Review: An Impressive Follow-up To Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein"
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 23, 2012
"Frankenstein-A Life Beyond" by Pete Planisek's is a follow-up to the memorable classic "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelly. If you are a lover of this enduring classic then you will absolutely enjoy Mr. Planisek's novel. He uses many characters from this classic, adds a few new characters to create one great, interesting continuing story.This is Ernest Frankenstein's story and it picks up not far from where "Frankenstein" left off. Ernest is a young man devastated by everything that has happened to him and his family and ends up in Ireland where he meets his wife Ailis. One stormy night they receive a knock on their door. Captain Robert Walton has sought him out to relate a story about his brother. While he was in the Arctic he met Victor who pursued some creature of his own making. Victor died but this `creature' bordered his ship and took his body. Even though his story is unbelievable, he hopes Ernest will believe him.After Walton leaves it is decided that he needs to find out one way or another about Victor so he sets off to Geneva to see his friend and solicitor Christiansen as years before they had worked out a secret code that would verify each other for future use. Ernest is hoping that if anyone would know if Victor was alive it would be him. Unfortunately all he has is a supposed note saying to meet him in Geneva signed "by" Victor. Ernest decides that he'll go back home to the family estate, check the place out and possible pick up a few things he may want to take home to Ireland with him. One night, while sleeping in his old room, he awoke to mysterious eyes looking at him through the window. After checking the estate out he decides to leave the following morning while he still could.On his way home he is kidnapped by a band of gypsies. They too are after Victor and his `creation'. It has been prophesized that the fate of man depends of the capture and destruction of this `creature'. Unbeknownst to this group they have Ernest not Victor. Nasi, the group's fading seer and Baseria, the group's true seer, has seen Mr. Frankenstein and have foreseen along with what the ancient prophecy stated, what needs to be done yet they mistakenly took the wrong Frankenstein. While this is going on the group of gypsies are warring with a splinter group and during the melee the `creature' who calls Ernest `uncle' makes his presence known to him trying to make a deal to obtain Victor's journals. And if all this isn't enough happening in poor Ernest's life, his wife Ailis, who is pregnant with their first child, is sick and home alone, in need of help. She has a half-sister that Ernest has made contact with asking that she travel to Ireland, meet Ailis and help while he is on his mission...this is where I will stop as I do not want to give anything away, but know that this is a fascinating follow-up and I was disappointed when I turned the final page because I wasn't ready for this story to end although it does have a sequel, "Frankenstein Book II", that I am positive you will want to pick-up after reading this one.Mr. Planisek has done an excellent job writing a follow-up to this classic. I am not sure how many other people could have done this and done such a good job of it. My hats off to him and I for one will look forward to picking up my own copy of book 2. So if you love the book or various movies about Frankenstein then you will enjoy "Frankenstein-A Life Beyond". I recommend this story to those that love the classic tale and to those who have never read Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" but enjoy a well written, entertaining, interesting story.4.2 starsAnita (The Kindle Book Review)The KBR received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. We are not connected with the author, publisher, or Amazon in any way.