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The Korsak Brothers #2
Basilisk by Rob Thurman
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction (2011), Nominee for Readers' Favorite Goodreads Author (2011)A Note From Rob:
While CHIMERA was told from Stefan’s point-of-view, BASILISK is told from Michael’s. I wanted to see him discover what it’s like to be a genuine person…not a kid raised to be an assassin in the Institute. It’s a very different POV as Stefan is an ex-Russian mafioso and Michael, Stefan’s kidnapped brother, is a trained (but utterly reluctant) assassin with no knowledge he can remember of the outside world. This is two and a half years later when Michael and Stefan have settled in a small town, hiding from the Mafiya and the Institute and Michael thinks that as a genius and trained killer (he keeps the trained part and discards the killer portion completely) that he is adjusting very well to the world. Stefan, on the other hand, might disagree.
While CHIMERA was told from Stefan’s point-of-view, BASILISK is told from Michael’s. I wanted to see him discover what it’s like to be a genuine person…not a kid raised to be an assassin in the Institute. It’s a very different POV as Stefan is an ex-Russian mafioso and Michael, Stefan’s kidnapped brother, is a trained (but utterly reluctant) assassin with no knowledge he can remember of the outside world. This is two and a half years later when Michael and Stefan have settled in a small town, hiding from the Mafiya and the Institute and Michael thinks that as a genius and trained killer (he keeps the trained part and discards the killer portion completely) that he is adjusting very well to the world. Stefan, on the other hand, might disagree.
Mass Market Paperback
First published August 2, 2011
19 people are currently reading
1145 people want to read
About the author
Rob Thurman
43 books1,563 followersRob Thurman is currently writing three series for Penguin Putnam's imprint ROC FANTASY, as well as a brand-new mainstream series for Simon & Schuster's POCKET BOOKS.
Rob has also written for a Charlaine Harris & Toni L.P. Kelner Anthology, WOLFSBANE AND MISTLETOE. This year, Rob contributed a post-apocalyptic, "grim" faerie tale Western to the anthology, COURTS OF THE FEY.
Rob's work is dark, non-stop action from beginning to end, rife with purely evil sarcasm as sharp as a switchblade - and probably nearly as illegal. If one shoved LORD OF THE RINGS,
THE SHINING, and PULP FICTION into a wood-chipper, the result would be what Rob aims to deliver in a novel or short story.
A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), ROB THURMAN lives in RURAL Indiana - land of endless fields, infinite cows and where dialup is still the only soul-crushing option.
Rob has also written for a Charlaine Harris & Toni L.P. Kelner Anthology, WOLFSBANE AND MISTLETOE. This year, Rob contributed a post-apocalyptic, "grim" faerie tale Western to the anthology, COURTS OF THE FEY.
Rob's work is dark, non-stop action from beginning to end, rife with purely evil sarcasm as sharp as a switchblade - and probably nearly as illegal. If one shoved LORD OF THE RINGS,
THE SHINING, and PULP FICTION into a wood-chipper, the result would be what Rob aims to deliver in a novel or short story.
A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), ROB THURMAN lives in RURAL Indiana - land of endless fields, infinite cows and where dialup is still the only soul-crushing option.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
October 10, 2011
Oh, Rob. Oh Rob.
I tried. I tried to read past the awful emo that topped anything that Cal and Niko ever had to offer. I tried to get past the awful dialogue and expository repetition, telling myself that yeah, while the book could probably in fact, be done in 40 pages, surely there was something in here to keep me reading.
I even tried to explain away the awful ignorance displayed about domesticated ferret behavior. Biting *all the time* to draw blood? Er, terribly abused. Really. Beyond anything every hinted at in the first book. Horrible smell - so bad everyone always commented on it. Must still have scent glands and being washed daily off scene. (Might also have something to do with the bizarre diet, too!). But nothing can explain the noises. Or the other distinctly non ferret habits. Have you ever seen a ferret outside of a big box pet store, where they tend to just sleep most of the time?
But then I got to the part where Misha finally meets up with his online sorta of girlfriend, and oh my gods, the tropes were going to kill me. And the if a reader couldn't see where the plot was going with the awesome perfect super bionic and oh so smart girlfriend, then they....just deserved to read to the end of this awful thing anyway.
I tried. I tried to read past the awful emo that topped anything that Cal and Niko ever had to offer. I tried to get past the awful dialogue and expository repetition, telling myself that yeah, while the book could probably in fact, be done in 40 pages, surely there was something in here to keep me reading.
I even tried to explain away the awful ignorance displayed about domesticated ferret behavior. Biting *all the time* to draw blood? Er, terribly abused. Really. Beyond anything every hinted at in the first book. Horrible smell - so bad everyone always commented on it. Must still have scent glands and being washed daily off scene. (Might also have something to do with the bizarre diet, too!). But nothing can explain the noises. Or the other distinctly non ferret habits. Have you ever seen a ferret outside of a big box pet store, where they tend to just sleep most of the time?
But then I got to the part where Misha finally meets up with his online sorta of girlfriend, and oh my gods, the tropes were going to kill me. And the if a reader couldn't see where the plot was going with the awesome perfect super bionic and oh so smart girlfriend, then they....just deserved to read to the end of this awful thing anyway.
August 3, 2011
Guns are for boys, High explosives are for men.
In the case of Basilisk, true words as Micheal "Misha" tries to show that at nineteen, he is a man.
After waiting an agonisingly long wait after Chimera Rob Thurman gives us an action-packed second edition to the Korsak Brothers.
It starts with the discovery of Anton Korsak's (Daddy Korsak) death and from there on the plot is engaging, fast and very intriguing. Basilisk shows how far the Korask brothers will go to keep each other alive. Stefan will kill for Misha and Misha learns what he would do the same for Stefan, despite not wanting to be a killer. He learns that saving his family would not make him a freak or monster, it simply "makes him human".
The sinsiter Institute is not the major threat in this book. Its the other Chimera children, mainly Wendy, the ten-year-old who loves to kill. Wendy is now forever a name I now associate with killer ten-year-ols and is also the name of my next pet :) She's just creepy and you expect her to skip along singing 'Ring Around the Rosie' while people around her just drop dead. Or see her kill a clown in a role reversal. Creepy.
