Hey bookworms and members of all communal religious orders! I am very excited to finally step inside the mind of Mr. Clive Barker. Have a favorite? Drop it in the comments below.
the damnation game As it was his 1st novel after the books of blood is still worth reading...The yattering and jack is one of my favourite short stories ,plus The Thief of Always,and although it's classed as a child's story it's beautifully told and still managed to make this old fart drop a tear at the end...
Clive Barker is one of the best authors. Books of blood is definitely something you should read. I really enjoy all the stories. You also need to read Cold Canyon about Hollywood ghost. Great video 👍🏼
Great video. Seeing Clive get some love is joy to my ears. Books of Blood is definitely the place to start. And yes, they are horror tales. In fact, King's famous quote regarding Barker occurred as a result of the publication of the Books. His next work was The Damnation Game, his first novel which is purely horror. Definitely the place to go next. Weaveworld is his second novel and here is where he started to delve into works that were a combination of fantasy and horror. The Books of the Art lean more towards horror due to the Lovecraftian elements but they have some fantasy elements as well. Imajica, which is his masterpiece in my opinion, should not be read too soon if you wish to experience more of Clive's horror because it too is a blend of fantasy and horror, although, damn, the only way to describe it that it is the sickest, most demented, poignant, beautiful book I have ever read. His YA series, Abarat, you would love due to the fact it is an excellent YA series with that gorgeous writing and is chock full of that Clive Barker art you love. This is YA done right. His children's tale, The Thief of Always, is also excellent. Thief is definitely a horror tale, whereas Abarat is fantasy/horror. In terms of his movies, the theatrical cuts of Nightbreed and Last Illusion should be avoided: the director's cuts of each are far superior. The studio tried to make a slasher film out of Nightbreed, when it is not a slasher tale, and Last Illusion is a horror/noir story involving a character of Clive's that pops up in a number of his stories, a detective of the supernatural named Harry D'Amour. Great stuff.
@@turtleanton6539 They're the hardback original Abarat books with text and paintings together throughout. I don't think the paperback editions included any of the artwork
@@ottohoulihan2743 no,I think it was only the hardback versions that had the art work,it added to the weight of the books massively... eBay is the best bet for anyone looking for them now..
Hey Mike, I love those intros, especially for these fright feast videos! Please keep doing Fright Feast next year! I'm a massive horror fan too & absolutely love seeing these, keep em coming!
After growing up a Koontz fan and later on becoming a King fan, I still never understand the comparison. Even when I was a fan it was obvious that Koontz's characters were so paper thin. His stories were all about the complicated contrived plots with the sometimes crazy descriptive atmosphere. I do think Koontz has his strengths, but still would never consider him horrible and never consider him even close to King.
You're right he has beautifully lyrical writing. I haven't read Weaveworld yet. It's on "the list". I've read several of his Books of Blood, Hellbound Heart, Damnation Game, Thief of always, and the first volume of Imajica
I wouldn’t call Clive Barker the British Stephen King. He’s a different beast altogether. However, if you want to try who I believe should carry that staple give James Herbert a go. Classic British horror 👍🏻🇬🇧
I think of Clive Barker as more of a Lovecraftian sort of writer more than Stephen's King's Americana style of horror myself. I adore both of these writers, but Clive Barker is far edgier. Dean Koontz is like the diet coca cola of the two writers. I like Koontz's sentence structure and style, but his style is far more tame than these two authors.
The Great and Secret Show was one of my all time favorite books in my early teens. I kept checking to see if it is on Kindle but it never it was... until today. It and the sequel to it, that I had not read, is on there for like $14 for both. I grabbed them. Barker was my King just because I felt like he was a bit edgier.
I'm right there with ya, man. I have no other reason for not reading Clive Barker but the fact I simply haven't gotten around to it yet. But I own Weaveworld and Hellbound Heart, looking also to get Books of Blood and Imagica. I'm definitely down to try his stuff, and it's great to see you enjoyed your first foray
I completely forgot that Barker is the mind behind Hellraiser. Those movies were mind numbingly disturbing. I really enjoyed Books of Blood as well. I thought it was well put together
The Damnation Game is his purest "horror" Novel. Clive Barker took Faust, and added Nazis, Necromancy, and beautiful prose while being gore galore. Definitely a few scenes that'll stick with you, and it reads like literary horror. You won't be disappointed
Just read Books of Blood Vol 1 -3 and was very impressed. Most of the stories were good to great, with a few being exceptional. Lots of horror to be found within, and perfect for spooky season! The standouts: Dread, The Midnight Meat Train, Rawhead Rex and In The Hills, The Cities.
