The Modern Prometheus: An Existential Body Horror Novel by Jayson Robert Ducharme
“Every existing thing is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness, and dies by chance.” - Jean-Paul Sartre
The Modern Prometheus: An Existential Body Horror Novel by Jayson Robert Ducharme is a horror novel as well as a psychological thriller. A pastiche fiction piece, The Modern Prometheus pays homage to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Or The Modern Prometheus. It was published on April 24, 2022 and weighs in at 295 pages.
I love indie pub books, and many of the books I read are due to posts I see on social media. The Modern Prometheus kept catching my eye. Upon reading the book’s description, and knowing my recent love of body horror, I grabbed a copy. I am so glad I did. Though life events hindered me from devouring this novel as quickly as I normally would, I was able to read it and savor the story bit by delicious bit. I’m going to try my best not to nerd out in this review, but I can’t make any promises.
The book’s cover (by Francois Vaillancourt - whose work looks phenomenal!) definitely caught my eye. Before reading anything about the story, I had a strong suspicion that I’d find a theme fitting to both Frankenstein and obviously Prometheus. I was not disappointed! Ducharme took me on a wild ride as I discovered just who the main character really is. Or isn’t.
This story is about a man, Peter Murphy, who seems to lead a happy life. He’s a professor with a promising academic career, he’s married to a woman he loves, and he has two children he adores. Other than a judgmental mother-in-law, life for Peter Murphy is for all intents and purposes going well. Until he awakens in a strange place with no control of his body, strange stitches on his chest, the inability to speak, and his only link to humanity a voice belonging to someone he refers to as “The Shadow Man.”
As soon as Peter’s conscious mind awakens, the real horror begins. You are right there alongside him as he’s struggling to find meaning in his current state. It’s terrifying to experience the loss of control on so many fronts. Ducharme did an excellent job of creating tension, suspense, and an ongoing curiosity as Peter goes from reanimated corpse to self-aware monster.
Not only do we follow this new path for Peter, but we get to see how Peter’s family is adjusting since his death. It’s gut-wrenching to watch his widow Margie trying to regain control of her life and some modicum of motherhood. I enjoyed seeing each side of the story, and it brought a grounding to the horrific parts of the book and made some of the fantastical elements seem all the more realistic.
We also get a chance to know and understand the reasoning behind the brilliant scientist who reanimates Peter’s corpse. Ducharme brings the doctor’s fears to life and paints a clear picture as to why he’s drawn to his macabre research. I found myself pitying him at times despite my disdain for what he had done.
One of my favorite things about this book was reading the well-placed quotes from Jean-Paul Sartre, giving meaning to the story and helping to progress the narrative. I totally nerded out as I read the book, following the path of existential crumbs that made me think about the true meaning of life versus death throughout the story. One of the most impactful themes for me was death and how it affects those left behind, all wrapped up in a gory and horrific tale with a blood-soaked bandage bow on top.
This story starts out with Peter in a desperate and vulnerable place, and it ends with him on a full throttle path of death and destruction. The second half of the book had me riveted. Maybe it’s because I love body horror, gore, twists and turns, or just a well told story, but this book captured me and wouldn’t let go. We get a taste of a few different points of view so as to understand the story from every angle, which I appreciated. This really gave me a lot of perspective on the definition of life and death for each of the main characters. It’s a great technique for this story, because it’s a lot to process and makes it easier to digest in bite-sized moments.
The Modern Prometheus isn’t all guts and gore, despite what the cover might suggest. There is a gamut of emotions coursing through the pages, so much so that some scenes made my eyes well with tears. Some had my heart racing, while others had me shaking my head in shock and disbelief. This book touches on a lot of heavy subjects. I love when a “monster” or “creature” story hits so hard on an emotional front! It was definitely a roller coaster of a ride, and I loved it.
If you are a fan of some good old-fashioned blood, guts, and gore, you will also be delighted! There are a handful of great moments while Peter’s new body is causing him issues that will stir your stomach as you read the details.
There are definitely some moments of violence in this book, so if you are adverse to reading that sort of thing, be warned. It isn’t graphic, but it could be enough to make you pause in a few scenes. I wasn’t disturbed or upset by any of it, personally.
One of the things I enjoyed most about The Modern Prometheus was the existential undertone throughout the story. If you like thinking about the “why” in a story or in a character’s actions, this is a book for you. You’ll enjoy the mental weighing of right and wrong for each character and wonder how you would react in each of their situations.
If you’re a fan of philosophy, Frankenstein, pastiche works, and/or body horror, I recommend grabbing a copy of The Modern Prometheus.
As I finish typing this review, I’m realizing this is one of the longest I’ve done. I think that says a lot. This is a book that will stick with me for a while, in a good way.
Need more Jayson Robert Ducharme?
Get to know Jayson Robert Ducharme:
Jayson Robert Ducharme is the author of over 40 short stories, ten novellas and two novels. His work has appeared in the New Hampshire, Science Fiction and Horror editions of Z Publishing’s “America’s Emerging Writers” series. His novellas, “Ceremony of Ashes”, “Alessa’s Melody”, “Come Forth in Thaw”, and “After Me the Great Flood” are all available on Amazon.
***taken from Jayson Robert Ducharme’s website
