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Frankenstein: Return From the Wasteland
A novelette of 9450 words based on Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN, or, The Modern Prometheus by Edgar and Stoker Nominated author of more than 50 books. Dr. Frankenstein's monster leaped from the ship where his maker lay dead and claimed he would do away with himself on a burning pyre. He drifted away on an ice floe in the frozen north region. Twenty years later Robert Walton, captain of that fated ship, returns to the dangerous clime to see if the creature really carried through with his threat. What he finds will change his life forever. Frankenstein, the monster, lives. Changed, more creature now than human, he will return from the wasteland with the man who thinks of him as a god.
27 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2012
34 people want to read
About the author
Billie Sue Mosiman
138 books92 followersEdgar Award Nominee for Best Novel
Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Novel
Novelist, short story writer, columnist, writing instructor, editor.
My published novels are now available at Kindle.com, along with new short story anthologies and novellas.
Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Novel
Novelist, short story writer, columnist, writing instructor, editor.
My published novels are now available at Kindle.com, along with new short story anthologies and novellas.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 20, 2012
Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus is my life's book.
You can change several things in your existence; your home, job, football or soccer team (extremely unlikely, but it happens) yet you can't change the book of your life. I'm so in love with this act of creation on the part of my beloved Mary Shelly that I just get jealous by thinking it in different hands.
It has to be mine, mine alone.
Myyy PRECIOUSSS....
Well, setting aside my Gollumite attack, I'm going to tell you what happened with `Frankenstein: Return From the Wastelands'
Skeptically, I approached this novelette, too afraid of reading yet another bad adaptation or re-writing of my 'precious classic'. I've read tons of books, comics, graphic novels, and poetry on the subject, and all, with just a couple exceptions, disappointed me.
But this was from Billie Sue Mosiman. I had just enjoyed her majestic `Wireman', of which I still bear scars in my mind for its strength and complex scariness, so I wondered - `How could Mrs. Mosiman dare adding a chapter to a perfect work?'
With rabid eyes, and a wary approach, I delved into her latest fatigue expecting yet another failure.
The monster was now beautiful and playing in a rock band? Was he portrayed as modern serial killer, bringing his revenge on all Frankenstein's descendants (Sarah Frankenstein? BANG!)
No.
From the incipit you're delivered the right plate; no modern grim cityscapes, no leather-clad psychos.
A letter from Captain Robert Walton to his sister.
Epistolary style? Could it be?
Yes! Return from the Wastelands is not a follow-up, but an added chapter, a seamless continuation of Shelley's work. And it's not about the creature.
Oh yes, the creature is in there and well described by the author, yet I felt this book is more about Walton.
In the original novel Captain Walton was the one sending letters to his beloved sister Margaret in England. Through him we are acquainted with the tragedy of the infamous scientist and his creation. Walton was so obsessed in reaching his goal that nearly paid with the lives of his crewmen, and his own. Now, twenty years later, he's become obsessed to discover if the creature followed his purpose to kill himself, after his nemesis death (i.e. Victor Frankenstein). So, this is a story with the same theme: obsession.
I loved Mrs. Mosiman's portrayal of Walton's lucid dementia, adding depth to a marginal character, and pivoting him to the stage's center. And Walton doesn't staggers or stutters, no, quite the contrary, in this author's able hands he shines like a polished gem.
I rarely say this, but it's deserved:
Thank you, Mrs. Billie Sue Mosiman; I'll add it to the book of my life. Your novelette is now part of my personal idea of the `Great Book'. I'll be forever grateful.
You can change several things in your existence; your home, job, football or soccer team (extremely unlikely, but it happens) yet you can't change the book of your life. I'm so in love with this act of creation on the part of my beloved Mary Shelly that I just get jealous by thinking it in different hands.
It has to be mine, mine alone.
Myyy PRECIOUSSS....
Well, setting aside my Gollumite attack, I'm going to tell you what happened with `Frankenstein: Return From the Wastelands'
Skeptically, I approached this novelette, too afraid of reading yet another bad adaptation or re-writing of my 'precious classic'. I've read tons of books, comics, graphic novels, and poetry on the subject, and all, with just a couple exceptions, disappointed me.
But this was from Billie Sue Mosiman. I had just enjoyed her majestic `Wireman', of which I still bear scars in my mind for its strength and complex scariness, so I wondered - `How could Mrs. Mosiman dare adding a chapter to a perfect work?'
With rabid eyes, and a wary approach, I delved into her latest fatigue expecting yet another failure.
The monster was now beautiful and playing in a rock band? Was he portrayed as modern serial killer, bringing his revenge on all Frankenstein's descendants (Sarah Frankenstein? BANG!)
No.
From the incipit you're delivered the right plate; no modern grim cityscapes, no leather-clad psychos.
A letter from Captain Robert Walton to his sister.
Epistolary style? Could it be?
