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Book reviews for "Barker,_Clive" sorted by average review score:
In the Flesh
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Pocket Books (January, 1988)
Author: Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $4.50
Average review score:

More fantasy than horror
In the flesh was not as good as The Inhuman Condition. While I was glued to my stereo listening to Inhuman I found getting through In the Flesh a bit laborious. In the four stories presented in this audiobook version, only one, "the forbidden" could be construed as being a horror tale. The other thre were really more fantasy then anything else. The last story, "babble's Children" was plain silly and stupid. A filler if there ever was one. Still, as a whole, the book was entertaining to listen to though the reader, Dillinger Steele, while having a sexy voice, did not truly bring the characters to life. Barker is english after all and these stories take place in London or have leading English characters. Steele forgoes any kind of British accent and simply reads the text. he does convey the drama of the story but at times he mumbles the words or speaks too fast. yet his overall reading is passible. As a horror fan, I did enjoy this production and would recommended but it truly does lack the suspense and terror of The inhuman Condition which I also own. Still, since barker is one of my favorite authors I now have one more book to add to my collection. buy it if you can though it might be difficult to track down.

Clive Barker. Nothing more needs to be said.
This book, number 5 of "The Books of Blood," contains two of Barker's most masterful tales, "Babel's Children" and "In the Flesh." How Barker can write fiction of this sort and still get lumped in with hacks like King and Koontz is something that angers me still. I recommend Barker's books not just to horror fans--and what horror fan, in 1999, has not read Barker; that's akin to a rock fan not ever having absorbed "Exile on Main St." or "London Calling"--but to more mainstream (argh, I hate that word, makes me think of Oprah and housewives and tanned cell-phoning yuppies and bouncy sorority girls) audiences who enjoy Borges, Calvino or Julian Barnes. Barker's prose is precise, poetic, and subtle; he's hardly the "splatterpunk" he's made out to be. Even today, he amazes me, years after I first read this collection. If you have any curiosity at all, which is probably why you ended up here, get this book, or any of his, and be prepared to enter a dark, evil, sensuous new world....

Best work in Horror fiction!
Clive is par excellence! His work is amazing! Gripping! Enthralling! Emotionally stimulating! I could go on, but I won't. My opinion: If you don't have this book you are missing out! Also, check out Mark Ventimiglia's new book. He is a contemporary of Clive's and his work rivals the master. I discovered him by accident and must say, I was impressed!

Cabal/Lord of the Illusions
Published in Paperback by Pocket Books (April, 1996)
Author: Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $6.99
Average review score:

Barker's best to date?
This book is my favourite of Clive Barker's to date (on a par with the outstanding "Books of Blood"). The Liverpool born writer tells the story of monsters living under a cemetery and a man who is destined to become one of them. Later made into the film Nightbreed, this book pulls no punches, and is considerably stronger in content than the film. However Barker tells it in such a way it engrosses rather than offends, and opens up a magical world that becomes reality very quickly. Soon you realise that the real monsters are the humans, and your loyalties shift. For me the greatest writing talent in the genre, Barker has a mind like no other, and delivers big time with this book.

I can't get enough of this book
Okay, okay. So I've written a review for this book all ready, but as the titles says, I just can't get enough. I love this story; it, in its own little way, changed my like. I re-read it twice a year and have done so since 1990. I guess thats kind of pathetic, but this novel, a tale about killers, monsters, love and acceptence, is my favorite. I guess I felt the desire to write about this because of my current hobbie (I'm writing a role-playing game based on the story, with more Barker worlds and monsters thrown in for good measure.) But despite my rant, read this book. It is thrilling. It is rewarding. It is the end of this review.

