Product Description
This Eisner-nominated anthology mini-series brings the best of Clive Barker’s Books of Blood short stories to the comics medium. Barker’s work is brought to a stunning visual realization by comics’ greatest artistic talent: John Bolton, P. Craig Russell, Klaus Janson, Tim Conrad, Bo Hampton, Stan Woch, Hector Gomez, and more. Collected here are such horror classics as "Skins of the Fathers", "Human Remains", "In the Hills, In the Cities", "Down Satan", "How Spoilers Bleed", "The Madonna", "Pig Blood Blues", and "The Midnight Meat Train" . . . just to name a few. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

If you like Clive, then you'll like this one too
Years before Clive Barker wrote The Hellbound Heart which later was brought to the screen and transformed into Hellraiser he already had much experience from the life of a writer. Together with friends in a theatre group Barker had written several scripts for the stage, and in 1984 he published a collection of astonishing short stories, which became known as the Books of Blood. These days Barker is not a horror writer per se, even though his creations still contain supernatural and/or horror-influenced elements.

Books of Blood have been a global success, and many different editions have been published by different publishers. Checker Publishing Group - known for their high-quality editions of new and classical comics - has now released some of Barker's most celebrated stories from, among other, Books of Blood in the shape of a comic.

It's not a very easy task to transform the bizarre world of Clive Barker into a different media, but all in all one must say that Checker has done a great job. The stories are "Human Remains", "Pig Blood Blues", "Skins of the Fathers", "The Midnight Meat Train", "In the Hills, the Cities", "How Spoilers Bleed", "Down, Satan", and "Scape Goats".

However, the read is not a very easy one, despite the illustrations that accompany it, and unfortunately, some of the contributors more or less fail to do their job. For example, John Bolton's drawings for "In the Hills, the Cities" are masterpieces of art, while Klaus Janson's contributions to "Skins of the Fathers" are aeons away from the creepiness of Bolton.

Still, the stories in themselves are all brilliant literature, and in most case the transformation into comics are quite successful, even though it must be said that the reader more or less has to read the stories in their original form before attempting to read the comics. This is the only way to fully understand what's going on (and sometimes you still don't, but that's just the way Barker works). If you've read the stories before and liked them, then this Checker release will not let you down, but if you're new to the world of Clive Barker you'll probably have a hard time understanding some of the stories.

If you like Clive, then you'll like this one too
Years before Clive Barker wrote The Hellbound Heart which later was brought to the screen and transformed into Hellraiser he already had much experience from the life of a writer. Together with friends in a theatre group Barker had written several scripts for the stage, and in 1984 he published a collection of astonishing short stories, which became known as the Books of Blood. These days Barker is not a horror writer per se, even though his creations still contain supernatural and/or horror-influenced elements.

Books of Blood have been a global success, and many different editions have been published by different publishers. Checker Publishing Group - known for their high-quality editions of new and classical comics - has now released some of Barker's most celebrated stories from, among other, Books of Blood in the shape of a comic.

It's not a very easy task to transform the bizarre world of Clive Barker into a different media, but all in all one must say that Checker has done a great job. The stories are "Human Remains", "Pig Blood Blues", "Skins of the Fathers", "The Midnight Meat Train", "In the Hills, the Cities", "How Spoilers Bleed", "Down, Satan", and "Scape Goats".

However, the read is not a very easy one, despite the illustrations that accompany it, and unfortunately, some of the contributors more or less fail to do their job. For example, John Bolton's drawings for "In the Hills, the Cities" are masterpieces of art, while Klaus Janson's contributions to "Skins of the Fathers" are aeons away from the creepiness of Bolton.

Still, the stories in themselves are all brilliant literature, and in most case the transformation into comics are quite successful, even though it must be said that the reader more or less has to read the stories in their original form before attempting to read the comics. This is the only way to fully understand what's going on (and sometimes you still don't, but that's just the way Barker works). If you've read the stories before and liked them, then this Checker release will not let you down, but if you're new to the world of Clive Barker you'll probably have a hard time understanding some of the stories.

tapping the vein
Brillant adaptation of Barkers short tales.
The list of ilustrators include P. Craig Russel,Scott Hampton,Klaus janson,D. Cowan,John Bolton,H. Gomez,Stan Woch,Tim Conrad,Bo Hampton and the colaboration in the adaptation of the stories of Steve Niles and Chuck Wagner among others.

Falls flat frequently !
Originally I was attracted to this title after playing the PC game CLIVE BARKER'S UNDYING. Highly atmospheric in its conversion from text to interactive graphics, the game left most players with a chill, a tingle - that would haunt and could not be shaken off easily. The graphic novel, however, left me with a bland, dull taste - and with an unquenched thirst of the paranormal. The artwork was apt, the ideas provided were original, the premises were even commendable. However, somewhere along the path of story development and conversion, the psychotic-horror tinge misses its mark. There is no cherishable after sensation to savour. Also sometimes, one needs to grope for the ideas for the 'read between the lines'. 'Pig Blood Rules', `Midnight Meat Train' - were the only well-rounded stories I remember with warmth.

Awesome concept, brilliant artistry!!!
This is one of the coolest things I've ever come by. The psychotic stories of Clive Barker transferred to the graphic novel format. Some of the very best Barker tales are chosen for this collection. The artwork completely captures every aspect of the disturbing yet poetic brilliance of Barker's stories. Bravo! A little spendy, but worth every penny. Trust me! As a die-hard Barker fan, I can say that any admirer, passive or devoted, will love this collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful round of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied... for a price! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (135)

An imaginative and fast paced fantasy
I first read this book as kid, and fell in love with the rich story and original characters. About a year ago I found this book again, and decided to flip through and look at some of the wonderful illustrations; I ended up reading the entire book that day. The book is very fast paced and has you frantically flipping pages to find out what happens next. A perfect blend of horror, comedy, fantasy and childhood adventure make this story a timeless classic. I highly recommend this book to children and adults.

Fun read for both kids and adults
I remember reading the thief of always first when I was in middle school. It had enthralled me at the time with it's fantasy elements of a realm where kids could get whatever they wanted, at an unknown yet horrible cost.

Reading it again as a young adult I must say, it still holds it's own. It might seem a bit rushed in parts but it's still excellent. The storyline is unique, the characters are interesting, quirky or creepy, and the climax is especially intriguing. It also makes one thinks: If you could have anything you wanted but at personal cost, would you take it? Or would you enjoy the new life so much you'd not care?

Clive Barker is one of the masters of unique, odd, or interesting stories and novels, and the thief of always is no exception to this. I highly recommend it for people of all ages.

worst book ever
i hated this book it was a classic fairy tale and had to much of a disney ending no house can grant every wish and then kill you im a clive barker fan but if you are looking for something good to read then dont choose this

WOW!
I have shifted to graphic novels from memoir, but I realize now that both genres are excellent. This is graphic novel I will keep--for my growing collection of graphic novels.

The Thief of Always is dark, and there are several messages you pick up on in the story. I thought the illustrations are great!

I recommend this graphic novel to the readers of memoir..it picks up where memoirs lead you.

I will look for other graphic novels by Clive Barker.

Enjoy!!:)

Not that good
Although I read the book a lot quicker than most of Clive Barker's other books, I think this is probably my least favorite out of everything I read from this author.

