Picked up SHADOW OF FRANKENSTEIN this week and it got me thinking about the other "Non-Universal" Frankenstein novels published over the years (I have a small shelf full of the things)...
THE CROSS OF FRANKENSTEIN and THE SLAVE OF FRANKENSTEIN
by Robert Myers
Victor Frankenstein's illegitimate son runs afoul of the monster in 19th century America. The monster is presented as Shelley's intelligent, vindictive-as-hell avenger, taken to the next level. Here he's twisted and almost meglomaniacal, definitely the "villain" of the two novels -- he even screws the hero's fiancee at one point in CROSS -- altogether a nasty piece of work. Major drawback of the books is the protagonist himself, who narrates in neurotic, wheedling first-person; he's such a self-pitying whiner, it's hard to work up much sympathy for him.
THE FRANKENSTEIN WHEEL
by Paul W. Fairman
The only truly readable novel in Popular Library's deliriously pulpy "Frankenstein Horror Series" (though they're all well worth getting for the nifty cover art alone). Enjoyable pot-boiler, more direct and plot-driven than Shelley's original, but a reasonably effective pastiche of her mood and writing style.
NEW ADVENTURES OF FRANKENSTEIN
by Don Glut
Full-throttle Monster-kid fan-fic, written with more enthusiasm than word-smithing skill perhaps, but trashy comic-book fun if you approach them in the right frame of mind.
Anyone else have any thoughts on these? And feel free to chime in on other Frankenstein books (Saberhagen, Aldiss, et al)...
THE CROSS OF FRANKENSTEIN and THE SLAVE OF FRANKENSTEIN
by Robert Myers
Victor Frankenstein's illegitimate son runs afoul of the monster in 19th century America. The monster is presented as Shelley's intelligent, vindictive-as-hell avenger, taken to the next level. Here he's twisted and almost meglomaniacal, definitely the "villain" of the two novels -- he even screws the hero's fiancee at one point in CROSS -- altogether a nasty piece of work. Major drawback of the books is the protagonist himself, who narrates in neurotic, wheedling first-person; he's such a self-pitying whiner, it's hard to work up much sympathy for him.
THE FRANKENSTEIN WHEEL
by Paul W. Fairman
The only truly readable novel in Popular Library's deliriously pulpy "Frankenstein Horror Series" (though they're all well worth getting for the nifty cover art alone). Enjoyable pot-boiler, more direct and plot-driven than Shelley's original, but a reasonably effective pastiche of her mood and writing style.
NEW ADVENTURES OF FRANKENSTEIN
by Don Glut
Full-throttle Monster-kid fan-fic, written with more enthusiasm than word-smithing skill perhaps, but trashy comic-book fun if you approach them in the right frame of mind.
Anyone else have any thoughts on these? And feel free to chime in on other Frankenstein books (Saberhagen, Aldiss, et al)...