Peering beneath the veneer of life. . .
Cabal is one of Barker's most stunning achievments. Not only does he approach the subject of the nightmare creatures that inhabit the darkest receeses of our minds but he makes them even more human to us than the monstrous enemy they all fear. . .man. Beneath the calm facade of an old cemetary there lies an underworld of dark fantasy and wonder, Midian. Here all of our dreams come true: immortality, shapeshifting, the freedom of flying to name a few. However there is a cost to this wonderous place for those that inhabit this dark domain, they are eternally hunted by the bane of the supernatural, mankind. Here we come to understand their hatred and fear of us; a fear borne of prosecution for within Midian lies the very last of the races of the moon. . .the Nightbreed. A young man, Boone is haunted by nightmares and fantastic visions of the Nightbreed. Fearing for his sanity he goes to a phsyciatrist in hopes of discovering the source of these strange visions. However the very source of the help he seeks turns out to be a brutal serial killer that frames Boone for his own murders. After Boone is slain in a shootout with the police he awakens from the sleep of death and seeks out Midian and its dark dreams. He unwittingly brings about the end of this sanctuary and along the way he becomes the last hope for these amazing creatures. He is given a new mission and a new name: Cabal. He is their messiah and their only hope to escape the horror that is mankind. Join us in exploring the dark avenues of our wildest fantasies where one can change into the form of a wolf, take to sky and rake undying claws across the moon or where even a dead man can be a hero.

The Books of Blood
Published in Hardcover by Putnam Pub Group (May, 1988)
Author: Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $19.95
Average review score:

VERY GOOD INDEED !!
Marvellous book by Barker. I heard this was this first published work. It this is truth, what a wonderful debut!! of course each reader will pick up his favourite story amidst the six short stories contained here, but I think all were great, with the exception of "IN THE HILL THE CITIES", it's a good concept but didn't grab my mind. BARKER is genius, much better than Stephen King.

Read it and decide for yourself...this book is a masterpiece
Barker's style in The Books of Blood is second to none. No tale has ever intrigued me like the short story called "The Midnight Meat Train". Read it.
"Meat Train" is the first story in the Books of Blood (after a short introductory story), and it sets the stage for the masterworks to follow.
Think of it.....sometimes people ask themselves questions like....I wonder where the subway trains go after they stop running at the end of each night. Barker takes this simple premise and weaves a tale so terrifying and clever that I have yet to be more impacted by another piece of fiction.
The stories in Books of Blood are short but they say more than most stories 10 times thier size. This is the beauty of the short story and the genius of Barker's writing. This collection of all six volumes of the original Books of Blood is the best investment that a horror fiction fan can make. These books are modern classics that can be read and re-read. I doubt that I will ever tire of them. I love Barker's work even now. He has changed subject matter....he is no longer a horror genre author. His work is more based in fantasy now, however the tales are no less gripping.

Terrifying
Clive Barker's 'Books of Blood' contain some of the best horror-short-stories ever written. Barker's talent to scare and impress you both with his literary genius is at his best here.

This first book is the best I think, because it contains the best stories. But the other ones are also brilliant. The best is to get all six and read them partially. There are great horror!

The Inhuman Condition
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Pocket Books (August, 1987)
Author: Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $4.50
Average review score:

I'm starting to believe Barker is not for me
Aside from the Body Politic, the short stories in this book are not memorable. As a matter of fact I have a hard time recalling them to memory ,even though I finished the books only 7 months ago. At his best Clive Barker can scare the hell out of me, but it doesn't seem that he writes at his best 70% of the time during a book.

Great Collection of twisted fiction
Again, I love Clive Barker. His work is just awe-inspiring. This collection borders on classic in the likes of H.P. Lovecraft and Poe. Shoot, it doesn't just border, it crosses over. These stories will be remembered years to come, mark my words. Clive Barker is genius. His work is the real deal, he cannot be immitated. His craft is so incredible. The stories are horrifying, gruesome, and beautiful. The Body politic is terrifying as is the title story about a knot and the demons that hell unleashes when the knot is undone. This is great stuff. Why can't all authors have this ambition?

Still one of his best
He was just cutting his teeth when he wrote this, but it still stands strong. There are moments that make you cringe and some that make you look over your shoulder. If you're a fan of Barker's or just of horror in general, don't miss this one.

