This gave off a Frankenstein vibe and I loved it. She just wanted to save the one she loves but it went wrong. I do wish this book was longer but it is a wonderful palette cleanser between books.

Universal monsters in an off-kilter, but less romanticized version of the old west. It's a concept that shouldn't work, or at least should come off considerably more pulpy. Against all odds, Rountree has now written two books, in a shared universe no less, that pull this off admirably, even remarkably. Rountree infuses the Unkillable Frank Lightning with heaps of pathos, heart and humanity, and a pace that takes its time getting to the destination without ever growing boring. Sign me up for more of this world.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning is a riveting witchy weird western retelling of the Frankenstein story, with a sympathetic monster (whether we’re talking about the creator or creation) and a cast of characters straight out of the Wild West. Though action-packed, Frank Lightning is also full of heart and examines what it means to be human and to live a life.

Frankenstein in the American (weird) West. One minor complaint, the novel follows two timelines and neither has much action for the first third of the book, making it just a touch slow to start. But once the action starts there are bullets flying. A female doctor who also dabbles in the dark arts resurrects her late husband after he is killed in an encounter with a band of Indians. Unfortunately Frank comes back as a souless killing machine and the good doctor has to flee. The second timeline follows her decision to track Frank down and stop the monster. Of course it is no longer a simple solution.
I was very pleased when references to the authors first book (The Legend of Charlie Fish) started to appear.
Despite the slow start I will happily pick up the next book from Josh Rountree.

I’m having such a hard time trying to find how to properly review this book. I thought it was quite frankly (😌) incredible. it was emotional, and mesmerizing, and just overall Good. Josh Rountree’s writing is so so spectacular. every word felt like it was thought over and picked to be the best one.

A woman hires two killers—brothers—to help her set out on an unbeatable task, to kill her late husband. And the rest of this story was not at all the route I expected it to take. By the end, I was so emotionally attached to some of these characters I was in tears, and I haven’t cried over a book the way I did in awhile. Finding out that this takes place in an expanded universe has me so excited to pick up the others, knowing that Rountree pulled inspiration from folk takes and some universal monster movies for the rest of the stories he’s written.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

I'm not a fan of westerns, but Rountree manages to make you forget where this takes place.
Part Frankenstein, part ghost story. This one is all over the place.
But tightly tied together to make an enjoyable tale.

I really enjoyed this work. Dark, and sad, but sometimes darkly funny. Very enjoyable mix of the Old West and the paranormal. Thanks the opportunity!

I have never been one for westerns, but a western with a Frankstein based plot hooked me. The doctor, Catherine, is the main character who resurrected her husband , and now finds it her duty to undo what she’s done with the help of two gun for hire brothers while tracking her husband across the country in the traveling show he’s taken up with. None of the characters are really likable. Honestly, that made it difficult to read but I suppose no one in the original Frankstein was much likable either, which makes sense. Monsters made of dead men and mad scientists are not inherently charming individuals. Still the plot is fast paced and a distinctive spin on a classic and if you like westerns it has an added note of western flavor.

I went into this story almost blind as I often like to do so I didn’t know what to expect. I enjoyed following the timeline of Dr. Coldbridge’s life before and after Frank’s resurrection. I found the story of how Catherine came into her magic interesting and liked that it was in a way different than a “witch” would be. Though Catherine would say she is not a witch. The way that magic was used in this book to resurrect and heal was unique and thought provoking, a take on Frankenstein. I enjoyed seeing how the wild west effected both Catherine and Frank and how their stories converged. The progression of the book was fascinating with how crazy things had ended up with all the misfits you meet along the way. I did feel like I could have gotten more from Frank in the end which left me to give it a lower rating. If you are looking for an action-packed fantasy resurrection book in the wild west then this is it.
I’d like to thank Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for an ARC to the Unkillable Frank Lightning in exchange for my honest opinion.