Another author I need to check out. I have seen Hellraiser, and was a bit disturbed.....and fascinated by it. I was curious abou his books after that, but simply never got around to reading them. Thanks for sharing this :)
@@mikesbookreviews I had read the first book but I didn't even realize it was YA until I went to the store to get the second and was led to the kid's section - did a double take wondering how appropreite that was as they got pretty damn horrifying - but the right sort of kids can handle that, and more power to them when they find out. Great fantasy setting Abarat; an Archipelego, each Island abstracting every hour of the day - and then a 25th.
I am also dipping my toes into the Barker-verse. I've only read his short story 'Human Remains' so far, but I really want to read 'Cabal'. Love the shirt also, by the way.
The Books of Blood, In the Flesh, The Inhuman Condition, The Hellbound Heart and Cabal are each a must-read for any horror fan. The stories in these collections are either short or novella in length; many of which are my favorite horror tales. After these publications Clive delved more into dark fantasy novels, and while they were lyrical in prose, they just didn't really do it for me. With that said, Barker's earlier works are to this day brilliant enough to keep me coming back for rereads. 'He has such sights to show you.'
Very nice intro. This little narration helps to separate you from the rest of the Booktube community. I really liked A Great And Secret Show, I'd be interested in what you think of it. Also, since you mentioned Dean Koontz and comparing him to Stephen King, what do you think about the theory that Stephen King stole the idea for IT after reading Dean Koontz's novel Phantoms? I think that would be an interesting topic to talk about it.
I’m a huge Stephen King fan and have never read Clive Barker. After watching this I’m going to have to pick one of his books up sometime, he sounds very interesting. Does anyone have any recommendations for his books?
Abarat 1 and the thief of always are two of my faves, along with books of blood, the great and secret show, weaveworld, imajica, everville, sacrament, cabal to name a few more.
The only Clive Barker movies that represent him well are Hellraiser (1 and 2) and Midnight Meat Train. The rest failed a little or a lot. His novels are really dark fantasy (very dark in places). My favorites are Weaveworld and The Great and Secret Show. The Books of Blood are pure horror though. Some are light-hearted horror (The Yattering and Jack, for example) but some are absolutely brutal.
My mom has been trying to get me to read Imajica for years now and I just started the other day. Its gonna be a tough read for sure but I'm hopeful it will blow my mind or something halfway through.
Imajica is also more.on the fantasy side. Domination Game is more horror-ry. Depending on which edition Cabal is the story Nightbreed was based on but also includes The Last Illusion and some other short stories. Thief of Always is more creepy than horror. Kind of like the movie The Changeling which I enjoyed very much. Great now more books to add to my list if I can find where I packed them. I really think you will enjoy Books of Blood and recognize several of the stories. Rawhead Rex, which I have not seen the movie, but I highly Recommend Midnight Meat Train which probably is the closest movie adaptation and is definitely horror. On a side note would have loved Garek on DS9 at some point say "it's Uncle Frank".
I've read Abarat and one of its sequels. All the art in it is done by Clive Barker himself. They're literally some of the heaviest books I own. So interesting though. I think it's supposed to be young adult. It's been many years since I read it.
There’s also a 2001 horror themed FPS called “Undying” (technically “Clive Barker’s Undying), that he was hired to write the whole story & background lore for. While most of the backstory is told through optional journals & hidden sequences, both them & the overall presentation Oozes Barker’s touch & is very well written for a 2001 game . The man himself even voices one of the game’s main villains ( the 2nd boss to be exact). I feel like if you rework & tweak some stuff; maybe restore some cut content, etc., - it’d find a new cult following fairly well.
I highly recommend Coldheart Canyon Mike - just like you my fave author is Stephen King, & I couldn't get on with Dean Koontz. My intro into Clive Barker was Coldheart Canyon & I've just started re-reading it as a "break" from King - I've started reading King in order of publication, even though I've already read about 20 of his novels! Some I read young though & I think I'd understand/relate to them more now ad an adult with kids - I also recommend James Herbert. Can't you tell I'm English 😆 I love watching you're reviews, keep up the good work. All the best from across the pond.
A lot of his books in my opinion veer toward dark fantasy with horror elements but some of his earlier work was definitely horror. I think the very first Clive Barker novella I read was The Inhuman Condition back in the mid-80's. It's very possible I read the Books of Blood first from a local library. Regardless, I've been a fan ever since and have most of his books. I even have the collection of comics focused on the rivalry between the Cenobites and Nightbreed, a battle between order and chaos (not good and evil) but I don't recall how much he had to do with that series. Also, I think it best to read Clive Barker's books in the order in which they were released since he also has a lot of interweaving and shared world / universe content.