The Doll's House (Sandman, Book 2)
Published in Paperback by DC Comics (September, 1991)
Authors: Neil Gaiman, Malcolm Jones III, Mike Dringenberg, Michael Zulli, and Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $13.97
List price: $19.95 (that's 30% off!)
Average review score:

The vortex, immortality and "cereal"
In the second Sandman collection, the reader starts to realize that Gaiman has some long range plans for this series. The tale of Rose Walker, the dream vortex who must be killed to save The Dreaming, is a complex one. The Doll House introduces the reader to many of the characters who would have a major effect on Gaiman's plans for the series. Particularly excellent is the tale of Hob Gadling, who becomes Dream's friend when he becomes the man "Death will not touch." Their meetings each century are little history lessons so well executed they make you wish for more. The "Cereal" convention, with special guest lecturer the Corinthian, is a scary look at the fascination with serial killers and the final twist involving Desire gives the reader some insight into the relationship of Dream with his siblings. This book really shows what a truly original creation The Sandman is.

...indescribable...

Second in the Sandman comic book series, The Doll's House is much better than its predecessor, Preludes and Nocturnes. I find that with most Sandman stories, you read the whole thing just going "wow, this is really cool"...and then just when you thought it couldn't get better, at the end Neil Gaiman suddenly ties it together and leaves you absolutely breathless.

The Doll's House is probably the most disturbing Sandman, along with P&N, but it's also one of the most beautiful, one of the best. It features the first appearance of Dream's sister/brother Desire, and the story of Dream and Nada, and this guy called the Corinthian who's going to a Cereal Convention. There's something kinda weird about his eyes. You'll see...

The best arc of the decade's best series
THE DOLL'S HOUSE is the arc that Gaiman himself says is where he realised what he wanted to do with the characters and where he wanted to go with the SANDMAN story. This edition begins with two stories that both stand apart from the rest of the series, but that also both have significant influence on THE DOLL'S HOUSE storyline and beyond. The first, "The Sound of Her Wings" introduces Dream's big sister in a profound and moving tale about the value of spending a day with Death as she goes about her business sending people to their next life. The next tale introduces Nada, Dream's doomed mortal love, who will play a significant part in a later arc, SEASONS OF MISTS. Then, THE DOLL'S HOUSE begins, a tale involving escaped dreams and nightmares, a human vortex and her granmother who had spent the bulk of her life asleep (see the previous PRELUDES AND NOCTURNS), and Dream's quest to prevent the dissolution of his kingdom. What makes Gaiman's writing so unique is that not only does he reject the comic book obligatory of big fist-fights to SAVE THE WORLD (and all that), but that Dream is not even the central character in these stories. Instead, Rose Walker is. It is she, not Dream, who is threatened and who goes on the emotional roller-coaster and it is to find out what happens to her that the reader keeps reading. In fact, Dream - the "hero" of this title - at what point nearly kills her to save his kingdom! Magnificent writing, magical artistry, this story is an absolute must. Buy it. Buy several. It makes a great gift.

H.R. Giger's Necronomicon
Published in Hardcover by Morpheus Intl (November, 1991)
Authors: H. R. Giger and Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $48.65
List price: $69.50 (that's 30% off!)
Average review score:

His most brilliant work condensed into this outstanding work
After having seen some of Giger's work in Alien and some other more well know work I decided to buy Biomechanics. It was very good, but the Necronomicon is THE pilot book for all the rest of his works. It contains his most outstanding work as far as weird and the macabe go. A tour de force of his strange mind. A wonderous collection of strange and terrible images masterfully done. It is quite disturbing to look at but wonderfully fascinating at the same time. I guarantee if you buy this book you will not be able to put in down until you have read all the notes and seen every last picture, it's that good.

Amazing, bottom line
H.R. Giger's "Necromicon" is an amazing collection of his work. It contains most of his well known works such as "Li II" and "The Birthmachine." This book really gives you a feel for his work; it contains all of his common themes, "characters," and styles. If you are a fan, this is a must have. I totes a heavy price, but it's well worth it. Be advised, his work is not for the faint of heart; it's dark, it's scary, and if you're religious, it's offensive, but most of all, it's amazing. ... No one will beat Amazon's price, even with shipping included.

