The Dead Town

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein #5

by Dean Koontz

FRANKENSTEIN: THE DEAD TOWN The war against humanity is raging. As the small town of Rainbow Falls, Montana, comes under siege, scattered survivors band together to weather the onslaught of the creatures set loose upon the world. As they ready for battle against overwhelming odds, they will learn the full scope of Victor Frankenstein?s nihilistic plan to remake the future ? and the terrifying reach of his shadowy, powerful supporters. Now the good will make their last, best stand. In a climax that will shatter every expectation, their destinies and the fate of humanity hang in the balance. ?Koontz is a master of the edge-of-your-seat, paranoid thriller and perhaps the leading American practitioner of the form.? ?The Star-Ledger ?Koontz writes first-rate suspense, scary and stylish.? ?Los Angeles Times ?A rarity among bestselling writers, Koontz continues to pursue new ways of telling stories, never content with repeating himself. He writes of hope and love in the midst of evil in profoundly inspiring and moving ways.? ?Chicago Sun-Times

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Victor Frankenstein, Mystery

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Acknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.

Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.

Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com

Reviews

[Kaylynn Johnsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why do I love Koontz? Hmmmm... so many reasons. Here is just a sample:

"Jocko was a tumor. Well he started out as a tumor-like lump... Then he became self-aware. A tumor with attitude. Hopes and dreams. And he grew fast. Later he burst out of that host body. Became something more than a tumor. Something better.

He became a monster. Some people screamed when they saw Jocko. Others fainted. Birds dive-bombed him. Cats hissed and rats fled squeaking. Jocko was a very effective monster...

A monster was a more respectable thing to be than a mere tumor. Nobody liked a tumor. What was to like? But they wrote books about monsters. Made movies about them, too. People liked some monsters as much as they feared them.

When you started out as a tumor with a brain, you had nowhere to go but up."

See? What's not to love? Dean I love you. Thank you.

[jv poore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the conclusion of Dean Koontz's Frankenstein. One of my favourite things about Mr. Koontz's writing is the depth of his characters, so it was great to revisit Jocko, Deucalion, Michael & Carson and Nummy.

Because this series could have ended so many different ways, particularly since Mr. Koontz is not above killing off a main character, the frentic activity made for a page-turning read and a unique twist on a very old tale.

[Paul E · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book in Koontz Frankenstein is by far the best. The many narratives going on all connect, and the characters are true to form.
It was a fun horror thriller. That gets wrapped up very nicely.
4 - 5 🌟

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Koontz brings the five-volume Deucalion series to a satisfying conclusion in this book, which is really just the second half of the story begun in volume four, Lost Souls. (I thought that the first three books came to a satisfying conclusion, too, so what do I know? And props to the author for ending it when he could have drug it out to a second trilogy.) The plot has a few wonky and questionable spots, but is consistent with what has gone before, so I'm sure that anyone who made it through the first four will enjoy this one. This one seems to be more about the characters than most of his other novels from the same time, and they all take their curtain call with aplomb. Koontz mixes humor with tension to create suspenseful entertainment very successfully.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I drug this one out because I am going to miss Deucalion! and Jocko and Mr. Lyss and Carson and Michael! The ending wasn't as dramatic as it could have been and at parts I got lost and didn't understand how certain scenes tied to the story but I am a die hard Koontz fan and I loved this series!

[Holmes · Rating 1 out of 5]

[Spoilers alert!]

I don't know why I'm still reading this Frankoontztein crap. Yes, Dean Koontz knows how to keep you hooked, but increasingly he's treating his readers like they're idiots. He just doesn't care about the quality of his Frankenstein series anymore. In this fifth, supposedly final installment, everything is just plain stupid and anti-climactic. Let me vent it out:

1) What kind of plot is it when all the bad guys start "malfunctioning" on their own, so that the good guys just need to wait it out until the bad guys finish themselves off? Maybe Koontz realizes nanoswarms can't be beaten and so just decides to take the cheap way out.