Basilisk includes Rob's brilliant humor with Godzilla the ferret. ("Guns don't kill people. Ferrets do") I laughed so much at parts i had tears in my eyes. I also had tears at some of the more heartbreaking moments between the brothers.
This book is epic! Worth the painful wait! And is overall f**king amazing!!!! Long Live the Korask Brothers!!
In the case of Basilisk, true words as Micheal "Misha" tries to show that at nineteen, he is a man.
After waiting an agonisingly long wait after Chimera Rob Thurman gives us an action-packed second edition to the Korsak Brothers.
It starts with the discovery of Anton Korsak's (Daddy Korsak) death and from there on the plot is engaging, fast and very intriguing. Basilisk shows how far the Korask brothers will go to keep each other alive. Stefan will kill for Misha and Misha learns what he would do the same for Stefan, despite not wanting to be a killer. He learns that saving his family would not make him a freak or monster, it simply "makes him human".
The sinsiter Institute is not the major threat in this book. Its the other Chimera children, mainly Wendy, the ten-year-old who loves to kill. Wendy is now forever a name I now associate with killer ten-year-ols and is also the name of my next pet :) She's just creepy and you expect her to skip along singing 'Ring Around the Rosie' while people around her just drop dead. Or see her kill a clown in a role reversal. Creepy.
Basilisk includes Rob's brilliant humor with Godzilla the ferret. ("Guns don't kill people. Ferrets do") I laughed so much at parts i had tears in my eyes. I also had tears at some of the more heartbreaking moments between the brothers.
This book is epic! Worth the painful wait! And is overall f**king amazing!!!! Long Live the Korask Brothers!!
August 7, 2011
Needs to quit trying so hard to be clever. Yes, family is important, I'm not going to forget this central theme to the book from page to page. Also, we could use some different characters. Misha/Stefan/Cal are all functionally the same character with their reptative not terribly wise cracks, the overcompensating focus on junk food, their so gosh, golly, good hearted badassness. Which is all too bad, these are interesting ideas just weighted down with the flavor which winds up overwhelming the story.
August 8, 2011
Seq to Chimera. This series is shaping up to be as good as the Cal Leandros series (and is very similar in themes - ie brothers ) especially now that Misha takes the hot seat. He's part Cal, part Zeke (from Trick of the Light), sweet, witty, awkward and slightly evil in a good way. Plus his hatred of Lolcats is hilarious.
Ariel was a definite boost as well
"That damn kid.... he was a miracle"
"Being smart meant you had to try extra hard to see the fantasy in the world - the magic. And what was a world without those things?"
"One was an immovable object; one was an irresistible force, like Stefan and I emotionally."
"Life: Expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised. My life in the past day: Expect the worst and find out how lacking in imagination you really are."
"That was why I hadn't picked a philosophy or religion yet. I wanted to check out all my options and find the one with the most loopholes combined with the least amount of time consumption."
"Things are never as easy as they appear on the Net or in instructional videos. I blamed an imperfect world for that. I was a genius - I wasn't blaming myself, because it obviously was not my fault."
"Beside, it was not my fault. I didn't create the often-inconvenient laws of physics."
"Drug-dealer, pilot, ex-assassin-in-training, genius, geek, and hot. Can you claim to have that many talents."
"And you said never- never means at least once if not always."
"That Disney guy had been an excessively cruel man."
"You're special and brilliant and quirky and one of the most amazing people I've ever known, but if you try to shut me up on more time, the next kick will be at your face. It's a pretty face too. I especially like your eyes... fox green, but a fox that would never eat a chicken or clean out a hen house. You have nice teeth too, probably a killer smile. Try not to make me kick you in it."
"He'd given up the memories of sun, wind and horses to warm me in a place as cold as death itself."
"It was five months later that I finally admitted defeat, finishing what I'd started more than half a year ago, and was at my laptop, hacking into Lolcats, crashing the site, and removing any mention of it from the Net. It was evil and had to go."
Ariel was a definite boost as well
"That damn kid.... he was a miracle"
"Being smart meant you had to try extra hard to see the fantasy in the world - the magic. And what was a world without those things?"
"One was an immovable object; one was an irresistible force, like Stefan and I emotionally."
"Life: Expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised. My life in the past day: Expect the worst and find out how lacking in imagination you really are."
"That was why I hadn't picked a philosophy or religion yet. I wanted to check out all my options and find the one with the most loopholes combined with the least amount of time consumption."
"Things are never as easy as they appear on the Net or in instructional videos. I blamed an imperfect world for that. I was a genius - I wasn't blaming myself, because it obviously was not my fault."
"Beside, it was not my fault. I didn't create the often-inconvenient laws of physics."
"Drug-dealer, pilot, ex-assassin-in-training, genius, geek, and hot. Can you claim to have that many talents."
"And you said never- never means at least once if not always."
"That Disney guy had been an excessively cruel man."
"You're special and brilliant and quirky and one of the most amazing people I've ever known, but if you try to shut me up on more time, the next kick will be at your face. It's a pretty face too. I especially like your eyes... fox green, but a fox that would never eat a chicken or clean out a hen house. You have nice teeth too, probably a killer smile. Try not to make me kick you in it."
"He'd given up the memories of sun, wind and horses to warm me in a place as cold as death itself."
"It was five months later that I finally admitted defeat, finishing what I'd started more than half a year ago, and was at my laptop, hacking into Lolcats, crashing the site, and removing any mention of it from the Net. It was evil and had to go."
August 7, 2011
3.5 stars
Three years after his brother, Stefan, took him out from The Institute, Michael "Misha" Korsak has learned a lot to try to blend in, to be "normal". Currently residing in a small town, with different names, their life takes a drastic change when their father, Anatoly is murdered, and they are now on the run from both the government and ruthless killers in the form of Chimera kids from the Institute, who break free and ready to take the human world as their killing Playground.
The first book of Korsak Brothers series, Chimera, is an amazing piece of writing. In the sequel, Basilisk, Michael "Misha" Korkas takes seat as the narrator -- and that makes the biggest impact for me. Unfortunately, it's for the worse. I'm not very much into Michael's thoughts. His narration (or I guess it means Ms. Thurman's writing for this) feels a bit too much, a bit excessive. Added with actions and twists, it actually makes me feel tired.
