Chimera by R. Thurman

Although I’ve never read anything by Rob Thurman, I’ve certainly heard a lot of good things about her writing. So, while I couldn’t really know, I was still cautiously optimistic about reading Chimera.

A sci-fi thriller that asks the questions…

What makes us human…
What makes us unique…
And what makes us kill?

Ten years ago, Stefan Korsak’s younger brother was kidnapped. Not a day has passed that Stefan hasn’t thought about him. As a rising figure in the Russian mafia, he has finally found him. But when he rescues Lukas, he must confront a terrible truth-his brother is no longer his brother. He is a trained, genetically-altered killer. Now, those who created him will do anything to reclaim him. And the closer Stefan grows to his brother, the more he realizes that saving Lukas may be easier than surviving him…

My optimism was rewarded in that Chimera turned out to be a book filled with witty banter, colorful descriptions , and surprisingly lovable characters. The main character, Stefan Korsak, isn’t your typical protagonist. He’s not really considered a good guy by most; not because he’s got a bad attitude, but because he works for the Russian mob. He’s grown up in the life, and is now a body guard for a mob boss. His life is filled with the brutality of his profession, and most of his colleagues enjoy it. Stefan isn’t really all that into it though. Mostly he uses the connections that working for the mob provides in order to find his brother, Lukas, who was kidnapped as a child. After searching high and low for ten years, most would’ve given up, but Stefan refuses to. As a result, his perseverance seems to pay off when a contact finds him.

I thought that I wouldn’t like Stefan as much as I did. After being in the mob for so long he’s having trouble adjusting to the niceties of society. His inclination is to shoot first and ask questions later, but with Lukas he’s vowed to change. To become a better man, one who Lukas can be proud of. For his part, Lukas is also a great character. He’s been abused and experimented on his entire life. Made to do things that could seriously mess with a person. Despite the life that he’s lead though he slowly starts to become an engaging, if not cautious, teenager. The banter between Lukas and Stefan was definitely a huge plus while reading Chimera. It kept the story moving at a great pace, and even had me laughing a couple times.

As for the plot, it was interesting and just as fast moving as the characters wit. In the beginning, I couldn’t take my eyes off the pages. Towards the middle, however, I was able to predict a lot of things that were going to happen. Not that that took too much from the story, but I like a little bit of mystery, and with me guessing it, my enjoyment wasn’t all that it could have been.

Overall, Chimera by Rob Thurman was a story that maybe had stronger characters than it did plot. That’s not to say it was a bad book, in fact, I quite enjoyed it. The characters more than made up for any weakness in the plot. I loved their interactions, and I couldn’t get enough. If Chimera is any indication I think I will love her other series, and I urge any of her fans to check this out.

Also reviewed by:
The Spindle’s End
Breezing Through
BSCReview
Fiction Kingdom