I didn't really expect much going into the book. Unlike the complex characters you find in other works by Clive Barker, the characters are flat and two-dimensional here, and the moral complexities in this book are generally absent. I'm not holding this against the book, as I didn't expect these attributes going into it, and the book is definitely not without depth and the message Clive Barker tries to convey is definitely a good one.

The writing style is good as always. Typical of Clive Barker's other works, though simplified for a younger audience, but it's still very beautiful and engaging, as Clive Barker's writing always is.

The plot is pretty standard for a fairy tale, but it still has potential and at least for the first half it is executed well. Had the book ended around page 150 I would have probably rated it higher. Once the characters return to the Holiday House, however, the book completely falls apart with one deus ex machina after another. There is absolutely no suspense, as Harvey is able to take out the monsters of the house far too easily by simply by pulling a brand new previously unmentioned power out of his butt. In one or two instances he kills the monster simply by touching it. It almost seemed like Clive Barker simply got bored with the story and wanted to end it as quickly and simply as possible. And as I read it, I kept shaking my head in disappointment, thinking: "Come on, Clive Barker, you're better than this."

If you're new to Clive Barker, I strongly suggest you not start with this book, though kids might get more out of it than I did since they are the intended audience, after all. But even for a children's book this could have been so much better. ... Read more

Product Description
Here are the stories written on the Book of Blood. They are a map of that dark highway that leads out of life towards unknown destinations. Few will have to take it. Most will go peacefully along lamplit streets, ushered out of living with prayers and caresses. But for a few, the horrors will come, skipping, to fetch them off to the highway of the damned ...From the brilliant World Fantasy Award winner Clive Barker come fourteen spine-chilling stories of darkness unleashed, gathered together in one volume for the first time. These are visionary tales of terror which will curdle the very marrow in your bones ... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Horror at it best
I love the original Books of Blood and this is just as good. Defintely worth buying. I would recommend to all horoor fans. Clive Barker is one of the best authors.

Better than the movie!
After watching a terrible movie based on the Books of Blood, we decided to check on the books to see if they were as bad as the movie or if the movie was just awful on its own.Well we read the first books, 1-3 and we were hooked.The movie was more fluff and the book had more substance and as usual, better than the movie.Clive Barker has a sense of what's scary but, at times, with a bit of wit and humor.The books are actually short stories and I would recommend that in addition to V.2 you also get v.1.

If you are a fan of his, this is a good addition to your collection! If you love horror stories with a bit of twists and a lot of thought, this is a good book for you.

Classic short stories from Barker
Classic short Stories from Barker that were written and published in the mid 1980's and still remain essential reading for fans of dark fantasy and horror fiction. A must have for your collection!

A book of BLOOD.............you are not afraid of the content of the book,but the author's imagination!...Nigel
THIS REVIEW IS DEDICATED TO THOSE GOOD PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVE IN THE "WORLD TRADE CENTRE" ATTACK,AND ALSO TO THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO LOST THEIR LIVES TRYING TO SAVE THE VICTIMS...Nigel.


A fairly good read.I would not give this more that three stars for the simple reason that others may give it it five.And that reason is that the stories are 1)short
2)Too nasty and bloody,it stinks!

But the reason I have to give the writer some credit is because he maintains his good writing skills for most of the stories in this book.
I generally dislike short stories because they give you some hope,and before you know it,the story is finished.(I just read these stories for the record,since I am a fan of clive barker)
Anyway,you read the following and decide ifthe story is worth the read.

THE BOOKS OF BLOOD VOL 4(also know as the inhuman condition)Three stars.

1)The body politic:
A very fascinating story.It is simply about a world where our "hands"(yes our hands) have a mind of their own,and can control our bodies.In this story the left hand of a particular person decides to take over the world!

2)The inhuman condition:
A good story as well.In this story a few guys beat up a vagrant,robbing him of a piece of rope,which is tied into knots.Sometime after,one of the guys start to unravel the knots,and with the unravelling his friends start to die off. The guys then seeks the vagrant for help,after realizing what had been done...

3)Revelations:
A woman is unwillingly taken on a tour by her husband, a preacher.They go to a motel.The room in which they were staying was previously the room of two murdered victims...The victims,now ghosts,hunt the woman and her husband.
This is really a strange story,because,I mean,the dead made love!

4)Down Satan:
This is not one of my favourites.I hate this story.A guy,bored with god,decides to build a place on earth for satan.His plan goes bad and a lot of lives are lost.

5)The age of desire:
(The best story in this vol 1)....A man is part of a science experiment.The purpose of the experiment is to test an Aphrodisaic...The man then kills the scientists and excapes from the lab...He then starts to run around the place,having sex with people,raping people,and even killing people...A very funny,horror story....

THE BOOKS OF BLOOD VOL 6....Three stars.

1)The life of death:
In this story a woman becomes obsessed with a demolished church.She broke into a tomb andunknowinglycaught a disease,which she was immune too(she became a carrier).But other people were notimmune to it,so it quickly spreads to some of her friends,killing them.
In the end of this story the woman is raped and killed by a serial killer...And guess what?The killer gets the disease but is immune to it as well...he becomes a carrier and continues to spread the disease..

2)How spoilers bleed:
A couple of men bought a piece of land.But when then went to claim it they discovered that the land was occupied by Indians..The decided to force the Indians out ,butshot one of them...The chief then put a curse on the men and they start to die out one by one..(this is the good part)
The bad part is how they die! Let me explain how the men died...
Their skin became thin as toilet paper and tender as a piece of scab.Their skin was abraded with the smallest of contact.Even a piece of dust had the potential to peel of the skin from their hands,thereby leaving their flesh exposed.
They soon started to bleed to death.(a very gross story)

3)Twilight at the towers:
I did not like this story and didn't manage to read it through...I can't say what it is about though.I apologise for the inconvience.Sorry.

4)The last illusion:
It this volume,I think this is my favourite story..It is with a magician who made a deal 32 years ago with some group of devil people.
Now he is a famous magician(illusionist)how is performing at broadway.
One day after performing he goes into his room with a prostitute,while reaching to pick up something from the ground a sword falls on top of him and killls him.Was it an accident?Was it murder?
Sometime after his death his wife receives a mysterious letter from him.Apparently written by the magician before his death.He wanted to be creamated.
A guy who deals with the occult and paranormal activites is hired by the wife to help watch over the magician's body until it is cremated.
Meanwhile the "devil people" want the body for themselves because the magician didn't complete his part of his promise to them....
This guy who deals with the paranormal activites is caught up between hell and earth,while trying to creamate the body.(I don't mean he was literally in hell,but the trouble he was experiencing was the equilivalent of hell!)
This story,between the three volumes,contains the most suspense and is one of the longest,if not the longest.

5)The book of blood:
I believe this story is about a person who was turned into a book.It is the shortest story in the whole volume.I did not finish reading it because it was too short and boring too me...Sorry I am not able to give a detailed review for this story.

THE BOOKS OF BLOOD VOL 5(also know as "in the flesh")Three stars.

1)The forbidden:
A university student is doing research in a crime infested area.While doing some research and hearing about some of the murders that had taken place,she becomes "involved" with the mysterious character know as "The Candyman"..
This story is just like the movie.The Candyman uses his hooked hand to rip you stomach apart.
This story is pacted with suspense.The candyman wants her to become his victim.