So freakin good. It was a shortie that packed a punch. I wasn't sure if it will be a favourite based on the first 20%, but everything that happened after that was phenomenal. Loved the writing in it but if you must read it, read it because of the characters. You are not gonna forget them anytime soon. Full rating - 4.5 stars out of 5.

This mournful, meditative thriller will surprise even readers familiar with supernatural Western stories. Populated with complex characters and carried along with authentic dialogue, The Unkillable Frank Lightning achieves the perfect balance of action and emotional depth. The author fully embraces Western archetypes while remaining completely original and his note at the end is the most irresistible call to continue a series I've read in a long time.

A well-preserved thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.

This book gripped me from the first chapter. I loved the resemblance to the story of Frankenstein, the use of witchcraft and a woman doctor being in the late 1800s early 1900s. The back and forth in time worked really well with the story, leading up to the climax. I really loved the western theme and could imagine how each character spoke to each other. Amazing story and looking forward to reading more by this author!

The Unkillable Frank Lightning is easily the most fun I’ve had with a re-imagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Dr. Catherine Coldbridge is out there in the west, knocking down glass ceilings as best as she can, and healing people. And sure, perhaps she’s using witchcraft for some of her healing, but she’s also just a badass doctor who is good at her job, despite what her colleagues might presume. But now she’s on the road, hunting down her husband with the aim to finally kill him. Well, kill him again, since she brought him back to life after he was shot down by native people attempting to protect their lands. Raising him turned him into some kind of mindless violent monster, and initially she fled, but now she’s ready to take responsibility for her monster and finally put him down. So, she’s headed to Texas with two outlaw mercenaries on hand for backup. Her husband, Frank, has moved in with some traveling circus people, and is doing a show as an oddity who cannot die.

The issue is that Catherine is wracked with guilt and has turned to self medicating with alcohol. And so a drunk woman is traveling with outlaws, and the people of texas are suspicious of them to begin with. So when things ultimately go sideways, the people turn on them quickly. Complicating things for when Catherine and her comrades finally clash with Frank and his found family of carnival workers. In the end, Catherine can’t ignore the husband she loved in the monster she created. She says she can’t kill him, but that might not be within the purview of her choice.

I thoroughly loved this book. I don’t typically like westerns, but the characters were so relatable that it was hard not to endear yourself to Catherine, Frank, or the others in the traveling show. I also loved the occult aspects of the story. Making the reanimating power of the monster be witchcraft instead of mad science was a twist that I thoroughly appreciated. I loved the story elements of Catherine’s witchcraft, and her stepping into her power, healing herself, accepting herself and her ability to love. The fact that Catherine is a bisexual legend of a woman is also compelling. I did not read Josh Rountree’s previous novel, The Legend of Charlie Fish, but the tie in character in this book was so lovable, I am compelled to go and read it.

Also, as someone with native heritage, I appreciated the way in which the text handled speaking about the native people in the book. The time of western expansion was a terrible time for the native nations, and while these characters were definitely on the wrong side of that history, I think that they were aware of the parts they played in it. And at least Catherine showed care, sympathy, and acknowledgement of the wrongs going on in that time.

Overall, I would recommend reading this book. It was fun, emotional, and engaging.

A Frankenstein retelling? Say less! The Unkillable Frank Lightning is masked as a Western but it truly is a story of resurrection and redemption. True to Mary Shelley’s classic, the lines of morality and the definition and embodiment of ‘monster’ are challenged throughout this book. Definitely a worthwhile read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the opportunity to read this book!

Frankensteins monster is alive and running a traveling wild west show. Frank “enstein” struggles with his humanity and Catherine (the creator) is on a mission to destroy her monster. I enjoyed this retelling and loved the turn of the 20th century wild west aspect.

We follow Catherine and her fired hands (brothers) as she hunts down her creation to eliminate it. She tells us how her monster came to be and why she must destroy it. But once she see’s Frank again she is torn. Her monster is human after all.

Honestly this was a well written, fun and enjoyably wild ride. This is my first Rountree book but will not be my last.

