There are times, as I read a synopsis, when my "book radar" pings a bit louder than in other instances, so that I've learned to pay attention to that kind of signal because it usually leads me to great discoveries. Darkwalker, an intriguing debut novel, was indeed such a case.

FULL REVIEW: https://spaceandsorcery.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/darkwalker-e-l-tettensor/
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good world building - relatively consistent modeling - good character consistency and presentation
a bit dark, but a skilled author - did not engage with any of the characters - probably wont read more by author ( )

Darkwalker is a urban fantasy mystery with a “Victorian London” vibe. Unfortunately, I found it rather boring.

Nicolas Lenoir is a detective in the Metropolitan Police who’s begins with a heavily hinted “dark secret.” While this is thankfully revealed within the scope of the novel, it never made complete sense. Anyway, Lenoir is apathetic about his job in general and is not interested when someone starts stealing the dead bodies of nine year old boys. However, when his favorite street contact, Zach, goes missing, it finally snaps Lenoir out of his daze and gets him to investigate.

Darkwalker just wasn’t that interesting. The characters were forgettable, and I never cared about any of them. The plot was boring and had some issues with it’s set up and conclusion. I totally zoned out during the climax. It’s unclear why the Darkwalker is after Lenoir in the first place given that it only goes after those who disrespect the dead. Does being a dirty cop count as disrespecting the dead? That feels like it’s stretching.

I’m also going to note that there was only reoccurring female character. She had… issues. See the comments sections for spoilers.

Then there’s the whole issue of the Adeli. On one hand, the culture of the Adeli was by far the most interesting thing about the book. They’re nomadic clans with strong kinship ties and the only magic workers in this setting. But, they’re also the only brown people in the book, leading straight into the “magical brown people” trope. They also seemed coded as Roma, and in universe there were a bunch of stereotypes about them being criminals. To the narration’s credit, it dismisses these stereotypes. However, there weren’t any major Adeli characters who weren’t criminals.

Besides it’s problematic race issues, Darkwalker was completely forgettable. I would not recommend it.

Originally posted on The Illustrated Page. ( )

I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

(Description nicked from B&N.com.)

“Once a legendary police inspector, Nicolas Lenoir is now a disillusioned and broken man who spends his days going through the motions and his evenings drinking away the nightmares of his past. Ten years ago, Lenoir barely escaped the grasp of the Darkwalker, a vengeful spirit who demands a terrible toll on those who have offended the dead. But the Darkwalker does not give up on his prey so easily, and Lenoir has always known his debt would come due one day.

When Lenoir is assigned to a disturbing new case, he treats the job with his usual apathy—until his best informant, a street savvy orphan, is kidnapped. Desperate to find his young friend before the worst befalls him, Lenoir will do anything catch the monster responsible for the crimes, even if it means walking willingly into the arms of his own doom.”

It’s interesting how expectations can shape your experience of a book. If you look at the above promo copy, you’ll notice that there’s no mention of where or when this story takes place. Pair this with the cover art, which features the main character in a rather Victorian setting, and you may do what I did: I got the impression that this tale takes place in a version of Western Europe. However, this isn’t the case, and it wasn’t until a few chapters in that I picked up on that little fact. Initially, this threw me off a little, as I realized I was reading through the book and trying to figure out if there were parallels to our world, but after a bit I was able to get past that and just enjoy the book.

And there is a lot to enjoy. Lenoir reminds me of a calmer, much less driven version of Sherlock Holmes. Part of his characterization, in fact, revolves around his apathy concerning police work. You’ll find out the source of that apathy as the story progresses, and you’ll also see how Lenoir begins to shed that feeling and re-engage with his work.

Some of the novel focuses on the experience of Bran Kody, Lenoir’s partner. Kody represents the side of Lenoir that was abandoned years before—the idealistic, straight-as-an-arrow officer who firmly believes in the power of the law. There are also appearances by Captain Reck, who runs the department and who is a more middle-of-the-road personality when it comes to police work. With these two characters around to contrast Lenoir’s ennui, readers not only get a look at what police are like across the spectrum in this world, but also at how Lenoir must have progressed through his emotions to get where he is.

The plot is a fairly straightforward “whodunit”, with the added spice of dark magic thrown in. Not only are the criminals possibly doing some nasty spells, but Lenoir is facing down the Darkwalker, who has reappeared in his life and is connected with the crimes. “Straightforward” doesn’t mean “boring” or “derivative”, though, as I quite enjoyed watching the clues come together and the action play out.

