Chimera- the Book

 

See here for essential background: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2021/11/chimera.html.
I was keen to read the original 1982 novel of the TV series, also penned by Stephen Gallagher. Books are normally better than their adaptations, for example: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2023/02/paper-mask-book.html, but not in this case. The plot varies significantly despite having the same author. A lot of the action from the TV series takes place as flashbacks and the narrative begins effectively about when episode two of the TV story does. The setting is Cumbria, not North Yorkshire; I don't know why that detail was changed. The biggest difference is that the novel is far less emotional; it lacks the human interest that the TV series does. Peter and Tracy are steady couple on TV, whereas in the book the two have only known each other for a short time and have gone on a couple of dates. As a result Tracy is an unseen character, as is Marie Forester who does not attend the Jenner Clinic and so does not die in the disaster. Dr Jenner himself is every bit as much the narcissist and megalomaniac well played by David Calder in the TV programme; an excellent antagonist. By contrast, Hennessey is a more light-hearted and almost farcical character in the book. He lacks the bureaucratic menace of Kenneth Cranham's portrayal. Dr Liawski is dead in the book. It was actually quite a good idea to resurrect him for the TV programme, so giving the classic actor Sebastian Shaw one last movie. Despite this, Liawski does appear at the start as a young man in a rather incongruous prologue scene. He then goes on to provide the information posthumously through his diaries which are found by Peter Carson. The role of Alison Wells is far more morally ambiguous in the book and she deceives Peter in a far worse manner. The ending is completely different and, although not happy exactly, it is far less apocalyptic. Chad is far more animalistic and his human side does not really come out at all. He manipulates and tricks the Gaskell children in a way that makes it difficult to sympathize with him. Still, the book is worth reading and comparing by fans of Gallagher's TV series.
See here for more information: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2020/08/ben-emlyn-jones-live-at-truth-seekers.html.