cover image Nightwalker

Nightwalker

Sidney Filson. Onyx Books, $4.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-451-40165-6

Filson, a martial arts expert ( How to Protect Yourself and Survive ), pens a gripping debut thriller with an unusual twist: the title character, a mysteriously gifted karate master with spiritual powers surpassing physical prowess, is a woman. In a genre dominated by action scenes and worshipful interpretations of the mental discipline of the martial arts, Filson opts instead to plumb her characters' emotional experiences; accordingly, even a classic villain acquires depth and credibility. The intricate plot, related in nimbly integrated narrative and flashbacks, combines three time threads and thereby triples the novel's suspense. Only a few symptoms of lagging craft can be spied: for example, to make the ending both storybook-happy and a perfect demonstration of the doctrine of karma, Filson conveniently revives an apparently murdered character. (Dec.)