Hi, new fan of Josh Rountree here! The Unkillable Frank Lightning is marketed as “Frankenstein in a Wild West show” and Rountree delivers on exactly that.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning begins with Catherine, our FMC, decades after she has resurrected her husband. Catherine is consumed with guilt for letting loose a monster into the world. She enlists help from a pair of unsavory brothers to kill her husband and right her wrongs. They take off to Texas where she has heard Frank is traveling in a Wild West show under the stage name, “The Unkillable Frank Lightning”. Frank is a different monster than the one she created 25 years prior and Catherine must decide if she has it in her to end his life once and for all.

Catherine isn’t a very likable character but she doesn’t need to be. She is used more as a vehicle to guide us through the story. The side characters are really what drive the plot. Gunslingers, cons, and outcasts make up Frank’s found family and the traveling revue.

The story was an amusing re-telling of Frankenstein. It follows the basic premise of the classic but with The Wild West as its backdrop. The themes are likewise similar; the burden of responsibility, the “other”, and the duality of human nature are all examined.

I will be recommending this to fans of horror, classic literature enthusiasts, and followers of retellings.

Thank you NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A take on the classic book Frankenstein. Set in the 1870s-1900s. Catherine is a doctor, not only with medical knowledge, but also a bit of magical knowledge. Her husband was killed in a Sioux attack. Some body parts were missing, so in true Frankenstein fashion, Catherine takes limbs from other soldiers and reattaches them before performing a resurrection spell. Frank came back and went on a killing spree. Catherine, thinking there was no way to stop him, fled. Now, twenty-five years later, she tracks Frank down to kill him only to learn he has regained his humanity.

The story was well written with a good cast of characters: showmen, gunslingers, hired killers. There were some words that were misspelled, or the wrong word was used. The character Dr. Prosper was called Dr. Proctor in a few places, and Aubrey was called Audrey once. I hope these will be fixed before final publication.

For me, Catherine’s love for her friend Louisa added nothing to the story. I think it could have worked with them just being close friends. I also would have liked a bit more scenes with Frank and Catherine, but the scenes we do get are good. Once Catherine sees Frank has his humanity, she is hesitant on killing him. Josh Rountree really captures the conflict and grief. The story definitely kept me engaged.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy.

Loved this so much. Fascinating and creative. I love a good creature feature and this one is a western! Catherine is an absolutely flawed character—she asks can this be done, not should this be done. Spoilers ahead. I really disliked learning about her past relationship with Louisa, it seemed to diminish the love she had for Frank—a man she defied natural law to bring back. And, oh, what could have been if she hadn’t fled?! My review is not doing this story justice. If you like retellings, magic, westerns, horror, historical fiction, gunfights, and beautiful writing—you need to read this. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

This book was very well-written. The prose flowed so easily and stoked the imagination. I’ve read a lot of books that were inspired by Frankenstein, and this is definitely the best one. It perfectly evoked both what made that book great, and what makes the Western genre great. I highly recommend it.

The Unkillable Frank Lightening by Josh Rountree is a fantastic blend of Western grit and supernatural horror. I love a good genre-bending novel, and this one delivers in spades. Equal parts Frankenstein and Lonesome Dove, it masterfully weaves elements of folklore, vengeance, and the uncanny into a gripping, atmospheric tale.

The non-linear narrative adds depth, revealing character motivations in a way that keeps you invested while maintaining a steady, suspenseful pace. The action sequences are as brutal as they are compelling, shaping the characters as much as they propel the story forward. Rountree balances horror and Western traditions seamlessly, creating a novel that feels both fresh and timeless.

This book was a joy to read, and I found myself completely immersed in its eerie, dust-choked world. If you love stories that defy easy categorization while delivering a gripping, unforgettable experience, The Unkillable Frank Lightening is a must-read.

My thanks to NetGalley, Tachyon Publications, and Josh Rountree for an ARC of the Unkillable Frank Lightning in exchange for my honest opinions.