“Reported sightings of a hellish hound and the discovery of newly dead desiccated corpses bring Sam and Dean Winchester to Brennan, Ohio. But when they catch the monster canine it turns out to be "Frankenmutt"; a reanimated patchwork of pieces from separate dogs.  Soon the brothers are on a trail that leads from mad scientists and biotechnology to a centuries-old alchemists, walking corpses, and an ancient and malevolent power.”

Recent Supernatural novels have managed to set a strong standard, both in terms of keeping the characterization of the Brothers Winchester fairly close to the original television incarnations and supplying a solid, if sometimes overly ambitious, trigger for the main plot.  Considering that this is the last novel currently on the schedule, one would hope that the trend would continue.
 

Unfortunately, this is the first Supernatural novel in quite some time to let me down in key areas.  It started off well enough, with Sam and Dean both in the right state of mind, given when the novel is supposed to take place (in the latter portion of the seventh season).  Sam has just had the “wall” in his head break down, threatening madness as he remembers the torture he suffered in Hell, while Dean is still drinking away his sorrows over Bobby’s untimely demise.

Sam and Dean both act in accordance with those weaknesses throughout the course of the novel, and beyond that, they align well with their typical personalities on the show.  The problem is the dialogue.  The author tries too hard to force the reader to accept that these are, in fact, the Winchesters, so every line of dialogue is based off the more extreme examples of how the characters talk.  Or rather, I should say, how Dean talks, as Sam occasionally says things only Dean would typically say.  (If I never see or hear the word “gank” again, it might be too soon.)

Part of the problem might have been my lack of enthusiasm for the central mystery.  Everything pointed to some kind of bizarre riff on Frankenstein, and sure enough, that’s precisely what it is.  That’s not a spoiler, but considering just how long it takes for the author to “reveal” it, it’s understandable why one might be tempted to label it as such.  And it’s not just reanimation; it’s a mixture of magic and some kind of medical breakthrough called NuFlesh.

It starts off ridiculous, and degrades from there.  By the time someone’s entire body is melting away, any sense of consistency or compatibility with the television series seems nearly impossible.  While it’s nice that Sam’s mental state becomes important later in the story, it doesn’t do much to save a climax that doesn’t quite deliver.

If there is one aspect of the book that does work, it is the thematically relevant flashback story regarding Trish, set during the days when Sam and Dean were kids and John Winchester left them in the care of a fellow Hunter.  Both boys are just old enough to know Trish is sexy, and Dean in particular lets that override his instincts.  The story unfolds slowly but surely, until the inevitable end, which teaches the brothers a lesson or two.

Tim Waggoner is apparently an author with a background in writing horror, so I’m not sure why he went with a corny, almost pulp direction for the main portion of the novel, rather than the more fitting darkness and creep factor of the flashbacks.  The tone keeps the reader from taking the story seriously.  Sometimes that can work, but in this case, the mixture clashed and left the final product disappointing as a result.

 

Released: Apr 2013
Price: $6.39 (Kindle version)
Acquisition method: Amazon.com