A guidebook to hell
H.R. Giger's work has, in my opinion, the distinction of being the most disturbing art embraced by the public since that of Hieronymous Bosch. Here is a great introduction (if you don't mind the price tag) to the work of such an artist.

This book is not for the young or the easily disturbed. The world of Giger is quite intentionally the world of nightmares, with Freudian symbolism, decay, and perverse sexuality abounding. But there is also a beauty behind it all, in the metallic shine of his futuristic nymphs or the strange landscapes of endless babies' faces which make us realize the strangeness inherent in the everyday. Instead of using art to try and transcend reality, Giger pulls us down into the darkest parts of what we see around us, and refuses to let us go. In this way he shows us that perhaps that darkness is not so terrifying as it may seem, and he accustoms us to facing that in ourselves. Not only is such confrontation healthy, it may very well be essential, and Giger is a skilled tour guide when it comes to areas of the mind and psyche that not many artists have dared to explore.

The second Necronomicon volume is a worthy companion to this one, but if you must have only one Giger book this is the one I recommend. Use this book to take yourself into hell...and then realize that you can come back out again.

The Fifth Dominion (Imajica, Book 1)
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Harper Mass Market Paperbacks (June, 1995)
Author: Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $7.99
Average review score:

SURREAL, BREATH-TAKING, AND EUPHORIC!!!
As an avid reader of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, I have never had a book get me "high" to the point where I felt I could leap from a mountain and soar forever. Mr. Barker attains a level of imagination King wishes he had; fleshing out rich, complex characters that remain with you long after you read the last sentence. The story, at its core deals with love, war, lost identities, and a quest for harmony. Tolkien and Donaldson readers would be missing the reading experience of their life were they not to enter Barker's world

The Most MAJICALLY book I've ever read.
Imajica involves life in the 90's with the delirious mind of C.Barker. The story involves magic, colors, people, magnificent landscapes, horror, love, sex...but yet they combine simlessly into the plot. In short, THE book. Will leave you with a smile. promise.

The greatest novel I have ever read
The day I found Imajica on the shelves, I was intrigued by the wonderful cover, and having already read a wonderful Clive Barker novel (The Thief of Always) I picked up a copy of Book 1. I have to admit I was confused at first, it really threw me, but once I climbed into this surreal world. I loved every minute of this breath-taking epic, enticed by the lurid boundary-breaking love scenes, saddened by the tales of woe and even heart-poundingly excited by everything this has to offer. I have to admit that Clive Barker isn't that high on my favorite authors list, but this masterpiece will always be re-read and passed on through every generation of my family from now on. The bible can't even hold it's own versus Imajica. -Starman

The Reconciliation (Imajica, Book 2)
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Harper Mass Market Paperbacks (June, 1995)
Author: Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $7.99
Average review score:

(continued...The most MAJICALLY book I've ever read.
Imajica involves life in the 90's with the delirious mind of C.Barker. The story involves magic, colors, people, magnificent landscapes, horror, love, sex...but yet they combine simlessly into the plot. In short, THE book. Will leave you with a smile. promise.

Words are not enough
Read this book. Actually, read the whole "Imajica" (I agree with the other reviewer who said that turning it into a two-book set was a mistake). It is the most entertaining, gripping, non-stop, un-put-downable book I've ever encountered. Barker has something to say and he pulls no punches. I had always envisioned him as a horror writer because of his Hellraiser series, and his collaboration with Stephen King on "The Talisman". But this book proves him as the premier fantasy author of our time. However, don't go looking for dragons and Barbarella. This is a fantasy that incorporates our 90's mentality and leaves you breathless. Clive, you outdid yourself. I'm reading it for the fourth time now :)

What speculative fiction should be....amazing!
I can't begin to tell you how impressed I was with this novel. A remarkable concept Barker has conceived. Imajica is simply one of the most fascinating stories I've ever read. The book works on so many levels, it's simply not possible to praise it enough. By far Barker's finest work. I highly recommend it.

