This story, “The Legends of Castle Frankenstein,” originally came out as part of the UFO Bundle, which is still available here, 11 books for $2.99. I got the invite to write for the collection just after I had found out that there really is a Castle Frankenstein, so of course I had to find a way to work it in.
I talk about the “true” legends about the castle and how Mary Shelley may have used a combination of them as part of the inspiration for her book in my story, but then (of course) I go off the deep end into something even weirder, because of course I did.
…
What is the true story of Castle Frankenstein, the inspiration for Mary Shelley’s famous novel? Was there ever a mad scientist? A monster? A pursuit across the Arctic ice? Because there is a Castle Frankenstein, and you can go there and walk around the ruined stones, poke around in the forest, and eat lunch.
The legends that get told by the people who work at Castle Frankenstein are strange, but the layers leading downward into the truth are stranger.
And stranger…
An alchemist with no soul. A mysterious object falling from the sky. Terrified peasants with pitchforks and torches. An eerie whistling that echoes through the forest. A fallen tower. The elixir of life.
How much is real? How much is just legend?
And just how much of it are the locals covering up?
(Older teens and up – some gore – not much language – no sex.)