In addition, I cannot help that Michael's "voice" reminds me of the other younger brother of Ms. Thurman's creation: Cal Leandros (though Michael is less mouthy).
However, I admit that Ms. Thurman paints the beauty of brotherly love VERY well, with grisp of smart humor. It entertains me in some parts. It just doesn't grip me as much as book 1 does.
Three years after his brother, Stefan, took him out from The Institute, Michael "Misha" Korsak has learned a lot to try to blend in, to be "normal". Currently residing in a small town, with different names, their life takes a drastic change when their father, Anatoly is murdered, and they are now on the run from both the government and ruthless killers in the form of Chimera kids from the Institute, who break free and ready to take the human world as their killing Playground.
The first book of Korsak Brothers series, Chimera, is an amazing piece of writing. In the sequel, Basilisk, Michael "Misha" Korkas takes seat as the narrator -- and that makes the biggest impact for me. Unfortunately, it's for the worse. I'm not very much into Michael's thoughts. His narration (or I guess it means Ms. Thurman's writing for this) feels a bit too much, a bit excessive. Added with actions and twists, it actually makes me feel tired.
In addition, I cannot help that Michael's "voice" reminds me of the other younger brother of Ms. Thurman's creation: Cal Leandros (though Michael is less mouthy).
However, I admit that Ms. Thurman paints the beauty of brotherly love VERY well, with grisp of smart humor. It entertains me in some parts. It just doesn't grip me as much as book 1 does.
August 17, 2019
Immer noch sehr unterhaltsam und eine tolle Brüderkiste, aber nicht ganz so toll wie der erste Band, deswegen nur drei Sterne.
Ich hätte mir eine Aussprache gewünscht zwischen Misha und Stefan wegen DEM Geheimnis (was ich nicht mal hier spoilern möchte), und es wurde zwar angehintet, dass beide es wissen, aber ich fand es ein bisschen schade, dass sie es nicht thematisiert haben.
Wendy und Ariel sind außerdem grässliche weibliche Charaktere und ich denke, Rob Thurman könnte das definitiv besser.
Abgesehen davon wieder sehr spannende Action, ein Road Trip, viel Blut und sehr viel brüderliche Gefühle.
Ich hätte mir eine Aussprache gewünscht zwischen Misha und Stefan wegen DEM Geheimnis (was ich nicht mal hier spoilern möchte), und es wurde zwar angehintet, dass beide es wissen, aber ich fand es ein bisschen schade, dass sie es nicht thematisiert haben.
Wendy und Ariel sind außerdem grässliche weibliche Charaktere und ich denke, Rob Thurman könnte das definitiv besser.
Abgesehen davon wieder sehr spannende Action, ein Road Trip, viel Blut und sehr viel brüderliche Gefühle.
February 24, 2016
It was quite entertaining overall, and the plot surprised me at times. There was one twist in particular that I realised afterward the author had given plenty of clues about, but I didn’t see it coming. But I didn’t like this one quite as much as the previous Korsak brothers book. Maybe it was just my mood/what was happening in my life.
February 4, 2012
There are big spoilers for Chimera in this review. Skip it if you haven’t read the first book.
Basilisk picks up almost three years after Chimera. Stefan and Michael, or Misha as he likes to be called, are living in a small town in Oregon, holding down normal jobs while they plan their raid on the Institute to rescue the remaining chimeras. While not all of them are enthusiastic killers, none are like Misha who has a working conscience and an aversion to killing, even to save himself, so he’s worked on developing a cure.
Not long into the book they learn that someone is coming after them and have to pull up stakes quickly, and with some property damage. Which means they have to put into motion their attack on the Institute immediately, which means they bring in Saul, Stefan’s criminal acquaintance who does occasional work for him at an exorbitant fee (he’s really Stefan’s friend but has a bit of a hard time admitting it).
I’m not going to go into the rest of what happens because I don’t want to give anything away, but I loved this book. It was told from Misha’s POV and it’s definitely different than Stefan’s which, I know some will disagree, is a good thing. In Chimera we didn’t know what was going on in the super smart head of his, but in Basilisk we find what he thought then and how he has developed in the three years since. There was a lot of internal and external dialogue about what he was capable of doing and what he would do, of things he learned at the Institute and since he was free, but I liked it. It gives the reader insight into the Misha and the other kids who were raised there, why they are the way they are and how amazing it is that Misha isn't a sociopathic nut job and how much Stefan had to do with that.
Some other reviewers have said that if you didn’t see a couple of things coming you either never read a book, saw a movie, or whatever. Well, I admit it, I didn’t see a couple of little twists with characters coming, but, like I’ve said, I’m just smart enough to know how dumb I am, so sue me. Even if I had figured everything out, I still would’ve enjoyed the book just as much. For me, this series isn’t a whodunit, we know who the bad guys are, it doesn’t matter which one is the worst. I love the relationship between Stefan and Misha, especially since we know they aren’t actually related by blood. And yes, in terms of the relationship between the two main characters, who are brothers who will do anything for the other, it’s very similar to Thurman’s Cal Leandros series. Again, don’t care.
I keep saying this in reviews of her books, but I don’t know how Thurman writes her characters with so much emotion and all that other touchy-feely stuff without making me want to hurl, but she does. I was ready to give this one five stars after reading the freaking prologue and I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
Basilisk picks up almost three years after Chimera. Stefan and Michael, or Misha as he likes to be called, are living in a small town in Oregon, holding down normal jobs while they plan their raid on the Institute to rescue the remaining chimeras. While not all of them are enthusiastic killers, none are like Misha who has a working conscience and an aversion to killing, even to save himself, so he’s worked on developing a cure.
Not long into the book they learn that someone is coming after them and have to pull up stakes quickly, and with some property damage. Which means they have to put into motion their attack on the Institute immediately, which means they bring in Saul, Stefan’s criminal acquaintance who does occasional work for him at an exorbitant fee (he’s really Stefan’s friend but has a bit of a hard time admitting it).
