Lost Souls

I just completed reading the initial Frankenstein trilogy of author Dean Koontz (Prodigal Son, City of Night, Dead and Alive). These books represent a modern extension of the original story of Dr. Frankenstein and his mad delusion of daring to think himself a god. In Koontz's adaptation, Dr. Frankenstein has taken on the guise of Victor Helios, a billionaire living in New Orleans. His goal is much the same as days of old, to create a new race of beings that will wipe out and replace the inferior old race. At the end of Dead and Alive, two New Orleans homicide detectives, Michael Maddison and Carson O'Connor, along with Frankenstein's first creation, Deucalion, have worked to foil his considered plans. Yet although they watch the villian die at their hands, he proved clever and insightful enough to have left a way for his schemes and his soul to continue on.

Koontz dove back into this world with the fourth entry in his Frankenstein series, Lost Souls. After only two years, the new Frankenstein creation has not only survived, but thrived. Working with the backing of his supporters from around the world, the new Victor Frankenstein has taken up residence in an old cold war missile silo in the isolated town of Rainbow Falls, Montana. He has developed a new race of creatures. Yet his approach has undergone a complete paradigm shift. These creations may look like everyone else walking around the town, but they are now more machine than biology. His plan of global Armageddon has already been unleashed. With swift, cold-blooded efficiency, after even just a few days since he gave the command to start the war, mankind is in grave danger. First, Rainbow Falls must be taken over and from there the demise of mankind will take place with swift efficiency in ever-widening circles. However, Michael, Carson, and Deucalion are once again present to do what needs to be done. There are, in addition, small cadres of folks who have come to understand that something unholy is afoot and have taken a stand to the death if necessary.

A fun read that engrossed me. Certainly this is not the greatest novel ever written, not even close. However, after reading the trilogy and enjoying it, I was fully invested in the story and the characters. Now onto the final book in the series, The Dead Town.