2)The madonna:
(I did not like nor read this story,sorry)

3)Babel's children
(a stupid story,I did not like or read this either,sorry)

4)In the flesh:
Now,here is a bloody story.A guy who has a spiritual connection with his executed grandfather,goes into prison to reunite with his grandfather's spirit.(his grandfather was executed in the same prison.He was hang).When this guy goes into the prison he not only reunites with his grandfathers spirit but he terrorises and kills other inmates as well.
In this story we also see that there is a special "city" where the dead people go,especially criminals,and they continue their activities.

Now these are some fairly good stories,right.Thanks for reading and this is Nigel saying,Good bye...take care and have a nice day.

(Clive Barker wrote this in his own words:Everybody is a book of blood,wherever we are opened,we are red................)
I think the above is very true...do you?

Endocrinal as well as exocrinal and seminal
In this second half of the highway of the dead, Clive Barker takes us even deeper than we could have ever dreamt into the empire of death. Every story is a miracle and a fascinating marvel. Every story deserves our attention and energy. But some are maybe slightly more conspicuous, at least for me. But these stories seem to be fascinated by various parts of the body, various parts and pieces that have total freedom to do as they like, be they hands that sever their attachment to human beings to live their autonomous life and get rid of the human race ; or the righteous christian soul - a very gullible appendage or appendix indeed - of a preacher who is ready to kill if necessary to impose his vision of the final apocalypse, at least if he has enough time to do it before being executed by his prospective victims ; or the sexual impulse of a man boosted by some prophetic prefiguration of viagra, an impulse that will have to run its course to the end which necessarily means death for the body that is nothing but the tool of that drive ; or the fascination of the eyes, and the camera that is nothing but an extension of these eyes, of this research worker who discovers the deepest pulsating need of mystery, horror and fear in the minds of ordinary simple people who invent the Candyman to inhabit their nights with some thrilling experience ; or the deepest voracious cannibalistic female mother of everything and everyone, a madonna that controls, dominates and generates the whole world that is so willing to be so possessed that no one sees or realises it ; or the killing instinct of one's grandfather once hanged for his murdering crimes and now able to revisit his grandson in order to make him do again what he himself did in order for this grandson to take his place in the city of the damned and for him to get on the road to eternal life or non-existence since freed of any torturing and waiting ; or the very death we all carry inus and that can be turned into a living deadly organism that is transported and scattered around like a plague, as if death was an organ of ours among many others ; or the greed that gets punished somewhere in Amazonia through a curse from Indian victims of the voracious western ogres who need to eat the flesh and drink the blood of innocent prehistoric survivors of ancient nature-oriented civlizations ; or the real beast that lives in some of us and that is controlled by psychiatric expertise into obedience and service to the secret clandestine forces that stabilizes the obscure balance of the world split in two camps, at the time of the cold war when Clive Barker was writing, and today at teh time of the war on terrorism ; or the satanic magic one can buy from Lucifer against one's own soul that one can always retain or recapture by mocking the devilish master and using Satan's magic to block the recuperation of one's body after death without which the soul is nothing, in fact not even detained. One may be surprised and even shocked by the quantity and diversity of bodily fluids that are shed in those pages, but Clive Barker has a fluid and liquid imagination and his world would have no density without those life-providing even and especially diabolical fluids. We could also wonder why Clive Barker needs so much sex in his stories, and particularly non-kosher sex, that kind of sex that is associated to Sodom and Gomorrha. But once again the potency of Clive Barker's style is in the sexual dimension of the delirium he calls his imagination. Writing for him is nothing but intercourse with this imagination of his who definitely rapes him over and over again page after page in all possible variations and nuances. And the most hellish form of rape is for him scatological, which means the release of another bodily fluid of sort. Fragile-psyched and delicate-sensitivitied readers are rather heartily advised not to enter these deep lanes and paths down into the pestifirous crypt of human haunting delusions which are nothing but, over and over again, the last illusion that will charm us into either stupidity or complete vegetable stupor. Maybe some will be illuminated, but these lights are nothing but the mesmerizing power of IT, of the longed-for molesting we all hope will one day assault us with delicious ecstacy.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Université Paris Dauphine, Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne
... Read more

Product Description
What would you see if you could peek inside the mind of Clive Barker, creator of such classics as Weaveworld, Hellraiser, and Candyman? Would you dare look? Crack open Visions of Heaven and Hell, and you have unlocked a Pandora's box of images that are certain to stay inside your head. For more than twenty-five years, Barker has awed fans and critics alike with his groundbreaking works of fiction, but what few know is that the heart of his fantastic worlds lies in pictures. Now, for the first time, this book brings out from the dark depths more than 300 of Barker's most stunning drawings and oil paintings. Illuminated with new writings by Barker, this artwork renders with expressionist fervor some of our most primal passions-good, evil, and all that's between. From the graphically terrifying to the ecstatically sensual, Visions of Heaven and Hell takes the reader on a journey through unexplored and forbidden realms. Designed in a luxurious package that recalls a devotional medieval manuscript or the works of Blake and Cocteau, this volume itself has the feel of a talisman from one of Barker's stories. Providing the true key to the mysteries of his imagination, it is a must-have collectible for the legion of Barker's fiction fans. But it also reaches out to an even greater audience of those who follow his films. "Barker has an unparalleled talent for envisioning other worlds."-Washington Post Book World ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Heaven and Hell
Well, to be honest... It should be shocking to someone who's not in that kind
of ''trip'' (my father, for instance, though he's an artist himself but prefers
some other strange and dark things in his illustrations and digital artwork) and to someone who's not ready to see the world with different eyes.
My point is that there's no need to judge some paintings as bad, if they are morbid, perverse, strange. I do Horror Graphic Novel's, and writing or illustrating not so crazy or perverse stuff, but I'm trying to understand what lies beneath this fragile surface of the human mind...
I'm far from fame and popularity that Mr. Barker ''owns''(barely known in my own city) but I want to say that perversion, blood, monsters, deviants could be interesting also.
It's fascinating how much energy and ideas Mr. Barker has. Here you can see how much he works besides his writing, film making etc.
And here we can see some of his visions, ideas, concepts of the real world,
and of imaginative landscapes. A new lifeforms creeping out of his stories and books. Very vivid and lighter colors are in huge contrast to those dark themes and compositions. And that's very interesting.
One would expect dark colors (like I was), if he or she knows what Mr. Barker is writing about (or making movies and plays).
If you like his work, you will surely like this book. It's 200 something pages of drawings and paintings, and comments by the author himself.
My father said that I'm crazy, but don't trust him... and enjoy!

Superb
An avid Barker fan, it was very worthwhile to come into possession of this collection of his paintings.His imagination never ceases to amaze.Aside from film work and literature, his visionary artwork now completes my collection of Clive Barker's sometimes dark, always intriguing and ever imaginative corpus of work.Highly recommended.

Visions of Heaven and Hell
If you like Barker, you'll like this book. A peek in the mind of the master...

Excellent book, awful binding.
I agree with those who say that the book is excellent but the binding is terrible. Clive Barker's art is fantastic; his depictions of deviant demons and cherubic angels are simply astonishing. And his little intro's to each chapter are quick, witty, and insightful.

The book would be 5-star perfection, if not for the ridiculous binding. The pages are bound by some sticky shiny gold thing, which makes about every fourth or fifth page stick together. It is sometimes difficult to rip them apart without damaging the ends of the pages, and it is very distracting from the art itself, because sometimes you can't tell if the pages are stuck together or not so you try to count pages and it's just very distracting. I'm shocked that no one noticed this problem before this printing was released.