I’m not going to go into the rest of what happens because I don’t want to give anything away, but I loved this book. It was told from Misha’s POV and it’s definitely different than Stefan’s which, I know some will disagree, is a good thing. In Chimera we didn’t know what was going on in the super smart head of his, but in Basilisk we find what he thought then and how he has developed in the three years since. There was a lot of internal and external dialogue about what he was capable of doing and what he would do, of things he learned at the Institute and since he was free, but I liked it. It gives the reader insight into the Misha and the other kids who were raised there, why they are the way they are and how amazing it is that Misha isn't a sociopathic nut job and how much Stefan had to do with that.
Some other reviewers have said that if you didn’t see a couple of things coming you either never read a book, saw a movie, or whatever. Well, I admit it, I didn’t see a couple of little twists with characters coming, but, like I’ve said, I’m just smart enough to know how dumb I am, so sue me. Even if I had figured everything out, I still would’ve enjoyed the book just as much. For me, this series isn’t a whodunit, we know who the bad guys are, it doesn’t matter which one is the worst. I love the relationship between Stefan and Misha, especially since we know they aren’t actually related by blood. And yes, in terms of the relationship between the two main characters, who are brothers who will do anything for the other, it’s very similar to Thurman’s Cal Leandros series. Again, don’t care.
I keep saying this in reviews of her books, but I don’t know how Thurman writes her characters with so much emotion and all that other touchy-feely stuff without making me want to hurl, but she does. I was ready to give this one five stars after reading the freaking prologue and I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
August 28, 2011
Quite a ride. Everything that I kept thinking all along, "Yeah, but what about..." was totally addressed in the end to my complete satisfaction. I can't say too much without spoiling things, but she does a great job of doling out the story and making it all make sense in the end. But as usual, it was the wry humor and heartfelt emotion that was the best past of the book. Rob's a master of sarcasm without meanness, always making me feel in on the joke. And I'm not sure what makes her write so many books about the deep love between brothers (or a sister with her Trickster books) but she does it very powerfully.
I have to say that reading this was really poignant. I had already gotten the book and had it ready to read next when I saw on Twitter that Rob had been in a very bad car accident and was still in ICU after a week. I know that reading and enjoying the book is the best thing I can do to honor her, and I'm continuing to pray for her complete recovery. I hope that by the time you read this review she's fully recovered. You can see updates about her progress on her website. I know prayers and good wishes would be greatly appreciated. http://robthurman.net/blog/
I have to say that reading this was really poignant. I had already gotten the book and had it ready to read next when I saw on Twitter that Rob had been in a very bad car accident and was still in ICU after a week. I know that reading and enjoying the book is the best thing I can do to honor her, and I'm continuing to pray for her complete recovery. I hope that by the time you read this review she's fully recovered. You can see updates about her progress on her website. I know prayers and good wishes would be greatly appreciated. http://robthurman.net/blog/
August 7, 2011
The second book in the Chimera series is just as fast paced and interesting as the first one. This time around we get Misha's perspective on the situation and he's really grown in the three years since the end of Chimera; at least he's certain he has. The big bad of the book (The Institute and its 'children') are as creepy as ever and the action sequences are fantastic. My favorite aspect of the book is the interaction between the brothers Stefan and Misha as Misha comes to realizes that maybe he doesn't have everything figured out after all. Add some good old fashioned snark and a dash of the science fiction and Basilisk has been my favorite read of the year.
August 8, 2011
Loved It.
Jam packed with all the things I love in books guns, action, brothers and a ferret! Had me on my toes to the end of the book and then became sad as I realised that I had finished and may have to wait a while before the next book. sigh.
Anyways I recommend that you read the first book to this series (before this one most obviously) which is called "Chimera" cause it may clear things up for you a little so you kinda then get the flow of this book.
If you enjoyed the first series of Rob's which is the Cal leandros ( which to this day still remains my favoroute series :) ). Then you will most definately fallidng for these two bad ass kicking brothers as well in no time.
Jam packed with all the things I love in books guns, action, brothers and a ferret! Had me on my toes to the end of the book and then became sad as I realised that I had finished and may have to wait a while before the next book. sigh.
Anyways I recommend that you read the first book to this series (before this one most obviously) which is called "Chimera" cause it may clear things up for you a little so you kinda then get the flow of this book.
If you enjoyed the first series of Rob's which is the Cal leandros ( which to this day still remains my favoroute series :) ). Then you will most definately fallidng for these two bad ass kicking brothers as well in no time.
January 26, 2012
I didn't like it. I like some of Rob's books, but.. I think I can only deal with one pair of dysfunctional co-dependant brothers. At the point where the lead character was thinking what an awesome lethal, smart guy he was and the ferret was biting his brother again, I just decided I'd had enough. It wasn't funny, cute or entertaining, just kind of hokey. I'm also not really into the mafia hitguy stuff. If you have to tell yourself your smart, and a lethal weapon, chances are you are really not as awesome as you think.
I'm going to stick with the Cal Leandros books. I just can't get enough Goodfellow and give these a pass.
I'm going to stick with the Cal Leandros books. I just can't get enough Goodfellow and give these a pass.
August 10, 2011
This book opens with Stefan and Misha hiding from the Institution and trying to build a new life for themselves. Misha's abilities are growing in leaps and bounds as is his relationship with Stefan. I love the way Rob Thurman builds strong brotherly relations. It really draws me into the characters. I liked this book and was entertained by the action. I felt the ending was a tiny bit anticlimactic which is why I gave it 4 stars but for a second book in a series, it was pretty good. I hope she continues to write about the Korsak brothers.
September 23, 2011
Going to review this and its big brother Chimera when I have the time... for now, just marking it as TOTALLY living up to its predecessor and actually, exceeding my expectations. Another intelligent, dark, action-packed, gritty AND witty read written by the snark-tastic Rob Thurman!
June 22, 2015
I liked this book, but I still can't help feeling like Stefan and Misha are only shadows of the characters in her other books. This one fleshes out Misha a lot more. While the ride is enjoyable and unpredictable, it just made me want to re-read the trickster books and Cal and Niko series again. Maybe I just like those guys better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2011
Really enjoyed this one, but I still prefer the Cal Leandros series, hence 4 stars.
November 12, 2011
Entertaining, but nothing more.
