Frankenstein's Monster - by J S Barnes (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A bold and chilling sequel to Frankenstein, written in the style of Mary Shelley's classic, from the author of Dracula's Child. Perfect for fans of Kim Newman and Silvia Moreno-Garcia

"He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness and distance."

There are those who would swear that Victor Frankenstein is dead. Those who would swear that his Creature died also.

They are wrong.

1842. Folklorist Nathaniel Greene escapes to the country to finish his latest book, along with his wife, Alice. Yearning for a family, and yet finding herself without, Alice watches as Greene grows ever more distant with her, fraying their already tense bonds. When a mysterious stranger arrives on their doorstep, bedraggled and delirious, Alice welcomes him in, finding herself seduced by the promises he makes.

1850. In Newgate prison, Nathaniel Greene stands accused of murder. Philanthropist Jesse Malone and psychic Hubert Crowe are determined to understand what happened, but the story Greene has to tell is almost unbelievable: one of monstrous, impossible creations made in an outhouse laboratory.

To uncover the truth behind Greene's bizarre claims, the two investigators must delve into a terrifying world where the men play God once more, and the ghosts of the past appear to be alive and vengeful.

In this visionary sequel to Mary Shelley's peerless classic, old experiments resume, new mysteries arise, and the true question of mankind's morality is tested once more.

Review Quotes

Barnes takes some hints from the original book, recreating the "Moreau Horrors" episode that Wells mentions in passing and giving a cameo role to his protagonist, Prendick... The City of Dr Moreau rattles along agreeably and has more than enough twists to hold the attention.
-- Times Literary Supplement

The plot is packed with incident and charcters, skipping from one vignette to the next like a flat stone thrown across a lake. The extrapolation of Well's idea is exemplary...Barnes both updates and innovates.
-- Financial Times

An epic 'what if...?' that significantly expands Wells' cautionary tale about genetic engineering, taking it to exciting new places.
-- Sci-Fi Bulletin

Barnes has a real talent... of taking a classic and updating some of the ideas and themes while keeping grounded in the original, and it's something he does excellently here.
-- Divination Hollow

A very engaging expansion of the world of Dr Moreau... [Barnes'] enthusiasm for the subject and the world means it never lacks for vitality or colour, and is a great addition to the mythology of the original.
-- Damosays Review

The story... certainly takes some interesting twists and turns, and I really hadn't anticipated the extend to which it all would go... I loved how Barnes extended on Wells story and how far he managed to take it.
-- Simply a Book Drunkard

A fascinating tale told with skill and imagination by Barnes, who not only honours Wells' original story and characters but further develops his themes... Bound to please fans of H.G. Wells and those who enjoy classic-style horror and science fiction.
-- Muse's Book Journal

On Dracula's Child

A modern Gothic masterpiece, and one of the finest vampire novels of recent years. A perfect companion piece to one of the most pivotal novels ever written -- Ginger Nuts of Horror

A boldly inventive sequel to Dracula rips along with a sustained energy and verve, twisting and turning all the way to the supposed editor's epilogue -- Times Literary Supplement

In style, story content, and characterization, Dracula's Child is truly the sequel to Bram Stoker's Dracula, succeeding where other, more famous attempts failed -- New York Journal of Books

Inventive and spooky -- Mark Gatiss, co-creator of the hit BBC series Dracula and Sherlock

[A] fitting tribute to Bram Stoker's Dracula, matching the original's tone and epistolary form with this choice sequel set slightly over a decade after the original's conclusion. . . Barnes's modern sensibilities shine through, the action and intrigue delight. This adventurous and dread-inducing tale will have readers hooked -- Publishers Weekly

[A] thorough tribute to Bram Stoker's original, written in the style of Stoker's prose and imagining a continuation of the story this is a must-read for Dracula fans -- Den of Geek

This epic tale of madness, temptation, and political scandal set in early-twentieth-century England strikes a resonant chord with today's political climate -- Booklist

A patchwork of dark thrills, woven skilfully from new and familiar voices - Dracula's Child is a macabre delight -- Aliya Whiteley, author of The Beauty

It's a monumental achievement. The tale is engrossing, the tone is spot-on. -- Stephen Gallagher, author (The Authentic William James) and TV writer (Doctor Who)

Fiendishly plotted and full of sinister invention . . . a thoroughly modern re-imagining of the Count's undying menace -- Richard T Kelly, author of The Knives and The Possessions of Doctor Forest

Gave me genuine chills and put J.S. Barnes on my list of go-to authors -- British Fantasy Society

Bram Stoker's classic continues... It's just as dark, evocative, sensual, and horrific. A masterpiece -- Horror Tree

J.S. Barnes' sequel to Bram Stoker's horror classic is a terrific read...I've not hung on to a book so tightly for many years, its grip so intense that it wouldn't let me go. At the end you take a deep breath and wonder where that time went, albeit time very well spent -- Sci-Fi Bulletin

Genuinely frightening...There are striking moments of originality, where Barnes seamlessly merges modern sensibilities with a Stoker-like writing style...Immense fun and after decades of parody- manages to make the Count scary again -- FrightFest

About the Author

J. S. Barnes is the author of Dracula's Child and three other critically acclaimed novels: The Somnambulist, The Domino Men and Cannonbridge ("original and monumentally inventive" - Washington Post). He writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement and the Literary Review and is the author of numerous adaptations of classic Victorian novels, including The Invisible Man (starring John Hurt) and Dracula (starring Mark Gatiss). He is married and lives on the fringes of London. Last year, he made a pilgrimage to Transylvania.