Dean Koontz’s vision of Frankenstein and his creation as they live in the 21st Century, is told with Koontz’s typical attention to detail and detailed plotting and character development, not only of the main characters, but many of the incidental players in the story. The tale begins with a prophetic dream that introduces Deucalion, the name Frankenstein’s creation is using in the 21st century; the next chapter introduces a pair of homicide police tracking a serial killer.

The story then continues in Koontz’s characteristic detailed imagery introducing multiple characters and story lines, as Deucalion travels to New Orleans to claim his inheritance and answer the challenge to stop Victor Helios (the name Frankenstein is currently using). His quest soon collides with the police investigation. He must convince the officers he is who he says he is, and show them how they are seeking the same ultimate target, Victor Helios (the name Frankenstein currently uses), a wealthy entrepreneur.

When the police discovery a murdered body has two hearts, then the body disappears from the morgue, they realize they are involved in something more than a serial killer’s deadly rampage. Not only did Helios improve upon his creatures over the centuries, he experimented with them. Some of his ‘mistakes’ manage to escape, others he buried or destroyed, but others simply mutated unbeknown to Helios, as he seeded more and more of them in society, some in positions of power and authority.

The three of them cooperate to unmask and destroy one of Victor Helios’ creations, which was copycatting the actual serial killer for its own purposes. The three then agree to join forces to unmask Helios and put an end to his plan to replace humans with his creations, unaware that as they agree, one of those creations is listening and sees in their camaraderie the key to its happiness.

I read this book in nearly one sitting, fully engrossed in the plots and subplots and the detailed imagery well known to Koontz fans. The ending left me eager for the next installment, to see how the three continue their pursuit of Helios and what will happen when Helios becomes aware that he is a target.

Great read for mystery and horror fans, and fans of Dean Koontz will recognize his customary attention to detail and character and plot development.

The main characters very believable and true to their own voices; each with faults, and the well developed secondary characters, both positive and negative, which became integral to the story.

Read the next installment.

Like I'd spent a couple of days in a believable side world.

Both write with attention to detail and obvious research that makes the story believable for awhile.

Thoroughly enjoyable read.

For fans of Dean Koontz, he holds true to his style of detailed research and in-depth plot and character development; both authors combine to create a fable is a plausible sequel to the original Frankenstein.

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Created Sep 10, 2006 at 8:13pm • Submit your own review...