Greywalker – Kat Richardson
Hachette Livre Piatkus, 2008
341 pages
RRP: AU$22.99
ISBN: 978-0-74993-896-3

Reviewed by Kate Smith

Greywalker is a diverting story and an enjoyable way to kill a few hours. While the story begins slowly and the reader may be tempted to not continue, once Richardson has set the scene the novel picks up pace and more interest. By no means a classic tale and without any particularly innovative plot movements, Greywalker is an easy read that does not require huge amounts of mental effort. If taken in this way Greywalker will provide a pleasant interlude. If looking for more, the reader may find themselves disappointed with Richardson’s offering.

Greywalker is the story of a Harper Blaine, a very capable woman who discovers she has a supernatural ability that she has difficulties coming to terms with. Through experiences that occur and the support of friends, the details of this ability are divulged. The reader is taken on this journey with her and finally to the realisation that, reluctantly, Harper must accept who she is. This reader, however, felt that Richardson failed to establish a connection between the main character and the reader and found that Harper came across as vaguely irritating. Trying to write of the reactions of a character to supernatural events and realisations obviously did not come easily to Richardson as there is little empathy evoked for the character. There were also no great surprises in the plot, which was disappointing given the scope of possibilities generated by Richardson’s world.

The reader should not expect too much from this novel, however it is digestible as a quick and simple story.