This Dark Endeavour: 1 - Softcover

"Adventures do not come more thrilling, gorgeously written or absorbing than this" (Amanda Craig The Times)

"A thrilling examination of a fictional character, packed with action, guilt and tension, and a useful intro to the original horror story" (Daily Mail)

"Kenneth Oppel's brilliant creation of the early character-forming of Frankenstein is This Dark Endeavour and it is a superb extension and tremendous read which remains faithful to clues from the Mary Shelley original. A truly gripping, gothic page-turner" (The School Librarian)

The purest intentions can stir up the darkest obsessions.

In this prequel to Mary Shelley's gothic classic, Frankenstein, 16-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor's twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor is able to cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and best friend Henry on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.

Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science, and love - and how much he is willing to sacrifice.