tobysemaj

Enjoyable. Themes of good/evil, nature/nurture and family run through the book, usually without becoming heavy handed. Stefan is more or less a flawed character, a bodyguard for a member of the Russian mafiya, and no stranger to violence. We quickly learn his devoted family side as he meets with Saul, a man he hired to find his younger brother Lukas. Saul locates him, and he and Stefan manage a rescue. Most of the rest of the book is Lukas and Stefan on a road trip, looking for somewhere safe. The interaction between the two reminds me a great deal of the Leandros brothers. Lots of snarky back-and-forth that is worth a laugh and supposed to disguise real feeling. It's rather interesting that so many of the themes running through the Leandros series are seen in budding form here. I like that Stefan's background is first-generation Russian; it adds a different and interesting spin, and the Russian slang is fun. Plot structure is mostly that of an action buddy book, where desperate and on-the-run individuals learn to grudgingly trust another. It's only sci-fi in the barest sense, as the development of some psychic and genetic manipulation comes into play. I mostly enjoyed it, especially the bits about Lukas getting to know the outside world and discovering a craving for junk food. The overall plot of running from disaster to disaster got old for me, and a few times the disasters just seemed forced. Stefan's decision to pick up a hitchhiker was so eye-rollingly bad, the only explanation must have been Thurman looking for both a hook and an effort to humanize the brothers (Stefan in his compassion, Lukas in his hormonal teenage state). Much like the stereotypical 'hooker with the heart of gold,' Thurman wants Stefan to be the wiseguy with an ethical code. I found the ending extremely enjoyable, but not that surprising, given Stefan's heavy-handed obsession. In short, I liked the themes and the relationship between the brothers; I remain troubled by a couple of more obvious plot devices. I really recommend it as a buddys-on-the-run read.

2020-09-04 15:31