But the binding problem is not Barker's fault, and his art is amazing. Perhaps not for the young or faint of heart, but amazing nonetheless.

Nice book but terrible binding
The images in the book are very to look at they range from beautiful landscapes and villages to horrible looking beasts and monsters. Because of the large number of images with nudity and sex in them this isn't something to get for kids who enjoy the "Abarat" series or "The Thief of Always." The binding is really bad about one out of every five pages is stuck to another page, my big complaint with the binding is that two of the page were stuck together in the middle where the pages meet, as a result the pictures on both pages have huge white spots on them. I still recommend getting this if you like Barker, but if a different binding comes out in the future you should get that one instead. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

A classicbook on actor training
This is a book meant for someone who works actively with theatre (both professionals and amateurs). The focus of this book is how to use children games in actor training. The concept was new and unusual when Clive Barkerdeveloped it 30-40 years ago, but is now used by many actors and teachers.The book is full of practical exercises but present also a very valuabletheoretical foundation for this kind of work. I read this book for thefirst time about 20 years ago, and it is still one of those books that Icome back to and finds valuable information and inspiration from.

Inthis book Clive Barker introduces a concept of "Body Think" - anew concept at that time when he wrote this book, and a concept that ismeant as a practical way to deal with the kind of non-logical-thinking thatan actors has to work with. Since then people like Howard Gardner hasintroduced theories about 'Multiple Intelligence's' which has gained ageneral acceptance all over the world. Clive Barkers writings about theactors use of 'Body Think' gives additional information to what HowardGarner calls 'Spatial Intelligence' and ''Bodily- kinaestheticIntelligence'. It can probably be very useful to read Clive Barkes bookalongside Howard Gardners books (Frames of Mind, The Arts and HumanDevelopment, Multiple Intelligence - The Theory in Practice). Also DanielGoleman's book on Emotional Intelligence might be a good companion.

CliveBarker's book is a very good book that presents theoretical concepts aswell as practical methods that makes sense in the daily practical work ofan actor. In many ways this book is much more useful than the famous booksof Stanislavsky.

Drama training is drama training
Now who's the clueless bonehead who orders a book called "... drama training" and thinks its a horror story. Jeez. Too much television.

Barker isn't Barker
I haven't read this, sorry. But I wanted to stop anyone who thinks this might be Clive Barker, novelist. It isn't, trust me (I waited months for a copy of this book only to find out too late ... Read more

Product Description

For more than two decades, Clive Barker has twisted the worlds of horrific and surrealistic fiction into a terrifying, transcendent genre all his own. With skillful prose, he enthralls even as he horrifies; with uncanny insight, he disturbs as profoundly as he reveals. Evoking revulsion and admiration, anticipation and dread, Barker's works explore the darkest contradictions of the human condition: our fear of life and our dreams of death. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Part one of a never to be completed trilogy
Boone is fully aware that something is seriously wrong with his mental health. Because his memory seems to be full of holes, he decides to consult a psychiatrist named Decker. It does not take long for Decker to link Boone to the brutal mutilation murders of eleven people, murders that recently have terrorized the city of Calgary, Canada. Shocked by this dreadful news, Boone decides to flee. He awakes in de middle of a horrific murder scene and sees only one way out: suicide. But then he hears of the mythical place of Midian, a sanctuary to the monsters of this world. He actually does not have to go look for it, because in a way it has already found him. Although he is not yet aware it, Midian will offer him a very important role.

Cabal is one of Clive Barker's early novella's and is distinctive for its rather straightforward plotting. Compared to the story of Imajica, Cabal can even be called `simple'. But that simplicity does not compromises its narrative power. To the contrary: it is very powerful in luring the reader into a fantastic world. It does very well compare to The Damnation Game for its rawness and impact. Although Cabal offers an extremely enjoyable and horrific ride, it somewhat leaves the reader with a feeling of dissatisfaction. Indeed, it reads as part one of a trilogy. A trilogy that was never completed. It introduces a very interesting mythology and puts everything in readiness for the big story... but sadly that still needs to be written.

Cabal was made into a quite enjoyable movie adaptation Night Breed and did start a comic book series with that same title.

Review of the edition without the short stories.
I read this in the Fontana/Collins edition, where Cabal was published on its own, without the short stories that accompanied the US release.

I have read most of the early Barker novels, and I wanted to circle around to pick up what I have missed. Cabal was one of those.

It isn't *bad*, I don't think. It still has much of Barker's feel for atmosphere, and his skill with the concept. I really liked the Nightbreed, and the manner in which their story was developed and both explained/unexplained by the book. Some of the plot points were kind of predictable.

The main problem is that it just doesn't have the size that allows Barker to do his best work at world-building. I'd probably say this isn't the place to begin, but you shouldn't be disappointed if you're already a fan.

Saying this book sucks maybe a bad pun but its the truth
First off I'm going to say I read this book during the days when i decided to give Clive Barker the chance he deserved, having been told by some of the weirdest people I know-with dramatic effect- "Clive Barker?! He's out there!" Needless to say I was pretty young when all this happened. In short, Cabal, as a stand alone book, sucks like a starved leech on the back side of an elephant sized tourist. It starts out decent- poor tortured mental patient who fears he's a monster inside( not as pathetic as it sounds)- it even shows some promise when he meets monsters who intern tell him he is not a monster and there for food. But when this book really crashes through the basement into pulp garbage hell, is when we are treated to 10 pages of the desperate girlfriend masturbating. At this point there's very little hope for the novel because from there Barker explains that the monsters are nothing but glorified vampires. What's worse... THEY'RE NOT EVEN VERY INTERESTING VAMPIRES! From this moment on Barker makes a mess of the entire thing. Plot lines are created that go no where, metaphors become ridiculous( the sun is now a stripper... really?) and every single chance for this book to be good is blown out of the water by Barker's clown sized feet.
By the time I was done with Cabal I felt too disgusted to continue with the fantastic short stories that followed, due to the bad taste in my mouth, and had to wait till the books of blood were released in one decent omnibus edition. Now, like I said before, I read this book when I was pretty young, so, six years later and deciding maybe I hadn't given the book the chance it might have deserved, dug out my copy of Cabal, read it, and threw it away.
Don't buy this boos; it isn't worth the paper its printed on. I wouldn't even wipe myself with this thing if it was the only source of toilet paper.
If you want good Barker, read the Abarat books, the Thief of Always, Weavworld, or-if you like it dark and dirty- The Damnation Game, Everville, or the Great and Secret Show, because this book sucks and isn't worth the effort.

good stuff
this book contains the stories that were adapted into the films NIGHTBREED and LORD OF ILLUSIONS, as well as a few other really good stories. worth the reading.

For Fans Only
The short stories at the end aren't bad; the novella itself had less to recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
Five stories of otherworldly murder and terror include, ""Son of Celluloid,"" ""Rawhead Rex,"" ""Confessions of a Pornographer's Shroud,"" ""Scape-Goats,"" and ""Human Remains."" Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The best overall of 1-3
I have now read the "Books of Blood 1-3" and although I enjoyed a few of the stories in #1, I felt that #2 was lacking and struggled to finish it.This third installment is by far the best of the 3 in that it has the largest number of high quality stories.

1 - Son of Celluloid - I wasn't a huge fan of this one, a murderer's cancer comes to life after his death in the back of a movie theater and takes on the persona of the films that cross the screen.

