Clive Barker

[Sathai]

I recently read Abarat and I enjoyed it. I especially liked his illustrations, very colorful and original.

 

[Connavar]

I was wondering if the collections called Books of Blood was good way to start reading him?



Book wise im gonna get from the library The Damnation Game and
Cabal .

 

[GOLLUM]

I was wondering if the collections called Books of Blood was good way to start reading him?

Well this collection is what won him the World Fantasy Award. I have Vols I - VI but haven't got time to read them yet. I understand they're quite highly regarded however.

 

[Connavar]

Good to know they are regarded highly.

I knew about the award, i dont care half as much about the award h as what people that have read him think of the collection.

I want to read short horror stories and the library has vol1-3 of the collection in a omnibus.

 

[GOLLUM]

Then my advice would be to go for it!

 

[j d worthington]

The Books of Blood are quite uneven, frankly. There are some gems and some tripe, and some that are about average. However, I would suggest reading them, if you're curious about Barker, because when he's at his best he can be quite powerful. (When he's at his worst, he can be almost unreadable, for the matter of that.)

I do recommend The Damnation Game, as it is quite well done, overall. It struck me as almost a modern-day Melmoth the Wanderer....

 

[GOLLUM]

I like Melmoth so when I get around to these it could prove interesting.

What is Barker's best work then JD?

 

[Connavar]

Does he write only fantasy like horror by the way? No SF like horror by him?

 

[j d worthington]

He does (or did -- see below) things that lie on the boundary between the two at times, but I can't recall anything specifically SF-oriented.

As for what his best work is... well, to be honest, I've not read much of Barker in years. My reading took a different path, and I've just failed to keep up with him, especially when he began writing novels that really seemed to me to be needing a serious trim to the verbiage. So all my replies would only be about his earlier work, and there I was less impressed with his graphic, violent, and bloody tales than those which brought a lot of emotions into play, from horror to pathos (such as "Human Remains", "The Madonna", or even -- to some extent -- "Pig Blood Blues", as ludicrous as much of the latter tale can be).

At any rate, I'll be interested in hearing your impressions here.....

 

[Stenevor]

The only Clive Barker book i've read is The Great and Secret Show a long time ago. My memories of it are vague recollections of a woman having of sex with a dog and that I didnt enjoy it.

 

[Connavar]

I read the first two short stories in Books of Blood vol 1. Damn creepy they were !

He has a talent with words which im glad to see. After a certain other famous horror writer who annoys you with his writing style...

He can put togther some great sentences. The Book of Blood and Midnight Meat Train i read. Midnight Meat Train i enjoyed alot. Very creepy, the ending was so dark, i loved it

I had to read another book just not to fall sleep and dream about the train story.

 

[harryfielder]

While I was in the biz I did get to work with Clive.....


Night Breed 1990,,,Clive Barker.....Pinewood..
got called down to Pinewood studios for a day from a 1st A.D. who said he wanted me to do some business..
Wardrobe dress me as a lumberjack type person and I go onto the set..
All I’ve got to do is fire a shotgun at a very small man (stuntman) who is dressed and made up as the Devil. (This is a horror film) (Easy so far!)
I fire the gun into some bushes but miss the target. The director tells me to go forward and find the little devil.
All of a sudden this little man (stuntman) has me around the neck and slings me over his shoulder and onto the floor..
(I’ll have a quick word with the 1st A.D. as soon as I get my wind back)..
1st A.D.: "Sorry Aitch, I didn’t know he was going to do that, the director said he was only going to get you on the floor so he can slit your hroat" (Nice, and me with my first grandson (Marc) only a few weeks old).
I said to him "You can’t go slinging granddads about it ain’t right"..
1st: "We’re paying £150 for the job". "Sling away".. I tell him..."but don’t cut my throat too deep I wanna have a swift half of beer at lunchtime"…(I’m back)

Aitch

 

[kaelcarp]

The first Clive Barker book I read was The Great and Secret Show. I was about 18 or so when I read it, and it remains my favorite of what I've read of his books (though I'll admit this might be more due to the fact that I was young and impressionable than it actually being his best). I think it's a great book to start on for a Barker neophyte. It's a little long, but it's got a great premise and a unique mix of fantasy and horror.

 

[zabylin]

I am patiently awaiting the third book following The Great and Secret Show, and Everville. Who knows when he will write it though...

I've read quite a few of his books, but I really liked The Damnation Game and Galilee. Imajica is pretty good too, but I much prefer the first half of it.

 

[D_Davis]

My favorite Barker book is Weaveworld. It's one of my favorite fantasy stories. It is full of images and passages that continue to haunt my imagination, even years after having read it.

 

[Fried Egg]

I just couldn't appreciate Weaveworld. It seems to fall between two stools; not being very good fantasy or horror. Frustratingly dumb main characters.

It's put me off reading anything else by Clive, I must say.

 

[Connavar]

I gotta say he is worth a second chance. He is a very good short story writer atleast in Books of Blood.

 

[Nesacat]

I am sorry to hear that Fried Egg. I too believe Barker deserves a second chance. As Connavar says, you might wish to give the Books of Blood a chance. There are six volumes and they are all short stories.

I also am very fond of his Hellbound Heart (it's a very slim novel) on which the Hellraiser books are based; The Thief of Always and Cabal.

Having also read the first two Abarat books, I'll say I like them very much too and am on the lookout for the third.

 

[Fried Egg]

Well, maybe I should give him a second chance but time is short and there's so much to read. As long as I could be sure that it wasn't going to be as bad as Weaveworld I might be pursuaded to give Barker another try...

 

[Nesacat]

I'd say your best bet then would be book 1 of the Books of Blood.

I believe they come in Omnibus editions now. Vols I - III and Vols IV - VI. Since they are short stories you can read them between other things even.

You could probably find them in second hand stores. I got mine second hand in the UK in two volumes, hardback.