Tim Lees

Lees' "Prescription" is a century later continuation of the Shelley novel and a logical ending for it. A fin de siecle literary tale dripping in Gothic Romanticism (or is that Romantic Gothicism?). A bit overdrawn on melodrama at times it wasn't obvious to me at first that Lees is also paying homage to everything from his Gothic predecessors to the shudder pulps and penny dreadfuls. I caught the first two references to the Borgo Pass and "torch carrying peasants" but missed at first the Monster playing the unwitting Quasimodo to his ghastly Esmeralda while Gaston Leroux's classic booms in the background. Fun stuff to read over again for.

It's a well told tale by the German rake who becomes Dr. Lavenza's assistant and is eventually bent on helping the good but all but incapacitated doctor rid his family of it's 18th century curse. The book has been undeservedly overlooked especially since it is one of Tartarus Press' contemporary fictions that tend to get at least a little notice from the better horror rags.… (meer)