Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series builds upon the classic book by Mary Shelley, using both Frankenstein and his monster as near immortals who each have lived in plain view of the public yet are hidden by the fictitious account of their evolution in the original book. As to not discard the concept, rather enhance and modernize it, the characters transition into a new landscape. Koontz maintains a thread of continuity while writing a new and fantastical setting for the monster and his creator.

PRODIGAL SON is a blend of horror, police procedural, and thriller and serves as a great introduction to a diverse cast of characters.

The plot largely revolves around a serial killer who takes parts of his victims and then evolves into a gruesome horror story with abominations walking the earth with strange abilities.

There really is no good verses evil typecasting in PRODIGAL SON as Koontz (and Kevin J. Anderson as co-author) establish the key players, each with their own motivations; just some more murderous than others.

PRODIGAL SON is a quick read (something that I've found during all three reads) and really establishes this new take on Frankenstein quite well. Don't expect the same story as Mary Shelley, this series is new and follows a rather different path.

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I was interested in reading this book because it featured two of my literary interests in it; Frankenstein and a serial killer. While this book was entertaining, I just couldn’t enjoy this book at all. I kept comparing it to the original Frankenstein book and keep wishing this book referenced it more or had the same level of complexity. This book was simply a mad scientist creating his own race for his own gratification. Then you have the work obsessed detective and their partner who is in love with them; while the roles seem to be reversed in this book (the male detective stuck in the friends-zone). I kind of feel like this book is too much of a clique and possible just a generic mystery formula that has been overdone. There was nothing about this book that makes me want to continue reading the series.

I loved this book! I am so excited to read the next ones in the series :) luckily I have the next 3 sitting on my book shelf...

Just when you think certain stories such as "Frankenstein" are played out, Mr. Koontz stuns us. It is definitely not what you expect. I enjoyed it immensely, could not put it down. Will be starting on the second in the sequel soon. I applaud you Mr. Koontz!

Agatha Christie wrote a ton of novel starring Hercules Poirot. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote more than a few books featuring Sherlock Homes.
I am convinced that both Christie and Doyle knew that they were creating a series. They did not want just a single story with their characters. They wanted to create worlds around them. A whole mythos.

Koontz obviously had the same desire when he created this novel. Unlike Christie and Doyle, however, Koontz did not have the respect for the reader to write a complete story with a satisfying ending. He writes half a story and then ends on several cliffhangers in order to force the reader to buy another book in order to get the whole story.
This is a horrible way to write and unfortunately it has become a growing trend among fantasy/sci-fi/horror authors. A reader should not be forced to buy another book just to get the ending of the story. An author should create a world that the reader wants to revisit. Characters that the reader wouldn't mind tagging along with on another adventure.

Spolier alert: Koontz creates NONE of this.

We get boring cookie-cutter characters. A plot that was obvilously picked at random from a hat full of dramatic situation cards. And world that never actually comes alive.

At the end of the novel, I cannot find myself caring about any of it. The only reason for me to move on to the next book is that this one was co-authored by Kevin J. Anderson (though the writing is classic Anderson*) and in the next one the lion's share of the work was given to someone else. Someone who might have enough respect for the reader to tell a decent story.

*Anderson and others of his ilk do not create anything original but rather take already established IP's (Star Wars, Superman, Dune) and write books set in the familiar world.
Anderson writes a mediocre Star Wars novel but because it has the words STAR WARS plastered on the front cover a couple million people will buy it.
He then uses this 5-6 million books sale to proclaim that he is a "New York Times Best Selling Author."
This is a great strategy for making money from writing but where is the love? The passion for the craft?

This one reminds me of why I love Koontz. This read was quick and easy. It had lots going on and even left some threads hanging but I am ok with that since I will now be on to book 2!
Retelling of the Frankenstein mythos but modernized.
Excellent characters well developed. Lots of action! It is worth the read.

When I picked up this book at my mom's house and read the back cover, I literally said out loud, "Oh no he DIH-uhnt!" Thank you, Dean Koontz, for making me channel Ricki Lake reruns.

Koontz has apparently run out of ideas for trite, one-dimension characters, and he's abandoned all pretense at being original. Instead of taking a break from publishing utter crap, he copes with this by cannibalizing fucking FRANKENSTEIN.

3.5
This was a page turner for me. The pacing was just excellent and I am enjoying what Knootz is doing with the Frankenstein mythos. My only complaint would be that most of the characters are very stereotypical . Regardless I still plan to read the next one

There is a murderer on the loose and it is Carson and Michael's job to find the killer. Harker (another member of the New Orleans Homicide division) is attempting to find peace with himself. Deucalion only wishes to finish what he has started. Victor is trying to make his world perfect. Roy is trying to complete his mission of making himself perfect and finding the perfect girl for himself.

This book was filled with many side stories, that, while I was reading it I was unsure how everything would fall into place. After you get a third of the way into the story, you realize that you are following two different stories, one of Carson and Michael along with the New Orleans Homicide division and the other of Victor and Deucalion. When the conclusion of the novel comes about everything fits into place.

When I first started reading this novel I was blown away by the amount of characters that I was following. The novel started off following four different people all with different story lines. I was unsure of exactly how I liked that but, I believe that it really worked out. I also wasn't happy with the amount of jumping around between stories. It seemed that every new chapter (which consists of about three pages on my kindle) we were headed to a different person. I was left wondering how anything was really going to advance with the amount of jumping around. It soon became apparent that all of the jumping around led to one story line.

I really liked the book and once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. I loved the developing story line and never knowing what was going to happen next. I always had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen, I was never able to get it partly right (i.e. killer is found, starts running, gets caught, dies. When in reality killer is caught, runs away, starts to change, gets in a tight spot, almost makes it out, gets killed and yet gets away at the same time).

I didn't like all of the jumping around. I never felt like I got to know the characters in the beginning of the book. By the end of the book I had a good knowledge on the characters but I was lacking some form of attachment to a individual character. I also didn't like how none of the characters really developed through the story. Carson was Carson from beginning to end, Michael was Michael from beginning to end etc. The only one who really changed throughout the book had such a small part in the actual story line that the change was easily overlooked.

Overall the story line was amazing and fast paced. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries and especially anyone who likes mysteries where they are drawn to a mystery and then the end comes and the reader is like 'What just happened, I'm blown away'.

By far Koontzs' best novel. Maybe because it's co-wrote
It's a Frankenstein murder mystery.
The suspense-horror novel
takes place in New Orleans. There's a serial killer afoot, who paradoxically collects body parts. Hmmmmm... turns out it's not what you think. Or is it?
Flows nicely and there's no romance (Koontzs is totally a story killer when he tries to introduce romance).

Excellent, interesting take on the Frankenstein tale. Who is the real monster???

Very interesting take on the original frankenstein!