2 - Rawhead Rex - The basis of the film by the same name, this story had a lot of potential to have been a novella.I would have loved to have had more background and more indepth information in this story.As a short story it was violent, brutal and left the reader wanting more... very good

3 - Confessions of a (Pornographer's) Shroud - peculiar revenge after death story.At first I didn't think I would like this one, but by the end it was pretty good.Not the strongest in the book but still and entertaining read.

4 - Scape-Goats - shipwrecked on an island build from the corpses of the dead, a young group of friends tries to survive what they cannot understand.This was another story that could have been made into a novella, I enjoyed it, but would have liked more background, more meat, more story.Again a very good read.

5 - Human Remains - the horror of vanity brought to life, what would you do to have your beauty remain forever?Would you be willing to give up your soul?The main character in this one was a huge turnoff to me, but it was still a strange and engaging story.

On the whole this is my favorite of the first 3 books of blood, highly recommended to lovers of short horror stories.

Barker really gets down to business in Volume 3
Clive Barker is all business in his Books of Blood Volume Three, and that business is sex and violence.There is no stray dark comedy piece along the lines of Volume One's The Yattering and Jack to be found in these pages.These five stories take us to realms of pain and bloody death, sometimes pushing the envelope on the new kind of dark horror Barker helped pioneer.

Son of Celluloid is by far my favorite of these stories.I love the unusual premise and the surreal quality of the piece.Basically, the back wall behind the screen of an old movie theatre has seen so many famous lives projected upon it that somehow the essence of those screen legends has germinated within its neglected existence.The only thing needed to bring the screen personalities to life is a catalyst, which comes in the form of a dying criminal.The man himself is of no consequence, but he has within him a force with ambition and a single-minded drive to grow and thrive.This driving force is cancer, and I find Barker's unusual appraisal of the silent killer to be a fascinating one.Next up is Rawhead Rex, one of Barker's more violent stories.There are creatures that thrived on earth long before man helped force them to the brink of extinction, and things get pretty gruesome when one fellow unknowingly unseals the prison in which such a monster has been sealed for eons.Murder of a more human (albeit post-human) kind rests at the heart of Confessions of a (Pornographer's) Shroud.This tale doesn't succeed completely in my estimation, and some might even find it oddly laughable, as the main character is an amorphous blob of a dead man's essence who reconstitutes the form of his human body in his own death shroud.Scape-Goats is a little island of death story, the most interesting aspect of which is its viewpoint; it is not often that Barker tells a tale from the first-person perspective of a woman.The final story, Human Remains, offers Barker's typically unusual slant on the old doppelganger motif.

All in all, this is a fine collection of stories.Son of Celluloid borders on greatness, Rawhead Rex helps sate the appetites of those seeking blood and gore, and the three accompanying pieces are more than capable of holding one's interest if not fascination from start to finish. This third volume, unlike its immediate predecessor, stands as a most worthy successor indeed to the genius displayed in Clive Barker's Books of Blood Volume One.

WHo is the sickest one?
...

I used to enjoy his books, but with "Books Of Blood III" I suddenly realized what a pile of [junk] is this all about... This guy must be really sick to write such dement histories... He has no limits. In this book, a monster (Rawhead Rex) decapitates the head of a child, swallow it!

What kind of joy can one obtain by reading such kind of literature? None. It will only pollute your brain with blood, death, pain and depravity. I reazlize it only now, after reading a lot of Barker's books...

On a par with Vol 2, Better than Vol 1.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Each story is very well written and has a good storyline and intersting characters. The themes of these stories are in some cases tried and tested favourites such as doppelgangers, buriedmonsters awoken and revenge beyond the grave. Others are completely newlike the concept of an island made of the bodies of the drowned, and of acancerous tumor continuing to grow after it's victims death and developinga twisted mind of it's own - as well as incredible powers over humanperception.

This is among the best collection of short stories I haveever read, some of them even better than similar length stories by StephenKing. The books of blood are all excellent.

I would recommend this bookto any fan of the horror genre, but I would even more strongly recommendthat you buy the omnibus edition of volumes one to three.

I have nowbought parts four to six and am looking forward to reading them. Thissecond omnibus includes 'The inhuman condition', 'The last illusion' (Onwhich the film 'lord of the illusions' was based), and 'In the flesh' -Allreleased as separate mini-novels. The second omnibus is not available fromamazon.com at present but can be found at amazon.co.uk.

Wow!!!!!
This was a great book.Full of gore, humor and an intensity which makes you want to keep going.(Too bad the book is only about 400 pages though)

I have personally read the first two volumes of the "Booksof Blood" and think the first one is the best.This particular volumefollows suit to Barker's previous books, but is kinda of the same hack,dice, slice, squash, eat, destroy material that we have read in previousvolumes.Barker is delightfully disgusting all the way through the novelin both detail and imagery.However I thought "Confession of a(Pornographer's) Shroud" was an excellent tail of venegeance on theauthor's behalf.

All in all, if you in enjoyed the series already I wouldrecommend this book to complete the collection.If you HAVEN'T read theother two novellas then I would recommend the first volume over this one. In any case, you will get your money's worth. ... Read more

Product Description

It begins in the most boring place in the world: Chickentown, U.S.A. There lives Candy Quackenbush, her heart bursting for some clue as to what her future might hold. When the answer comes, it's not one she expects. Out of nowhere comes a wave, and Candy, led by a man called John Mischief (whose brothers live on the horns on his head), leaps into the surging waters and is carried away.

Customer Reviews (7)

The Awesomenesses . . . .
Just read it. You will not be disappointed at all. Its great, its unique and reads like your watching a 3-D movie. Original and much better then NARNIA, for those who say its not. Read it three years ago along with the sequel and am horribly waiting for the third one. I CANT NOT WAIT!!!!

Abarat : another word for amazing
When I read this book, I had no real idea what to expect. I had never heard of it, but there was a quote from it in another book that I really enjoyed, so I decided to take a chance.

What I got was amazing. The illustrations by the author, Clive Barker, make the sometimes dream-like aspects come alive. Barker has a great handle on how to word passages to make the scenes seem to jump off the page. This was a very good read and I did not want to put it down once I started.

Perhaps my favorite thing was the unpredictability of it all. I have read many, many books, quite a few from this genre, and after a while you begin to be able to predict what will happen. This book contains some surprises though.

Conclusion: if you read it, you will love it.

Leaves you hanging in a good way
I needed an imaginative fantasy romp, so I just finished Clive Barker's Abarat. It's sort of The Thief of Always (darkish kid's book) meets Weaveworld (for awesome otherworlds). And the thing that makes this book extraordinarily special: color drawings by Barker interspersed throughout the text. In a fantastical world like Abarat, it's immeasurably cool to see a piece of art depicting, say, a Sea-Skipper, sort of an elegant cross between a human and a sea horse, or a crazy island shaped like a man's pointed head.

The heroine, Candy Quakenbush, has an abusive father and an all-around dreary life in Chickentown, MN (guess what the industry is there?). When she's ripped out of her environment and gets swept away on a sea to the magical islands of Abarat, the joy I felt was similar to the relief I felt when Hagrid showed up to take Harry Potter to his first year at Hogwarts. Candy doesn't get a grace period to adjust, though - the bad guys are after her from the start. She's helped by wonderful creatures on various different islands - called The Hours, as each one is locked in a different time of day - and her sense of adventure and loyalty makes her an exciting heroine.

