Basilisk [Hardcover]

Graham Masterton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2009

The thrilling new horror from this best-selling author . . . - When one of his wife Grace's patients dies in unusual circumstances, stem-cell researcher Nathan suspects that someone else has been attempting the same experiments as him bringing mythical creatures to life only with much more success. But then Grace herself is injured, and Nathan's life spirals into a nightmare as he is faced with an impossible dilemma: lose Grace forever, or breed more mythological beasts, at the cost of countless more human lives . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

Horror veteran Masterton turns in another winner. Nathan Underhill is a medical researcher working on stem-cell analysis. His goal is to engineer mythological creatures genetically and use them to find cures for diseases like multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. Few writers would even undertake a novel with a premise as far-fetched as this one; fewer still would pull it off. Even when Underhill discovers that another researcher has succeeded where he has failed and that an actual, living basilisk (a creature that can kill with a glance) may be on a murder spree, the reader sticks right with the story, suspending disbelief utterly and eagerly turning the page to see what happens next. As usual, Masterton takes realistic human characters and puts them in a fantastic, horrific situation. We know this couldn't possibly happen, but that doesn't matter: in the context of the novel, it's real, it's happening, and it's compelling. Horror fans should welcome this one with open arms. --Booklist, 1st July 2009

Scientific researcher Nathan Underhill's cutting-edge experiments in breeding hybrid creatures for possible use in stem-cell treatments comes to a crashing halt with the death of his prototype, the mythical gryphon. When his wife, a physician, for no apparent reason loses an elderly patient living at the Murdstone Rest Home and when Nathan himself experiences odd dreams, he suspects that the nursing home's owner has created an even more dangerous mythic creature--the deadly basilisk. VERDICT A master of modern horror (Manitou Blood), Masterton excels in gore without splatter and emphasizes the human aspect of horror: the growing uncertainty that "normal" life can, in fact, triumph over the supernatural. Horror buffs and fans of the author will want his latest. --Library Journal, 1st July 2009

About the Author

Graham Masterton's first novel, T"he Manitou," was a bestseller and an instant classic and was made into a feature film. Masterton has won an Edgar Award and France's prestigious Prix Julia Verglanger. Several of his stories have been adapted for television.
Masterton's more than one hundred novels include "Charnel House, The Chosen Child," and "Maiden Voyage" (a" New York Times" bestseller). He has written for adults, young adults, and children and edited several anthologies. Earlier in his career, Masterton edited men's magazines, including "Penthouse," He has written a number nonfiction books on sex, including "How to Drive Your Man Wild in Bed," which has sold more than three million copies.
Masterton and his wife, Wiescka, live in Ireland.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727867679
• ISBN-13: 978-0727867674
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,841,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I really wanted to like this book, December 26, 2009

By 

J. Prather (IN USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basilisk (Hardcover)

I have read other books by this author that I enjoyed, but I don't know what happened to this one because it's kind of a mess. The writing is clunky, the characters are cliche ridden and stiff. The science is never really explained, we're just supposed to say oh, okay... I did not care a whit for any of these characters and I thought the relationship between the dad and the son was just plain dumb. I would pass this one by and look for some of the author's earlier work. This one reads like a bad made for TV movie.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars What JP Said, April 5, 2010

By 

Nicholas Noble Wolf (Durango, Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basilisk (Hardcover)

I couldn't have said it better than JP did. The plot was OK, but the dialogue was juvenile, making it hard to read. While it has been sometime since I read any Masterton, I don't recall it being poor in the past. Unless you're desperate, don't waste your time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not so good., September 6, 2011

By 

KinksRock "KinksRock" (New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basilisk (Kindle Edition)

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".