Customer Reviews

Mordenheim (Ravenloft)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you like traditional horror stories and fantasy novels, this is a great read. Williamson expands on the Frankenstein plot and even works in a lot of the philosophy of the Shelley novel, but you never feel like you are reading the same book.

New additions to the legend include werewolves, gypsies, flesh golems, and Jack London-type treks across dangerous plains of ice.

A great book is one you don't want to put down, long after you should have been asleep. This is such a book!

This retelling of the old Frankenstein story is more psychological than most horror novels, but also has its share of really weird and scary scenes. If you like classic horror, you should eat this one up.

Ravenloft has done it again: taken an old story and made it better. This time, the victim is Frankenstein, though the way this one resolves itself is quite different than your grandfather's walking behemoth. Adam- the flesh golem (the best term to describe Frankenstein's monster in RL) Darklord of Lamordia -is the villain (sort of) in this tale, though it is his creator, Dr. Victor Mordenheim, whom I saw as the true Evil and more deserving of the curse than Adam.

Perhaps the best thing about the book, though, was the fact that it takes place far after the inception of Lamordia, but doesn't leave you guessing. At no less than three points in the book do you receive an account of past times that dictated the final outcome, two of them being the same story, only from two greatly different vantage points. The best part about it, though, is that all three are told in first person, without any quotes, chapter by chapter, but as part of the storyline- which is, other than these instances, in complete third person.

The characters were fantastic, and though it took more than half the book for him to arrive, the true masterwork in this novel was Ivan Dragonov, the loup-garou ranger. Williamson did a fine job, too, with the use of firearms (which do exist in Lamordia) and the Vistani, especially their wrath upon an unwitting, unwilling servant.

So, to finish my rambling, Mordenheim is an excellent read and a fine novel. I say cheers to it, and cannot wait for another book by the author.

Mordenheim is a Ravenloft retelling of the classic Frankenstein. Its not a bad book but it is of course a bit cliche, since it is takes so many elements from such a classic novel. It does do things a bit differently and is well written. It a good read for a fan of the Ravenloft world, and of horror in general. But you shouldn't expect a truly fresh and exciting novel. There are a number of places this novel diverges from its inspiration, which is nice and needed. The end is also more in line with the unique world in which this book is based. Its not a bad book, so long as you have clear and realistic expectation when you start it.

I really don't know what the other reviewers are talking about, as I had the distinct feeling I had read this book about a dozen times. Adam is interesting, the two "heroes" are not. The good doctor has some interesting points, but rather than expand upon them the author sort of drifts about between the monster and the doctor telling their tale intersprsed with the action. Thus the book starts out in third person, goes to first, then back to third, and then back to first, then back to third. It makes for disjointed reading. The 2 necromancers are boring. This book is not distinctive enough to set it apart from its source material. Mordenhiem is not particularly evil either, he is more indifferent than he is evil. His biggest crime is being self absorbed. Check out the original tale, skip this version.

First I should state that I do, in fact, love Ravenloft as a campaign setting. I also love the novel Frankenstein. So I thought it would be a good idea to run a game involving Mordenheim and Adam and it would be helpful to read the novel about them first. Well, while the novel did add to the characters from the source material but it didn't do anything else. It just felt like I was reading a long source book on two NPCs that pretends to be a novel. The story really isn't based on Mary Shelly's Frankenstein but rather the Frankenstein archetype. Mordenheim has a hunchbacked assistant, he loves science, hates philosophy, built Adam out of bodies stolen from graves, made him live from a lightining bolt, etc. It is poorly written, I am unsure if the author is a high school graduate. It's not terribly entertaining either.
I would only suggest buying this book if you plan on running a Ravenloft game and want to use the characters of Mordenheim and Adam. It does greatly expand upon their backstories and personalities. Even then I should caution that it is a terrible novel.