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Frankenstein: Prodigal Son Review

Dean Koontz, Kevin J. Anderson, Children's Comics, Conspiracy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Horror, Literary, Literature, Mystery, Police Procedurals, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller

Frankenstein: Prodigal Son

Published: 2005
Genre: Children's Comics, Conspiracy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Horror, Literary, Literature, Mystery, Police Procedurals, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller
Book 01 of 05: Frankenstein

Check the summary of this book here:


The Review

Dean Koontz's novel Prodigal Son is a best-selling novel. The novel is the first in a series of five by Dean Koontz named Dean Koontz's Frankenstein. Kevin J. Anderson, another fantastic author, contributed to the book as a co-author. 

I was already planning to buy and read this book because it contained the name Frankenstein, but it became even more necessary after learning about both writers' names.

Koontz is one of my favorite modern fiction writers because of his sense of humor and assimilation of the spiritual component of reality in his work, where the brilliant optimism of good and the horror of evil are eloquently represented and contrasted.

The next few lines are connected to the narrative of this work, however, I am simply posting them since all of this information is already on the back of the book, thus it is not considered a spoiler. 

The basic narrative follows New Orleans detective Carson and her partner Michael as they search for "The Surgeon," a serial killer. 

Deucalion, once known as The Monster, is alarmed by reports of this serial murderer, believing that his old master and creator, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, has returned. 

When Carson meets Deucalion, the investigation takes a darker turn, leading Carson and Michael down the road of a 200-year-old mystery and evil that threatens more than just New Orleans.

The series' idea was based on a script created by Koontz and Anderson for the 2004 USA Network TV movie Frankenstein. 

Due to creative differences with the network, Koontz resigned from the project, and the production went on a new route with identical characters and a different narrative, while Koontz was able to publish his own series.

The production firm 1019 Entertainment announced in October 2012 that they have obtained the whole Koontz Frankenstein novel series. TNT has announced plans to adapt it into a television series, with writer James V. Hart and his son Jake Hart penning the screenplay.

This novel has so many side tales that I was worried about how everything will fit together while I was reading it. 

After a third of the way through the novel, you discover you're following two separate stories: one about Carson and Michael and the New Orleans Homicide Division, and the other about Victor and Deucalion. When the novel's end arrives, everything falls into place.

The number of characters I was following when I initially started reading this story astounded me. 

The narrative began by following four separate characters, each with their own story. I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first, but I think it turned out well. 

I was also dissatisfied with the quantity of hopping back and forth between storylines. We seemed to be going to a different individual with each new chapter, which was around three pages long on average. 

With all of the leaping around, I was left wondering how anything could possibly progress. It wasn't long before it became clear that all of the hopping around was leading to one tale.

All of the leaping about bothered me. At the beginning of the novel, I never felt like I got to know the characters. 

I had a solid understanding of the characters at the conclusion of the book, but I lacked any kind of emotional attachment to any of them. 

I also didn't enjoy how none of the characters grew as the tale progressed. Carson was Carson from start to finish; Michael was Michael from start to finish, and so on. 

The lone character that changed significantly during the novel had such a little role in the plot that the alteration was easily unnoticed.

This book is unexpectedly clever, with aspects of both a superb detective story and a science fiction classic. 

The characters are nicely rounded, and the plot is intriguing. I'm presently reading the final book in the series, and it's just as good as the others.

All of the components of an excellent thriller are present. Some verb tense changes looked superfluous. 

If you require closure, the finale leaves a lot of loose ends, so be prepared to read the sequels. 

You may read the book summaries if you want, and I usually put a link to them near the top of the review, but if you are a genuine book lover, I recommend avoiding reading the summaries so you can be shocked by what occurs next.

Finally, Dean Koontz's and Kevin J. Anderson's thriller portrays the true story of Frankenstein's monster. 

It's a fast-paced thrill rush that you won't be able to stop following. Michael Connelly meets Mary Shelly. I am confident that you will not be able to wait and avoid reading the second book in the series.


Final Thoughts

I've always been a fan of vintage horror characters. The Frankenstein monster was one of my favorites since it was a man-made monstrosity that was never given the opportunity to learn and develop, much like my own ideal of defeating death so that we as humans may do more and achieve our full potential with an unlimited life. 

I was fascinated when I learned Dean Koontz had written a Frankenstein book. I had no idea what to expect from this book and was pleasantly pleased to discover that it was set in the modern times. 

This is set about 200 years after its birth, as if the Frankenstein monster still existed and how he would adjust to modern civilization.

I enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down once I started reading it. I enjoyed the unfolding plot and never knew what would come next. 

I always had a pretty decent concept of what was going to happen, but I was never able to get even half of it correct (for example, a killer is discovered, begins to flee, is apprehended, and dies). 