There are some interesting things going on in the background as the plot progresses. For one, there is a Gypsy-ish race known as the Adali who are universally scorned as vagabonds and thieves. Many of those in prison are Adali, and their culture isn’t well understood by those who are not part of it. The author plays with the obvious issues, such as profiling and unfair treatment, but she also goes for some more subtle things. For example, an Adali salon owner named Lady Zera is concerned about growing rumors about what goes on in her establishment. She knows that, as an Adali, rumors are more likely to be believed, more likely to be sensationalist, and more likely to inspire people to act against her.

The theme of the outsider also runs through Lenoir’s story, and even of that of the Darkwalker. When contemplating the possibility of his death at the Darkwalker’s hands, Lenoir has to wonder if anybody would miss him. Not only has he not made much effort to fit in where he works, but he’s also an outsider from a distant city. And the Darkwalker? Well, you’ll have to find out his story from the book, but suffice to say, he’s far more than just a one-dimensional dispenser of punishment.

Tettensor’s first novel tackles some complex issues while simultaneously delivering a Victorian-esque crime drama that is sure to have readers hoping for a sequel. Darkwalker is a strong debut that will appeal to fans of both fantasy and mystery.

This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on December 5, 2013.
http://www.owlcatmountain.com/2013/12/05/darkwalker/

A very strong entry for this fantasy series. Insp Lenoir is a very disillunsioned police man, Koby is his bright and upcoming assistant, Zach is the young boy who gives him hope for the future. The Darkwalker is the past he ran from and the future he fears. Looking forward to the next book. ( )

Wow, what a surprising and fantastic paranormal debut from E.L. Tettensor. With its dark mystery vibes and Victorian era inspired fantasy setting, this book was practically screaming my name when it was first brought to my attention, and even then I ended up with much more than I bargained for. That's definitely one way to make me a happy reader.

Darkwalker is the first book of the new Nicolas Lenoir series, starring the eponymous main character who was once a greatly esteemed and talented police inspector known for his tenacity and respect for justice. But now Lenoir is a shadow of who he once was, a jaded man who has grown dismissive of his work as well as the people around him, much to the annoyance of Sergeant Kody, who had thought being assigned to the legendary inspector would be the opportunity of a lifetime.

No one knows that behind that contemptuous demeanor and the apathy, Nicolas Lenoir is actually hiding a secret past. Something hunts him, a vindictive spirit known as the Darkwalker that will not stop once he has marked someone for death. Now a disturbing new case has brought the Darkwalker to Lenoir's neck of the woods, and the detective has to solve the mystery before the spirit of vengeance catches up to him...and time runs out for a young boy he cares for.

First, looking back at the notes I took for this review, I almost feel like I need to apologize to the book for brushing off its introduction as "slow". Granted, it took me longer than I expected to read the first sixty or so pages, not only because so little happens during this stage of setting up the story but also because I reacted so negatively to the main character's attitude. Simply put, Lenoir is a jerk. The way he treated Kody and looked down his nose on the case in the opening chapter made me want to punch him in the face. At this point, I almost started to dread the idea of reading further. But I shouldn't have doubted! Now that I'm done with the book, I could see that everything happened for a reason. I wouldn't have enjoyed this one so much if not for all the information that was given to me in the introduction, and likewise I would not have appreciated Lenoir for who he is at the end had not acted like such a curmudgeon at the beginning.

On that note, this story definitely includes one of those mystery plots that will have the reader flipping back the pages to a previous spot in the book, just to marvel at how the author had been dropping bits of clues and other details from the very start. I was still genuinely shocked at how things turned out; the answer came as unexpectedly to me as it did to the inspector.

Darkwalker also impresses me on the fantasy side of things. Lenoir works out of a city called Kennian, part of the Five Villages area, described as a rather backwater part of the book's world. The setting reminds me of turn-of-the-19th-century England, home to a population that largely does not acknowledge the existence of the paranormal, making the thing hunting Lenoir all the more creepy and unsettling. In addition, E.L. Tettensor has created a group of people and culture called the Adal, a society of pastoral nomads persecuted for their outsider status as well as the actions of a few bad apples. The subject of Adali magic plays a big role in the case, and Tettensor has also crafted a very thorough and rich history for her fictional race. I am overall very pleased with the amount of world building presented in this book.

Everything in the plot just came together so well. Once you reach the point where the story takes off, it doesn't slow down. After making it through the introductory chapters, I was quickly drawn in by the intrigue and mystery, especially when I was treated to a brief glimpse of the brilliant and passionate detective Lenoir used to be. I found I could not bear to put this book down during the final hundred pages, and stayed up into the wee hours of the night just to finish.

Of course, there is still the big question of Nicolas Lenoir's past, which did not go fully addressed. So I was so glad to see this would be a series, even though this book can certainly be read as a stand alone with no cliffhangers or glaring loose ends to worry about. I would love to see further exploration into his character and this world, or heck, even stories about Lenoir that take place in an earlier time. Regardless of what comes next, I'm really looking forward to book two! ( )