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Quick answer: If you liked Prodigal Son, read Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series, then Frankenstein, The Island of Doctor Moreau, Watchers and The Strain. All are science horror stories about monsters made by humans and the people who hunt them.
Prodigal Son, the first book in Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series, written with Kevin J. Anderson, brings Victor Frankenstein into the modern day as a hidden monster-maker in New Orleans, with detectives and the original creature at his heels. It is fast, pulpy and clever. The books below offer similar mad scientists, monsters and gothic thrills.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Night | Dean Koontz | Adult | the next book |
| Dead and Alive | Dean Koontz | Adult | the third book |
| Frankenstein | Mary Shelley | Adult | the original |
| The Island of Doctor Moreau | H. G. Wells | Adult | animal experiments |
| Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde | Robert Louis Stevenson | Adult | split self |
| Dracula | Bram Stoker | Adult | gothic terror |
| Watchers | Dean Koontz | Adult | dog and monster |
| Intensity | Dean Koontz | Adult | relentless suspense |
| Phantoms | Dean Koontz | Adult | small-town horror |
| Lightning | Dean Koontz | Adult | time travel thriller |
| Odd Thomas | Dean Koontz | Adult | quirky supernatural |
| The Strain | Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan | Adult | medical-thriller vampires |
| I Am Legend | Richard Matheson | Adult | last man on earth |
| Jurassic Park | Michael Crichton | Adult | science gone wrong |
| Books of Blood | Clive Barker | Adult | short horror |
1. City of Night by Dean Koontz
The detectives and the creature, Deucalion, face Victor's new horrors. Fast and weird.
Best for: the next book.
2. Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz
The Frankenstein story reaches new heights. Pulpy and fast.
Best for: the third book.
3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
A scientist creates life and abandons his creature. A foundation of horror and science fiction.
Best for: the original.
4. The Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells
A shipwrecked man finds a doctor creating human-like beasts. Short and disturbing.
Best for: animal experiments.
5. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Dr. Jekyll takes a potion that releases the cruel Mr. Hyde. Short and spooky.
Best for: split self.
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
A count moves to England and brings terror. The Victorian classic of vampire fiction.
Best for: gothic terror.
7. Watchers by Dean Koontz
A man and an extraordinary dog are hunted by a deadly creature. Thrilling and tender.
Best for: dog and monster.
8. Intensity by Dean Koontz
A woman is chased by a serial killer through a long night. Pure tension.
Best for: relentless suspense.
9. Phantoms by Dean Koontz
A town's residents disappear overnight. Eerie, fast and scary.
Best for: small-town horror.
10. Lightning by Dean Koontz
A woman is protected by a mysterious figure throughout her life. Odd and absorbing.
Best for: time travel thriller.
11. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
A short-order cook sees the dead and tries to stop a catastrophe. Witty and warm.
Best for: quirky supernatural.
12. The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
A plane lands in New York with everyone aboard dead. A parasitic plague at work.
Best for: medical-thriller vampires.
13. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Robert Neville is the last human among vampire-like infected. Short, bleak and thoughtful.
Best for: last man on earth.
14. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
A theme park of cloned dinosaurs goes wrong. Darker and more scientific than the film.
Best for: science gone wrong.
15. Books of Blood by Clive Barker
A collection of imaginative, bloody stories. Bold and visceral.
Best for: short horror.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Prodigal Son: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more Koontz begin with the Frankenstein series. For the original choose Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde or The Island of Doctor Moreau. For vampires pick Dracula or The Strain. For other Koontz try Watchers, Intensity or Odd Thomas. For science gone wrong read Jurassic Park. The Frankenstein series is pulpy and fast, so these picks suit readers who like horror with a sense of humour. The first book was written with Kevin J. Anderson, so readers may notice slight shifts in style as the series continues. Check the listing for the edition you want. If you enjoy the idea of a modern take on a classic monster, you will also like retellings of Dracula and Jekyll and Hyde. If you like the New Orleans setting, try Anne Rice. If you prefer cinematic horror, Guillermo del Toro's The Strain and Crichton's Jurassic Park have the same mix of science and fear. Audiobooks make the series fast and fun.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Prodigal Son about?
Detectives discover a modern Victor Frankenstein creating monsters in New Orleans.
Who wrote it?
Dean Koontz, with Kevin J. Anderson.
When was it published?
2005.
Is it connected to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?
Yes, it reimagines the story in modern times.
Is it scary?
It is tense and gory in places, but also darkly funny.
How many books are in the series?
Several. Check current listings for the latest count.
Do I need to read in order?
Yes.
What should I read next?
Try City of Night or Watchers.
Is Prodigal Son a retelling of Frankenstein?
Yes, it reimagines the story with a modern-day Victor Frankenstein.
Is Deucalion a hero?
He is the original creature, now a reluctant ally of the detectives.