Dean Koontz Ed Gorman Popular Books

Dean Koontz Ed Gorman Biography & Facts

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein is the collective title of five novels co-written by Dean Koontz. Though technically of the mystery or thriller genres, the novels also feature the trappings of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. The first three books form a trilogy: Prodigal Son, co-written with Kevin J. Anderson, was published in 2004; City of Night, co-written with Ed Gorman, was published in 2005; and Dead and Alive, written without a co-writer, was released on July 28, 2009. (At the same time that the final novel's authorship was confirmed, having previously been slated as by Dean Koontz & Ed Gorman, Koontz's 'collaborators' on the earlier novels were retrospectively removed as co-authors, and all new editions of the novels are credited as by Dean Koontz alone.) A fourth novel, Lost Souls, was published in May 2010, and a fifth, The Dead Town, was released on May 24, 2011. Although it was originally announced that the fourth, fifth and sixth novels would form a second trilogy, the cover for The Dead Town states it is the final volume. Plot summary The series is supposedly a modern updating and sequel of the mythology of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, although the similarities are mainly superficial. Set in present-day New Orleans, the series follows the activities of Victor Frankenstein, now known as Victor Helios, as he continues to create new life forms for his own purposes. Opposed to his activities are a pair of homicide detectives and Frankenstein's original monster, now known as Deucalion. While the original Monster was made with parts from dead humans, Victor Frankenstein is now using modern technology to create more creatures, particularly synthetic biology. The new race he is making is constructed and designed from the bottom-up, and can be seen as bio androids, artificial humans made of flesh. Their knowledge and behavior is even based on programs downloaded directly into their brain, which appears to be an advanced wetware computer. Characters Carson O'Connor One of the primary characters of the series, Carson is a tough and occasionally brutal detective whose best friend is a fellow officer, Michael Maddison. She is the caretaker of her autistic brother, Arnie, whose condition is a more significant part of the story. Carson has a penchant for brute force and firepower, but it is her obvious compassion as she cares for Arnie that prompts Deucalion to come to her for aid in hunting his creator. Although initially sceptical, she quickly comes to accept Deucalion's story, quickly putting together the various reasons why Victor Frankenstein would be in New Orleans rather than Europe, such as the more advanced medical advances and the abundance of raw material. She and Michael Maddison provide the humor of the story. While Carson acts as the "straight man" of the duo, Michael often plays the role of her foil, his flippant personality bouncing off her very serious one. Carson has feelings for her partner, Michael, although she hides it because she does not want their personal lives interfering with their professional lives. That, and she does not think that the middle of an apocalypse is the perfect time to talk about love. Her father was killed on the job and it has been hinted by conversations between her and her partner that it was covered up, with evidence suggesting that he was a dirty cop even as Carson is convinced that the evidence is too neat for it to be anything but a frame. It was later confirmed that Helios killed her father when he came too close to the truth, although Carson dismisses Helios's claims that her father begged for his life, stating that he would have demeaned himself to save her mother but would have faced his own death with courage. In the 2004 TV movie Carson was played by Parker Posey. Michael Maddison Carson's partner and fellow homicide detective, Michael has a habit of making wry observations about any situation: at one point, Carson considers the possibility of the Apocalypse coming because 'he [Michael] had been struck speechless twice in one hour.' Michael is the more imaginative of the two; he adjusts rather quickly to Deucalion's revelation, with very little evidence, that Victor is plotting to overthrow the Old Race (the term Victor Helios has applied to all humans who have not been produced in his laboratory). His adjustment may stem more from his love of Carson than actual belief. Michael pines for a less-professional relationship with Carson. This is very similar to the (initial) relationship between the two police partners in Koontz's Darkfall. In the 2004 TV movie Michael (renamed Michael Sloane) was played by Adam Goldberg. Victor "Helios" Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein, having applied his own research to extending his own mortality, is now known to the world as Victor Helios. To the public, Helios is a philanthropic millionaire and a beneficiary to mankind. In reality, he has experienced much in the two hundred years that have passed since he created a man from fragments of the corpses of criminals. However, in secret, Helios has become obsessed with overthrowing true humans, which he refers to as "the Old Race," and replacing them with his superior creations. After the failure of his first rebellious monster, he put himself through extensive bodily modifications to extend his life span and increase his physical power (the details are unknown, but it is hinted he used a method similar to that which created the monster, possibly replacing organs from healthy victims over the years). This process has left his physical form scarred and deformed. Helios has acquired wealth and power from selling his knowledge to, among others, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and the People's Republic of China. He respected Hitler and was greatly grieved at the end of World War II. He performed the life-extending surgery for Stalin, which went wrong and led to the dictator's insanity and assassination by fearful underlings. In modern times, Helios has learned to create genetically-engineered beings, called the New Race, devoid of morality, feelings, and pain, unable to deny his command or attack him, focused on his own goals for them while lacking the ability to create or imagine anything beyond this life and their roles. He believes he has given them a perfect existence, but the horror of their protracted but meaningless lives has left many suicidal; a genetically-imprinted proscription prevents them from killing themselves or venting their rage by hurting or killing others, forcing them to find 'loopholes' such as a butler gnawing his own fingers off so that Helios will destroy him as useless. Helios desires to remake the world in the image of Huxley's Brave New World, incapable of acknowledging that his creations are destroying themselves or being driven mad because they cannot cope with the inability to grow beyond their pre-programmed limits and be more than what he wants them to b.... Discover the Dean Koontz Ed Gorman popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Dean Koontz Ed Gorman books.