Basilisk

by Graham Masterton

When a scientist's wife is injured by a basilisk he faces a terrible choice...let her die, or join with its creator to breed more killers. Nathan Underhill is right out at the cutting edge of stem-cell research: attempting to recreate mythological creatures such as gryphons and gargoyles in order to cure medical conditions like Alzheimer's and MS. After five years of research, however, his latest experiment fails, and he loses his funding. But when his doctor wife Grace loses an elderly patient in unusual circumstances, Nathan suspects that somebody else has been trying to breed mythical hybrids...and succeeded. Nathan and Grace investigate, and discover that Doctor Zauber, owner of the local care home, has brought to life one of the most dangerous creatures of medieval times - the basilisk, which could reputedly kill any living thing with a single stare. Grace narrowly escapes being killed, but she is put into a coma. Nathan is faced with an impossible dilemma - lose Grace for ever, or enter into an unholy alliance with Doctor Zauber to breed more mythological beasts, at the cost of many more human lives.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook, Science Fiction

217 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Graham Masterton was born in Edinburgh in 1946. His grandfather was Thomas Thorne Baker, the eminent scientist who invented DayGlo and was the first man to transmit news photographs by wireless. After training as a newspaper reporter, Graham went on to edit the new British men's magazine Mayfair, where he encouraged William Burroughs to develop a series of scientific and philosophical articles which eventually became Burroughs' novel The Wild Boys.

At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Woman, Woman's Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines.

Graham Masterton's debut as a horror author began with The Manitou in 1976, a chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man. It became an instant bestseller and was filmed with Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, Stella Stevens and Ann Sothern.

Altogether Graham has written more than a hundred novels ranging from thrillers (The Sweetman Curve, Ikon) to disaster novels (Plague, Famine) to historical sagas (Rich and Maiden Voyage - both appeared in the New York Times bestseller list). He has published four collections of short stories, Fortnight of Fear, Flights of Fear, Faces of Fear and Feelings of Fear.

He has also written horror novels for children (House of Bones, Hair-Raiser) and has just finished the fifth volume in a very popular series for young adults, Rook, based on the adventures of an idiosyncratic remedial English teacher in a Los Angeles community college who has the facility to see ghosts.

Since then Graham has published more than 35 horror novels, including Charnel House, which was awarded a Special Edgar by Mystery Writers of America; Mirror, which was awarded a Silver Medal by West Coast Review of Books; and Family Portrait, an update of Oscar Wilde's tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger in France.

He and his wife Wiescka live in a Gothic Victorian mansion high above the River Lee in Cork, Ireland.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prof Underhill deals with crypto zoology and tries to create a mythological being, a gryphon. A home resident visited by his wife, an MD, says the residents are frightened by a strange creature that comes at night (it's called the sack dragger). Dr Zauber, a German scientist and director of the home, denies allegations. But what is he really into? Why is he so interested in Nathan Underhill. The situation escalates as Grace, Underhill's wife, falls into a coma and Zauber appears in the dreams of Nathan Underhill. Can her husband save her? What is Zauber's connection to crypto zoology? This isn't one of Graham's best novels. I liked the reference to mythological creatures and basilisks but the plot was a bit predictable and plain. The horror was just so and so. Zauber's role as a director and his flight to Poland deemed rather implausible. The whole story had many gaps. Maybe Graham chose the location as he has strong ties to that country. In the end a quick read but certainly one of his weaker books. Recommended when you want to know more about basilisks or gryphons.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basilisk is an entertaining mad scientist story mixed with a lot of off-beat mythology. It's frequently sillier than a soup sandwich, what with the mysterious Egyptian nurse, mass murder at the old folks' home, psi powers, the inclusion of the young and perky journalist, the lack of parenting skills of the good doctor, and, Hey! Let's all go to Poland!, but there were some fun bits mixed in with all the craziness. It's set in Philadelphia with a supposedly American family but there are frequent very British phrases and idioms which add to the confusion, but I did enjoy some of the mythological explorations. I waffled between two and three but rounded up.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Masterton exercises his famous formula to a considerable success. Having read so many of his books, the patterns are undeniable, but kudos to the author for still making an effort to create something original each time, including a great historical backstory (one of my favorite things about his writing) and very engaging and enjoyable writing. Masterton's got a great knack for dialogue and realistic characters, they provide a nice solid base for the otherwise outlandish (or at the very least far fetched) plots, in this case one involving another one of my favorite things cryptozoology. This book echoes The Chosen Child in a way, eugenics, selective breeding experimentation and all that, although it's lighter and much slimmer of a read. More of a recent Masterton than the gory glory days of yesteryear's epics and I'm sure his fans will understand this. Shout out to Philadelphia as the primary setting. And once again Masterton goes back to his favorite European locale for a sort of international creature feature. Lots of fun, quick and very entertaining read. Recommended.