Yes! Return from the Wastelands is not a follow-up, but an added chapter, a seamless continuation of Shelley's work. And it's not about the creature.
Oh yes, the creature is in there and well described by the author, yet I felt this book is more about Walton.
In the original novel Captain Walton was the one sending letters to his beloved sister Margaret in England. Through him we are acquainted with the tragedy of the infamous scientist and his creation. Walton was so obsessed in reaching his goal that nearly paid with the lives of his crewmen, and his own. Now, twenty years later, he's become obsessed to discover if the creature followed his purpose to kill himself, after his nemesis death (i.e. Victor Frankenstein). So, this is a story with the same theme: obsession.
I loved Mrs. Mosiman's portrayal of Walton's lucid dementia, adding depth to a marginal character, and pivoting him to the stage's center. And Walton doesn't staggers or stutters, no, quite the contrary, in this author's able hands he shines like a polished gem.
I rarely say this, but it's deserved:
Thank you, Mrs. Billie Sue Mosiman; I'll add it to the book of my life. Your novelette is now part of my personal idea of the `Great Book'. I'll be forever grateful.
January 24, 2013
Billie Sue Mosiman is one of the most prolific female writers that I know. Her library is immense and she has had her share of awards and nominations. She had to be very confident in her skill to attempt to enter and add to the Shelley mythology. This is no knock off or cheap grab at an established horror icon, this is a continuation of Shelley's story told in a voice that meshes with the original.
The strength of Mosiman's writing is on display here in Frankenstein: Return From The Wasteland. She has the same ability to use beautiful prose and paint a picture that is terrifying in that classic gothic horror style that does not rely on cheap tricks and gratuitous gore as if that were all it took to write true horror.
Just as Shelley did so long ago, Mosiman creates sympathy for the horrific. I suspect that the original tale was a favorite of hers and that she could not get past the ambiguous ending in the arctic. (For those unfamiliar with the book that the Karloff classic is based on, it is not angry villagers, but rather the monster's own awareness of what he is that is the undoing.) She obviously needed to have her own closure and it is good for readers of good old fashioned horror that she chose to put pen to paper as it were.
This might seem tame by today's standards, but for lovers of the classics, this is a must read.
The strength of Mosiman's writing is on display here in Frankenstein: Return From The Wasteland. She has the same ability to use beautiful prose and paint a picture that is terrifying in that classic gothic horror style that does not rely on cheap tricks and gratuitous gore as if that were all it took to write true horror.
Just as Shelley did so long ago, Mosiman creates sympathy for the horrific. I suspect that the original tale was a favorite of hers and that she could not get past the ambiguous ending in the arctic. (For those unfamiliar with the book that the Karloff classic is based on, it is not angry villagers, but rather the monster's own awareness of what he is that is the undoing.) She obviously needed to have her own closure and it is good for readers of good old fashioned horror that she chose to put pen to paper as it were.
This might seem tame by today's standards, but for lovers of the classics, this is a must read.
May 16, 2012
I cannot review the story without blowing the plot, but I just want to say that left me feeling confirmed in my view of the world. So, instead, I will talk about the writing.
This is a partially epistolary novel, written in the style of the days when epistolary novels were popular. And here is the interesting thing -- I hate epistolary novels of the period, but I liked this story very much. The author is so disciplined that she kept the writing very much consistent with the language and sentiments expressed in the period novels, but without the tediousness that always seeps into the fictional letters of Romantic/Victorian craftsmanship. Not once did the language jar me out of my disbelief.
This is hardly surprising, as this author is one of the smoothest writers out there. And this holds true in the traditional narrative sections of the book. As a result, this is one fast and fun read.
This is a partially epistolary novel, written in the style of the days when epistolary novels were popular. And here is the interesting thing -- I hate epistolary novels of the period, but I liked this story very much. The author is so disciplined that she kept the writing very much consistent with the language and sentiments expressed in the period novels, but without the tediousness that always seeps into the fictional letters of Romantic/Victorian craftsmanship. Not once did the language jar me out of my disbelief.
This is hardly surprising, as this author is one of the smoothest writers out there. And this holds true in the traditional narrative sections of the book. As a result, this is one fast and fun read.
November 15, 2012
I just finished this ebook this morning and WOW!!!!! I was impressed. The author immediately puts you in the mindframe of reading classic literature. I felt like I had found an old hidden gem.
The story picks up 20 years after Frankensteins Monster had disappeared from the world and the main character Robert is in his waning years. He needs to know if the creature is alive or dead and cannot rest until his questions are answered in one form or another.
This book felt like such a natural extension capturing the characters, mood, and setting perfectly. I highly recommend this read to anyone who likes the feel of classic literature or is a fan of the mythology.
The story picks up 20 years after Frankensteins Monster had disappeared from the world and the main character Robert is in his waning years. He needs to know if the creature is alive or dead and cannot rest until his questions are answered in one form or another.