October 10, 2020
Oddly for me, I did not finish this book. It fell flat. No magic, no interesting beings...just 2 brothers trying to find children made killing machines, while being hunted by a relentless man. If not for his altered DNA giving him healing powers and the ability to kill at a touch, Micha would be just an ordinary young man on a road trip with his brother.
I guess Rob Thurman's urban fantasy series have spoiled me.
I guess Rob Thurman's urban fantasy series have spoiled me.
October 27, 2012
3.5 at times
Sequel to Chimera. The brothers have been on the run for three years, free from the mob and the Institute, first in Bolivia and now in a small town in the Pacific northwest. Michael is your average teen working at the local coffee-shop. Stefan a painter and jack-of-all-trades. Life is good. they have a home. Stefan is content. Michael is working to find a cure for the others so they can be freed. They had Saul track down the new location and they are just waiting for a break-through.
Then Stefan and Michael's father, Anotoly, is murdered and everything spirals out of control as their pasts catch up to them.
Genius might be described as a supreme capacity for getting its possessors into trouble of all kinds. ~ Samuel Butler (1835 - 1902)
Fantasy abandoned by reason creates impossible monsters... ~ Francisco Goya 1799
Impeccable opening. Transitioning from Stefan to Michael in a situation that guaranteed my interest to see what would happen next. I also like to think that because of Michael's psychic healing/killing abilities, in that moment when he healed Stefan and all those thoughts were running through his head, they were transferred to Stefan and so Stefan knows what Misha thinks of him. Knows without doubt that he had done the right things for Misha.
For continuity, though, I wish Michael's thoughts matched precisely with his thoughts when Stefan dies later in the book. Only part of it is there.
Misha is an unreliable narrator because he knows that he is not Lucas but refers to himself as Lucas and talks about not being able to remember, etc., when he knows he never could remember and never could have. They are not biologically brothers. I just don't understand why that issue was not addressed earlier in the narrative.
p. 232 -234
Michael uses his genetic abilities on Stefan - a huge violation of their trust in one another. It was wrong and careless. He put Stefan to sleep, trying to let him rest but it resulted in Misha getting shot in the head when he goes outside without Stefan.
"When you went outside without me."
"You were asleep. You needed the rest," I pointed out.
"Without me. What did you do, Michael?"
There was no Misha now. He knew what I'd done....
"I would've woken up when you opened that door. After the mob, after what you and I lived through before, I would've woken up and we both know it."
I'd disappointed him. There hadn't been a time Stefan had been disappointed in me until now...
I walked in silence behind him. I had issues. Anyone raised at the Institute would, but I hadn't felt this worthless and guilt in my life. He was the sole family I had and I'd let him down.
p.90
In the beginning, when he'd rescued me, taught me how to live in the real world, taught me... everything, he was nothing but patient. He was the most patient, protective ex-mobster you could find, because he knew how damaged I was, which I think might have been only marginally more damaged than he was from guilt and despair. Not once in almost two years did he ever snap or lose his temper with me, even if I deserved it - especially if I deserved it.. But after two years, he went from treating me as a phantom brother who would disappear at any moment and started treating me like a real brother. It turned out I liked that. After two years, I wanted to be given a verbal ass-kicking when I deserved it, I wanted to pay off the half-blown-up garage, etc. I wanted all of that. Why? Because that meant no matter how annoying I was and how quickly Stefan would make sure I paid the price, he always had my back. He protected me from anyone and anything. Blood is thicker than delinquent behavior. And while that wasn't one hundred percent correct (not actually related), I took it. Good, bad, and all that came between, Stefan would always be my brother, my family, and that was something. That was really something.
Sequel to Chimera. The brothers have been on the run for three years, free from the mob and the Institute, first in Bolivia and now in a small town in the Pacific northwest. Michael is your average teen working at the local coffee-shop. Stefan a painter and jack-of-all-trades. Life is good. they have a home. Stefan is content. Michael is working to find a cure for the others so they can be freed. They had Saul track down the new location and they are just waiting for a break-through.
Then Stefan and Michael's father, Anotoly, is murdered and everything spirals out of control as their pasts catch up to them.
Genius might be described as a supreme capacity for getting its possessors into trouble of all kinds. ~ Samuel Butler (1835 - 1902)
Fantasy abandoned by reason creates impossible monsters... ~ Francisco Goya 1799
Impeccable opening. Transitioning from Stefan to Michael in a situation that guaranteed my interest to see what would happen next. I also like to think that because of Michael's psychic healing/killing abilities, in that moment when he healed Stefan and all those thoughts were running through his head, they were transferred to Stefan and so Stefan knows what Misha thinks of him. Knows without doubt that he had done the right things for Misha.
For continuity, though, I wish Michael's thoughts matched precisely with his thoughts when Stefan dies later in the book. Only part of it is there.
Misha is an unreliable narrator because he knows that he is not Lucas but refers to himself as Lucas and talks about not being able to remember, etc., when he knows he never could remember and never could have. They are not biologically brothers. I just don't understand why that issue was not addressed earlier in the narrative.
But more than that, there was Stefan. He was overprotective and called me kid, but he was my brother - mine - and I sort of loved him. Not that I'd say that. You couldn't just go and say things like that aloud. Tv said so. Movies said so. General guy culture said so - I'd learned that from close conversation. Everything said so.Almost three years with him and the possibility of losing him said so.
Funny the things you don't want to say and tempt fate, the things you don't want to admit to yourself, no matter how often you think them. We were free and alive now, but that might not always be true.
p. 232 -234
Michael uses his genetic abilities on Stefan - a huge violation of their trust in one another. It was wrong and careless. He put Stefan to sleep, trying to let him rest but it resulted in Misha getting shot in the head when he goes outside without Stefan.
"When you went outside without me."
"You were asleep. You needed the rest," I pointed out.
"Without me. What did you do, Michael?"
There was no Misha now. He knew what I'd done....
"I would've woken up when you opened that door. After the mob, after what you and I lived through before, I would've woken up and we both know it."
I'd disappointed him. There hadn't been a time Stefan had been disappointed in me until now...