[Sharon Layburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every once in a while my friends and I like to indulge in a viewing of one of the SyFy original movies on cable, classics such as Sharktopus or Mega Python vs. Gatoroid. Some of them are half-way decent, but the best ones are the movies that are so bad they're fantastic! The book Basilisk was like a printed version of one of those films. If you have the ability to ignore the slightly clunky writing, the stilted conversation and the occasional two dimensional character, the insane storyline really is enough to make the read worthwhile. After deciding to just go with the flow, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the absolute ridiculousness of the plot. Especially towards the end, I found myself gasping, laughing out loud, and tearing through the pages as quickly as I could.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graham Masterton has a special place in my heart. My first horror books were cheap Masterton paperbacks we would buy secondhand and then lend to one another, not too unhappy if the book never came back.

So now, to break my reading slump I went back to the very roots of my book taste, hoping for at least an evening if creepy fun. And that is exactly what I got.

Suspension of disbelief was a bit of a challenge at first, when we have to believe that mainstream research facility would openly finance a project bringing back(?) to life an actual griffin straight out of mythology. And it almost worked. However, once we get over it, the rest follows internal logic.

In the classic Masterton fashion, we follow a father and a son brought together by the supernatural threat looming over their family. It's done as adequately as expected, I just need to comment on underage drinking--another reader might have a problem with it as a part of the story at all; meanwhile, I still remember my school days, so it only made me laugh what a lightweight Denver is. Might be an attempt to keep the teenage readers from drinking.

I picked this book especially because half of the action takes place in a city I used to live in. And compared to the first time Masterton tried to reach into Polish history, this one is almost perfect! While I think it's criminal to talk about basilisks and never mention Krzysztofory, I understand the very name of the place can send a shiver down your spine. What balanced it out for me was deep research into the magical herbs used in the reguon, as well as a smart way American characters found their way around the name Rafał. "Raffo" really is a good approximation.
Actually, it's the German part that made me roll my eyes, starting with the big bad being called Zauber. Anyone speaking a bit of German, take a wild guess what is his main hobby.

Under it all, though, there is a relationship that feels authentic enough to excuse putting the wife in coma, and genuine sympathy towards every monster encountered, from the first tiny griffin that was mourned not just because its death meant the end of the project. And some scenes gave me the chills, which isn't that often these days.

[Adam Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems like Masterton has a life-long goal of making ancient legends and rituals into novels. Hell, he even has a novel called Ritual. Anyway, Basilisk falls into the

ancient legends and mythical creatures category. If any of you have read a little novel called Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you may be familiar with a

Basilisk but get that giant snake out of your head. Masterton's Basilisk totally surprised me because it did not resemble "the King of Serpents" at all. I found the

description to be both interesting and terrifying because you never really get a brightly-lit picture of the thing. On top of that, the novel moves with the relentless

pace of most of the Masterton work I have read and, despite an incredibly ridiculous plot, Masterton makes it work. I don't think the book could have been handled any

better and, in the wrong hands, it would have been more disasterous than the creations in the pages. Judging by the online ratings, a lot of people did find it to be

rather disappointing but I thought it was a lot of fun and something different. I can honestly say I haven't really read a book about the same subject matter at all,

although the ending some-what kills the originality by being, how can I say it... unoriginal.

