The Devil's Brood

Rating:
Summary: a waste of time and energy
Review: This book was awful. Out of the 300+ pages it caontained about 50 were of interest. Even though the author tried to include some 2nd tier characters like the Werewolf of London, the Bride of Frankenstein, Dr. Praetorius, Dracula's Daughter, and assorted zombies to make it more interesting, he utterly failed in making the story interesting. The only reason I read it, by skimming through the boring parts (which was most of it), was so in the off chance this book does not kill the new series, I will know what is going on in the next book (hopefully written by someone else). The entire zombie, gangster, black magic subplot was feeble and did nothing to enhance the book whatsoever. The brief appearances by Dracula, the Frankenstein monster, and the Wolfman could not make it enjoyable. I have never heard of the author, but with lines like "Gold is heavy." It makes me wonder if the author is better off changing professions. If anyone from the publishers or Universal is reading this, please don't give up on this series, just make sure the forthcoming authors have more talent. I eagerly await the third installment, it can't get any worse.

Rating:
Summary: major disappointment!
Review: This series got off to a wonderful start with Jeff Rovin's Return of the Wolfman, but this belated follow up pales in comparison. The sense of fun in the first book is completely lacking, and the monsters barely appear! PLEASE: get Rovin to write any further sequels! This one is very dull. If they are trying to kill off what could have been a great series, this just might do it. Even the cover art is lame! Definately not recommended; even for fans. If you haven't read the first book, do so, but this is mostly a waste of time and money.

Rating:
Summary: A VERY weak sequel to RETURN OF THE WOLFMAN
Review: To me, Jeff Rovin's RETURN OF THE WOLFMAN was akin to reading an actual movie script follow-up to ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN.. i could actally see Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, etc. brought back to life within the context of Rovin's writing... THE DEVIL'S BROOD on the other hand, falls completely flat. Dracula & Frankenstein spend over 80 % of the text either dormant or in another life form. The two seperate plots have no real connecting point, with the whole Bride of Frankenstein angle left totally unresolved. David Jacobs writing is just fine by "pulp" standards, but anyone reading this hoping for the same Universal Monsters classic "treatment" that RETURN OF THE WOLFMAN presented, is bound to be very disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: promising...
Review: Yes, there are inconsistencies-as there were in the movies, and in "Return of the Wolfman"-but overall this is a decent book. Dracula's character is a little unbelievable, but I'm telling you, the scenes just before and during the ressurection of the Frankenstein Monster are fantastic, fairly original, and gruesome.Wow-very well done. I've never heard of Jacobs before, but based on this, he has an unusual style, sometimes making the story unique, at other times making it hard to tell which character spoke that last line. Definitely recommended, if you like the Universal monsters.

Rating:
Summary: promising...
Review: Yes, there are inconsistencies-as there were in the movies, and in "Return of the Wolfman"-but overall this is a decent book. Dracula's character is a little unbelievable, but I'm telling you, the scenes just before and during the ressurection of the Frankenstein Monster are fantastic, fairly original, and gruesome.Wow-very well done. I've never heard of Jacobs before, but based on this, he has an unusual style, sometimes making the story unique, at other times making it hard to tell which character spoke that last line. Definitely recommended, if you like the Universal monsters.