Chimera: A Jim Chapel Mission by David Wellington
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This fast-moving page-turner successfully melds Wellington’s horror roots with the modern thriller genre, with just a dash of mad science added for good measure. Jim Chapel is an action hero with a difference: he’s got an artificial arm after losing his in Afghanistan, something that turns out to be an advantage in some scenarios and a distinct disadvantage in others. The supporting cast of characters keeps things lively, especially Angel, the disembodied voice in Chapel’s Bluetooth who helps him out in times of need, and Laughing Boy, the deranged assassin on Chapel’s trail. But most interesting are the chimeras themselves, human-animal hybrids with a thirst for bloodshed, inhuman strength, and a grudge against the scientists who bred them, whom Chapel must track down and neutralize before more people die. It’s highly entertaining stuff, and I find myself eagerly anticipating the next Jim Chapel novel.
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