Chimera

Chimera

Written by Rob Thurman

Published by ROC

So, it’s been a while. I took a little time off of reviewing over the holidays to catch up on reading. I’m back now, with a review of Chimera, the sci-fi thriller by Rob Thurman. Set in the present day, Chimera focuses on Stefan Korsak, a body guard for the Russian Mafia, and his search for his missing brother, Lukas. Stefan has spent every spare moment of his life searching for his little brother, who was stolen when both were children. Even Stefan’s father has given up on ever seeing Lukas again, but Stefan won’t let his brother go. When he finds Lukas, though, his brother is not who, or what, he used to be.

Normally, I just look at the Writer’s Trinity of plot, character, and setting. And I will be looking at those. This time, though, I am going to add a new category, THEME.

PLOT
The plot is exciting and fairly believable. As with any science-fiction novel, a certain amount of suspension of belief is necessary. The book mentions such subjects as cloning and genetic engineering, but there is little to no pseudo-science to wade through. Despite some of the concepts introduced, the story itself is fairly basic and easy to follow. It’s about a man willing to do anything to save his kid brother, and that driving need pushes the plot through and takes the reader along for the ride. The pacing is smooth, with moments of frantic action neatly interspersed between breaks for character development and some honestly amusing moments of humor. There are a few incidents that feel almost tagged on to extend the story, but they do contribute to the overall theme. It helps that these incidents are short. The tone of the novel is consistent throughout. The switches between action and travel don’t feel jarring.

CHARACTER
The point of view character, Stefan, is a surprisingly likable character for a Mafia thug. His obsession with finding his brother is believable and makes him easy to sympathize with. His voice is consistent throughout the book, and he seems to be a mostly reliable narrator.

Stefan’s brother, Lukas, is called Michael for most of the book, because he doesn’t remember being Lukas. Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding Lukas and his rather taciturn nature, it’s as easy to sympathize with Lukas as it is Stefan. You never quite know what he’s thinking, but you can understand why he does what he does.

The brothers are realistic and sympathetic characters. Their problems feel genuine, and it is genuinely satisfying when they overcome the multitude of challenges they face. The villain, a scientist only called Jericho, is a shadowy threat throughout the novel. His presence is chilling and genuinely intimidating. He holds all the cards, and the brothers know it.

It is interesting to note that the Mafia is not glorified in this book, despite the main character being in the Mafia and his father being a Mob boss. They are criminals, and Stefan is well aware of the fact. Still, the Mafia characters are also people he has known for his entire life, and that is reflected as well. They feel like people, not movie stereotypes. I found that refreshing.

SETTING
The setting of Chimera is not as central as it is in many books. The brothers are traveling for most of the novel, on the run from Jericho and his men. The locations they stop at, from seedy hotels to a Mafia Boss’s lavish retirement home, are vividly described. Rob Thurman presents a solid, believable world for his characters to inhabit. The mundane realities of life on the run nicely balance the unreality of Lukas’ secrets and Jericho’s plans.

THEME
The theme of Chimera is trust.

The main expression of the theme is the slowly building trust between the brothers. Lukas does not remember Stefan. His big brother is a total stranger, and a frightening one at that. Stefan does not understand what Lukas has become, and he must learn to trust that no matter what had happened to him, Lukas is the same person inside, and that person will not kill him in his sleep.

Several times, Stefan’s trust is broken. People he thought he could trust betray him. He is shaken and devastated as the foundations on which he had built his life crumble under him. Yet he still reaches out, still trusts; often because he has no other choice. Sometimes, his trust is unfounded and lands the brothers in deeper trouble. Sometimes, though, that trust is returned with lifesaving support.

The theme of trust is interwoven through the plot seamlessly. At no point does the book feel as though it is preaching to the reader. Trust and broken trust push the events along. It matters whether Stefan trusts other characters, and whether Lukas trusts Stefan. Trust drives the plot, and makes the ending that much more satisfying, the way the theme should.

I recommend Chimera. It’s a fast read, with likable characters and exciting action sequences. The ending is satisfying, but leaves room for further expansion of the story.