, since he later turns into Two Face. There's not a lot of action, when it is there it's good but there's only three scenes of action, I wanted the prison riot to last longer, and bigger stakes. The Mayor's son story line falls flat, it could have been more interesting.Recommendations: If your a casual Batman fan I would recommend skipping this, it doesn't add anything to the mythos. I would recommend this for a good introduction to Batman, which seems to be the audience the book is aiming at. Warcross by Marie Lu has been a book that keeps getting recommended to me, reading this actually makes me want to read an original story, because when she creates something new it's good like the bad guys, but where this book struggles is when she has to fit the story into the Batman legacy she doesn't add much and you can feel the push back. For this book review I give it 2.5 out of 5.There are currently 4 books in the young adult DC icons series, featuring Wonder Woman, Batman, Catwoman, and Superman I have heard that Wonder Woman: Warbreaker is great and I will like that one a bit more. The comic book nerd in me wants to eventually read them all

I enjoyed this book. It was a nice, quick read. It was Bruce Wayne before there was a Batman. I appreciated getting a glimpse into what his 18 yr old life looked like.I cannot say I was particularly wow'd, but I was entertained. I needed more Alfred. I needed more high tech gadgets. I liked getting to see that Harvey and Bruce were friends-ish. I felt more like Bruce was friends with Dianne, and Dianne was friends with Harvey so Bruce and Harvey were kind of forced into the friend situation. It didn't feel natural. Although, how good of friends could he have been with either one that he didn't want to confide anything to them. And those are supposed to be his best friends in the world.I was confused by Arkham Asylum's warden. She was snarky, and really felt like she would have a bigger role.Madeleine... what can be said for Madeleine? I saw it all, I was never surprised. She was intriguing, I definitely wanted to know more about her. I understood Bruce's draw. Poor Batman, it's always gotta be about a girl.While I enjoyed it, it did not ring any bells. It lulled on and off throughout the story. As a Batman fan, I was a bit underwhelmed.

3.5 starsOverall enjoyment but some ebbs and flows stopped it being 4 stars. I liked Madeline’s character, I wanted to believe in her. Bruce was much younger than I expected both in age and character, that took a bit of getting used to. That ending, I wanted and needed so much more.Good narration.

Good story well written, but for me a disappointment I wanted to "see Batman" the only remote hint was the Wayne tech body armour.I was hoping for a stronger character harder edges potentially if it was a series of could redeem itself it was a good detective novel and I enjoyed it as such.The only reason for three stars is no Batman

It was an ok story but I didn't really feel it was a batman story. The mysterious Madeleine was an interesting character, it would be interesting to see her and Bruce clash again but as batman

Immensely enjoyed reading this. The story was told In a fresh, clean way with a great storyline. Beautifully written. I read it on one sitting as couldn't put it down which is rare as I don't tend to read books from a guy's POV (sorry not sorry).It's a solid 4 stars from me.

Love the book and a different take on the worlds greatest detective