2) The "big boss" is supposed to be hard to kill. But wow, Deucalion simply walks ("quantumly" of course, whatever that means) into his lair, touches him and he bursts into fire spontaneously. What a lousy anti-climax.

3) I've really had enough of that stupid Jocko. A former tumour who is now a hyper-sentimental super-childish uber-hacker. Although Koontz tries hard to make readers sympathize with him (should really be "it"), I still don't give a damn what happens to him.

4) I also don't give a damn to all those shallow paper-thin characters on the sideline. To me, it just feels like they're padding for the pages. I could say more but I don't want to waste more of my time on this crappy novel. I'll just say that the series started really strong, but Koontz wasted it in the most shameful way, and probably trashed his reputation as well. Still, I'm glad that this stupid saga is over. Please stay that way.

[Nicholas Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt in my mind, this was the best of the series, simply with the way the entire series in wrapped up very "efficiently" by Koontz. The four hundred pages zoom by in anticipation of the climactic conclusion. So much could be said about this book, and the characters which are brought to life throughout; Carson and Michael are determined former detectives who always are putting other people's needs in front of their own, since they recognize the humanity in everyone; Nummy and Mr. Lyss are an odd couple being close to exact opposites, but somehow also, they work incredibly well together; Erika and Jocko, Erika appears to have broken the spell and moved on with her life, while Jocko is still Jocko, he is such a funny and uplifting character; Victor is as evil as ever, while Deucalion is the epitome of a fearless and selfless hero fighting for the ultimate good. These are only some of the special characters created within the pages of this novel, while there are many others who are just as memorable and are determined to fight against the unnatural onslaught of created monsters surfacing from Victor's lair.

Dean Koontz started this series years ago, and this was one of the first books I read by the author; this was the series which particularly caught my eye and mind. From there spawned a love of literature, which in truth had always been dwelling under the surface. So, when I started reading I was worried the story wouldn't live up to my ridiculously high expectations. I was proved wrong though by Dean, with the story ending better than I could have ever imagined. At times, unbelievably funny; always with a solid feeling of suspense and horror; and sections of exceptionally emotional content, this novel was firmly solidified as one of my favorites by Dean Koontz.

[Ethan’s Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book one, was the best in the series for me. I loved the character of Deucalion. But I just didn’t see enough of him through out the series. He almost became a side character through out. Also, I really wanted to see Deucalion stomp some of the villains out.

But I did enjoy seeing Brother Knuckles in this story. I enjoyed him in Brother Odd.

I love Dean Koontz as an author, but I really do see what a lot of people complain about with him. He uses a lot of the same plot lines, characters, word filler, and words.

But at this point in my life I think it’s safe to assume that I have read all of my favorites by sir Dean Koontz.

I could always depend on Dean for a more visual read and that I can appreciate with MOST books he has ever published.

My favorites so far…

Phantoms
Tic Tok
Winter Moon
Odd Thomas (book 1)
Shattered
Lightening
Intensity
The Bad Place
Whispers
The Taking
Night Chills
False Memory
Hideaway
Sole Survivor
The Funhouse
Frankenstein (book 1)
Shadowfires
Darkfall
Demon Seed
The Voice of the Night
The Servants of Twilight
The Door to December

I’m sure I have missed a few books that I just can’t think of at the moment. Considering he has written this many books that I have enjoyed is just nuts to think about. Dean is an excellent author. Although this review may not be the best rating to the end of a series. I do consider it a love letter to Mr. Dean Koontz. I really appreciate all the books he has written that have brought me enjoyment in my life.

So, Dean. If you happen to come across my little review. Thank you sir for all the wonderful books.

