Chimera by Rob Thurman is both a departure and a relation to her popular Cal Leandros series. On one hand, Chimera has barely a hint of the fantastic, just a possible genetic mutation performed on living people; but on the other, strip away all the excess, and it is a story about an unbreakable bond of love between two brothers. There are no mythical monsters, shapeshifters, magic, or vampires in this story, but there is a definite bad guy. Jericho is the founder and leader of the Institute, a secret laboratory built for the sole purpose of creating the perfect assassins. Stefan is a reluctant mob thug working for the money to use in his search for his missing brother, Lukas. After ten years and some help from a friend, Stefan believes he has found him. Unfortunately he has also found quite a bit of trouble. Extracting Lukas from the Institute would be more difficult than they ever could have believed.
Chimera isn’t a fast-paced, action-packed adventure romp. It is a steady-paced action-adventure that also explores the boundaries of love. Through their road trip, the two learn about each other and the world around them—something neither of them have paid much attention to. The two encounter thieves, possible friends, smelly animals, and ratty little hotels, and learn a great deal about each other before the end of the book. The reader also gets more glimpses into the Stefan’s past and family life.
I was a bit hesitant to open this one. I’m a big fan of the author’s Cal Leandros series, and this story sounded so different that I was afraid it would be boring. The cover also was not to my liking. The double helix and the words “No Weakness. No Limitations. No Mercy.” did not give me the “must read this” vibe. Personally it was a bit off-putting. I was wrong to think that the cover gave an accurate idea of the story. While it is very different from her most popular series, Chimera also shares some similarities and is not boring or overly scientific in any way. Sure, the pace is a bit slower, as there aren’t hairy monsters with slavering jaws full of teeth jumping out at the characters from every corner, but Stefan and Michael (who refuses to believe he is the lost Lukas) have to get to safety while avoiding the goons from the Institute who will do anything to get their experiment back, and the mob family members who want Stefan to pay for what they believe is his betrayal. All the while they must learn all they can and have few allies they can count on other than each other.
A very enjoyable and engaging book that kept me turning the pages. The end leaves the option of possible follow-up books to explore further; after all, there were other children in that Institute.