About 3/4 of the way through, I realized there was no way this book would conclude in a neat little package: there's a sequel on the way. It turns out that this is the first of five planned books (the 2nd is already out, so I'm off to the library for it soon...) This will be a fun story to follow in the coming years.

Compelling read for more mature readers
Abarat is a quick read and a fantastic journey. I've been hooked on Clive Barker for years but have really come to appreciate his style as it applies to younger readers. I read this (Abarat) and Book 2 in the series, now I'm reading them a chapter at a time with my daughters, ages 9 and 11.This amazing adventure is not for the faint of heart or the dim-witted. Read aloud, the story springs to life. Barker's metaphors manage to be clever and thought provoking. The vocabulary is challenging but SO well written that in context I haven't had to stop for frequent definitions or lengthy explanations.The illustrations expand the scope of the text instead of hemming in your imagination. I can't wait to read Book 3!

...also if you haven't read it, seek out "Thief of Always," by Clive Barker.Excellent story about what's true and precious in life, written in terms we can all wrap our brains around.

Terrible.
A completely terrible book. Barker takes a typical storyline (a girl is bored with her hum-drum life and stumbles onto an exciting one) and just adds oddities and strangeness to the point that you start to gag every time his eight-headed character (who is oddly reminiscient of Snow White's seven dwarves all wrapped up into one convenient, silly-to-the-point-of-stupid package) opens its mouth. Some may say it's childish and stupid because it's a children's book, but I say it's rubbish.
If you buy it, buy it for the cover art, which is decent. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the most popular horror movie series of all time spawned a landmark comics anthology edited by the Master of Horror himself, Clive Barker. Featuring short stories written/illustrated by top-drawer comics talent like Alex Ross, Mike Mignola and colleen Doran and written by New York Tiems Bestsellers Neil Gaiman and Baker himself, among others. Checker has collected the absolute best of the Hellraiser stories in this gorgeous full-color package. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

beautiful
I just loved it.When I first opened it, it wasn't very apelling to me, and I took severaldays to start reading.The first story I found a little lame, but the art was beautiful.And then I started reading all the others stories.Man, I couln't stop felling that thrill, the stories are so great, especially the last one about the actress.It just gives you that chill in the spine combined with pleasure that Hellraiser gives.That thing about "you shouldn't open the box, but you HAVE TO open it"
I gave it to a friend for birthday, but I'm definelly getting another one for me to keep. (sorry bad english, not the first language)

Well, it is, after all, the Hellraiser mythology...
Clive Barker's Hellraiser Collected Best I has some contributions that are just much, much better than others, but also some that are much, much worse. Fortunately none of the comics are completely worthless; when it comes to the storyline they're all well thought-out and some of them quite original, but quite frankly, style-wise some of the contributions don't seem to go very well with a story from the world of Hellraiser. Not that they're not great artists, because they're all highly skilled. But I just cannot see them as suitable for the realm of the Cenobites.

But on the other hand, few things are as subjective as one's perception of art...

And speaking of being subjective; the story entitled "Life Flies to Wanton Boys" from 1990, written by Bunny Hampton-Macks and illustrated by Scott Hampton, is a stunning story, perhaps one of the best ones I've ever read. Lemarchand's puzzle box is present in no more than two frames, and not Pinhead nor any of his fellow Cenobites make a single appearance. But that's perfectly fine, because it's such a great story, immensely beautiful and highly original. Easily the highlight of the book!

Almost exclusively throughout the book, the theme of choice is punishment in Hell, resulting from earthly desires, and that's not very surprisingly when it's all about gnarly Cenobites and their funky torture-talents. However, believe it or not, but in one of the stories, not one single human being is killed! Not only that, this particular story even has a happy ending! (Well, actually, one more story has what can be considered a "happy" ending, but at least that one got some good old fashioned pain and suffering, too.)

I've rarely, if ever, been disappointed with anything related to Clive Barker. Still, if you don't think horror is the sweetest thing in the world, then you'll probably not be too excited about Clive Barker's Hellraiser Collected Best I, either.

A page IS missing -- Daniel above is right
Having read "For My Son" when it originally ran in the Hellraiser Summer Special, I can confirm that the first reviewer above is absolutely right: The last story page, the whole kicker, is missing. Oddly enough, you can go online and find at least two reviews that laud the story highly, even without the last page, so the force of the story and the language hold up even without it.

NOT THAT GOOD A COLLECTION OF TALES
I didn't really like this one. All the stories were way different than the films, and not all that relevant to the movies. Very diferent. There were only a few of the stories that I thought were Ok, but overall I wasn't that impressed with the line up of short tales. I hope the 2nd and 3rd collection are a lot better.

pretty good
It's actually pretty good (I had read another collection of Barker comics that wasn't so good, so I had my doubts). A couple of the stories seem to make little or no sense, but as a whole, they are well written stories. Most of the art is pretty good too. All in all, the collection is, well, pretty good-- and Gaiman is here too. ... Read more

Product Description
Twenty-three short horror stories include the works of such writers as F. Paul Wilson, Charles de Lint, Clive Barker, Lawrence Block, David Morrell, Rick Hautala, Katherine Ramsland, and Ray Bradbury. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Decent.A few gems.
The best stories in NIGHT SCREAMS are:

"Trolls" by Christopher Fahy

"Good Vibrations" by Richard Laymon

"The Wringer" by F. Paul Wilson

At least half of the stories are good.

Some other good stories:
The dripping by David Morrell
The Tulsa Experience by Lawrence Block
Small deaths by Charles de Lint
White lightning by Al Sarrantonio
Hitman by Rick Hautala
And eight rabid pigs by David Gerrold.
Corpse carnival by Ray Bradbury

I was a little disappointed by:
"A season of change" by Richard T. Chizmar
"Redemption" by Jack Ketchum
"Beasts in Buildings, Turning 'Round" by J.N. Williamson
"The book of blood" by Clive Barker

The only bad thing about Cliver Barker's story is that it is so short.It's too short to warrant having Barker's name on the cover.

Lawrence Block's story "The Tulsa Experience" starts out slow but the payoff is worth it.

F. Paul Wilson's story "The Wringer" features Repairman Jack.

The stories by Christopher Fahy and Richard Laymon are my favorites.Check out some of their novels too.
I suggest:
NIGHTFLYER and THE LYSSA SYNDROME by Christopher Fahy
AMONG THE MISSING by Richard Laymon

Wouldnt recommend
I really didnt care for this horror anthology.There were no stories that reached out and grabbed me by the back of the neck.Usually I read through these kind of anthologies in about a month or so but I've owned this bookfor a couple years and still havent managed to work my way through all thestories in it so maybe there are some gems hidden away somewhere?

A very weak collection
One of the worst horror anthologies I've read. Not only are there no worthwhile stories within, but there are more significantly BAD stories in this collection than in any other I've read. Avoid this book and strike ablow against mediocrity in horror fiction.

A very scary anthology of short stories
I have read many short scary stories, but none of them have been able to make my blood tingle the way these did. My personal favorite is "...And Eight Rabid Pigs". ... Read more

Product Description

All things in their time . . .