[Reading is my Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great end to the series. I enjoyed the entire series even though this book wrapped up a little too easily. My favorite things about this last book continue to be Jocko and Erica 5. I could listen to a whole book about Jocko's pirouetting adventures and fear of Johnny Depp. I also enjoyed Mr. Lyss and Nummy. At first, I thought Mr. Lyss was irredeemable, but I think Nummy's naivete and good outlook brought out the best in him. Their banter was more enjoyable than Carson & Michael's in these last two books.

I have recently been disappointed in Koontz's books, but this series reminded me of what I enjoyed about his writing in the first place.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it, but The Dead Town is not my favorite in the 5-book series.

I enjoyed the comic elements provided - I love the abundance of quirky characters. I also liked how Dean Koontz's Frankenstein is linked to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Story near the end (Chapter 64). I re-read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in 2016 and I think how Dean mentions Robert Walton aboard the ice-bound ship helps tie things together rather nicely.

Favorite Passages:

Mr. Lyss drove around going nowhere in the snow while he tried to think what to do next. Nummy O'Bannon rode with him, going to the same nowhere, because Nummy didn't drive but he was good at riding.
Nummy felt kind of bad about riding in this car because Mr. Lyss stole it, and stealing was never good. Mr. Lyss said the keys were in the ignition, so the owner wanted anyone to use it who might need it. But they had hardly gone a mile before Nummy realized that was a lie.
"Grandmama she used to say, if you can't buy what somebody else has or either make it for your own self, then you shouldn't keep on always wanting it. That kind of wanting is called envy, and envy can make you into a thief faster than butter melts in a hot skillet."
"Well, excuse me for being too damn stupid to build us a car from scratch," Mr. Lyss said.
"I didn't say you was stupid. I don't call nobody names. That's not nice. I been called enough myself."
"I like calling people names," Mr. Lyss said. "I get a thrill out of it. I delight in calling people names. I been known to make little children cry, the names I call them. Nobody's going to tell me I can't do something that gives me so much innocent pleasure."
______

Sometimes Jocko sat on the swiveling desk chair in front of the computer. Sometimes knelt on it. Sometimes stood on it. Stood on it and danced. Danced hard enough to make the chair spin. His red-and-green hat with silver bells jingled merrily.
Sometimes Jocko typed with his feet. Long ugly toes. Ugly but flexible and limber. Good toes for typing.
His fingers were ugly, too. Everything about his body was ugly. Even his bizarre tongue with its three hairs.
Jocko was a tumor.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

The fifth and final book of Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series was not the worst book of the series (that would be the 3rd or 4th), but I can say honestly that I'm glad it's over. The first two books of this series were great! It was exciting, action-packed, and a great twist on the Frankenstein story, set in New Orleans. Then Katrina hit New Orleans and Koontz felt compelled to delay any further entries so as not to impose any fictitious horrors to the city in addition to the real life ones, in spite of the initial prologue that it was the first of four books (the number changed many times). When Katrina hit New Orleans, whatever muse that blessed Koontz with 20 straight years of annual hits seemed to have departed as well. The majority of his 2-3 books per year have been disappointments, especially this series.

Lousy new characters, corny dialog, and minimal use of the old protagonists make the reader scratch their head and ask, "Who is this guy, and where did the real Dean Koontz go?" Given the indifference I had to this whole series after book number four, Koontz did about as good of job as could be expected to close this series. (Trivia: This was supposed to be a 4-book series. It was casually revised to a trilogy, then Koontz started a second trilogy, then decided for only two books in the second part to make a fifth series.) Koontz showed promise in last winter's book "What the Night Knows", and now that this formerly very good to eventually mediocre series is done, here's hoping that this burden now being off Koontz's chest, and that he'll leave it alone and get back to writing instant classics.

[❀ Tina ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Let me start by saying this novel felt unnecessary. What I mean by that is the original trilogy was great, and it had a great ending, and if things had stopped there, all would have been great. Then two more books were "added on" to the trilogy (at least added on is what it felt like) and it weakened the series rather than made it better. I just always felt like the series should have stopped at a trilogy.

