Frankenstein's Daemon: A Sequel to Frankenstein

Despite an afterword that makes a case for a continuation of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein, there's nothing in this workmanlike horror novel that will convince readers of the need for a sequel. Meeske's novel picks up where the original left off, related in a letter from the captain of the H.M.S. Prosper, Robert Walton, to his sister. Distraught at the death of his friend, Victor Frankenstein, Walton leads his crew in a futile attempt to kill the scientist's unnatural creation. The daemon has little difficulty defending itself, but chooses to spare Walton to gain access to Victor's writings. An explosion set off by Walton's only surviving shipmate appears to claim the monster's life, but%E2%80%94rather unsurprisingly%E2%80%94it's only a matter of time before the creature resurfaces. The action then shifts to Switzerland, home of Victor's brother Ernest. The novel's resolution disappoints, and its plot failings overshadow a solid effort to emulate Shelley's prose style.