When, in actuality, the perpetrator is apprehended, flees, begins to shift, finds himself in a difficult place, narrowly escapes, is killed, and yet manages to flee at the same time. Isn't it perplexing? Start reading to find out.

Overall, the plot was exciting and fast-paced. I would suggest this book to anybody who likes mysteries, especially those in which the reader is taken in by the mystery and then is left wondering, "What just occurred, I'm blown away?"

Koontz's concept is pretty intriguing, and it leaves you guessing as to how it will all play out. For fans of the Frankenstein narrative, this is a must-read.


Synopsis

“From the celebrated imagination of Dean Koontz comes a powerful reworking of one of the classic stories of all time. If you think you know the story, you know only half the truth. Get ready for the mystery, the myth, the terror, and the magic of…

Dean Koontz's Prodigal Son

Every city has secrets. But none as terrible as this. His name is Deucalion, a tattooed man of mysterious origin, a sleight-of-reality artist who’s traveled the centuries with a secret worse than death. He arrives as a serial killer stalks the streets, a killer who carefully selects his victims for the humanity that is missing in himself. Detective Carson O’Connor is cool, cynical, and every bit as tough as she looks. Her partner Michael Maddison would back her up all the way to Hell itself–and that just may be where this case ends up. For the no-nonsense O’Connor is suddenly talking about an ages-old conspiracy, a near immortal race of beings, and killers that are more—and less—than human. Soon it will be clear that as crazy as she sounds, the truth is even more ominous. For their quarry isn’t merely a homicidal maniac—but his deranged maker.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Body Parts, Kevin Anderson, Looking Forward, New Orleans, New Race, Odd Thomas, Serial Killer, Still Alive, Victor Frankenstein, Victor Helios


Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

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Ghost Story Review

Peter Straub, American, Drama, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literary, Literature, Suspense, Thriller

Ghost Story

Published: 1979
Author: Peter Straub
Genre: American, Drama, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literary, Literature, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:


The Review

Peter Straub's Ghost Story is a horror story. Coward, McCann, and Geoghegan published it on January 1, 1979, and it was made into a horror film in 1981, minus the fifth protagonist, Lewis Benedikt. It was a turning point in Straub's career, becoming a national best-seller and solidifying his reputation.

Stephen King rates Ghost Story as one of the best horror books of the late twentieth century in his non-fiction study of the horror medium, Danse Macabre, and includes a comprehensive critique inside its "Horror Fiction" section.

In the manner of Stephen King in this book, Peter Straub has linked his works and book universe, and some of the links are as follows: Ricky Hawthorne is referenced in the author's 1983 novel Floating Dragon, where it is revealed that he is the uncle of a victim in the latter book. Milburn appears briefly in Koko, which was released in 1988.

This was a mind-boggling story, vast in scale and unsettling in execution. Peter Straub is a virtuoso at trapping the incomprehensible in the net of language and producing enchantment too high for fiction in words that are typically too thin to hold it, and this book is proof of that ability. 

In the pages of this novel, a complete little town comes to life, only to break apart at the seams one by one. Too much detail would detract from the narrative's grandeur, but this is a magnificent story that must be experienced.

If things appear to be moving slowly at first, have confidence that these flows will eventually snowball into a gigantic avalanche of horror. 

The past is necessary in order to experience the full weight of the present. Knowing the people so well is essential for feeling the full scope of their tragedy. 

A horrible narrative constructed from strands of remorse, fear, and yearning, this is a towering example of what the most creative human minds are capable of when turned on, as the title suggests, a 'Ghost Story.'

The work is hypnotic. The author has constructed a waystation deep in snow in the imaginary town of Millburn where people live their own lives, unknowing of the horrifying monsters hiding in the forest ready to strike. These evil creatures eventually come for the helpless people, and they are caught off guard.

This story of ghostly vengeance is educational in many ways because it reveals the consequences of abuse humans inflict on one another. The town itself is full of individuals surviving in varying degrees of guilt, and it is precisely these scars on their souls that brand the victims for the marauders out to feed on them.

I adore this book and wanted to share three things I learned from it.

First - If you're going to get retribution, instead of focusing on a few old townsfolk, ramp it up to eleven and destroy the entire town. 

The main villain, who goes by several aliases, all of which begin with the letters AM, intends to accomplish precisely that. 

And, like the author, she instructs her victims in the ways of the occult and why they must die. Fortunately, the monster's coup de grâce cannot be delivered because of the bravery of Ricky Hawthorne, Peter Barnes, and Don Wanderly. Nonetheless, a commendable effort.

Second - in my opinion, stories in which the innocent are slaughtered like lambs are not entertaining. 

But if you take a community full of folks who have done everything from the heinous to the just irritating and go after them, you've got something. 

