Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu (review)

Even his massive wealth can't protect eighteen-year-old Bruce Wayne from the law after he ignores police orders and purposely slams his car into a criminal's getaway vehicle. He's sentenced to community service at Gotham City's infamous Arkham Asylum, a prison reserved for the worst bad guys. There he meets inmate Madeleine, said to be part of the Nightwalkers, a group targeting Gotham City's wealthiest elites by emptying their bank accounts and brutally murdering them one at a time. Despite this, Bruce finds himself drawn to Madeleine's enigmatic nature, and the two teens form a tentative relationship as he finds more reasons to visit her cell. When she escapes just as the Nightwalkers attack the city's biggest gala, Bruce knows she is part of the plan but he's certain he can stop her. Bruce leans a little too heavily on the woe-is-me card as a rich kid whose status brings false friends, and his navel-gazing slows the pace, but his grief over his parents' murders years ago is genuine, as is his resulting desire to bring justice to a city teeming with criminals. Madeleine is smart, devious, and seductive, and Bruce's interactions with her carry the large part of the beginning of the novel. When the action finally hits, though, it hits hard, and Bruce and some of his new tech gear face off against a surprising villain in a spectacular fashion. Readers of the comic books or movie fans might find the pace disappointing, but solid character development certainly sets the stage for the future of Gotham's hero. KQG