Michael Langlois' Walker is a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy adventure, which introduces a fascinating and imaginative magical system, a vast and parasitic organization that exploits it, and many worlds made vulnerable to its abuses. It chronicles the growth and education of Daniel Thorson, a somewhat rudderless young man, as he navigates a frightening new terrain and struggles against implacable enemies with seemingly unlimited influence and power.
In Walker, Langlois shows a strong disinclination toward flowery, overly-descriptive prose. His spare, unembellished writing reminds me of the better Young Adult fantasy novels I've read, like Stephen Gould's Jumper, and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. Walker's bleak portrayal of the apathetic inhumanity inherent in power, as well as a few fairly brutal scenes, distinguish Walker from kids' stuff. While the machinations and perversions of politics and power are hinted at, they are not explicitly examined. In the context of an adventure story this is not necessarily a bad thing, with the machinations of control serving as a backdrop to events on a personal level. The characters are similarly straightforward; well-defined and accessible, but not crowding out the reader's imagination.
The action begins immediately and moves along briskly. The protagonist discovers quite suddenly that he can transport himself to another place. He is quickly approached by members of a powerful Guild, which makes use of those with such abilities. As Daniel's understanding grows, he learns that interplanetary travel is only one manifestation of an ability to perceive and alter the underpinnings of physical reality. By manipulating the Veil, an energetic, oceanic ether that surrounds and permeates the material world, many things become possible. Though uniquely gifted at Veil manipulation, Daniel is less adept at grasping the lengths to which the powerful will go to maintain their positions. Despite increasingly remarkable new abilities, he finds himself challenged by powerful people with limitless capacities for cruelty and malice. In Walker, evil is not an wholly distinct domain; there are no "dark" and "light" sides to the Veil. The antagonists are human, knowable, and are defined by their morality and their methods.
I enjoyed Walker thoroughly. If anything, I would have liked more of it. More exploration of the Veil and its nature, more time spent following Daniel's learning and growth, more exploration of the worlds connected by the Veil, and more examination of the emotional makeup of, and relationships between the main characters. Langlois' approach is effective however, and his simple construction, both in language and detail, result in an engrossing read. While I generally prefer coherent narratives and vernacular approaches to more prolix and ornate world-building, the pieces of Walker that are more elaborately described are lovely, subtle, and evocative. I can't help but feel that if more of the novel were crafted that way, Walker would be an astounding work, on par with Zelazny's *Chronicles of Amber*. Langlois demonstrates that he has the chops for it.
Despite my criticisms, Walker is the first book I've read in years that I've polished off in a single day. I truly didn't want to put it down, and I would love to see a sequel. Given that Langlois' prior release, Bad Radio, is the first book in a series, I may have to be patient.
** The author says: "There is actually a sequel in the works, but I'm not sure if it will be completed after BR2 or BR3."
**Full disclosure: Subsequent to my purchase of Walker, the author sent me a free copy of his novel, Bad Radio. This did not influence my review in any way.
