Concerning Clive Barker - WritingForums.com - Writing Forums, Writing Challenges, Critiques and Help for Writers

J.V. Amaral · 11-20-2006, 07:34 PM

I would like to get feedback about Clive Barker's work; specifically, his novels and short stories. I also am very interested in him as a horror writer, and his very distinct style in that genre.

What fascinates me in particular is the way in which Mr. Barker cultivates that strange mix of wonder, horror, romance, character introspection, and utter strangeness (his movies do a great job of this as well), which, when combined, create an incredibly imaginative and intriguing story.

Does anybody have any thoughts on Mr. Clive Barker and his novels or short stories? Any favorites?

J.V. Amaral

SeattleGhostWriter · 11-20-2006, 07:39 PM

I haven't read any of Clive Barker's works. From what others have read of his works, they have said similiar things. I might add that to my "must read" list lol.

Ever read any of Ridley Pearson's works?

Timothy

J.V. Amaral · 11-21-2006, 12:20 PM

I have not read any of Pearson's work; but of course, I am always looking for new authors and stories. What might you suggest, SGW, as a starting point for Pearson?

If you want to get a taste of Clive Barker's work, I would suggest The Damnation Game. It's a pretty cool story and generally representative of the style I described at the start of this thread (it's also fairly short at about 370 pages, so not a huge commitment).

Enjoy...

Joe

SeattleGhostWriter · 11-22-2006, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.V. Amaral

I have not read any of Pearson's work; but of course, I am always looking for new authors and stories. What might you suggest, SGW, as a starting point for Pearson?

If you want to get a taste of Clive Barker's work, I would suggest The Damnation Game. It's a pretty cool story and generally representative of the style I described at the start of this thread (it's also fairly short at about 370 pages, so not a huge commitment).

Enjoy...

Joe

I will have to check that out. The best works I have read by Ridley Pearson are the Lou Boldt/Daphne Matthews series. While they are not seralized in a sense, there is the underlying story of the characters that he develops throughout all of them.

If I have the order of the books correct, it goes like this.

Undercurrents
Angel Maker
First Victim
Beyond Recognition
No Witnesses

Okay, I forgot the rest. My favorite though is the Art of Deception. His recent one that I was highly disappointed with was The Body of David Hayes, or something like that.

All of these works (pertaining to Lou Boldt/Daphne Matthews) is set in Seattle, Washington.

His first work that hooked me was the one called The Pied Piper. The only one I have yet to read was Angel Maker.

Hope that helps.

Timothy

Benjirama · 11-22-2006, 07:04 PM

Clive Barker was and still remains one of my favirote authors.

I picked up a copy the great and seceret show at the age of thirteen, and ooooh lordy, I can attribute all my love for literature and writing to that single novel.

The characters in them seem so alive, they all ooze sexuality, the love seems real, and when his characters die you do genuinely miss them.

His plots are twisted, batshit insane, yet at the same time really grasp the common threads of mythologies that we can recognise from the most acient of stories.

Yeah hes just fucking great, definatly not your average storyteller.

I would recommend. The theif of always, The great and secert show, Imajica and if your looking for something short and sweet try cabal.

J.V. Amaral · 11-23-2006, 09:38 AM

I just started reading him fairly recently, and he is already fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I actually just picked up the great and secret show early this month, but have yet to read it. I also have Imajica, Weaveworld, & Damnation Game.

I've heard that his novelette "The Bodily Politic" is brilliantly demented, and also his short story "Dread" is supposed to be a classic, featured in so many horror anthologies. These will be my next two of his works...

Joe

Stewart · 11-24-2006, 08:01 AM

The Body Politic is a great story. I've seen the short film adaptation of it in Quicksilver Highway and I've also had the luck to see it performed on stage.

As Barker goes, my favourite novel of his is Sacrament. Perhaps because it's his most personal, is light on fantasy, and the characters are stronger for it. Coldheart Canyon was a bit of a dud. Galilee was a reat read. Imajica, my introduction to Barker was great, although I don't know how I'd react to it now. But I'd recommend his short story collections as an introduction to his writing.

addle_brains · 11-25-2006, 12:45 PM

The Great and Secret Show was superb. At one point I was reading it and I actually felt like I was floating in Quidity. I really couldn't get into Everville though, so I suppose my association with Clive Barker ends there.