[Steve Conoboy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spectacularly bad.
The idea was alright. Scientist tries to bring mythical creatures to life, although the reasons are vague (betterment of mankind blah blah blah). However...
It's not often I give up halfway through a book, but the dialogue and characterisation in this novel was causing me pain. I honestly haven't come across a novel so ridiculous with such incredible plot leaps. At one point the main character tells his wife he believes a basilisk is wandering around the local old people's home, and she basically shrugs and suggests they go get it. I can't believe for one second that any thought whatsoever was put behind any part of this story. I haven't even started talking about the evil German doctor yet. No, I can't bring myself to discuss it.
One good thing about all of this - I am utterly convinced that I can write better than this. In fact, I'm certain that my cat can, and he's an idiot.

[Gina L · Rating 2 out of 5]

'nicht gut' as Doctor Zauber might say.

[DziwakLiteracki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nathan Underhill dał się poznać światu jako kryptozoolog stojący na progu przełomowego odkrycia. Jego eksperymenty zyskały popularność głównie ze względu na ich przedmiot badawczy oraz możliwości, które mogłyby zaoferować nauce. Underhill pracuje bowiem nad odtworzeniem komórek macierzystych gryfa – mitycznego stworzenia żyjącego parę setek lat temu i dzisiaj prawdopodobnie – będącymi oczywistym remedium na kilka najpoważniejszych chorób jakimi została obarczona ludzkość. Niestety, prowadzone doświadczenia nie przynoszą oczekiwanych rezultatów, a instytut sponsorujący testy wstrzymuje swoje dotacje.

W tym samym czasie żona profesora, Grace, podczas rutynowej wizyty w domu spokojnej starości Murdstone, słyszy od jednej z podopiecznych dziwną uwagę. Starsza pani skarży się na niepokojące odgłosy dochodzące zza jej drzwi; budzą w niej strach, bo brzmią naprawdę przerażająco i zawsze zaczynają się późną nocą - dźwięk przesuwania czegoś ciężkiego poprzedzony mrożącym krew w żyłach krzykiem, wywołuje nie tylko lęk, ale także pewne wątpliwości. Grace zbywa uwagi pensjonariuszki śmiechem, próbując zrzucić je na karb przemęczenia i zbyt wybujałej fantazji, jednak z czasem - kiedy sprawy nabierają prawdziwie niefortunnego charakteru - lekarka zaczyna dopuszczać do siebie myśl o niemożliwym.

Tą pozornie niedorzecznie historią, dzieli się z mężem, który od razu dostrzega niezwykłe zbiegi okoliczności. Nie mija nawet chwila, gdy małżeństwo Underhillów trafia na ślad prowadzący do właściciela ośrodka – tajemniczego doktora Zaubera, osobistości mającej, jak się szybko okaże, wiele wspólnego z zagadkowymi zniknięciami seniorów w Murdstone.
****

Nie wszystkie powieści Grahama Mastertona przypadają mi do gustu. Część z nich lubię, nawet bardzo, choć względem większości mam zasadniczo mieszane odczucia. Wynika to być może z nadto wygórowanych oczekiwań; historie, które tworzy autor mają zazwyczaj spory potencjał – rysują się intrygująco i zawierają mnóstwo ciekawych motywów, jednak równie często – nie są w stanie sprostać swym oczywistym założeniom. Ale nie zawsze, bo tytuł który wpadł niedawno w moje ręce, pewne wymogi spełnił; przyniósł satysfakcję, okazując się dokładnie taką lekturą, na jaką skrycie liczyłam – w pełni angażującą, porywającą, klimatyczną i nawet odrobinę… Zabawną!

