BASILISK by Rob Thurman

Publisher: ROC
Date Published: August 2, 2011
ISBN 978-0-451-46414-9
Science Fiction/Urban Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Lynne
Obtained via publisher


Lukas Korsak was taken at a child and dubbed “Michael” by the Institute he was to spend the next ten years of his life in. Transformed by an evil man, Jericho, into a Chimera, a new advanced race, Michael was made into an assassin that could kill with a single touch.

Stefan, Michael’s older brother and former Mafia member, eventually rescues Michael from the Institute and the two go into hiding, using assumed identities in order to try and live normal lives.


Unfortunately, an evil government agent, Raynor, is after them. Knowing what Michael is capable of he is intent on returning him to the Institute. So he, too, under a false name, tracks the brothers down, forcing Stefan and Michael to flee from the normal lives they have started. This time, however, Michael chooses not to kill as he has been created to do. Instead, it is now his intention to return to the Institute and rescue the other children, the Chimeras, and “cure” them.

BASILISK by Rob Thurman is phenomenal. A page turner, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Although I haven’t read the first book in the Korsak Brothers series, CHIMERA, I enjoyed this sequel just the same. There were perhaps a few areas where the reader might be confused, not having read the first book, but it was easy to piece things together by book’s end since Ms. Thurman ties everything up quite nicely.

Ms. Thurman’s writing style is extremely creative, and her voice unique. Her dialogues are original and sometimes snappy. I found myself laughing more than once at some of her lines. And the characters are superb. Despite Michael being a genius and a killer that even Hitler would admire, it is easy to care for him and Stefan as they struggle to keep their family together. Their love for one another as brothers brings a heartwarming element to BASILISK that one may not expect in such a tale. With Stefan having a history of violence himself and a good friend, Saul, who agrees to do anything for him if paid enough, it is interesting to see how these three men interact.

The fact that children are involved as vicious, unfeeling killers lends an interesting take to this urban fantasy as well.On the one hand, the reader may grow empathetic to their original plight, at being kidnapped from their families; on the other, you may be rooting for them to be taken out of the picture because of the brutal devastation they leave in their wakes.

I loved the fact that Michael had a pet ferret named Godzilla that he brought with him everywhere. It brought a smile to my face whenever he came into the picture. Nice touch.

I thoroughly enjoyed BASILISK. It is very entertaining, with plenty of action to hold you spellbound. With the Korsak brothers driving the story from beginning to end, you can be certain you will not be disappointed.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.