The Beast Within (Gabriel Knight)
by Jane Jensen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jane JensenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1998-12
ISBN: 0451456211
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Roc
Book Reviews of The Beast Within (Gabriel Knight)
Book Review: "Tell Her, To Put This With My Heart..."
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Beast Within" is the novelisation of the best-selling computer game by Jane Jenson, the sequel to "Sins of the Fathers" (also written in book-form), but you do not need to play the games nor read the previous book in order to enjoy and get the full benefit from "The Beast Within".
In "The Sins of the Fathers" Gabriel Knight became aware of his heritage as the German "Schattenjager" (translation: Shadow Hunter) after meeting his last surviving relative whilst solving the Voodoo Murders case. However, with the death of his great-uncle Wolfgang during the course of the story, the task of Schattenjager now falls to him. He's inherited Schloss Ritter, the family estate, and the services of the lovely housekeeper Gerde Hull, and his latest novel (based on his last case) is actually popular! But along with all this comes the responsibility of his calling, and he's about to face his next case...
The townfolk of Rittersburg come to his door one nightfall in order to inlist his services: a young girl has been killed, and the family believe it was the work of a werewolf. Gabriel agrees to take the case, and begins his investigation. The family home was outside of Munich, and soon Gabriel finds his first lead: there have been more than one wolf attack on the outskirts of the city, and the blame has fallen on two zoo wolves that escaped not too long before the deaths.
But are these wolves really responsible? Gabriel follows the suspicious zoo administrator to a nearby hunting club, where he's taken under the wing of the charming, aristocratic Baron von Glower. Within the secret society's closed doors are a host of secrets and suspicious characters, especially that of the irrational and violence von Zell.
Meanwhile, Grace Nakimura is minding the bookstore back in New Orleans. She was Gabriel's research assistant on the last case, and has eagerly awaited the arrival of a new case. Imagine her indignation when a letter arrives from Gabriel claiming Gerde can handle the research - she's off to Germany! But on arriving, Gabriel has already left, and Grace settles with researching werewolves. In the Schattenjager archives are references to not one, but two cases involving werewolves, and strangely enough both mention the shady figure of "the Black Wolf". The two cases are hundreds of years apart - could they be related?
She believes so, and is intrigued when King Ludwig (historically the last king of Bavaria before its union with Prussia) pops up in her research. What could he possibly have to do with werewolves? And is it relevant to Gabriel's case? The answers seem to be yes as Grace begins to unravel the tragic mystery behind "the fairy-tale king".
It sounds all very melodramatic, but believe it or not creator/author Jane Jenson makes it work. Both Gabriel and Grace's storylines intertwine perfectly, and her use of historical facts and mysteries surround King Ludwig and Richard Wagner was a touch of genius. Jenson definitely did her research, both on the historical enigma and on werewolves in general. Gabriel and Grace are both likeable characters, despite their shortcomings, and are backed up by equally intriguing people and places.
Sadly, Detective Mosely is not present, but is replaced with Kommisar Leber (who is a good character in his own right) and the story gradually becomes faster paced and more interesting as the chapters go by. Believe it or not, you'll actually end up learning some interesting facts as you read, and you'll definitely never look at King Ludwig the same way again.
If you have already played the game and are a fan of Gabriel Knight, then there are many reasons why the book could come in handy. More so that the novelisation of "Sins of the Fathers", the book gives more answers and details that are often missing in the game. For instance, it explains the reasoning behind the chandeliers and crystals that are so important to the final act, and reveal who the "High Priestess" is from the tarot card reading. Likewise, Gabriel's case is fully explained, something that was left up to the player to work out in the game.
On the other end of the scale however, I felt that Jenson left out some details - they may not have been important, but they were nice little touches in the course of the story: for instance, Grace's prayer at the lakeside, where she places a lily on the water where Ludwig died and her visit to the chapel of Altotting with an offering for the altar - a silver heart that Gerde has given her. It is funny that I'm complaining about it since my main issue with "The Sins of the Fathers" novelisation was that it kept in two many computer-game elements, but they were nice moments, and I would have liked to have seen them included.
The best way to describe the Gabriel Knight trilogy is to say it's a blend of Anne Rice's vampire novels and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Anyone who likes occult mysteries should love these series, both on the page and the computer screen. As I mentioned, the intricate storyline is excellent and well worth a look for any supernatural mystery fan.
Summary of The Beast Within (Gabriel Knight)
Just as Gabriel Knight is finally settling into his ancestral home in Germany, he is called upon in his role as schattenjagger, or "shadow hunter", to help solve the savage killing of a young girl. The authorities claim it was a wolf escaped from the zoo, but the townspeople say it is a werewolf. Gabriel soon becomes certain the answer lies within an exclusive hunting club in Munich that celebrates the nature of the beast. As his loyal assistant Grace delves into the past to discover the truth, Gabriel finds himself ensnared in a sinister trap, in which the beast within himself becomes the greatest threat of all!Literature & Fiction Books
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