This book felt like such a natural extension capturing the characters, mood, and setting perfectly. I highly recommend this read to anyone who likes the feel of classic literature or is a fan of the mythology.
May 18, 2012
Mosiman's Frankenstein hits the mark again in this brilliant tale about the fear, death, obsession and what it means to be human, both the ugly side and the compassionate.
This 10,000 word story will leave you thinking long into the night, and wondering about the definition of life.
This 10,000 word story will leave you thinking long into the night, and wondering about the definition of life.
July 11, 2012
Yet another Billie Sue Mosiman book under my belt, yet another five star review. I won't give away any plot, but I suggest reading this (or any of her work). She's amazing!
December 11, 2012
Nicely written addition to the Frankenstein story that results in questioning who the real monster is.
December 2, 2012
Let me preface this review with a short caveat: In terms of enjoyment, Mosiman's story scores an easy four- to five-stars. So why then did I give this novelette only three. The answer? Because of the way I'm defining the five-star system:
*One Star: A crime against God and man.
*Two Stars: Poor, or otherwise not ready for publication.
*Three Stars: A solid work worth the money/read.
*Four Stars: A superior, award-worthy achievement.
*Five Stars: A standard setter, a work to stand the test of time, a work to be studied and read again and again....
"Frankenstein," by Shelley, much like Stoker's "Dracula," is not nearly as familiar a work as people might otherwise think. Yes, the tale's iconic, as are a couple of the principle characters: The Doctor, of course, and, yes, his monster. Unfortunately, I'm of the mind that the work, again, like Stoker's "Dracula," is not often read, in its entirety, and in its original form. Rather, often, people presume they know all the relevant details. This is a shame, for the novel's a phenomenal piece of work, and despite the familiarity of the concept (the warning?) of the story, and the ease in which the iconic Universal Studio monster is recognized, the original work is more than worthy of a reader's time.
Shelley wrote "Frankenstein" in an epistolary fashion, i.e., in letter format, the work documenting the letters between Captain Robert Walton and his sister, Margaret Walton Saville.
In another review, Mosiman's tale is called a "unique" take on the story. I've a differing opinion.
With "Frankenstein: Return From the Wasteland," Mosiman, who typically does have a signature kind of style with her quality of writing, has managed to take herself out of the tale, removing any sense of Mosiman-esque author intrusion, and instead, has managed to capture the flavor and much of the voice (and literary value) of Shelley's work, to the end that a person could read Shelley's orignal, close the book, and the next night, pick of Mosiman's story, and feel like they're getting a seamless continuation.
How does she do this? Well, if I really knew, and could bottle it, I'd be quite the wealthy man. On the other hand, the answer's also simple: She took Shelley's work, and using it as a template, continued the style of story.
"...Return From the Wasteland," also written in epistolary style, continues with the same narrator/character, that of Robert Walton, and of him writing to his sister Margaret, and kicks off approximately 20-years after Frankenstein's creature walks off into the wasteland.
And what a start.
As has been stated elsewhere, the work harpoon's a reader with its opening lines:
My Beloved Sister,
I write to you about a deadly serious and Olympian idea. It is of a monster. I know you recall the one I mean, the only one that has ever been allowed entry into the world since Neptune was purported to rise from the deep blue ocean waters.
And the beauty continues.... Often with genre fiction, and not to say it's a bad thing, a given work merely entertains, and does so on the most superficial of levels, the work being quickly consumed (even, dare I say it, skimmed!), enjoyed, and then forgotten. Being a man, I can't help but think of a food comparison...in this case, a work not unlike a Happy Meal, some kind of stomach-filling fare that keeps a story addict from jonesing.
But then there's fine dining. There's stories that rise above mere entertainment, that become an experience. Such is Mosiman's novelette. "Frankenstein: Return From the Wasteland," is not meant to be skimmed, but read, with every word articulated, either out loud, or sub-vocalized, but READ. An ideal setting, would be in front of a fire, the work in-hand, a snowy landscape outside, and a large mug of hot chocolate sitting close, the reader journeying along with Robert Walton, and bearing witness to the man's obsession and journey into madness, his search for a god, and the ultimate fate whenever a god is found.
In the front matter, Mosiman has the following dedication:
... to Mary Shelley who gave us our first monster.
I love that, and love it for its simplicity, and for the fact that the author refrained from using the overused word "homage." But make no mistake, that is what Billie Sue has managed to do. Without overwriting, without being pretentious, and without having to "say it," but letting the work simply show it, she's written an homage...a story that could be read the day after closing Shelley's original, and without having any sense of being in an alien land.
A tremendous job, worth the read, worth the time, worth the money...and worth the patience to wait until the work can be consumed in a sitting, every word articulated...with that hot chocolate at-the-ready.