I walked in silence behind him. I had issues. Anyone raised at the Institute would, but I hadn't felt this worthless and guilt in my life. He was the sole family I had and I'd let him down.
p.90
In the beginning, when he'd rescued me, taught me how to live in the real world, taught me... everything, he was nothing but patient. He was the most patient, protective ex-mobster you could find, because he knew how damaged I was, which I think might have been only marginally more damaged than he was from guilt and despair. Not once in almost two years did he ever snap or lose his temper with me, even if I deserved it - especially if I deserved it.. But after two years, he went from treating me as a phantom brother who would disappear at any moment and started treating me like a real brother. It turned out I liked that. After two years, I wanted to be given a verbal ass-kicking when I deserved it, I wanted to pay off the half-blown-up garage, etc. I wanted all of that. Why? Because that meant no matter how annoying I was and how quickly Stefan would make sure I paid the price, he always had my back. He protected me from anyone and anything. Blood is thicker than delinquent behavior. And while that wasn't one hundred percent correct (not actually related), I took it. Good, bad, and all that came between, Stefan would always be my brother, my family, and that was something. That was really something.
I'd finally found that different kind of truth - a lie that wasn't a lie at all. Stefan knew I wasn't Lukas, but he knew I was his brother, the same as I knew that he was mine, that being brothers had nothing to do with sharing the same blood. He wouldn't ever tell me about Lukas and he would hope I'd never find out. He wouldn't risk that I'd again feel those doubts that I had following my rescue or that I would think he considered me any less of the brother he'd been born with. That was Stefan. And that was fine. That was better than fine. Some things didn't have to be said aloud.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2019
Liked this one just as much as the first. So much brotherly banter and feels to be had here ^_^ I also liked how this one was told from Misha's POV while the other was told from Stefan's. I just really wish there were more of these books because as much as I loved the Cal and Niko series, I think in a lot of ways, I liked these better.
September 8, 2020
Much gore, deaths. Mike tells how he is stronger than when rescued, but refuses to kill. "Basilisk" Wendy 10 can even kill her fellow Institute chimera (bi-color eyes) students, helped Peter lead an escape. The rebels want to punish Mike, who has tried, with Net pal Ariel, to make a cure for killers.
June 16, 2019
Rob Thurman is my patron saint of bromance. Dare I say I liked Misha and Stefan's dynamic even more than another certain set of brothers? There's (a tiny bit) less angst in this series, which I appreciated.
July 19, 2017
Started very slow, kept putting it down and not returning for weeks - partly busyness and party lack of interest. Built to some good action. Overall an enjoyable read.
May 13, 2018
4,25
May 24, 2021
A fun fluff. Violent, murderous fluff, but fun.
October 21, 2022
4.5 stars
August 17, 2012
Publisher Description: Stefan Korsak and his genetically-altered brother have evaded the Institute for three years. When they learn the new location of the secret lab, they plan to break in and save the remaining children there. But one of the little ones doesn't want to leave. She wants to kill...
Lukas Korsak was stolen as a child and taken to an institute where he was trained and raised to kill without remorse and taught how to do it with just one touch. He was rescued in book one of the Korsak Brothers series by his older brother Stefan, a former Mob enforcer, who is dedicated to protecting his younger brother and hiding him from the men who wish to either use Lukas (now known as Mischa) as a killing machine again, or to do away with him all together. This book has the brothers being found out by a government agency that wants to clean up the mess and kill them both, and so they are on the run. Mischa wants to break into the institute and save/rescue any of the children that could be saved, but when the brothers arrive at the institute they find all the keepers dead and by watching the video of the children's escape, they realize that there are two of the children who like to kill and who will continue to so so unless stopped. The brothers have to out run the agency trying to kill them, while they track down the escaped children and try to find a way to rescue the children who are being forced to kill from the two who are evil.
Rob Thurman is the author of the Leandros Brothers Series and the Korsak Brothers series. Both feature an older brother whose younger brother disappeared/was kidnapped for a time and bad things happened to him, for which on some level the older brother feels guilty about. I wish I could say the similarities end there, but they don't.
Cal Leandros is the wise cracking younger brother who does things he shouldn't that draw attention to them. He sometimes surprises Niko by having an ace up his sleeve and a head on his shoulder. He acts immature at times but wishes his brother would recognize he is a man. No matter how much his brother loves him, would die for him, he still thinks of himself as a monster.
Mischa Korsak of Chimera and Basilisk is the younger brother who was kidnapped and taken away from his protective older brother. He is "learning" to crack wise with pop culture since he was basically a prisoner his entire childhood. So we get lots of him making jokes and trying them out. He sometimes hides his plans from his brother because he knows he wouldn't approve. He knows his brother would die for him, and he is trying his best to not be a monster.
Niko and Stefan are the more normal older brothers who try to keep their younger brothers out of trouble while keeping them under the radar of those who are looking for their younger brothers to do them harm. They have spent the recent past of their lives on the run, so they could hide and protect their younger siblings, they sacrifice everything for them. Niko and Stefan are both incredibly good at fighting and while they are violent men they wish they could be peaceful and leave the violence in the past, but will do anything to protect their younger siblings. I could go on and on.
The world is different. Somewhat. In the Leandros world, there are magical beings that the normals don't know about, like Pucks, and Peri's, however Cal is a killing machine who is only tempered by his brother's restraint. In the Korsak world there is the institute that took Mischa and made him into a killing machine which he can do with just a touch, and the humanity of his brother Stefan teaches him to be more careful and show restraint.
Look...am I the only person who thinks this is odd for an author to basically re-create the same story all over again with just a few changes? Even the little tiny nod to the slightest wisp of a romance turns out to be with a psychopath for both Cal and Mischa.
The books of this series (which is ending at two I believe, with Chimera being from Stefan's point of view and Chimera being from Mischa's) are as always...well written. Thurman writes tight prose, great action, and as with the Leandros series, the love between the brothers is believeable and heartwarming. Mischa is smart and funny, the violence is sudden and brutal, and the two brothers work together nearly seamlessly as a team to bring down the bad guys.
If you read Basilisk and liked it, you should love this book. If you like the Leandros brothers and can't wait for the next addition, this should certainly tide you over. But I can't help but wonder how when this series was pitched someone didn't say..."This sounds amazingly familiar." I still would have found it too similar if it had been two sisters or a Mother/Daughter or a Father/Son, but at least it wouldn't have been identical.
