Books of Blood--Clive Barker

I've read several of his full-length novels and thoroughly enjoyed them, but haven't read his short stories. The description on Amazon definitely looks tantilizing. I'm subscribing to this thread.

Read that batch a long time ago, and my initial reaction to those stories was curious. I didn't see what all the hoopla was about. They seemed okay, but not über stupendous. I did learn a few things from them, though. I thought the writing was very good. Very polished seeming prose. I also like his broad-view entries to the stories, often entering with a kind of grand panoramic that set the scene, the tone... Oh, and the directness of camera-gaze, as it were, not averting the eyes at the moments of horror, but instead showing them.

Over time, I've found myself appreciating the stories more and more for their inventive qualities, which were originally at the very heart of my "oh that's silly" reaction. He treads some very familiar ground in some of those tales, but manages to make them seem fresh and vital and full of life, even if, in the end, you're left with a maniacal clown wielding an ax (yep, that one's in there).

Maybe I should reread the collection to give you a more informed opinion...

Haggis said:

I'm a sucker for short stories, Jay, so this series seems right up my alley. I've read two of the stories so far and I'm very impressed. I don't know how I missed reading anything by him before.

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The Great and Secret Show is one of my favorite horror novels, although his novels seem to have more fantasy than actual horror imo. I love short story horror too, so I might have to pick up this series if you give it the thumbs up.

Clive Barker is exquisite.

But I have not read his short stories.

I have a hard time with short stories.

I love Barker. Love love love. More a fan of his novels than his short stories, mostly because I feel like the short-story length doesn't give him as much room to really get weird (and because I prefer fantasy over horror, I will admit), but there's nothing of his I wouldn't snatch off the shelf. He's got such a gift for turning a phrase, and such a wild imagination.

It's been a while since I've read the Books of Blood, so I won't bother babbling about what I may not remember as well as I should. My favorites were the last 3 volumes, and The Body Politic takes the cake as best story, IMHO. I was grinning through the whole thing.

Enjoy!

The Forbidden is one of my favorite short stories. I think Candyman's a very strong horror flick and it still couldn't do it justice. Just a haunting story.

It's been a good decade (I think) since I read them. Maybe more. Hell, I don't know. I get confused easily. Anyway, I still remember specific stories. Some of them reeeeally stuck with me. Brrr.

And they were beautifully written.

LOVE Books of Blood. Did you know they are releasing 'Midight Meat Train' as a film soon?

FYI, if you like his books of blood then get his other two short story collections: In The Flesh and The Inhuman Condition.

Jcomp is right on about The Forbidden. While Candyman was a decent film, The Forbidden (from which it is based) is miles ahead in creepiness.

A personal favorite of mine from Books of Blood is Rawhead Rex. But whatever you do, DO NOT SEE THE MOVIE, although I doubt you'd be able to find it anyway. It is a steaming pile of....

Jeffrey

I'd recommend The Hellbound Heart, Haggis (that's a lot of H's!), which of course is the novella that Hellraiser (loosely) comes from.

Barker's early works are some of the most inventive and poetic in all of recent horror. When he began to branch into dark fantasy after The Great and Secret Show, the work lost some relevance for me.

NIGHTBREED! All time fav CB flick. Excellent costumes, the whole society, even the 'monsters are ordinary people' schtick was well done.

The Yattering And Jack still makes me laugh.

I read that a long, long time ago. The story that took place on the subway gave me the willies! They made a movie about Raw Head Rex, but they didn't do it justice.

LOL: I just read Jeffrey's post, and I concur, indubitably.

Interesting timing on this thread. I just pulled the Books of Blood off the shelf last week. Loved The Yattering and Jack the first time I read it and loved it again. Went and rented Nightbreed - I'm having my own little Barker renaissance as well. Was just about to put the laptop down and go finish the story I started last night (the one about the conspiratorial hands - great concept EDIT The Body Politic). I'm going to flip through and find the one about that little village that builds the huge giant... another favourite from a long time ago. See if it still resonates for me. (EDIT In the Hills, the Cities)
In other Barker news, yes I did the Barker search as well, apparently Hellraiser is being remade and Barker signed on to do the script. Should be interesting to see what they do - hopefully its not just and excuse to have an hour and a half of CGI (actually, on second thought, that's fine with me...).

mcnorth said:

Interesting timing on this thread. I just pulled the Books of Blood off the shelf last week. Loved The Yattering and Jack the first time I read it and loved it again. Went and rented Nightbreed - I'm having my own little Barker renaissance as well. Was just about to put the laptop down and go finish the story I started last night (the one about the conspiratorial hands - great concept EDIT The Body Politic). I'm going to flip through and find the one about that little village that builds the huge giant... another favourite from a long time ago. See if it still resonates for me. (EDIT In the Hills, the Cities)
In other Barker news, yes I did the Barker search as well, apparently Hellraiser is being remade and Barker signed on to do the script. Should be interesting to see what they do - hopefully its not just and excuse to have an hour and a half of CGI (actually, on second thought, that's fine with me...).

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Remaking Hellraiser. Ugh. Why. Why. Why!!!!!

'Everville' and 'The Hellbound Heart' - which is what Haggis has, saw it on the last MRI he had taken. :}

I loved the Hellraiser movies! We used to have marathon Barker watching on Saturday mornings instead of cartoons.

That's probably why my son turned out the way he did...we have to keep him in the garage now...

I only recently heard about this series after I saw the trailer for 'The Midnight Meat Train'.

It's one of the most fascinating reads I've had in awhile.

I read them when they first came out in paperback in the US (around the time of the US publication of the Damnation Game in hardback). I haven't cared for Barker's longer novels but the short stories are brilliant. I can remember the story lines to quite a few, but I think my favorite (maybe it's because of the title) is In the Hills, The Cities. Incidentally, I met Clive Barker at a book signing and have a signed and dated galley for one of the stories that I could probably get a few bucks for on eBay.

beezle said:

Well, they did run out of money while shooting the first one.

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That may be so, but it doesn't need a remake - just like The Wicker Man, Get Carter, Italian job and a whole host of other films did not need remakes.

As long as they feature Haggis--I'll watch!