Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus

By: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

SPECIAL OFFER: Get the full text of this classic novel as an eBook when you purchase the audio. You'll receive an e-mail with a link to download the eBook after your purchase is confirmed. Having the novel in convenient Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format will allow you to read along with the audio, perform a "cover to cover" search for your favorite passages, and more.

Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only 18. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein.

Obsessed with discovering "the cause of generation and life" and "bestowing animation upon lifeless matter", Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts. However, upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness.

Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.

Frankenstein, an instant best seller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science-fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? And how far can we go in tampering with Nature?

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A novel which excites new reflections and untried sources of emotion." (Walter Scott, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine)

So much more to the beast than a B Movie has been

It is hard to believe Shelley wrote this cornerstone of the horror and sci fi genres at the age of 19. The beast she creates is Far more intriguing than the B movie fodder the Frankenstein monster evolved into. Prometheus retold for sure but a tale of utter loneliness and regret as well.

Great listen!

This book is a classic and one of my all time favorites. Simon Vance adds so much more to the story with his rich, scary voice.

Better than I expected.

What did you love best about Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus?

This was my first gothic novel. I was very surprised by the vocubulary and the way the story came alive. I have not come across modern authors with the skill and command of the language to tell stories like the classical authors do.

What other book might you compare Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus to and why?

I read Les Miserables before I listened to Frankenstein. It was a totally different genre, but the gift for bringing the reader in with the detail was captivating. Who needs television for entertainment when books like these two are so vivid.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I read and listened at the same time with my daughter. It was so much easier to visualize than reading alone and kept us from getting bogged down in the print.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I felt so sad for the creature when Frankenstien refused to create a companion for him. I also felt frustrastion and grief for the families who lost loved ones to the creature's revenge.

Great Reading. Defidently a Romantic though.

The audio was great. The words were said with fluency. The story was dark though. If you like the Romantics, this is the book for you.

Interesting structure with overwrought content

Somehow I never read this book in school. It is a classic and very influential so I wanted to hear it. It has a really interesting structure of stories being told within the larger story, which allows you to hear from three different characters in first person. This book deals with big important themes like hubris and compassion in a clever way. I just found the overwrought misery of each of the characters unbearable. There is a whole lot of bemoaning one's fate in this book and the reader's performance does not help matters. I had a hard time getting through it.

Excellent!

Excellent story, and, as usual, in narration. Simon Vance is God's gift to the Narrator's art!

Put the movie down and listen to this book

Where does Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I loved this book. I would rank it in the top 5 books I have ever read

What was one of the most memorable moments of Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus?

The humanness of the monster. I felt for the monster through out the whole book. I loved how he learned to read and understand who he was and that Frankenstein and he were linked together.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

This book raises so many questions that we should examine as humans. What responsibility do we have when we create or destroy live. Was the monster right to kill.
Should the doctor create a wife for the monster?

The list of morale questions are long in this book.

Forget the movie get the book and enjoy a great story.

I know why it's a classic!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus?

I found myself conflicted. I strongly disliked the monster because of his cruel nature. But I felt bad for him as well. I enjoyed the story from his point of view. A memorable moment was how his beloved "protectors" reacted to him.

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

All around great! Did a good job of sounding different when portraying Dr. Frankenstein vs. the monster. Sounded very gruff as the monster. Which fit perfectly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the a falsely accused girl is put to death. It signified how Dr. Frankenstein's world was spiraling out of control for me.

Any additional comments?

I was hesitant to listen to this book. I thought I'd be bored. I like zombie and vampire stories to pass my time. However, this story is truly interesting! I enjoyed it to the point of being a little disappointed it had to end. This was nice change from my typical genre of books. I will be reading many more classics now!

He did the Monster Mash!!!

Where does Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best. The story is compelling and depending on how deep you decided to go into, it could get very complicated.

What other book might you compare Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus to and why?

Dracula.

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

Another brilliant performance by Simon Vance.

unexpected journey! nothing like I expect

The story is so different than expected it amazed me. I had no idea it was such a great read and there was shock at how far Hollywood went to avoid the story.