Lukas Korsak was stolen as a child and taken to an institute where he was trained and raised to kill without remorse and taught how to do it with just one touch. He was rescued in book one of the Korsak Brothers series by his older brother Stefan, a former Mob enforcer, who is dedicated to protecting his younger brother and hiding him from the men who wish to either use Lukas (now known as Mischa) as a killing machine again, or to do away with him all together. This book has the brothers being found out by a government agency that wants to clean up the mess and kill them both, and so they are on the run. Mischa wants to break into the institute and save/rescue any of the children that could be saved, but when the brothers arrive at the institute they find all the keepers dead and by watching the video of the children's escape, they realize that there are two of the children who like to kill and who will continue to so so unless stopped. The brothers have to out run the agency trying to kill them, while they track down the escaped children and try to find a way to rescue the children who are being forced to kill from the two who are evil.
Rob Thurman is the author of the Leandros Brothers Series and the Korsak Brothers series. Both feature an older brother whose younger brother disappeared/was kidnapped for a time and bad things happened to him, for which on some level the older brother feels guilty about. I wish I could say the similarities end there, but they don't.
Cal Leandros is the wise cracking younger brother who does things he shouldn't that draw attention to them. He sometimes surprises Niko by having an ace up his sleeve and a head on his shoulder. He acts immature at times but wishes his brother would recognize he is a man. No matter how much his brother loves him, would die for him, he still thinks of himself as a monster.
Mischa Korsak of Chimera and Basilisk is the younger brother who was kidnapped and taken away from his protective older brother. He is "learning" to crack wise with pop culture since he was basically a prisoner his entire childhood. So we get lots of him making jokes and trying them out. He sometimes hides his plans from his brother because he knows he wouldn't approve. He knows his brother would die for him, and he is trying his best to not be a monster.
Niko and Stefan are the more normal older brothers who try to keep their younger brothers out of trouble while keeping them under the radar of those who are looking for their younger brothers to do them harm. They have spent the recent past of their lives on the run, so they could hide and protect their younger siblings, they sacrifice everything for them. Niko and Stefan are both incredibly good at fighting and while they are violent men they wish they could be peaceful and leave the violence in the past, but will do anything to protect their younger siblings. I could go on and on.
The world is different. Somewhat. In the Leandros world, there are magical beings that the normals don't know about, like Pucks, and Peri's, however Cal is a killing machine who is only tempered by his brother's restraint. In the Korsak world there is the institute that took Mischa and made him into a killing machine which he can do with just a touch, and the humanity of his brother Stefan teaches him to be more careful and show restraint.
Look...am I the only person who thinks this is odd for an author to basically re-create the same story all over again with just a few changes? Even the little tiny nod to the slightest wisp of a romance turns out to be with a psychopath for both Cal and Mischa.
The books of this series (which is ending at two I believe, with Chimera being from Stefan's point of view and Chimera being from Mischa's) are as always...well written. Thurman writes tight prose, great action, and as with the Leandros series, the love between the brothers is believeable and heartwarming. Mischa is smart and funny, the violence is sudden and brutal, and the two brothers work together nearly seamlessly as a team to bring down the bad guys.
If you read Basilisk and liked it, you should love this book. If you like the Leandros brothers and can't wait for the next addition, this should certainly tide you over. But I can't help but wonder how when this series was pitched someone didn't say..."This sounds amazingly familiar." I still would have found it too similar if it had been two sisters or a Mother/Daughter or a Father/Son, but at least it wouldn't have been identical.
March 4, 2017
From Magnolia Reviews: Four Petals
I've lost count of how many times I've reread this book. The characters are so engaging and the humor in the story is so much fun. The plot can feel a bit jumpy at times, but overall I always enjoy reading this story and absolutely recommend it.
Read the full review on Maggie's website: http://magnoliareviews.weebly.com/rev...
I've lost count of how many times I've reread this book. The characters are so engaging and the humor in the story is so much fun. The plot can feel a bit jumpy at times, but overall I always enjoy reading this story and absolutely recommend it.
Read the full review on Maggie's website: http://magnoliareviews.weebly.com/rev...
March 3, 2012
This review contains spoilers from the first book, Chimera.
If I could marry Rob Thurman’s characters, I would. However, that would probably require magic and moving to Utah, and I can’t do one and have no desire to do the other.
It’s been three years since Stefan broke Michael out of the hell hole that was the Institute and during that time the younger Korsak, because despite not being related by blood, they really are brothers, has been learning how to be a normal teenager, or at least as normal as an assassin who’s been trained since birth can be. The brothers have settled in Cascade Falls, Oregon, where Misha’s been trying to find a cure to deactivate the killer gene that’s in all of the Institute’s children. To do this, he’s been studying biochemistry and neurology at a PhD level and has been assisted by a 22-year-old genius in New York City named Ariel, who’s a researcher at the Weill Cornell Medical College who, of course, doesn’t really know who she’s helping or what she’s helping him do.
However, you know that the mostly idyllic life they’ve built for themselves cannot go on forever, particularly when they realize that they not only have to deal with Marcus Belluci, who’s still out there, but another shady government agent named Raynor has been hunting for Michael as well.
There really isn’t too much else to tell. The plot is fairly simple and straightforward, but I can’t talk about it without giving too much away because, as with all of Thurman’s books, there are twists and turns in the story that you didn’t see coming, though some you can guess.
I liked how this book was from Misha’s point of view. His take on everyday things is laugh-out-loud funny (lolcats anyone?) as are his continued attempts to be a normal teenager and to convince Stefan that his is not, in fact, a kid. And I love that Godzilla and Saul were back. Saul had a much bigger part in the second book than he did in the first and I loved it. The way he severely antagonized Misha, sometimes even unwittingly, was hilarious. And we find more things out about the Institute and what they were up to outside of its walls that is a bit terrifying and that, coupled with some things that happened at the end, should ensure that Thurman will have plenty of more books to write.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, writes guys, particularly brothers, better than Thurman. She gives them heart without making them sappy wimps. Her trademark sarcastic, witty banter between characters is present, as are great action scenes and a thrilling plot with healthy doses of tension and gut-wrenching drama thrown in.