The last two books in the series weren't bad, but they took things in a new direction that really didn't mesh well with the first three. It just got a little too far out dealing with nanomachines and such. Plus there was just a little too much comedy for what was originally a very serious horror tale.

I will say that if you're the type of reader that could read the first three books in the series and then stop there, you will probably be happier than if you read these last two. However, if you're a completist like me and just has to know what happens to the characters, then you'll probably read the whole series. And you may like all 5 equally, but for me, I thought the first three were great, and the last two, just good.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

actual rating: 2.5

This was okay but ultimately I just don't really see the need for the last two books in this series. Also I could have overall done with a smaller cast because it seemed like he would just introduce more and more POV characters every book instead of focusing on the ones I personally was actually interested in. I haven't read any other books by Koontz so maybe this is typical of him but although I enjoyed the first part of this series I feel like there was so much wasted potential. I would have loved to see a series that had a lot more focus on Deucalion and Erika but I guess this was supposed to more of a crime-thriller / everyday hero type of thing. Still a pretty interesting series but honestly if you want to stop reading after book three you won't be missing much.

[The Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed and the last book of the series. Spoiler, the end of the world was stopped.

This was a great ride. This series is great imaginative continuation of Frankenstein. I highly recommend reading it.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still dealing with the same evil, a stand is being made. This time the original group are not alone in wanting to rid the world of Frankenstein’s evil ways. With the aid of many, those from the former books make the final stand against the evil of the world, concluding with what could be either life or death for the human race.

Koontz takes the original Frankenstein story and creates something wonderful. Taking the idea of the classic story, Koontz places Frankenstein and his monster in the modern world. This story leaves you asking who the real monster is – whether it the grotesque monster happens to be the real monster or whether the creator of such a creature was the real monster.

It’s a must read for anyone who love Koontz or the classic Frankenstein story.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book better than book 3. It kept my interest although it wasn't as good as book 1 and 2.Dean Koontz is very good in describing characters and making them realistic for you even when they are tumours. lol! I also loved Mister Lyss. The way Dean Koontz describes the relationship between Mr Lyss and Nummy is really fantastic. It seems to me he is getting better and maybe he should try and write a non horror/thriller kind of book. Anyway it was a decent end to the series. 3.5

[Jackie Zimmermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of the series, I was thoroughly satisfied with how Koontz wrapped up this tale. The book itself, to my enjoyment, has far more action than the previous installment, and any fan of the series will whiz through the final pages and close this book with a feeling of great satisfaction.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for the most part, but the ending seemed a little rushed and unfinished - Having read a few books now by this author, I get the impression that he doesn't really know how to finish a story, how to bring it to an ending. You get a great beginning and middle, but towards the end it seems to switch to relying on deus ex machina, and cutting out anything he can't explain and then jumping to a happy ever after epilogue.

I have to say that I was happy with most of the endings everyone got, especially after two (or in some cases five) books following their stories.
Carson and Michael - I was glad that their epilogue was only a couple of lines, because it made sense. We always knew that as long as they had each other, and that Arnie and Scout were safe, then they were always going to be alright no matter what.

I loved Erika and Jocko's ending. I thought it was sweet and a little goofy, with Erika falling in love and marrying someone, and having a family - something that she couldn't want when we met her, but that proved to be what she was best at building. She was made without a family and designed to be the perfect obedient wife, but thanks to Jocko and the other people she met, she became more than what she was made to be, she became human. Jocko also got his happy ending - nobody beating him with sticks, or chasing him away, or trying to kill him. He gets to be himself, with his new family, and sure, why not give him his own kids TV show where he can jump and dance and play all the time? Considering some of the other stuff that happens in this book, that's certainly not the most farfetched, although it does feel like it since we spent the last four books being told how hideous and off-putting Jocko is.

I'm glad Travis and his mum were okay, although no explanation for how or why Grace wasn't affected by the brain probe the same way as the others. Other authors would have killed Grace off, or had her become one of the mindless brain-dead slaves, which would have added a new twist of the knife, but this did make me feel like the author had her be fine because they didn't want to make the audience read something so painful - which is odd considering how many people we've seen die over this series.