Days of Magic, Nights of War is a true series book--those who have not traveled to Abarat before will have a difficult time picking up the threads of Barker’s complex mythical opus without having read the first installment. But teen readers who have been waiting breathlessly for Candy’s return are rewarded with a stunning sequel that reveals her true identity at the novel’s smashing climax. As in Abarat, Clive Barker's full-colored, organic illustrations of Abarat’s inhabitants stalk and swim across the pages like a Stephen King-meets-Dr. Seuss circus. There seems to be no end to Barker’s ever-expanding idiosyncratic vision, and for that, fantasy fans of all ages can be grateful. --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Customer Reviews (67)

Love the new Series
I have been a fan of Clive Barker for a long time. I recently bought the first Abarat book and loved it. Shortly after, I bought the second one. Even though these books are set for a younger reader, I found that they are my favorite works that he has done. I can not wait for the rest of them to come out ;)They still have the magic and imagaination of his older audience books without all the grown up situations. I love the characters, the humor and the spookiness of these books and would recommend them to any Clive Barker fan!

Great Book
I Can't wait for the 3rd book to come out. It was a very entertaining read.

One Good Book
"Days of Magic, Nights of War" picks up immediately where the first volume left off, which is a good thing for anyone who's followed the series. "Abarat" is an excellent young adult novel; "Days of Magic, Nights of War" manages to be even better: richer in detail, characters, background, and plot--and even more exciting--this novel is rare in that it stands perfectly on its own. You don't have to read the first one to understand the second perfectly.
"Abarat" follows the adventures of Candy Quackenbush, a seemingly normal teenage girl who is accidentally swept away from her world, into a magical archipelago known as the Abarat, where time is not time at all, but a place, or rather, places: each island inhabits one of the hours on the clock. For instance, there is Gorgossium, which stands at the hour of midnight; the Nonce, which is three in the afternoon; and Scoriae, which stands at seven in the evening. The first novel chronicles her initial discovery of the Abarat; her first encounter with her best friend, Malingo; her fight against Christopher Carrion, the Lord of Gorgossium, whose dearest ambition is to vanquish all the magic and goodness in the Abarat--already flagging severely--and replace everything with a permanent midnight, over which he will rule supreme.
All of this is established in the first novel, yet it is woven seamlessly through this second one. In the second one, Christopher Carrion, intrigued by Candy and hating her for it, sends assassins after her, tracks her, and in the end pursues her himself--all the while preparing for the day of Absolute Midnight.
Candy, meanwhile, is discovering that she is NOT an ordinary girl; for one thing, she is a powerful incantatrix (spell-sayer) and, oddly, remembers things from the Abarat, things she has never even seen. While running from Carrion, she darts all over the islands, dodging the Lord of midnight while trying to save the Abarat, and unraveling the mystery of just who she is. If she and her companions are to save the Abarat from Christopher Carrion, she must know who she is, for she is irrevocably tied to the Abarat's fate.
The second installment of Barker's saga is beautifully written and imagined. It's not flawless--Barker's writing can drag a little--but it's still beautiful, from style to character to plot and all in between and beyond. Personally, I was disappointed on this score: in the first volume, Barker sets the stage for SOMETHING between Candy and young, slightly sinister entrepeneurial genius Rojo Pixler, but there is no mention of him in this novel. Pixler, even if he's not precisely evil, is dangerous. Carrion wants to plunge the Abarat into absolute midnight; Pixler may not want destruction, but he wants to destroy the heart of the Abarat just the same by plumbing all of its magic and mysteries and putting them up for sale--for his own benefit. Even in their clash or confrontation or whatever it is didn't happen in this book, to exlcude even a mention of him when he's obviously important is a literary misstep.
However, that's a relatively minor complaint--in fact, that and the very occasional flatness of Barker's generally incredible writing are the only complaints, certainly nothing that would have kept me from buying the book if I'd known. I'd reccommend it to any fantasy fan, and most people in general. But beware: this book has creepy imagery, both in the form of Barker's drawings, and in the descriptions and actions of characters. The horror of the stitchlings and the sacbrood, and definitely the sadism of Mater Motley, Christophert Carrion, and even Admiral Bloat are above most younger readers. Even Letheo's physical and psychological suffering at the hands of Christopher Carrion are causes for pause, if not censorship. Anyone 12 and older can handle this book without a problem. Most 9-11 year olds will be able to as well, and even younger readers capable of this material should be all right in most cases. Still--just in case, if you have any doubts--review it, because even though it's amazing, it's amazing at least in part because of the contrast between goodness and horror.
All in all, this novel was excellent, and I do reccommend it.

Great!

Great book - great service from Amazon.Wish Clive Barker would write another in the series!

Better than the first, and fans the flames of desire for the next
Candy Quackenbush, Christopher Carrion, Wolfswinkel, Mater Motley, Malingo, JohnMischief and his brothers, and other characters from the first book of Abarat, together with Finnegan Hob, Geneva Peachtree, and other new characters bring Abarat, the islands of the twenty five hours to life.

Clive Barker has created a rich, vibrant world just across the sea of Izabella from our own.A day away, or unreachable, Abarat of infinite possibility and variety is in the middle of a war between Night and Day, and Candy Quackenbush is so close to the center of the fight that she can't see the scope of it.The old characters are developed far beyond expectations set in the first book, and the new ones compliment the old characters while raising questions and introducing new depths to this story and world.

Powerful imagery, quick paced story, and characters who draw you into their world work together to make this book a brilliant achievement from a master of literature.What makes this especially remarkable is that this is the second book of what has been pitched as a trilogy.Normally, the 'middle' books are not up to the standard of the first or last."Days of Magic, Nights of War" escapes this sterotype, and only fans the flames of desire for the conclusion.

The sequel can't come soon enough.

E.M. Van Court ... Read more

Product Description

"I wonder if the reverse is not also in some way true. That the artist is constantly working on anelaborate and fantasticated self-portrait, but at the end has drawn, unbeknownst, a picture of the world." -- Clive Barker, "Private Legends: An Introduction"

Clive Barker, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, playwright, artist, producer, director, screenwriter, and one of the world's master storytellers, writing in the haunting and moving traditions of Poe and Dickens, invites us to join him on a dazzling, wondrous journey through the worlds of his imagination and to experience visions, dreams, love, terror, heaven and hell, and revenge.

As we read, we discover and explore the dream-sea Quiddity and the islands of Ephemeris; the five Dominions of the Imajica, of which the Earth is but an imperfect facet; the rapturous world woven into an ancient, threadbare carpet in a derelict house in Liverpool; Hood's Holiday House where each day contains four seasons and children's wishes may come true; the Sky Room of Galilee, where the creation of the universe may be witnessed; and the clubs and bars of San Francisco and New York, in which all manner of sexual adventures lie in wait.

In these stories, the real and the miraculous are within a breath of one another, life gives way to death, and death to life; doorways open into other states of existence, and each doorway leads us back to our own dreams and fears.

The Essential Clive Barker is an irresistible narrative compendium that superbly represents the impressive quality and range of Barker's fiction, spanning more than twenty years of writing. It contains more than seventy excerpts from novels and plays and four full-length short stories, all personally selected by Barker, and offers a privileged insight into a remarkable writer and his art.

Customer Reviews (7)

A good resource for established Barker fans...
I'll admit, I was pretty dissapointed at this book when I first cracked it open. It's a rather thick hardcover with excepts which mostly come from his novels, which I'd already read. "Why don't I just go read the novels?" I thought.

Clive himself gives us a good reason in his introduction. The idea isn't to read it straight through, it's to open the books and drift around to whatever catches your interest. In effect, it's the sort of book you read when you're not sure what to read.