Books of Blood: Volumes One to Three
Published in Paperback by Putnam Pub Group (October, 1998)
Author: Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $10.50
List price: $15.00 (that's 30% off!)
Average review score:

A Bazaar of the Bizare
Barker is a very different horror-writer, than the more commercial succesful writers like King or Koontz. His writing is much more unnerving and surreal than his more popular colleagues.
His work is another world, a world of grotesque and twisted minds and bodies, a world of incredible depravity and senseles pleasure. It is certainly an aquired taste, and not for everyone. To some people it is simply too much.
The Books of Blood vol. 1-3 covers a wide range of depravity from ritual murder over cannibalism and to vengeful spirits.

But the grotesque imagery is also what is attractive about the book. Like a carwreck, you want to turn away, but you can't.

I think I can best describe barker as a mix between H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar A. Poe. A very, very unsettling combination to be sure. Books of Blood is definately not recomended for the faint of heart or as a bedtime story

Clive Barker's Auspicious Short Story Collection...
THE BOOKS OF BLOOD: VOLUMES ONE TO THREE is a collection of short horror stories that introduced the world to one of the most creative writers of his generation. Although Clive Barker would go on to write epic works of dark fantasy, he is best known for these sixteen grisly tales of terror.

"The Book of Blood" is the first story that kicks off THE BOOKS OF BLOOD: VOLUME ONE and basically sets up the premise for all the stories that will follow... it's an intriguing haunted house premise that gives new meaning to the title of this anthology. The first official story is "The Midnight Meat Train," which is a wonderful blood-splattered tale that initially starts off with a serial killer in the New York City subway system and eventually moves into more disturbing grounds. That excessively gory tale leads into "The Yattering and Jack," which is just about one of the most hilarious short stories that I've ever read in this genre. "Pig Blood Blues" is a creepy little story that's often reminiscent of THE LORD OF THE FLIES while "Sex, Death and Starshine" is a witty take on the cutthroat world of the theater. THE BOOKS OF BLOOD: VOLUME ONE ends with a bizarre story called "In the Hills, and Cities" concerning two isolated villages in the European countryside.

THE BOOKS OF BLOOD: VOLUME TWO starts off with a darkly psychological story called "Dread," which spends most of the time being an involving study of human fear, but soon descends into a rather unsettling climax. "Hell's Event" is a funny short story that involves the supernatural events that occur during a charity race. "Jaqueline Ess: Her Will and Testament" is a dreamlike story concerning a young woman with extraordinary powers... the story switches back and forth between narrators, and ends with an almost beautiful and fitting conclusion. "The Skins of the Fathers" is an excellent story that evokes surrealistic images that are often reminiscent of the surrealistic works of Salvador Dali. "New Murders in the Rue Morgue" is an odd twist on a classic story that mostly pays homage to its source material, but also hides a sinister and revolting climax.

"Son of Celluloid" is a clever tale that takes place in a movie theater and marks the start of THE BOOKS OF BLOOD: VOLUME THREE. Clive Barker does an excellent job with his short story "Rawhead Rex," a fun and unashamed monster tale that's both shocking and very enjoyable. "Confessions of a (Pornographer's) Shroud" is a strange story about a possessed shroud that exacts violent revenge. Barker delves into more traditional grounds with his wonderful ghost/zombie story "Scape-Goats," and digs far into his imagination to give readers the unique tale of "Human Remains."

Second only to the brilliant works of H.P. Lovecraft, Clive Barker creates a delirious combination of literate prose and morbid detail. The stories in this collection range from dreamlike fables to all-out splatter nightmares, with Barker always being at the top of his craft. It's so uncommon to find a horror author that can successfully work with such a wide range of styles and do them all so seamlessly. I can't think of a single story in this collection that wasn't at all impressive or memorable in any way. And unlike other horror anthologies, Clive Barker finds a way to give each and every story it's own distinctions, almost guaranteeing readers that there will always be something fresh and exciting around the corner. Clive Barker's THE BOOKS OF BLOOD: VOLUMES ONE TO THREE is an essential addition to your horror library.

Stunning...
As one person who wrote a review for this, I am an avid horror reader. But, unlike that same person, I love this book. Chilling, though-provoking, and yes, even a little bit funny. These tales really get in under your skin, literally! I liked most of the stories, but some where not good. I shall now tell you about my favorite tales.