Nummy and Mr Lyss's ending was just... odd. I'm glad Nummy got a happy ending because he absolutely deserved it, and Lyss was a prick, but not as bad as he could have been, but the fact that this angry, selfish drifter who steals and cheats and lies and overall doesn't care about anyone else would then essentially adopt Nummy - a special needs adult - and change his entire life to take care of him? It just goes against everything we've learned about Lyss over the past two books. The lottery win was just ridiculous on top of everything else, and I don't even want to think about it because it's so goddamn stupid.

I'm mostly annoyed at Deucalion's ending. I still can't even tell if he actively chose to kill Victor or if some 'higher power' decided for him. Deucalion deserved to be the one to kill Victor, after the centuries of pain he endured because of that man, but it felt a little like he was robbed of it, as though destiny was the one who got the final blow. And then just vanishing into light? We don't hear if he found peace, if he had a soul that reached heaven, if the parts of him that tried to be good were redeemed? It makes me mad the more I think about it, because if anyone deserved a happy ending, it was Deucalion, and just something to say that he's happy wherever he went would have been nice.

The main part of the book was good - it had me tense and on edge, and it felt like a zombie or alien movie, constantly worrying that a builder was about to consume someone. It felt apocalyptic and desperate and like you were constantly looking over your shoulder to wonder if the person approaching was a replicant or builder who would continue their war against humanity. Again, the deus ex machina of it all with the builders going wrong, did dampen the effect from the middle onwards, but it was good enough to keep me going until the end just to see who would or wouldn't make it.
What I really wanted to read about was the cold war scientist who hid himself in an abandoned bunker for 30+ years slowly going mad and turning it into a temple of madness, until Victor showed up and took over the facility and he watched them until he could lure two replicants down and try to force them to join his one-man cult, before Victor killed him - that's a hell of a fucking story right there but we get one paragraph about it? Forget the novel themes about humanity and the desire to survive and creating community, I want to read about the guy working in a super secret government bunker who said he was going on vacation and then hid in the basement of said bunker for 30 years!

Overall, a distinctly average offering from this author, with moments of pure genius sprinkled in. Disappointing after investing in the series for 5 books, and I probably won't be in a hurry to read anything by this author again anytime soon, but I am willing to give his work another go at some point.

[Justin Larimore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dead Town" is the fifth and last in the updated Frankenstein series began by Dean Koontz in 2005. The action and unlikely heroes mark this as a fitting end to the series. We have come to love many of the characters over the passage of time and books, and this final installment does not disappoint. Too many authors write themselves into a corner and resort to unimaginative devices to get themselves out. This is definitely not true of Dean Koontz. I cannot go into much more detail without giving too much of the plot, but it is a good read and hard to put down.
The Dead Town lives up to it's name in every sense.

[Sam (she_who_reads_) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In reality, closer to a 2.5 stars. Just so anticlimactic, and I truely could have done without that last chapter

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure who to be more worried about in terms of the obsessive fascination with gallows humour - Dean Koontz for writing it, or me for reveling in it! This was a fabulous ending - a final one this time! - to the sensational Frankenstein series Koontz envisioned!

In re-imagining the Frankenstein story not only in present-day, but also with the "monster" as the hero, Koontz really turned what I've always considered a yawner of a monster story into a no-holds-barred, knock it out of the park blockbuster.

I absolutely adored this series, which has perplexed me from the first book, since I'm normally neither a fan of Koontz or of Frankenstein. But in creating a whole motley crew of the unlikeliest group of mis-matched heroic pairs of people you have ever seen, he makes a completely unbelieveable sort of armageddon completely plausible. What's more, it's one hell of a rip-roaring, excitement-filled, nail-biter of a "how's it all gonna end?!" kind of story - the best kind of story for my money!

