Review: Shadow of Frankenstein

A sequel to the Bride of Frankenstein, published in 2006? Well, I had to give it a try but must admit wasn’t expecting much.
What I discovered was a fun little pot-boiler that rattled along, successfully evoking the spirit of James Whale’s duo of monster-classics.
Picking up from the final scenes of The Bride of Frankenstein, we see Henry Frankenstein and his bride fleeing for London to escape the clutches of the father of The Son of Frankenstein’s Inspector Krogh. Unfortunately for Henry, Elizabeth is loosing what’s left of her mind and a certain hulking, immortal, neck-bolted creature is also heading for England’s green and pleasant land.
To make matters worse, Jack the Ripper has seemingly returned from retirement and is slaughtering a new batch of whores. It won’t be too long before Scotland Yard put grave-robbing doctor and brutal killer together and want to haul Frankenstein in for questioning.
Stefan Petrucha has packed the book with the kind of eccentric characterisation that you’d expect from a Universal monster picture, plus the merest hint of gore – anything more would have been out of place in a Universal horror picture and therefore out of place here. Showing similar restraint there are just enough continuity references to keep fans happy without confusing newbies. The sly reference to Dracula, for example, is fun but wouldn’t cause consternation from those not in the know.
Best of all is Petrucha’s recreation of Karloff’s Monster, the lumbering, but pathetically sentient character from the first two Universal films rather than the mute, dullard of Son of Frankenstein. Hopefully there will be more novels in the series that will explain just how the creature ends up on the thick and growly side.
Roll on the Bride of Frankenstein novel in January. Knowing what’s happened to Frankenstein and his creature I now want to know what happened to the crazy-haired bride…
Like the Monster himself, she definitely doesn’t belong dead.

Ho Ho Ho

Torchwood: Cyberwoman

OK, some fanboy questions about last night's Torchwood episode, Cyberwoman.

Since when have the Cybermen given their victims metal bras and high heels?

And why can Jack survive a bullet to his head but his split lip won't heal?