"The Book of Blood": A man opens the highway, and in doing so, gets these stories engraved on his skin. Pretty wicked.

"The Midnight Meat Train": A newcomer in New York. A man who kills on the subway for a higher power. Guess what happens? They meet(no pun intended). One of his grosser tales, with VERY VIVID descripitions(spelled it wrong, I think). The first story I read.

"The Yattering and Jack": A funnier story, with little gore. The Yattering(a demon) is assigned the least caring man in the world. The turkey scene is a classic!

"Pig Blood Blues": A boy hangs himself in a barn, and still lingers about... Not his best story. the fact that they are putting it in the Books of Blood movie disgusts me. Still, pretty bloody.

"In the Hills, the Cities": Cities join in an old battle. Two, um, "lovers" see the battle. Quite possibly the bloodiest, not goriest, tale in the book. The first story by Barker I EVER read.

"The Skins of the Fathers": Demons. Mountain town. Nuff said. Pretty cool, with lotsa cool monsters.

"Jaqueline Ess: Her Will and Testament": A women can do things to men with her mind. Very erotic ending. Also, the man into women scene is not to be skimmed!

"Rawhead Rex": An old monster gets loose in a village. The best monster story ever made!

Half of the stories in the book! I would describe the other stories, but that would be to many words.

To end, I say anyone who likes Koontz, rainbows, dolls, bedtime stories, and sweet dreams, should look elswhere. But if you like King, lightning, gory tales, and nightmares, read this! It will keep you up all night!

Clive Barker's Tapping the Vein
Published in Paperback by Checker Book Publishing Group (15 September, 2002)
Author: Clive Barker
Amazon base price: $24.95
Average review score:

Myth, Fantasy, and Horror from Clive Barker
Tapping The Vein is a collection of Clive Barker tales - originally from the Books of Blood I believe - that were adapted to comic stories and published by Eclipse comics. The new edition from the Checker Publishing Group contains reprints from the Eclipse books.

The artwork throughout is first rate and favorite illustrators include Scott Hampton, John Bolton and Tim Conrad. The book itself is a handsome, well produced volume that was printed in Korea on thick glossy paper and has a sturdy you're-getting-your-money's-worth feel.

The stories themselves are something of a mixed bag. While they are of generally high quality, the volume contains not only horror but also fantasy, some of it with a mythic quality. They are generally well written and interesting but whether or not you will enjoy them all depends on the type of story you like.

Being a horror buff, The Midnight Meat Train and Pig Blood Blues were personal favorites. If one prefers myth, Human Elements and In the Hills, the Cities are entertaining. The remaining stories are generally fair and offbeat as well.

The problem with the volume is that horror fans expecting wild EC style comics from the Hellraiser creator are apt to be disappointed. On the other hand, someone who wants stories a little out of the mainstream in a fairly diverse collection should be pleased - provided they aren't easily offended by such sexual topics as homosexuality, bestiality, and transgenderism. (For the record, the reviewer is not.)

If you're looking for something different from the biggest horror phenomena since Stephen King definitely buy the book. But if you're looking for good old fashioned EC type thrills and chills check out the available EC collections or Bruce Jones marvelous comic Twisted Tales that was published by Eclipse and is long missed.

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.

Great idea pulled off with excellence
The stories from Clive Barker's The Books of Blood are ideal for a graphic novel adaptation because of their visual intensity and visceral power. Here Barker and various artists have made a series of comic books in the tradition of EC comics but with stories more powerful and with more depth than the old comics ever achieved. Although I like Stephen King's comic homage, Creepshow, Tapping the Vein is a much better buy and contains adaptations of some of the most original short stories I've ever read. The combination of great artwork and great storytelling make In The Hills, The Cities the best. And the great artwork for Pig Blood Blues adds much to this lesser Clive Barker story. One dissapointment is that I didn't care much for the artwork for The Skins of the Fathers, my favorite of the stories chosen for this collection. Still fan's of Barker's The Books of Blood will love this collection. I'm eager to see more adaptations like this, especially for his stories, The Last Illusion and Rawhead Rex.

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