when i try to use blink the fade just makes the slash animation and loses a lot of energy but nothing else seems to happen.... any specific advice on making blink work>? sounded like one of the cooler skills, would be a shame if it is broken at release .

That happens to me a lot too, but it does work sometimes.  Too bad that even when it does work, you usually only end up going half as far as you want to.  I've found it's pretty reliable at moving vertically, but don't expect to cross a room with it.  If you see blue sparkles when you activate the ability, then it worked.  Sometimes you'll only move a few inches though.  

You have to aim 'up' a bit. Aiming down will just slam you into the ground you're standing on, and you wont' get anywhere (think of it as if the level4 were travelling the entire distance between you and where it's going in an instant. Anything between him and there will stop him. So you have to aim so you aren't hitting the floor immediately.

i thought that the blink allowed you to pass through walls, in which case solid objects shouldn't stop you.

Nope.