Clive Barker

[j d worthington]

Lobo: I would suggest you reading his The Damnation Game. While it, too, suffers occasionally from excess, it is much more controlled than Weaveworld, and I think you would find the character of Mamoulian to your taste -- he is a rather nasty variation on the Melmoth figure, but quite memorable, while the landscape of much of the novel is very much like a version of Hell....

 

[Lobolover]

Hmm, interesting . And a book I maybe could find in here as well .

 

[Connavar]

So far i'm pleased with The Damnation Game. Its well written, it reminds me of a Tim Powers fantasy since its him i connect with contemporary well written fantasy set in real world.

I have no idea who Melmoth the wanderer is and dont want to know right now either. I like going in fresh in books by authors i have read before.

I have no reason what so ever to read his fantasy or books that are blend any time soon.

I'm trying to read more contemporary horror, i dont need more fantasy. Frankly i havent been lucky finding books by horror writers are rated for their writing like Ramsey Campbell,Peter Straub.

 

[Fried Egg]

Lobo: I would suggest you reading his The Damnation Game. While it, too, suffers occasionally from excess, it is much more controlled than Weaveworld, and I think you would find the character of Mamoulian to your taste -- he is a rather nasty variation on the Melmoth figure, but quite memorable, while the landscape of much of the novel is very much like a version of Hell....

Hmmm...Since I have both "The Damnation Game" and "Melmoth the Wanderer" on my shelf to read and as they appear to have certain simularities, which should I read first? Would it lessen my enjoyment of Melmoth if I read Damnation first?

I'm trying to read more contemporary horror, i dont need more fantasy. Frankly i havent been lucky finding books by horror writers are rated for their writing like Ramsey Campbell,Peter Straub.

Have you tried Thomas Ligotti? I don't see him on your bookshelves on GoodReads, and he is very good.

 

[Connavar]

Yeah but in sweden finding him is soo hard. I'm looking for Micheal Cisco,Ligotti books. Hopefully some library has them or bookmooch.

The library's idea of horror doesnt go farther than SK sadly...

 

[Fried Egg]

Well, you could get him at Abe Books for a mere £2.42. Ok, you will have to pay a £9 shipping charge to Sweden but...it is well worth it.

Don't you have anything like Amazon available to you or do they have wopping great shipping charges?

 

[Connavar]

I wouldnt use abebooks for an author i havent read. There is [SIZE=-1] Teatro grottesco [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]availible according to national library systems search. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]

 

[Lobolover]

I have no idea who Melmoth the wanderer is and dont want to know right now either. I like going in fresh in books by authors i have read before.

.

Melmoth the Wanderer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Melmoth the Wanderer is a gothic novel published in 1820, written by Charles Robert Maturin (uncle of Jane Wilde who was mother of Oscar Wilde).

The central character, John Melmoth (a Wandering Jew type), is a scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for 150 extra years of life and spends that time searching for someone who will take over the pact for him. The novel actually takes place in the present, but this back story is revealed through several nested stories-within-a-story that work backwards through time (usually through the Gothic trope of old books).

Hmmm...Since I have both "The Damnation Game" and "Melmoth the Wanderer" on my shelf to read and as they appear to have certain simularities, which should I read first? Would it lessen my enjoyment of Melmoth if I read Damnation first?

Melmoth was published 165 years before the Barker book, of course reading "Damnation Game" can't lessen the enjoyement of the original .

 

[Fried Egg]

I love it. Connavar says he doesn't want to know about "Melmoth the Wanderer" right now and you tell him all about it!

 

[j d worthington]

No, I don't think reading either before the other would spoil the effect. There are similarities, but more in the characters of Mamoulian and Melmoth, and the general situation; aside from that, they are quite different....

 

[Lobolover]

@ Fried Egg : but that was my intention , dear Roberts .

 

[Fried Egg]

Anyway, I've finished volume 3 of the Books of Blood and the last two stories were much better. Both had more mystery and an interesting premise to them.

 

[Connavar]

I finished The Damnation Game.

It started with a brilliant opening prolouge about a Theif and WWII Polen which i thought prose wise was the strongest part of the book. It took a long time to get fantastic,horrific but Barker's writing and complex characters made it easy,compelling read. It wasnt a great book but it was closer to great than just a good book.

Characters wise the book was very strong from Strauss to the complex villain.

I look forward reading more of Clive Barker.

Next book i will choose a fantasy or horror book of his that isnt set in contemporary setting.