This is the kind of book, because there are a group of pairs all trying to head of the end of the world from a different place and perspective and approach, where you just don't wanna stop, because you leave one pair in peril at the end of a chapter, and Koontz tosses you right into peril with the next couple, where he then ALSO leaves our protagonists in a fix.

I can't recommend this series highly enough as a completely unique, really interesting killer story [no pun intended!] I thought I was content with the ending of book 3, but having read books 4 and 5 I'm really glad the extra installments were written, as I enjoyed them hugely.

[David Doyle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I didn't realize this was the 5th book, I read it instead of the first. But if this is how it wraps up, I don't think I'll read the others. In this book, Dr. Frankenstein has moved to Montana to implement his diabolical plan to destroy all humanity. Most every chapter introduces a new character, who often die in the same chapter. Those that survive don't do much. There were 3 memorable characters, all which apparently were introduced in earlier books: Mr. Lyss & Nummy have some good lines, and Deucalion (the original creature of Dr. Frankenstein) but he barely has any scenes in the book. The new monsters are, well, meant to be frightening because they're unbeatable, but they just start malfunctioning and all the good guys have to do is wait them out. The end should be climatic with a showdown between Deucalion and Dr. Frankenstein, instead they exchange some observations about modern society as Deucalion swiftly & easily destroys his nemesis, and all the other creatures die because they were programmed to self-destroy at his death. What?!!

[Kenisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the series a fair bit, but I thought it devolved into a mess of poorly structured characters as it went on. The returning characters were fine, for the most part, but all of the townspeople just happen to be amazing paragons of virtue. No one pees themselves in terror over the Builders, really, until they are pages away from being killed. I just found the way they were portrayed to be a little hard to swallow. Victor spends the entire thing holed up in his underground base, meditating on how perfect he is with his thumbs up his ass. The final confrontation between Deucalion and his creator was a let-down. I enjoyed the first few novels, and I would welcome more stories about Frankenstein's son if they were a return to previous form, or at least if it felt like there was more thought going into what is meant to be a huge showdown.

[Shiraz · Rating 1 out of 5]

The last 2 books in this series seem more like the rantings of an old man pining for the 'good old days' than a coherent work of fiction. One dimensional, unlikable characters, heavy handed messages that treat the readers like they are stupid, plot holes galore and one of the worst endings since 'and then she woke up and realized it was all just a dream'.

Koontz has always been a bit new agey but these books took it to another level with their exaltation of guns, god and family and anti science and anti intellectual diatribes.

[Richard Bellingham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh Dean Koontz. I used to enjoy your books, when they weren't thinly disguised polemics against liberals, scientists and atheists. It makes me sad that capable of someone seeing such warmth and joy in people's lives has to ascribe that entirely to a belief in a higher power. In my opinion the fact that we find such warmth and joy in the universe despite the fleeting unimportance of our tiny lives is far more amazing.

[Gary Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this entire series, the only complaint I have about the novel is that it ended to soon lol. Im still upset that this didn't become a movie or series. I loved Nummy and Mr. Lyss lol, those two always cracked me up. Deucalion was a beast! Awesome series, may have to read more Koontz after this series.

[Merrilee Buroker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dean Koontz has a way of making any story chilling and profound. And always with a positive, uplifting ending that makes you feel like Good will always win out in the end. Which makes the scary parts worth it, right? I will miss Deucalion, and Jocko, and Carson and Michael. I am sad to see this series end. We need more, Mr. Koontz!

[Tom Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book V - the Final Volume.
Earlier installments have been engrossing and fast paced.
Man vs the monsters of evil's imagination.
Good trumps Evil.
Victor's demise at the hands of Deucalion is anti-climatic and rather rushed.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good series. I think I liked the last two books the best - they were a reboot of the story with what felt like a much more suspenseful atmosphere. I love Dean Koontz for his quick and thrilling reads that always have the most twisted of characters and plot lines.