Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 23, 2009 19:34:01 GMT
Dreadlocksmile review:
First published back in 1982, `Chimera' became Stephen Gallagher's forth full-length novel to be released (including the 1980 novel entitled `Silver Dream Racer' that was released under the pseudonym John Lydecker).
The novel became one of Gallagher's most well known books, which might have a lot to do with the ITV mini-series adaptation that was broadcast back in July 1991. Since the broadcast of "Chimera" the novel has seen a couple more reprints and is likely to be rereleased in the future.
The novel is set in the isolated and somewhat sleepy Yorkshire town of Langstone, where a fertility clinic has been running under the direction of a scientist by the name of Jenner. The plot soon takes form as the reader learns of a mass murder that has just occurred in the confines of the clinic.
The storyline follows the likeable character of Peter Carson, a freelance journalist with little ambition but a wealth of money left in a trust fund by his father. Carson agrees to visit one of the nurses at the clinic, but upon arrival is escorted away by the local police. Carson learns of the fate of the nurse he planned to visit and begins to get more intrigued with the whole conspiracy side of the affair as the army quickly take over.
The truth is slowly unearthed that the clinic was a large cover-up for a government run operation that was focussed on developing the capability to create bizarre hominids (half-chimpanzee-half-human's) that could be used cheaply for scientific testing. The first experimental attempt at one of these hominids was a creation named Chad, whose escape was the reason behind the events at the Jenner clinic. Chad is now being hunted by the army.
With a storyline that twists and turns, drawing closer to the eventual meeting of the manmade atrocity by the name of Chad, the tale manages to weave a clever commentary on governmental deception and the terrible capabilities that man might undertake in the name of science.
The book flows with a gradual pace, taking on board a heavy descriptive nature which in turn sets the mood and atmosphere to the setting of the tale well. Characterization is tackled at a steady pace, developing on the various identities in due course, with careful consideration for their interplay within the developing storyline.
A complex collection of subplots is intermingled within the main thrust of the storyline, thickening out the story as a whole and adding greater depth to the plot. An obvious weight of research had been applied to the novel during the writing process, allowing Gallagher to utilise a wide range of scientific know-how which brings more credibility into this dark premonition.
Not only does the tale portray a strong and important message regarding the darker side to human infatuation with scientific progression, but it also throws a paranoid question mark over the very real possibilities of `behind-closed-doors' governmental tactics.
All in all the book delivers a thoroughly enjoyable read, containing many depths for the reader to immerse themselves within, as they follow the intrinsic storylines to a thoroughly downbeat conclusion.
The novel runs for a total of 312 pages and is currently available from Hodder and Stoughton.
www.amazon.co.uk/review/R19O3QMI22L4J9/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm