Clive Barker - Writers Forum

WriterDude · 11-04-2007, 12:28 PM

I love horror, and Hellraiser is one of the best horror movies I have in my big collection. (I've got the six first). Sure the second, fourth and sixth are really bad movies, but the rest are great. But Clive Barker is far more than Hellraiser. And sure I hated Nightbreed (it just wasn't scary at all), but that's about all experience I have with him.

Can someone recommend me a great horror novel by Barker? I know he has plenty of those, so how come I can't find any? Is it simply because I don't know where to look or what to look for? I read a synopsis of a few of his books (Galilea and one about some photographer or something), but they sounded incredible boring.

How come I can't find any horror novels from one of the best modern horror writers there are?

Stewart · 11-04-2007, 05:02 PM

The thing is, after those early novellas, he hasn't done much in the way of horror. His new novel, Mister B. Gone, is horror and his early stuff (The Books Of Blood and The Damnation Game) are horror. But the rest if pretty much fantasy, of sorts. You may enjoy The Damnation Game - it's similar to The Hellbound Heart, in its Faustian storyline.

My personal favourites are Sacrament and Galilee, but they are not horror. Next year, finally, I hope, we'll get The Scarlet Gospels, which is a sequel to The Hellbound Heart.

WriterDude · 11-05-2007, 03:44 PM

I have heard of the Books of Blood, but not Damnation Game or Mr B Gone. Thanks, I'll try to find them.

Sequel to Hellbound Heart? Does that fit into the movies, or is he restarting Hellraiser entirely? Guess we'll have to wait and see. I love Hellbound Heart, both book and movie. I can't wait for a sequel.

Stewart · 11-06-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WriterDude

Sequel to Hellbound Heart? Does that fit into the movies, or is he restarting Hellraiser entirely? Guess we'll have to wait and see. I love Hellbound Heart, both book and movie. I can't wait for a sequel.

I had the fortune of meeting him back in 1999 and he said that he'd love to write something that finally killed of the Pinhead character for good, as he wasn't happy with what the films were doing. And rightly so, the films from Hell On Earth (Hellraiser III) were terrible.

Then a few years later he did a book of erotic short stories and photography, called The Scarlet Gospels, which was never released. The title then got used in a collection of short stories which has yet to materialise. But one of those short stories has assumed The Scarlet Gospels as its title and has grown into a full length novel which, as usual, has yet to see the light of day. But it's on Amazon for pre-order, despite the publication date constantly pushing into the distance.

Apparently he wants to remake Hellraiser - rather than let anyone else do it - and I presume the idea is to introduce new aspects into the remake so that it ties in better with the new developments of this sequel. Whether this remake gets made, who knows.

geminye · 11-09-2007, 03:35 PM

i have heard that a movie re-make is in the works that is supposed to be more accurate to the novella, but only time will tell.

geminye · 11-09-2007, 03:40 PM

the thing about barker, is that he really doesn't write horror. his work is more like horrific fantasy. even his so called children'/young adult book "The thief of Always" had some real elements of horror. He just imbues all of his stories with the sense of fear.

MisterJack · 11-10-2007, 07:28 AM

I love Clive's work. He creates some wonderful fantasy. Horror? It's not scary Horror, more macabre and twisted.
I would also recommend you read Damnation Game. The books of Blood are also worth a look and with many of his short stories having been/to be turned into movies, read them before watching. The films are generally rubbish but fun to watch where the stories are very strong.
Just finished Mister B. Gone and it was ok, for a novella. A bit sily in places and not in any way horrific. A bit gory perhaps. I've gone back to the Great and Secret Show again becasue that is one of my favourites.

Also looking forward to Abarat 3 and Scarlet Gospels.

Rabid Euphoria · 11-18-2007, 12:27 AM

I've only read A Thief of Always (not to long ago) and thouroughly enjoyed it. A quick read, but good. I seen Hellraiser and Hellraiser Two and didn't like either. Heard good things about his new game, though.

I've read reading Weaveworld but can't get into it.

The Thing · 11-29-2007, 07:20 AM

Barker's best work is in the Books of Blood. I find his novels overlong. Although I did enjoy Coldheart Canyon once it got going.

WriterDude · 12-04-2007, 08:09 AM

I've seen Hellraiser up to part 7, and hated all after the third. The fifth had it's moments, but it just didn't feel "Hellraiser" enough. Pinhead wasn't even in it that much.

PageOfCups · 05-04-2008, 05:48 PM

Cabal is really good. It's not scary, more disgusting for the most part, but it is an excellant book with interesting characters.

seigfried007 · 05-04-2008, 06:13 PM

I didn't mind Cabal, but I also don't read to get scared because 'horror' is just gore and bad sex, ime.

His best work ime so far is still The Body Politic. Of course, I have muscular spasms too, so that may explain why it was so thought provoking and intriguing/frightening to me.

Malone · 05-04-2008, 06:21 PM

I think Hellraiser is one of the worst movies ever. Everything about it is shit, besides the comical "scary" effects and gore. I just tried to watch the second one about an hour ago, and turned it off after five minutes. The first one was hard enough to sludge through even when I was a kid, and seeing it all again just made me cringe and want to vomit (not because of the gore).

Pinhead is a cool looking character though.