Of course, the Chowder Society members are the worst, because they killed a young lady, well, she seemed to be a young woman and buried the evidence. 

Add to that a lunatic farmer who is always suing people and seeing Martians, a drunken shell of a sheriff, and a woman who would rather have sex with almost every other man in town than stay at home. Wouldn't you say there's enough fodder for a spiteful, deadly, otherworldly being?

Third - This final point highlights Straub's genius. He might have provided a nice old-fashioned vindictive spirit like Henry James did in The Turn of the Screw. 

But he went one step further: he created a being—or, God help us, a race of beings—that has inhabited the globe for thousands of years and feeds not only on people's flesh but also on their fear. 

That, in my opinion, is what pushes this work over the top. You can't merely crouch inside a circle of salt while holding a crucifix. These are actual things, that may really be living among us.

Is this Straub's greatest work? That's what I knew before I read this book, and it's very evident it is throughout and after reading it. 

It has the sense of a great classic to it when you're reading it. As I previously stated, Straub's writing is excellent, from the thrilling prologue to the sinister undertone that runs throughout the novel. 

This is one of the greatest horror books I've ever read, and I definitely recommend it. Also, while Straub does a fantastic job of conveying terror without being overly gruesome or bloody, that does not imply there isn't any. This is an excellent book.


Final Thoughts

I have to say that I am disappointed that I did not find this excellent author sooner. I had no idea who Peter Straub was until I discovered the books (The Talisman and Black House) he and Stephen King co-wrote. 

And, like many other Stephen King and Peter Straub fans, I consider myself fortunate that they collaborated on the Talisman series.

There is no comparison to Stephen King, yet I had to tell myself several times while reading this novel that I was not reading his work.

If you haven't already done so, I recommend picking up a copy of Ghost Story and bracing yourself for a night of non-sleeping. While you're at it, watch the 1981 film starring Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, and John Houseman, which was released in 1981.

Without a doubt, one of the most terrifying ghost stories ever told. If you didn't believe in them before, you will after reading this book. "The Shining" by Stephen King is right up there with it. 

You don't want to flip the page to see what happens next, but you have no choice. Do not, I repeat, do not begin reading this book late at night; you will most likely experience nightmares. 

It's best not to start it before heading to work or while you're at work, as it's tough to put down. 

Take a few days off, relax, put on all the lights, and read this fantastic terrifying tale of vengeance perpetrated by the most enraged ghost you'll ever meet.


Synopsis

"#1 New York Times bestselling author Peter Straub’s classic tale of horror, secrets, and the dangerous ghosts of the past...

What was the worst thing you’ve ever done?

In the sleepy town of Milburn, New York, four old men gather to tell each other stories—some true, some made-up, all of them frightening. A simple pastime to divert themselves from their quiet lives.

But one story is coming back to haunt them and their small town. A tale of something they did long ago. A wicked mistake. A horrifying accident. And they are about to learn that no one can bury the past forever..."


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Alice Krige, Burt Weissbourd, Character Development, Chowder Society, Douglas Green, Ever Read, Ever Written, Fred Astaire, Ghost Stories, Horror Novels, John Houseman, John Irvin, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., New York, Ralph Cohn, Salem Lot, Small Town, Thing That Ever


Rating: 80/100
Recommended: 90/100 Yes.

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Ghost Story (1981) (R)

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Nightmares in the Sky Review

Stephen King, Architecture, Interior Design, Non-Fiction, Reference

Nightmares in the Sky

Published: 1988
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Architecture, Interior Design, Non-Fiction, Reference 


The Review

First and foremost, this is not a Stephen King novel. While there is some content written by King, it is far from his work. The photographer, f-Stop Fitzgerald, is in charge of this. There are some genuinely stunning photographs that, at the very least, remind me that there is so much going on that I neglect or simply walk by without ever looking up. And all of these magnificent images from a country decades younger than mine - for fear of stepping into something I shouldn't have - serves as a reminder to look up and around me every day.

Nightmares in the Sky: Gargoyles and Grotesques is a coffee table book about architectural gargoyles and grotesques that was released in 1988 and was photographed by f-stop Fitzgerald with accompanying writing by Stephen King. 

In the September 1988 edition of Penthouse, an extract was released. Images from the book were utilized as textures in the video games Doom and Doom II.

The book is a tribute to everything commonplace and yet unnoticed. True, the book is about gargoyles and grotesques preserved in concrete above our heads, but after reading it again, I realized that it could stand for anything - anything that is there in plain sight but we choose not to see - or anything that we see every day and dismiss as normal and mundane when it is far from it.

This book, I realized, is a subtle prod to halt and look about us, to appreciate what is both beautiful and awful before it is gone, as seen by many of the photographs in this book, where acid rain and atmospheric corrosion have begun to take their toll.

This is a book that conveys a variety of messages; the question is which ones you choose to notice and appreciate.

This is a large format coffee table book with gargoyle pictures. I'm so glad this book exists because look up at all the new buildings and there isn't a single gargoyle to be found! Shame. 

I've always been a lover of gargoyles, as well as the cartoon program about them, so when I spotted this book, I had to get it for the love of the subject. Those gargoyle pictures truly woke me up!

This takes me to a few criticisms of the book that have nothing to do with the stunning photography. 

The index, in my opinion, fails. It's scant and incomplete, and the photographs should include some separate subtitles. A historical background piece regarding gargoyles would have been nice instead of, or in addition to, Stephen King's essay. 

We know they have existed for millennia, but when and where did they originally appear? I, for one, would like to find out. But none of this means that I didn't enjoy what Stephen King wrote for this novel.

And King is correct when he adds that during his second hunt for them, there appeared to be less. As I previously stated, there are no gargoyles to be found when looking up at new structures. Enjoy them and let them send shivers down your spine while they're still here.

This is a fantastic book. The photographs are basic, yet they capture the beauty and mysticism of gargoyle imagery in New York and other American cities. I must admit that I bought this book because Stephen King's name was on the cover, and also because, as I previously stated, I am a lover of gargoyle-related things, and I thought it would be a fascinating addition to my book collection. 

When I got it home and started flicking through the pages, I was attracted by the blurry, often scary photos. 

King's words give some fascinating perspectives and experiences, but the book stands on Fitzgerald's photographs alone. 

Some of the gargoyles are frightening, some are ghastly, others are lighthearted, while yet others are just hilarious. They all attest to the artists' inventiveness and imagination.

This hardback, 128-page (or so) volume would seem right at home on your coffee table because it's an odd size to attempt to fit into most ordinary bookshelves, plus it's printed for the table or a spot that isn't a bookshelf. 

King's prose takes up roughly 35 pages; the book is, as it should be, concentrated on the images. 

It's not for everyone; if you're not a fan of picture books, avoid it. However, if you want fascinating images that capture an unusual topic, and/or if you are a Stephen King fan, this is one to bring home.


Final Thoughts

This book is spooky and lovely. Stephen King's article is amusing and delightful, but it is also emotional and insightful in the end. 

I could gaze at these stunning black-and-white photographs for hours. Really highly recommended, but not for those who believe it is a novel or a story because it is not.

I bought everything Stephen King wrote, co-wrote, or promoted, as I usually do. It's hypnotic, and it's a very, really, disturbing novel. I say this with affection and without reservation: those images are alive. 

A word or two about the authors: Prior to witnessing "Nightmares in the Sky," I was unfamiliar with f-stop Fitzgerald's photography—(credited as "Photographer" on the book's cover); but a word of warning—once you see something, it's extremely difficult to un-see it; you've been warned. 

The title should be repeated: Nightmares In The Sky. Please keep that in mind if and when you pick up this fantastically terrifying book.

It offers the most stunningly terrifying photographs of Gargoyles that are now haunting ancient and fairly new buildings all across New York City, and they aren't drawings, they're photographs—the genuine, demonic stuff. 

There are photos here that will keep you awake at night. I had the uneasy sense that some of these monsters were actually mocking the viewer...with wonderful, even demonic—glee.

"Nightmares in the Sky" is pure, dark bliss for horror fans like myself. And the fact that the gargoyles are part of the architecture of a building itself heightens the spooky, the dread. This is not a coffee-table book for youngsters, nor is it for the faint of heart.

Another thing I remember from this fantastic tablet is Stephen King stating something that I'll never forget or get over. I guarantee you'll never look at a gargoyle the same way again. 

Please pardon me for not having the book in front of me, but Stephen King was discussing "They [the gargoyles] are frequently placed beyond our line of sight...so we don't see them." We don't see them, but bear in mind that they are always watching us."

Finally, I must notify the readers that this is not a story or a novel, but rather a collection of photographs, which is why I do not recommend it highly; yet, it is an excellent book for enthusiasts.


Synopsis

"This book will be a collection of fantastic and horrifying photographs of gargoyles taken by avant-garde photographer f-stop Fitzgerald (yes, that's his name and the spellings correct), with a wonderful text by none other than the master of horror, Stephen King. F-stop has captured gargoyles in all manner of poses, made all the more striking by the design by mark pollard. Through the use of gatefolds and full-bleed illustrations, these awesome creatures will seem practically to leap off the page. (4/5/88). UK YES"


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Book Are Great, Coffee Table, Coffee-Table Book, Gargoyles In This Book, King Fan, King Wrote, New York, Photos, Table Book


Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 70/100 Yes.

Buy the Hardback

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