Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Frankenstein: New Stories by Some of the World's Leading Authors

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A well-crafted compilation of tales; a good deal more discriminating than most monster/horror collections (because less material on Frankenstein's monster?). A great many of these stories are literature - some poignant, sentimental, mostly tragic and some actually scary; just like the myth that was their mother. The Vonnegut peice, "Fortitude" is a short play. While more simple in its statement and language than the other pieces, is fast and sharp on irony. "Monster of the Midway" is a short funny piece in a nontraditional arrangement, amusing even if you don't like football. "Pity the Monsters" has its pitiful and frightening moments. And Brian Aldiss' "Summertime was Nearly Over" almost made me cry. The creature that is the protoganist of Aldiss' story is achingly intelligent and well-spoken. But I think my favorite was "Creature on the Couch" despite its sudden and ambigous ending. It's funny and charming while being somewhat suspenseful, and maybe a little shocking as you re-read the ending again...

While some of the stories in this book are pretty good, most of them are just writing exercises by writers slumming in a collection. The Vonnegut story is dull and the cyberpunk story isn't anything new. Most of the other stories are either sequels to the book (which has the monster even more miserable than he was at the end of the novel) or to the movie (which are more fun just because the movies were more fun)

It's a short book and not terribly bad, but it's not altogether satisfying either.