Fans of the first book should eat up this one up, as it’s just as good as the first in the series. There’s no mention of third installment, but I don’t see how her publishers can’t be clamoring for one, I know I am.
If I could marry Rob Thurman’s characters, I would. However, that would probably require magic and moving to Utah, and I can’t do one and have no desire to do the other.
It’s been three years since Stefan broke Michael out of the hell hole that was the Institute and during that time the younger Korsak, because despite not being related by blood, they really are brothers, has been learning how to be a normal teenager, or at least as normal as an assassin who’s been trained since birth can be. The brothers have settled in Cascade Falls, Oregon, where Misha’s been trying to find a cure to deactivate the killer gene that’s in all of the Institute’s children. To do this, he’s been studying biochemistry and neurology at a PhD level and has been assisted by a 22-year-old genius in New York City named Ariel, who’s a researcher at the Weill Cornell Medical College who, of course, doesn’t really know who she’s helping or what she’s helping him do.
However, you know that the mostly idyllic life they’ve built for themselves cannot go on forever, particularly when they realize that they not only have to deal with Marcus Belluci, who’s still out there, but another shady government agent named Raynor has been hunting for Michael as well.
There really isn’t too much else to tell. The plot is fairly simple and straightforward, but I can’t talk about it without giving too much away because, as with all of Thurman’s books, there are twists and turns in the story that you didn’t see coming, though some you can guess.
I liked how this book was from Misha’s point of view. His take on everyday things is laugh-out-loud funny (lolcats anyone?) as are his continued attempts to be a normal teenager and to convince Stefan that his is not, in fact, a kid. And I love that Godzilla and Saul were back. Saul had a much bigger part in the second book than he did in the first and I loved it. The way he severely antagonized Misha, sometimes even unwittingly, was hilarious. And we find more things out about the Institute and what they were up to outside of its walls that is a bit terrifying and that, coupled with some things that happened at the end, should ensure that Thurman will have plenty of more books to write.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, writes guys, particularly brothers, better than Thurman. She gives them heart without making them sappy wimps. Her trademark sarcastic, witty banter between characters is present, as are great action scenes and a thrilling plot with healthy doses of tension and gut-wrenching drama thrown in.
Fans of the first book should eat up this one up, as it’s just as good as the first in the series. There’s no mention of third installment, but I don’t see how her publishers can’t be clamoring for one, I know I am.
August 10, 2016
The action, suspense, breakneck plot twists, and emotional wild ride continues as brothers Stefan and Michael Korsak find themselves still wrapped up in the Institute's evil doings. The rest of the "students" are still out there...like Wendy, whose powers are stronger than almost everyone else's. Whereas the rest of the chimeras need to have physical contact with a victim to harm them, Wendy can do it with a mere thought. And she does.
The second installment in the series finds Stefan and Michael in a small, quiet town, which may seem a bit too idyllic to some, but I actually thought it was kind of sweet (though neither of the brothers would use that word to describe it, of course). But it's that chance to give the characters a normal, happy life, one that I, as a reader, wanted for them, because they are such good guys. It's kind of like the one flashback sequence in Terminator II: Judgement Day where you see Sarah Connor as she might have been with baby John...happier, more carefree. All that. The good news is, though, Michael and Stefan's happiness is a bit more long-lived than that...at least at first.
So. Jericho may have been killed in the first book, but the Institute, its students, its ideas, still live on. And Michael and Stefan want to put an end to that. This time around, the story is told from Michael's point of view--an interesting change from Chimera which was all from Stefan's point of view. It was an interesting change, and it works well, though there was something about living the story from Stefan's POV in the first installment that really drove it home. Lost, fallen from grace bad-guy-who-has-a-heart-of-gold-but-would-never-admit-it -- Stefan -- pining away for the brother he'd lost as a child was really good, really emotional in all the right ways. And while this story was excellent, the first one was just a very little bit more excellent. There is something about the chase, the discovery of Michael, in the first book, that no sequel could rival. And the story doesn't try to do that, so it's all good. Because this is different. The first story was about Stefan rescuing Michael. Older brother saving the life of younger brother (though that salvation went both ways). This time...three years have past. Michael is growing up, and wants to be treated like an equal partner, instead of the "little brother." And so Michael starts to take the lead in some situations...with interesting results.
There is lots of excitement, lots of "going places" (I'm always a fan of stories where they cover a lot of ground, probably because I love covering a lot of ground myself) and a few surprises I didn't see coming at all. This was a really good read, and I am hoping very much that there is more to come.
The second installment in the series finds Stefan and Michael in a small, quiet town, which may seem a bit too idyllic to some, but I actually thought it was kind of sweet (though neither of the brothers would use that word to describe it, of course). But it's that chance to give the characters a normal, happy life, one that I, as a reader, wanted for them, because they are such good guys. It's kind of like the one flashback sequence in Terminator II: Judgement Day where you see Sarah Connor as she might have been with baby John...happier, more carefree. All that. The good news is, though, Michael and Stefan's happiness is a bit more long-lived than that...at least at first.
So. Jericho may have been killed in the first book, but the Institute, its students, its ideas, still live on. And Michael and Stefan want to put an end to that. This time around, the story is told from Michael's point of view--an interesting change from Chimera which was all from Stefan's point of view. It was an interesting change, and it works well, though there was something about living the story from Stefan's POV in the first installment that really drove it home. Lost, fallen from grace bad-guy-who-has-a-heart-of-gold-but-would-never-admit-it -- Stefan -- pining away for the brother he'd lost as a child was really good, really emotional in all the right ways. And while this story was excellent, the first one was just a very little bit more excellent. There is something about the chase, the discovery of Michael, in the first book, that no sequel could rival. And the story doesn't try to do that, so it's all good. Because this is different. The first story was about Stefan rescuing Michael. Older brother saving the life of younger brother (though that salvation went both ways). This time...three years have past. Michael is growing up, and wants to be treated like an equal partner, instead of the "little brother." And so Michael starts to take the lead in some situations...with interesting results.
There is lots of excitement, lots of "going places" (I'm always a fan of stories where they cover a lot of ground, probably because I love covering a lot of ground myself) and a few surprises I didn't see coming at all. This was a really good read, and I am hoping very much that there is more to come.
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