Tak, dokładnie.
,,Bazyliszek’’ na pierwszy rzut oka zamiast przyśpieszonego bicia serca, wzbudzać może sceptycyzm, żeby nie powiedzieć - opętańczy chichot. W końcu fabuła, oparta o istnienie pradawnego stwora grasującego pod osłoną nocy i polującego na ofiary dobijające setki, nie może brzmieć poważnie – zwłaszcza, jeśli dorzucimy do tego motywy alchemii, czarnej magii, mity, legendy, wariackie eksperymenty i kupę naciąganych teorii spiskowych – prawda?

A i owszem, ale mimo to Mastertonowi w jakiś sposób udało się stworzyć kawał całkiem przyjemnie wciągającej rozrywki z uwzględnieniem wszystkich tych nieco absurdalnych aspektów, przedstawiając je w taki sposób, by wywoływały głównie zainteresowanie i chęć odkrywania dalszych losów bohaterów uwikłanych w śmiercionośną intrygę.

I faktycznie, przez znaczną część tej historii gna się niczym wicher – przystępny język, gawędziarski styl, krótkie rozdziały, wartka akcja oraz fantastycznie urokliwy nastrój horroru owianego nimbem tajemnicy osadzonej pośród niesamowitych bajań, skutecznie oczarowuje czytelnika spragnionego odrobiny ekscytujących wrażeń.
Mastertonowi udało się również - pod płaszczykiem sensacyjnej fabułki - przemycić kilka dyskusyjnych zagadnień, które z pewnością skłonią do refleksji.
Za sprawą poczynań dwóch zdeterminowanych badaczy, odbiorca będzie miał możliwość pochylenia się na konkretnymi dylematami moralnymi; nad zastanowieniem się jak wielką rolę może odgrywać nauka, jak niebezpieczne konsekwencje niesie za sobą chęć odkrycia tego, co dotąd pozostało ukryte; ile wyrzeczeń, poświeceń i cierpień należy weń włożyć, wreszcie – jaka jest właściwie cena przełamywania naturalnych praw oraz barier?

Kawał gatunkowej rozrywki, idealnej na jesienne wieczory!

[denudatio_pulpae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Profesor Nathan Underhill jest zoologiem, który pracuje nad bardzo specyficznym zagadnieniem – próbuje wskrzesić mityczne stworzenie, gryfa. Celem tego eksperymentu jest uzyskanie komórek macierzystych zwierzęcia, które mogłyby posłużyć do stworzenia nowych terapii wielu ciężkich chorób. Jego żona, lekarka, odwiedzając swoją pacjentkę w Domu Spokojnej Starości Murdston, dowiaduje się, że nocami dzieją się w nim dziwne rzeczy, a ludzie umierają. Kiedy opowiada o tym swojemu mężowi, ten odkrywa, że za tymi tajemniczymi zgonami może stać inna mityczna kreatura – bazyliszek. Tylko kto i po co miałby powołać do życia potwora, który zabija ludzi?

Z jednej strony fajna ciekawostka, bo tego typu potwory nie są raczej częstymi bohaterami horrorów. Z drugiej – sama książka jest dość nudna, naprawdę nie za wiele się tu dzieje, a potencjał mitycznych stworzeń został niewykorzystany. Mamy za to stereotypowego, szalonego niemieckiego naukowca, aż miałam momentami ochotę wywracać oczami, jak o nim czytałam.

Jest też polski wątek – bo gdzie szukać bazyliszka, jak nie w Krakowie? :) I była nawet magiczna Czarna księga autorstwa… Wincentego Kadłubka :)
5/10

[Ninjakicalka · Rating 3 out of 5]

W „Bazyliszku” po raz kolejny spotykamy się z motywem zabawy człowieka w Boga. Pewien profesor postawił sobie konkretny cel w życiu: zyskać popularność oraz pomóc ludzkości w leczeniu chorób. Próbuje więc powołać do życia mityczne zwierzę wydając na to mnóstwo nie swoich pieniędzy.

To dopiero pierwsze strony, potem zaczyna się dziać mnóstwo dziwnych, irracjonalnych rzeczy. W bardzo krótkim czasie bohaterowie podejmują ważne decyzje, akcja leci jak szalona i już na początku mamy plot twist. Zdecydowanie przydałoby się więcej niż 280 stron.

