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surakian's review
1.0
I really shouldn't dignify this book with a review, but it's been a few hours since I finished it and I'm still completely baffled and disgusted by this book.
A disturbingly high number of light novels I've read under the June imprint from Digital Manga Publishing have featured some sort of dubious/non-consensual sex or graphic rape scene that has soured my experience with the book before I could even begin to decide if I was interested in the book.
Dark Walker absolutely outdoes all of the ones I have read so far.
I'm not bothered by rape in books, especially if it is a part of the narrative, serves a purpose for the narrative, and the person committing the act isn't rewarded for their actions. Books are allowed to contain problematic materials. This, though? No. The narrative seems to actively reward the various rapists in these books and hides it behind the guise of "love" or "passion". It's gratuitous in the worst way possible.
Even when the book is pointing out that these heinous acts are rape, it also makes it a point to show that the person being raped is also enjoying it very much so that makes it okay. Or, again, "love" makes it okay.
Not to mention the fact that these are supposed to be 15 year olds in high school having tons of sex in a dreamscape...
Also the story and lore is just beyond nonsensical. There is no way to grasp what is happening in the story. A villain gets introduced and in the end they don't even matter because they never show up again.
I get it. This book was written in the era of Yaoi writing where this was a common trope, but that does not excuse it for its excessive, indiscriminate use of rape to tell its senseless story.
A disturbingly high number of light novels I've read under the June imprint from Digital Manga Publishing have featured some sort of dubious/non-consensual sex or graphic rape scene that has soured my experience with the book before I could even begin to decide if I was interested in the book.
Dark Walker absolutely outdoes all of the ones I have read so far.
I'm not bothered by rape in books, especially if it is a part of the narrative, serves a purpose for the narrative, and the person committing the act isn't rewarded for their actions. Books are allowed to contain problematic materials. This, though? No. The narrative seems to actively reward the various rapists in these books and hides it behind the guise of "love" or "passion". It's gratuitous in the worst way possible.
Even when the book is pointing out that these heinous acts are rape, it also makes it a point to show that the person being raped is also enjoying it very much so that makes it okay. Or, again, "love" makes it okay.
Not to mention the fact that these are supposed to be 15 year olds in high school having tons of sex in a dreamscape...
Also the story and lore is just beyond nonsensical. There is no way to grasp what is happening in the story. A villain gets introduced and in the end they don't even matter because they never show up again.
I get it. This book was written in the era of Yaoi writing where this was a common trope, but that does not excuse it for its excessive, indiscriminate use of rape to tell its senseless story.
jaimesamms's review
3.0
My Review: Tomoki has no idea what to make of these dreams he's been having. He does know they aren't something to be shared with his ribald classmates, though. No telling what they'd say to make fun of him if they knew. Strangely, he doesn't seem to have the same worries about the new guy, Yugo; handsome, tall, and flirtatious Yugo. In fact, Tomoki is pretty sure his reaction to Yugo isn't quite what he's come to expect as 'normal'.
So this story is nice, focusing a bit on Tomoki's coming out, mostly to himself, and admitting he's interested in Yugo as more than just a friend. Finding out Yugo's the one he's been dreaming about, and more, that Yugo is actually entering his dreams is something else again, though.
I like Tomoki, even if he is a little stubborn in seeing the truth and then in admitting it. Once he does, though, he's so loyal and fierce in protecting his lover, it's heart-warming to see, and heartbreaking to watch what he has to go through, and what he must sacrifice to do it.
As with many of these novels, I'm finding out, there's not enough insight into the seme's point of view. I like semes, and I'd like to know what's going through their pretty heads, but that's me. In this instance, there seems to be a lot of sadness in Yugo's past that he doesn't really share with Tomoki, but it does explain his caution, and his patience. Maybe he's afraid to push Tomoki too hard, afraid to push him away.
Some of the illustrations in this book are less expressive than I like, but the middle black and white drawing, where Kisaragi shows her version of Tomoki saving Yugo from becoming a demon is absolutely gorgeous. The desperation in Yugo's expression and the sweet acceptance in Tomoki's are so perfect. I kept going back to look at it again. Her depiction of the villain is also so vivid, it gives a great sense of his cold cruelty, and beauty, which she later softens to something almost loving in the last drawing of him.
And his relationship with his slave is what I have the most problem with. I guess I'm just not a fan of violence paired with sex, which is different from D/s and BDSM. This was a little extreme for my taste.
As for the writing, I'm not sure. There's a lot of clunky prose, and as I've mentioned in other reviews, not sure if that's a function of the original Japanese text or of the translation, or of an English translator with less writing experience. I've no idea what it takes to translate from one language to another effectively, so all I can speak to is the fact that the writing was not as immediate as I like. There is a lot of "he felt his body grow hot and sweaty." and "Tomoki was running around..." which puts an extra bit of stumbling words between reader and action. Could be lost in translation, could be the original Japanese is stilted. I only know I wish the writing to be a bit cleaner. That's probably the writer in me coming out.
All in all, I did like the story line, and the twists thrown in gave the overall story an emotional edge that reconciled a lot of the difficulties I had with it
My Recommendation: This one might not appeal to writers, but for fans of Yaoi, more willing to overlook the technical flaws, there's a lot of emotion, and lot of action, and a fantastic twist. And, of course, some lovely sex scenes between the main characters.
So this story is nice, focusing a bit on Tomoki's coming out, mostly to himself, and admitting he's interested in Yugo as more than just a friend. Finding out Yugo's the one he's been dreaming about, and more, that Yugo is actually entering his dreams is something else again, though.
I like Tomoki, even if he is a little stubborn in seeing the truth and then in admitting it. Once he does, though, he's so loyal and fierce in protecting his lover, it's heart-warming to see, and heartbreaking to watch what he has to go through, and what he must sacrifice to do it.
As with many of these novels, I'm finding out, there's not enough insight into the seme's point of view. I like semes, and I'd like to know what's going through their pretty heads, but that's me. In this instance, there seems to be a lot of sadness in Yugo's past that he doesn't really share with Tomoki, but it does explain his caution, and his patience. Maybe he's afraid to push Tomoki too hard, afraid to push him away.
Some of the illustrations in this book are less expressive than I like, but the middle black and white drawing, where Kisaragi shows her version of Tomoki saving Yugo from becoming a demon is absolutely gorgeous. The desperation in Yugo's expression and the sweet acceptance in Tomoki's are so perfect. I kept going back to look at it again. Her depiction of the villain is also so vivid, it gives a great sense of his cold cruelty, and beauty, which she later softens to something almost loving in the last drawing of him.
And his relationship with his slave is what I have the most problem with. I guess I'm just not a fan of violence paired with sex, which is different from D/s and BDSM. This was a little extreme for my taste.
As for the writing, I'm not sure. There's a lot of clunky prose, and as I've mentioned in other reviews, not sure if that's a function of the original Japanese text or of the translation, or of an English translator with less writing experience. I've no idea what it takes to translate from one language to another effectively, so all I can speak to is the fact that the writing was not as immediate as I like. There is a lot of "he felt his body grow hot and sweaty." and "Tomoki was running around..." which puts an extra bit of stumbling words between reader and action. Could be lost in translation, could be the original Japanese is stilted. I only know I wish the writing to be a bit cleaner. That's probably the writer in me coming out.
All in all, I did like the story line, and the twists thrown in gave the overall story an emotional edge that reconciled a lot of the difficulties I had with it
My Recommendation: This one might not appeal to writers, but for fans of Yaoi, more willing to overlook the technical flaws, there's a lot of emotion, and lot of action, and a fantastic twist. And, of course, some lovely sex scenes between the main characters.
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