Customer Reviews
Pitchforks At The Ready...It Lives!! - By: Nicko, 27 Oct 2007 
Koontz's attempt to revive Shelley's classic literary masterpiece could easily have endedin disaster, instead it is a triumph. Koontz takes the demented Frankenstein & his hapless creation, & drags them screaming & kicking into the modern day.
Interestinglyin the 200 years since their exploits were last recorded by Shelley, Frankenstein has become more disturbed & ruthlessin his pursuit of supreme creation. No longer does he need to root through prison graveyards for grizzly remains. Technology has developed to the stage of far more human-looking creations.
Only his first-born son knows who he really is, & has the means or the will to stop his Father...
Just like the original, Koontz's update contains many interesting themes about humanity & what it means to be human, if indeed it means anything. In an age that has become obsessed with materialism, & the empty pursuit of wealth, has the monster become more human than human?
Fascinating stuff, & dare I say it, some of the ideas expressed exploredin this modern update are more relevant than when Shelley wrote the original.
Bold words indeed. There again, I'm a human being & I can say what I like....
Koontz is OK! - By: Sam, 05 Jul 2007 
'Prodigal Son' is the first bookin a modern trilogy about Frankenstein & his monster. It is 200 years after the monster has been created & it turns out that Mary Shelley's book was based on near fact. The monster has retreated to a monastery, but he must leave his sanctuary when he discovers that the man he knew as Frankenstein is still alive & that young women are being found murdered with body parts missing. Can the monster survivein modern day New Orleans to hunt down his former master? With the police on the hunt for a serial killer a 6ft 4 man made out of corpses could be their prime suspect!
I was not too sure about this novel before I read it, but it actually contains some interesting ideas that move the Frankenstein story on. The Doctor is now interestedin creating cloned creatures & this fits with modern knowledge. I really enjoyed the storylines that followed the master, the monster & the police. If the book had only followed these paths it could easily be a 4 star book. However, we are also given a couple of additional storylines that are not as strong & detract from the action.
I also have an issue with the increased sexualisation of the story with Frankenstein being particularly at fault. I know that living over 200 years could make you a bit mad, but I thought that Koontz & Anderson took this madnessin the wrong direction. Despite this, the book is fast paced & full of interesting ideas. As long as the next books follow the interesting storylines & do not descend into the poor action similar to the end of this book, they should be worth a read.
disappointing - By: MagpieReader, 01 May 2007 
Koontz's Odd Thomas books took a sinister, sun-bleached view of supernatural California & overlayed it with whimsical charm & a wry narrative. Prodigal Son lacks everything that made Odd Thomas appealing. Clunking dialogue, carboard cut-out villains & zero charm. If, however, this sort of novel appeals - by all means, go ahead annd fork out.
Koontz at his best - By: marky77, 24 Apr 2007 Dean Koontz' three-part take on the Frankestein story is some of the best work he has ever written, very fast paced & addictive this book is impossible to put down. I read the last 250 pages of itin one sitting it was that good.
Highly reccomended.
Worth a read - By: Mrs. J. E. Cartwright, 30 Mar 2007 Great take on what could have happened if Frankenstein & his monster had survived into modern times. Couldn't put it down, desperate to see what happened next, & you can't help but love the monster, & despise his creator.