Jak to Masterton lubi, także tutaj wprowadził polskie smaczki. Dla niewtajemniczonych – jego żona była Polką, więc można natrafić na nie w wielu tytułach.

No i to chyba tyle, jest to niby horror, który w ogóle nie straszy, niestety. Nawet nie ma szans się pośmiać z czegokolwiek.

Jeszcze jedno – proszę, nie czytajcie opisu z tylnej okładki, bo to po prostu streszczenie CAŁEJ historii. I po co tak niszczyć lekturę?

[Ieva Valentinavičiūtė · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, and it was so hard to put down! Nathan is a scientist working on an ambitious project to bring mythical creatures back to life, intending to harvest their stem cells to revolutionize medicine. After his attempt fails, and his creature—a gryphon, half bird, half lion—does not survive, his lab is shut down and his research funding is cut off. However, someone else succeeds where he failed, and Nathan is confronted with a difficult moral dilemma when deciding whether to collaborate with this person. Because unlike Nathan the other scientist is not ethical.

Although this didn't quite feel like a typical Masterton book to me, I loved it all the same! The concept of creating mythical creatures was fascinating!

[David Crow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wildly entertaining mad scientist story, with the added charm of being partly set in Poland—an almost second home for me. Masterton’s deep understanding of Polish culture shines through, thanks to his extensive time spent there and his Polish wife. As someone who also has a Polish wife, I felt a special kinship with the story. It was a genuine delight to encounter familiar phrases, cultural nuances, and locations that I’ve personally enjoyed.

[Nicki Thoirs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is different from others I have read from Masterton. I was shocked that their was no gore within the story.
However, Masterton did not disappoint! The story follows Natan, a professor, who is trying to create mythical creatures in his lab so he can cure more complex ailments. Something goes wrong, and Nathan has to search far and wide for an alternative cure!

[Indigel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ogólnie to 1,5/5, bo aby poznać fabułę wystarczy przeczytać opis. Klimat momentami jest dobry, ale występuje tu tyle co kot napłakał. Już wątek bazyliszka w Harrym Potterze był straszniejszy. W ogóle nie to, czego się spodziewałam. Jedyny plus za Polskę, chociaż miałam wrażenie, że autor na siłę rzucał ciekawostkami odnośnie Krakowa, żeby wkupić się w serca polskich czytelników.
No i się nabrałam, bo mam słabą wolę.

[Marcelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5

[potwiór z brzegu-szafy · Rating 1 out of 5]

jaka sraka

[Michał · Rating 3 out of 5]

Książka idealna na leniwe niedzielne popołudnie. Pełna niewykorzystanego potencjału.

[Rupert Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny book about a Basilisk. I liked the chaos, I liked the slug man and I liked the reference to Halo 3.

[Fred Klein · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I enjoyed "The Hell Candidate", which this same author wrote under the name "Thomas Luke". This one did not measure up. As the other reviewers said, it was clunky and read like a bad TV movie. And, even for horror fiction, it was not plausible.

That being said, I'm now reading another book by the same author: "House of Bones". I'm more than halfway through and it's creepy and engaging. If it continues in this manner, I will recommend that readers interested in this author's work turn to HOB and "Hell Candidate" instead of "Basilisk".

[Paula Hebert · Rating 1 out of 5]

graham masterton's books used to scare the living bejeebers out of me and I loved it. I got halfway through this book and closed it forever. ho-hum I say. the plot develops so slowly I just couldn't bear it any more. plus it is so irritating when someone from england,or in this case ireland, tries to write a novel set in america, with american characters. they get the idioms all wrong, and throw in tons of englishisms. I just found it too grating to continue.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say that the last 2 Graham Masterson books i've read have been highly disappointing. If this book was the first I ever read of this author I would never read any more of his books.

I like the entire idea he had about re-creating mythical creatures but the way the story was told bored me to death. The characters were shallow and uninteresting.