Rob M. Miller
*One Star: A crime against God and man.
*Two Stars: Poor, or otherwise not ready for publication.
*Three Stars: A solid work worth the money/read.
*Four Stars: A superior, award-worthy achievement.
*Five Stars: A standard setter, a work to stand the test of time, a work to be studied and read again and again....
"Frankenstein," by Shelley, much like Stoker's "Dracula," is not nearly as familiar a work as people might otherwise think. Yes, the tale's iconic, as are a couple of the principle characters: The Doctor, of course, and, yes, his monster. Unfortunately, I'm of the mind that the work, again, like Stoker's "Dracula," is not often read, in its entirety, and in its original form. Rather, often, people presume they know all the relevant details. This is a shame, for the novel's a phenomenal piece of work, and despite the familiarity of the concept (the warning?) of the story, and the ease in which the iconic Universal Studio monster is recognized, the original work is more than worthy of a reader's time.
Shelley wrote "Frankenstein" in an epistolary fashion, i.e., in letter format, the work documenting the letters between Captain Robert Walton and his sister, Margaret Walton Saville.
In another review, Mosiman's tale is called a "unique" take on the story. I've a differing opinion.
With "Frankenstein: Return From the Wasteland," Mosiman, who typically does have a signature kind of style with her quality of writing, has managed to take herself out of the tale, removing any sense of Mosiman-esque author intrusion, and instead, has managed to capture the flavor and much of the voice (and literary value) of Shelley's work, to the end that a person could read Shelley's orignal, close the book, and the next night, pick of Mosiman's story, and feel like they're getting a seamless continuation.
How does she do this? Well, if I really knew, and could bottle it, I'd be quite the wealthy man. On the other hand, the answer's also simple: She took Shelley's work, and using it as a template, continued the style of story.
"...Return From the Wasteland," also written in epistolary style, continues with the same narrator/character, that of Robert Walton, and of him writing to his sister Margaret, and kicks off approximately 20-years after Frankenstein's creature walks off into the wasteland.
And what a start.
As has been stated elsewhere, the work harpoon's a reader with its opening lines:
My Beloved Sister,
I write to you about a deadly serious and Olympian idea. It is of a monster. I know you recall the one I mean, the only one that has ever been allowed entry into the world since Neptune was purported to rise from the deep blue ocean waters.
And the beauty continues.... Often with genre fiction, and not to say it's a bad thing, a given work merely entertains, and does so on the most superficial of levels, the work being quickly consumed (even, dare I say it, skimmed!), enjoyed, and then forgotten. Being a man, I can't help but think of a food comparison...in this case, a work not unlike a Happy Meal, some kind of stomach-filling fare that keeps a story addict from jonesing.
But then there's fine dining. There's stories that rise above mere entertainment, that become an experience. Such is Mosiman's novelette. "Frankenstein: Return From the Wasteland," is not meant to be skimmed, but read, with every word articulated, either out loud, or sub-vocalized, but READ. An ideal setting, would be in front of a fire, the work in-hand, a snowy landscape outside, and a large mug of hot chocolate sitting close, the reader journeying along with Robert Walton, and bearing witness to the man's obsession and journey into madness, his search for a god, and the ultimate fate whenever a god is found.
In the front matter, Mosiman has the following dedication:
... to Mary Shelley who gave us our first monster.
I love that, and love it for its simplicity, and for the fact that the author refrained from using the overused word "homage." But make no mistake, that is what Billie Sue has managed to do. Without overwriting, without being pretentious, and without having to "say it," but letting the work simply show it, she's written an homage...a story that could be read the day after closing Shelley's original, and without having any sense of being in an alien land.
A tremendous job, worth the read, worth the time, worth the money...and worth the patience to wait until the work can be consumed in a sitting, every word articulated...with that hot chocolate at-the-ready.
Rob M. Miller
January 31, 2013
I have to begin by saying that I love the original Frankenstein. Being a fan of Billie Sue Mosiman I knew even before I began this book that I would be surprised by her words and once again I was not let down. This novelette captures you imagination from the first page and pulls you into one mans world as he hunts for Dr. Frankenstein's monster to find out once and for all if twenty years after the doctors death if his creation still lives.
This becomes his obsession. Even though he may not live to find the truth he has to push forward and know if the one creature who has haunted his mind for twenty long years lives or if it has passed in the frozen wastelands of the arctic tundra. What he finds and the loss he experiences is more than one man can handle and the worse thing of all is he finds out just how bad the human race can hate and fear the unknown.
This becomes his obsession. Even though he may not live to find the truth he has to push forward and know if the one creature who has haunted his mind for twenty long years lives or if it has passed in the frozen wastelands of the arctic tundra. What he finds and the loss he experiences is more than one man can handle and the worse thing of all is he finds out just how bad the human race can hate and fear the unknown.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews