City of Night (Dean Koontz's Frankenstein #2)

by Dean Koontz

2005

Status

Available

Publication

Bantam (2005), 496 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:From the celebrated imagination of Dean Koontz comes a powerful reworking of one of the classic stories of all time. If you think you know the legend, you know only half the truth. Here is the mystery, the myth, the terror, and the magic of�?� Dean Koontz's City of the Night They are stronger, heal better, and think faster than any humans ever created�??and they must be destroyed. But not even Victor Helios�??once Frankenstein�??can stop the engineered killers he�??s set loose on a reign of terror through modern-day New Orleans. Now the only hope rests in a one-time �??monster�?� and his all-too-human partners, Detectives Carson O�??Connor and Michael Maddison. Deucalion�?? s centuries-old history began as Victor�??s first and failed attempt to build the perfect human�??and it is fated to end in the ultimate confrontation between a damned creature and his mad creator. But first Deucalion must destroy a monstrosity not even Victor�?? s malignant mind could have imagined�??an indestructible entity that steps out of humankind�?? s collective nightmare with one purpose: to replace us. BONUS: This edition contains an ex… (more)

Media reviews

Booklist

Relax. Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, volume one of which, Prodigal Son (2005), was a pulse-pounder all the way, is going to be a trilogy. But don't expect to relax all that much. This book cooks, no second-volume doldrums anywhere in it. Its short, punchy chapters, 80 in all, seem to reflect the

whole saga's TV miniseries origins in their jump-cutting between plot trajectories, but that seeming also owes much to the visualizability, so to speak, of everything in the book. But enough about technique. The manufactured young man who went AWOL from 200-plus-year-old Victor Helios-ne-Frankenstein's labs in Prodigal Son turns out to be not the only improved Frankenstein monster who is behaving strangely. Since he was created autistic for experimental purposes, he may be the least strange of the lot. Some of his "normal" fellows are mutating a la Alien, none more spectacularly than Victor's body guard. Deucalion, the original monster, now greatly humanized, especially ethically and morally, realizes that the mutations portend a much larger wave of breakdowns among the so-called New Race. That bodes very ill for a New Orleans heavily salted with Victor's creations, all of them programmed to kill mere humans at Victor's command, which the mutants no longer obey. Meanwhile, NOPD detectives Carson O'Connor and Michael Maddison prepare to hunt Victor down, even as a couple of hit-person New Racers track them. And then there is Erica Five, Victor's brand-new "wife," learning to be a better spouse by exploring hubby's house. Smart dialogue and cutting-edge scientific notions (Deucalion has learned how to teleport) are the oh-so-sweet icing on this delectable thriller's irresistible, devourable cake.

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User reviews

LibraryThing member Omrythea

Some of the descriptions get a bit tedious... The book seems a little repetitive, repeating things to the reader that were already stated. Some of the characters and their thoughts and actions are just gross. (Some fun tonight.) I am not sure if I will see the series out to read the next one.

21 more

LibraryThing member dpinder

A must read after Prodigal Son! The 2nd book in the series flows right from the first, easy to pick up. Provided more indebt character traits that makes the reader feel like they really know the main characters. Fast paced, ending of some story lines but allowing others to continue so the reader is

easily enticed to read the 3rd book of the sereis, Dead and Alive.......

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LibraryThing member klarsenmd

This is book two in the triology. It was very entertaining, but I enjoyed the first book more.

LibraryThing member readingrat

This book moves along the story which was begun in The Prodigal Son and sets us up for the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. However the actual end of this story is still at least one book away.

LibraryThing member SonicQuack

With a multitude of new plotlines, this second book increases the number of characters, and rapidly builds upon the story laid out in the first book, Prodigal Son. The book feels like the middle episode in a series (which it is of course) and although it does not deliver high pace and a grand

finale, it's certainly well written to keep you turning pages. You'd be hard pressed to predict almost anything in a world which rapidly veers away from the previous book, which was filled from menace, to a scenario which is more chaotic. Cleverly plotted, although not as focused as the first book, this one will keep up the anticipation for the next in the series and leave you with a number of questions you'll be desperate for answers to.

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LibraryThing member mabrown2

This book, (the second in a series of three) picked up right where the first book left off and went electric. Where the first book happened over the course of a few days, this one takes place over the course of a few hours. In that time, it manages to cram in several more characters and advance the

story to what we're led to believe will be an epic battle.

Carson and Michael are now being stalked by Victor Helios' (Frankenstein) assassins as they become much more aware of the challenge before them. Duecalian is on the hunt for any of the new race who are willing to give him information he needs to confront and destroy his maker (Victor). Randall Six slowly works his way into the O'Connor house in the hopes of finding out why Arnie (an autistic boy like himself) is so happy. Meanwhile, more of the New Race begin to malfunction, a new Erika is brought to life with her own quirks, and there is a return of the Jonathan Harker thing that ran off at the end of the beginning.

With all the new characters and the rapid pace, the story feels as if it advances at lightening speed without really getting anywhere at all. Still, Carson and Michael accept their mission and stock up with ammo which results in one of the books funnies scenes. The battle moves forward and the stage is nicely set for the third and final installment.