Disappointed in this book. Glad it was short.

[Maciej Muszalski · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt like watching a B class horror movie, filled with cliches and irrational plot. It was a painful read. And the Polish fragments? Come on! Couldn't anyone check the spelling and grammar before publishing it?

[Maicie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish.

[Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was rolling my eyes through this one, I didn't complete the story, it was too far fetched.

[Bettie]

.

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring I couldn't finish.
ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graham Masterton’s Basilisk is a refreshingly streamlined entry in his extensive horror catalog, offering a fun and engaging story that leans more into contemporary thrills than his usual mix of over-the-top gore and dark humor. Centered around a plot involving gene editing and manipulation, the book taps into modern scientific anxieties while still delivering the supernatural edge fans expect.

The pacing is brisk, and the plot unfolds with just enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. What really stands out here is how dialed-back everything feels compared to Masterton’s usual fare. The grotesque imagery and outrageous one-liners are kept to a minimum, replaced instead with a more focused and accessible narrative that makes this a great starting point for newcomers to his work.

Characters are well-drawn for the most part, feeling relatively realistic in their reactions and decisions, which helps ground the more far-fetched elements of the story. There’s a sense of restraint here that serves the novel well—it’s still creepy, still tense, but less chaotic, and all the better for it.

Overall, Basilisk is a solid horror thriller that balances science and the supernatural with surprising finesse. While it may not hit the highs of Masterton’s most iconic works, its streamlined approach makes it a fun and satisfying read.




Graham Masterton’s Basilisk is a refreshingly streamlined entry in his extensive horror catalog, offering a fun and engaging story that leans more into contemporary thrills than his usual mix of over-the-top gore and dark humor. Centered around a plot involving gene editing and manipulation, the book taps into modern scientific anxieties while still delivering the supernatural edge fans expect.

The pacing is brisk, and the plot unfolds with just enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. While the story does veer into the silly and contrived at times—some twists require a bit of suspended disbelief—it’s all in good fun and fits the pulpy, genre-driven tone.

What really stands out here is how dialed-back everything feels compared to Masterton’s usual fare. The grotesque imagery and outrageous one-liners are kept to a minimum, replaced instead with a more focused and accessible narrative that makes this a great starting point for newcomers to his work.

Characters are well-drawn for the most part, feeling relatively realistic in their reactions and decisions, which helps ground the more far-fetched elements of the story. There’s a sense of restraint here that serves the novel well—it’s still creepy, still tense, but less chaotic, and all the better for it.

Overall, Basilisk is a solid horror thriller that balances science and the supernatural with surprising finesse. It might not be perfect, but its silly charm, modern themes, and tightened storytelling make it a fun and satisfying read.

[Neil Fulwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

For all that the plot involves a genetically engineered basilisk happily feeding off the lifeforce of old folks in a retirement home while the mad German scientist (ouch) who created it tries to pressure a cryptozoologist into assisting him by putting his wife in a coma and dangling the carrot of a cure, this is quite a gentle, sanguine and restrained novel. By Masterton’s standards anyway. The plot shuffles, shaggy dog style, between low-octane set pieces and throws in a bit of globe trotting - at one point the mad German scientist decamps to Poland (ouch) - and very little that’s on display matches the grotesquerie and sheer uninhibited nastiness of the author’s other work. I can only assume that the Graham Masterton Bumper Book of Feelgood Fairy Tales will be out soon.

[Amy Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I am being harsh however this book has all the promise on the blurb of an interesting creature feature and falls flat. 

The idea and opener of the story is interesting and had me engaged. I enjoyed the story for the most part.

It isn't scary and if you read the blurb the first 150 pages are spoiled (half the book). 

I also disagree with the blurb which sells the story as something it is not. 

There are also many spelling and punctuation errors that I usually do not notice, however theh are glaringly bad. (E.g. "took" being spelt twice as "look" and "had" being spelt as "bad".) These errors were all through the book, makes me thing editing was not done properly.

The characters also talk so robotically, the conversations become stale.