And, to be honest, Clive Barker's writing lends itself particularly well to this format. His novels often drift off into self-contained vignettes, easily appreciated on their own.

New readers are better off getting either one of the full novels, or an actual short-story collection, but for someone who has read a sizeable chunk of Barker's work and simply wants to relax with some of the best passages from it, this book is perfect.

Glam Trash
European imports Clive Barker & Neil Gaiman have spoken of their dislike of Tolkien in print, Barker whose initial fame has worn thin over the years mistakes political correctness for depth (like his fellow "special interest" fantasist Ursula Le Guin) that his literary themes will soon parallel theme parks in Disney Land just confirms the superficial nature of much of his writing.Gaiman billed as one of the top post-modern writers reveals the cut & paste method of character development and his works are ideally suited for video game developers and Quentin Tarrantino.Both are limited to the London rave scene and U.S. equivalents in their appeal.And both lack the numinous "extra literary" qualities of Tolkien & C.S. Lewis and their successors like Stephen R. Donaldson or even Stephen King.

don't buy this book
i love clive barker, but he should stick to writing books and not just pick through his old books and put bits and pieces of them all in a book just to make a dime.if you want to read some of barkers works read theactual books!i am sorry to inform the other four dimwits who reviewed itbut this book is not good at all.i had to force myself to read it it wasso dull.and if you are wondering why i bought it, i didn't i recieved itas a gift and that is the only excuse i can think of for owning this book.

"Must" reading for all Clive Barker fans.
The Essential Clive Barker(019529-0) will prove important to any who are avid followers of his various horror and supernatural scenes and writings. For over twenty years Barker has created distinguished and vivid horror scenes: this provides a range of his writings, from early works torecent literary novels. Excerpts from plays and short stories are includedwithin thirteen themes which examine his works.

Clive Can Write No Wrong
This is an awesome collection of dreams and nightmares.A must read ... Read more

Product Description
Barker's work reads like a cross between Stephen King and South American novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He creates a world where our biggest fears appear to be our own dreams. 'Boston HeraldAs rich as the Rockefellers, as glamorous as the Kennedys, the Geary dynasty has held subtle sway over American life since the end of the Civil War. But they are a family with secrets. Dark, terrible secrets about the roots of their influence, which the Gearys have successfully concealed over the generations. Little do the Gearys understand that their world is about to shatter when an innocent young woman enters their glittering fold. Rachel Pallenberg never dreamed she'd ever meet'much less marry'the most eligible bachelor in America, Mitchell Geary. Swept off her feet, Rachel falls madly in love, lost in a romantic dream that ends with their wedding day. But Rachel is not prepared for the nightmare she faces when she begins to uncover the secret life of the Geary clan. For the Gearys are a family at war. And their adversaries are the members of another dynasty'the Barbarossa family, whose origins lie not in history but in myth, a family whose influence is felt not in Washington or on Wall Street but in the intense, sensual exchanges of flesh and soul. When the prodigal prince of the Barbarossa clan, Galilee, meets Rachel, they fall in love'an all-encompassing passion that unleashes the long-simmering enmity between the families. Old insanities arise, old adulteries are uncovered, and what seemed to be a great American success story begins to erode, exposing its unholy roots. . . . Galilee is an epic from a master storyteller at the peak of his creative career, mingling powerful realism with the eroticism, magic and grand metaphysical visions for which Barker is known worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderfuly written tale
Love conquers all in this fascinating tale of two families at war. I was transfixed from page one, always wondering what would happen next, and trying to figure out the riddle of it all. From the Barbosssa house setback among the hills of North Carolina, a man sits down to write a familyhistory. It turns out to be a tale of love and hatred between clans- one apowerful American family(aka the Kennedys), and the other a phsycic,magical, sometimes evil family that has been around since the dawn of time.The two could not exist without each other, but yet one yearns for thedestruction of the other. A lovely girl from Ohio is swept off her feet andfinds herself emersed in the battle between a man's heart and his soul. Ithought this book was brilliantly written as well as a great story. ... Read more

Product Description
The second anthology of comics short stories set in Barker's incredibly popular horror film milieu. The book collects 10 Hellraiser-themed offerings in full-color, from as all-star lineup of comics writers and illustrators, including Marry Wachowski (The Matrix), John Bolton, and many others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

In the flesh
First of all, I would like to mention that I am 27 yrs old graphic novel author,and painter, as well as a comic art teacher, here in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
I'm about to publish my new work soon, together with my students, in a form of album.
But, let's get back to fantastic world of Mr. Barker, and gore visions of those authors, who had made his stories to life, on paper, and canvas.
I'm visualist in a first place, but I like a fine and interesting story to.
So, we have ten short stories in this collection.
My favorite one is PLEASURES OF DECEPTION, because the storyline is good, intense, but also confused and dark.
Artwork is dark and expressionistic, what makes this story complete.
CENOBITE has interesting artwork, but the story itself is not so good.
OLD WIVES' TALE has a superb story, but i didn't liked the artwork.
I think that everyone has a different oppinions, tastes etc, and all readers, or fans of HELLRAISER series can find something for them in this volume.
But the third volume is much better, trust me.
More stories, more pages, and some very creepy illustrations!
In any case, if you are a true fan of Mr. Barker's work, you should get one copy.

Oh dear Pinhead, you're truly the Greatest...
Okay, so I admit it: I'm a sucker for Hellraiser.

I've seen all the movies tons of times, according to me Clive Barker is the best author in the history of the world, I'm a collector of all the official action figures, I'll buy a replica of the Lament Configuration as soon as I can afford it, and I've even serious plans about hanging chains from the ceiling of my apartment. In other words; Hellraiser + Stefan = True.

All this means that I'm probably unable to be very objective when I review a Hellraiser comic. Or? Well, since I'm a great fan of the series I assume I think in a way that closely resembles that of other fans, and to all of you I can only say: Clive Barker's Hellraiser Collected Best II is a definite must for all of you who prefer hanging out with Pinhead and his fellow Cenobites. As is the case of all anthologies, not all contributions are equally good, but the greater majority of all the writers and artists who contribute to the collection should be very proud of what they've managed to produce.

Because it's truly an amazing collection. The story Razing Hell (pts. 1-3) is especially good, which uses the Hellraiser legend in a both creative and exciting way, and I had a constant smile on my lips as I read it. Other stories worth mentioning are The Blood of a Poet, which takes place in Europe after the First World War, and The Pleasures of Deception, where a young artist is inspired by the Cenobites into creating very macabre pieces of art.

These days, most horror movies are nothing but stupid stories mixed with fake boobs, lousy dialogues, and boring nü-metal music, and thus, being a horror buff it's very refreshing to partake in the Hellraiser legend, even though it's "only" through a comic.

I still prefer books to comics, but Hellraiser Collected Best II is truly a pleasure to experience, and I can honestly recommend it to all you Cenobites out there. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Better than Stephen King's The Mist 3-D audiobook!
This presentation really shows the potential of 3-D audio.It's all in the details.I was listening to this on headphones (the only way to get the full effect), and at one point a cuckoo clock goes off behind your right ear.

I turned around to see where it was!And I was outside!

It had nothing to do with the plot, it was just a little showing off on the part of the technicians, but that made it for me.As well, the scene at the end just envelopes you in the sounds of the hands.

I highly recommend it. ... Read more