If you enjoyed the first book, I think you'll like this one just as much.

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LibraryThing member kellidiane

I'm currently reading this one. I'm right in the middle of it. I'm really starting to enjoy this series.

LibraryThing member edundatscheck

being the second in a series put out by Koontz, this book will probably confuse you if you have not read the first. This one doesn't leave you with a cliff hanger like the first, but once you have started reading the series you can't wait for the next. Thankfully I started the series when the last

one just came out. So I do not have to wait.

Don't be surprised if you fell compassion for some of the "creations" as they try to find happiness.

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LibraryThing member Blazingice0608

It was ok, not one of Koontz best, i love the concept of the series, but they have a been there done that feel to them imo, kinda bored me because of that.

LibraryThing member jcmontgomery

I love Dean Koontz. As far as I'm concerned, this is a writer who can do no wrong. The only detriment to this story is the beginning when he is recapping the first book. Yes, it may be necessary for those who are reading the series out of sequence, but for some reason it just didn't work for me.

But

the rest of the book is as compelling as the first and I couldn't put it down.

On to the third!

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LibraryThing member bradsucks

much better than the first. better writing, more interesting, looking forward to the next one.

LibraryThing member marysneedle

Another fast read that kept me glued to the book. I cannot wait to see where the third book leads the story.
Koontz and Gorman did a great job on this part of the story.

LibraryThing member sereq_ieh_dashret

Huge buildup for the final showdown. Cruel, dark and gory. Full of psychos, the worst of which is obviously Victor Helios aka Frankenstein. (I had always thought he was a bastard, but these books give the word a great depth and vibrancy)

LibraryThing member ScribbleScribe

This is a forgetable book. Everything seems borrowed either from concepts Dean Koontz has done before repeatedly over and over again or from Brave New World. Please. Spend your time reading another series.

LibraryThing member Marlene-NL

Another great book. Going to keep this book cause I am still anxiously awaiting book 3. (so I can check if I don't recall something due to the long wait)
Love this series.

First read on Dec.09 2006
Hope book 3 arrives today

LibraryThing member TBones

A fantastic sequel to book 1

LibraryThing member lauriebrown54

This is the second volume in Koontz’s modern day reimagination of Frankenstein and his creation. Victor Frankenstein- now going by the name Victor Helios- is a wealthy scientist who has created an army of lab grown minions in his bid to take over the world and eliminate humankind. Carson

O’Conner and Michael Maddison are New Orleans detectives who have become aware of Helios and his plans via Deucalion, the ‘monster’ of Shelley’s novel. In this installment, things are not going well with some of Helio’s creations. Some are going mad. At least one has escaped. Some are developing free will and volition, which Helios had specifically tried to eliminate. He is having special trouble with creating a wife who is perfect and intelligent yet never asks questions. And there is something weird going on at the city dump- weird even by the standards of beings created in a lab for specific jobs, jobs that include burying bodies by the dozens.

The book has a frantic pace, with several plotlines running: Carson & Michael; Arnie, Carson’s brother and his caretaker Vicky; the events at the city dump; Helio’s wife and the house servants; to top if off, there is a hurricane brewing. Reading it feels like you’re careening out of control, but Koontz has it all well in hand. The books suffers a bit from being the middle book where no plot lines are tied up, but it leaves the reader eager to get to the third book.

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LibraryThing member bke

I don't ordinarily care for Dean Koontz's writings, but I found this series to be a cleaver and engaging retelling of the Frankenstein monster story.

LibraryThing member jimocracy

This sophomore effort definitely took the narrative to a higher level. I like how Koontz makes you relate to the monsters and it was a lot of fun to be in the heads of some of them. I'm seeing a pattern of cliffhanger endings which makes me think that this five-book series is just one big story;

each one dependent on the next.

Well, I'm starting the next one now and I can hardly wait...

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LibraryThing member VictorDLopez

An excellent fast read by one of my favorite authors. Dean Koontz is consistently, reliably and predictably . . . amazing.

LibraryThing member booklover3258

Book 2 of the Frankenstein series. This one for the first half left me overwhelmed with so many characters jumping around from chapter to chapter. I was almost ready to give up but I'm glad I didn't. It got a lot better towards the end and all the characters came together and made sense. This one

was definitely crazier and creepier. (panther spider transformation? ick) At the end, it looks like its definitely going to crazier in the next book, which I look forward to reading.

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LibraryThing member Chris.Wolak

This is one of those books that was on my radar since it came out six years ago. Glad I finally read it. I was pleasantly surprised by the book's depth of emotion and I had no idea that its structure is like a contemporary mystery/thriller.

I enjoyed the characters, but what most appealed to me was

the yearning to be human that some of Frankenstein/Helios's creations feel. These man-made, meticulously programmed, and supposedly soul-less creatures longing to have meaning in their life and a purpose other than the intention for which their creator made them, inspired me to continue trying to be a better person. Anyone else have that reaction?

And I love that one of the characters is named Jonathan Harker. Prodigal Son is an action packed, fun read for those of us who grew up on the old Frankenstein and Dracula flicks as well as the lovers of the literature that spawned the movies. I hope it inspires people who haven't read Mary Shelley to pick up her book.

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