The Revenge of Frankenstein

by Shaun Hutson

There is a fine line between obsession and madness and Frankenstein just stepped across it, in this novelization of a Hammer classicEscaping the guillotine, Victor Frankenstein is now posing as Doctor Stein, altruistic patron of the hospital for the poor. But in a secret basement laboratory he is harvesting body parts from his helpless patients, using them in his twisted experiments in a bid to create the perfect man. And this time he has help from a would-be pupil. His pupil seeks knowledge, but Frankenstein desires vengeance against all those who have tried to stop his terrifying work. The first time he tried, it ended in bloody mayhem, but now he is determined that nothing will go wrong. He wants revenge and God help anyone who gets in his way.

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Gothic

335 pages, Paperback

First published February 7, 2013

About the author

British horror novelist, including horror and urban thriller novels.

His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.

Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.

Reviews

[Ellyn’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing that attracted me to this book was the possibility of how human arrogance would be described. I mean it did, as what I always think every time I hear or remember the story of Frankenstein. But it wasn’t as impactful as I would have liked it. It was okay, but it was neither horrifically portrayed nor disappointingly portrayed. It was just plain okay.

[Melissa Cabbage · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of issues in the book that I've decided to overlook, because this is a novelisation of a 1958 movie - which obviously I've never watched as it was way before my time but now I'm only curious - and I didn't want to compare it with modern script-writing. There were several unanswered questions like exactly how did Frankenstein escape the guillotine, or what exactly did give rise to the cannibalistic natures of the experiments, or why Carl's body had transformed and since I wasn't born in that era, I decided to let them all go in favour of enjoying just an old-school horror film novel.

I enjoyed the characterisation of Baron Frankenstein a lot. I'm not gonna lie there, if Shaun Hutson intended to make this character such a lawful evil character, he completely succeeded in it. I enjoyed everything about that character, and I was surprised to find myself also liking Hans Kleve a lot too. I really like their dynamics, how Hans know that it's wrong but he admires the Baron's work too much, and how the Baron primarily uses Hans to boost his vanity, and how they eventually worked together, it was a great pleasure to read.

I did have a single issue with the book though, but it's more of a personal opinion. The short chapters annoyed the hell out of me. Because I'm the type to take breaks between two to three chapters, but these chapters are so short that I found myself taking way too many breaks, giving the impression that the book is really long when it isn't. There were quite a few scenes that could be all placed in a single chapter, a little bit of editing magic would've done the trick, so I'm not too sure why there was a need to keep chapters only about five to six pages long. 65 chapters for a 350 page book is a little overkill.

[Lucie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5* loved. Was a great depiction of the movie.

[Sarah Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Escaping the guillotine, Victor Frankenstein is now posing as Doctor Stein, altruistic patron of the hospital for the poor. But in a secret basement laboratory he is harvesting body parts from his helpless patients, using them in his twisted experiments in a bid to create the perfect man. And this time he has help from a would-be pupil. His pupil seeks knowledge, but Frankenstein desires vengeance against all those who have tried to stop his terrifying work. The first time he tried, it ended in bloody mayhem, but now he is determined that nothing will go wrong. He wants revenge and God help anyone who gets in his way.

Always loved Hutson previous horror books, this has a great storyline that can actually be continued on if he so wished, not as graphic a horror as his older stories but still an intriguing read.

[Andy Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This follows the framework of an old Hammer movie and I think the plot is as limited as you would expect from that. Nevertheless it was well written and, as it were, fleshed out.....whahaha.

[Kyle Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reallyb enjoyed this book, it was better than I thought it would be.

[Alex McDouall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, nothing outstanding. just makes me want to rewatch the film its novelised.

[Terry Alan Hulme · Rating 1 out of 5]

What revenge

He did not take revenge on anyone in fact it was one of the worse books I've read this year if I could get my money back on this book I would

[Michael Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novelisation of a Hammer classic this is certainly no literary classic but it succeeds in catching the overblown melodramatic nature of the original films as Dr Frankenstein chews his way through a warehouse full of carpets as he escapes the guillotine and sets up shop as a respectable doctor to the poor and downtrodden under the somewhat obvious pseudonym of Dr Stein. Soon up to his old tricks he recruits a young doctor as barking as he is and proceeds to lop off bits of his hapless patients, transfers the brain of an orangutan into a chimp (with predictably disastrous results) and finally drops the brain of his faithful but deformed assistant into a somewhat more perfectly formed body (with equally disastrous results). Pure hokum - pure Hammer!

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like when Shaun Hutson wrote 'Twins of Evil' for Hammer he followed the same story, 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' is a good book for Hammer fans but not for thoughs who only like Shaun Hutsons more Horror filled books.

But it's a good book never the less.

[T.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting read from the point of human nature but not so much as a horror story. It's like comparing horror movies of today with those of the 1970's. They are good for the cult value but most have suffered in comparison to the gore and thrills of the modern horror.

[Christopher Dodds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Shaun Hutson's twins of evil hammer horror novel this one is just as twisted and dark. But was gothicly dark and had a great but not very surprising ending which I enjoyed. It was a great read that I had started reading from a particular chapter it was hard to put down.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Good.

[David Mckinnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very well written book and a easy read.