Clive Barker's most brutal and horrifying novel is The Damnation Game. this book elevated Clive Barker to my top two favorite authors. Absolutely brilliant. I would highly recommend this one. I loved Imajica, but if you are looking for horror than Imajica would be the exact wrong place to start. That book leans far more into fantasy than Weaveworld. It is a wonderful book, but it is one of his furthest from horror.
Barker is more dark fantasy than 'classic' horror. I personally like his books more than King's. Another great one for dark fantasy/urban fantasy is China Mieville. Clark Ashton Smith is good too...And a contemporary of HP Lovecraft.
I don't think you will be disappointed reading any Clive Barker but if you are seeking horror I think you will be left wanting. Even the Books of Blood are not what I would consider horror in the normal sense.
Hey Mike I know everyone is throwing Clive Barker books at you. I haven't seen anyone recommend "The Great And Secret Show". I would compare it to The Stand if I was going to compare it to a King book. Imajica is good but it's definitely fantasy and has some really good characters.
I see you still haven't done a books of blood review...please give Clive Barker a chance. Unfortunately he's suffered health issues due to health care negligence and isn't able to write like he used to. But personally, I believe he wrote some of the greatest horror of all time that cannot be matched in his prime.
Well made video! To be honest, I’m getting a little burned out by King (not a bad thing, still plan on reading more from him). I feel like I need to explore horror more. I had no idea who the hell barker was until horror fest from mike was made and it caught my attention. Mike, anybody, please let me know if there are any other horror writers that I could jump into (note; besides the ones mentioned throughout horror fest). Think a little out of the box. International counts too. I’m looking for my next horror fix.
Imagica is not horror either but it's brilliant, and my favorite. Likewise, the Books of the Art are fantasy. Abarat is more fantasy, classified as young adult and my second favorite work from Barker. So, basically more than half his work, imo, falls into the surreal fantasy/dark fantasy genre rather than horror. Clive's prose is very complex, also his worlds are incredibly detailed and rich. "Speculative, Imaginative, reality reconfiguration" - To describe Clive's prose using his own words.
I love Clive Barker one of my favorite authors but I don't think he cleanly fits the horror author mold. He has such a beautifully twisted imagination and a way with words that hooks me every time. I consider most of his more popular novels more as fantasy with strong horror elements rather than horror. For horror I'd lean more towards Books of Blood but still feel you will come away with a not true horror feeling.
The only book of his I've read was weave world. All I remember from it was that I didn't really like it. Oh and I've read a bunch of Koontz. Very formula, Not even playing in the same league as King.
I just DNF weaveworld. It was a hard decision for me because I loved it. But I hit 50% and felt the book started boring me. The over sexualizing of everything also bothered me. At radon bits he would just throw In. How full a characters testicles felt. It was an odd experience. The prose though was chefs kiss magnificent.
Barkers novels all have great ideas and some fantastic segments but the plot and pacing are uneven. Coldheart Canyon and Galilee I struggled to stay invested in and most of the others could do with a bit of editing. Sacrament was a difficult one as well. His writing style, atmosphere and characters carry me through generally. His Books of Blood though are some of the greatest short stories I’ve even read so he seems at his best with a tight focus to explore specific ideas.
Dean Koontz is the more commercial version of Stephen King imho. To me he is hit or miss. Peter Straub the more literary version of Stephen King. The British Stephen King is probably James Herbert. Clive Barker is the Steven Erikson to Stephen King's Robert Jordan. Or very scary Neil Gaiman. If you want Horror novel by Barker, look up The Damnation Game. Maybe Coldheart Canyon and Great and Secret Show too, it is halfway between horror and Weaveworld. His Books of Blood are must reads.
@@mikesbookreviews he is very solid and has variety in his novels, from splatter to Gothic horror. Don't expect to be blown away though, he is on a different league to King
Not all of King's work is more than " Horror ", I wouldn't classify The Tower series as " Horror ", and the little book, " The girl who loved, ?( forgot name) about the baseball guy"
The only exposure I've had to Clive Barker (outside of hellraiser), was a videogame he wrote. The game itself was awful but the story was fantastic and very creative.
Huge Clive Barker fan. I've read the Books of Blood many times. Definitely horror. I would say James Herbert (Rats) is more of a British Stephen King than Barker.
Huge fan of Barker's, I'm so excited for you! Have fun, and let yourself be seduced 😁 It's the only way to truly enjoy his works, they're magical. Even the darkest of stuff.
This man Did fantasy better than most and way ahead of his time in that genre and one of the best horror authors on top and a great artist painter and illustration just great
Hey bookworms and members of all communal religious orders! I am very excited to finally step inside the mind of Mr. Clive Barker. Have a favorite? Drop it in the comments below.
King and Barker have great mutual respect for each other...
For me, *IMAJICA* is Clive Barkers masterpiece!!
For any Dark Tower fans, Imajica is a must read!!
Edit: Definitely Imajica over Weave World!
I agree,
Sounds awesome.
Couldn’t agree more 👍🏻And yes. I’ve read The Dark Tower
The Great and Secret Show... over both!
Gonna try this one.
Your intros are so good! Music, art, excerpts...just *chef's kiss*
Gracias!
His intros are the GOAT of intros
Right! When we getting some Dark Fantasy Audiobooks? 😂📚
Oh this is gonna be awesome!
Hellraiser was actually a big inspiration for Berserk. That alone makes me wanna check out these books.
I did not realize that. Very cool.
I should
the damnation game As it was his 1st novel after the books of blood is still worth reading...The yattering and jack is one of my favourite short stories ,plus The Thief of Always,and although it's classed as a child's story it's beautifully told and still managed to make this old fart drop a tear at the end...
"We have such sights to show you". I absolutely LOVE Hellraiser!
It was HUGE in the 80's.
Just finished imajica this past Thursday. Instantly one of my all-time favorites But also, I'd say the fantasy/horror ratio is two to one
That's what I'm hearing.
Clive Barker is one of the best authors. Books of blood is definitely something you should read. I really enjoy all the stories. You also need to read Cold Canyon about Hollywood ghost. Great video 👍🏼
BoB will be happening in 2021 for sure.
Great video. Seeing Clive get some love is joy to my ears. Books of Blood is definitely the place to start. And yes, they are horror tales. In fact, King's famous quote regarding Barker occurred as a result of the publication of the Books. His next work was The Damnation Game, his first novel which is purely horror. Definitely the place to go next. Weaveworld is his second novel and here is where he started to delve into works that were a combination of fantasy and horror. The Books of the Art lean more towards horror due to the Lovecraftian elements but they have some fantasy elements as well. Imajica, which is his masterpiece in my opinion, should not be read too soon if you wish to experience more of Clive's horror because it too is a blend of fantasy and horror, although, damn, the only way to describe it that it is the sickest, most demented, poignant, beautiful book I have ever read. His YA series, Abarat, you would love due to the fact it is an excellent YA series with that gorgeous writing and is chock full of that Clive Barker art you love. This is YA done right. His children's tale, The Thief of Always, is also excellent. Thief is definitely a horror tale, whereas Abarat is fantasy/horror. In terms of his movies, the theatrical cuts of Nightbreed and Last Illusion should be avoided: the director's cuts of each are far superior. The studio tried to make a slasher film out of Nightbreed, when it is not a slasher tale, and Last Illusion is a horror/noir story involving a character of Clive's that pops up in a number of his stories, a detective of the supernatural named Harry D'Amour. Great stuff.
Thanks for this, my man! I definitely think I'll be rolling BoB and Damnation Game before Imajica now.
The Damnation Game was my first Clive Barker book. It’s been a while since reading it, but I remember it being messed up.
I'll add it to the list!
His paintings in the Abarat books are astounding.
There truly amazing and well worth buying the books for especially in hardback..
Yeah, I dig all the art I've seen.
What are those art books
@@turtleanton6539 They're the hardback original Abarat books with text and paintings together throughout. I don't think the paperback editions included any of the artwork
@@ottohoulihan2743 no,I think it was only the hardback versions that had the art work,it added to the weight of the books massively...
eBay is the best bet for anyone looking for them now..
Hey Mike, I love those intros, especially for these fright feast videos! Please keep doing Fright Feast next year! I'm a massive horror fan too & absolutely love seeing these, keep em coming!
I'm hoping to make it a yearly thing.
After growing up a Koontz fan and later on becoming a King fan, I still never understand the comparison. Even when I was a fan it was obvious that Koontz's characters were so paper thin. His stories were all about the complicated contrived plots with the sometimes crazy descriptive atmosphere. I do think Koontz has his strengths, but still would never consider him horrible and never consider him even close to King.
I mean the dude has sold millions of books, so he's doing something right. He just wasn't what I was looking for as a King alternative.
You're right he has beautifully lyrical writing. I haven't read Weaveworld yet. It's on "the list". I've read several of his Books of Blood, Hellbound Heart, Damnation Game, Thief of always, and the first volume of Imajica
That’s one of the aspects that hooked me on Clive Barker. Some of his passages come across in such a poetic way. Cuts deep!
Cabal is my favorite.It's what the movie Nightbreed was adapted from. I also liked the Scarlet Gospels.
Yeah, I gotta read Cabal.
Hey Mike. If u want a book to read to your kids then look for Clive Barkers The Thief Of Always. Classic 👍🏻🇬🇧
I wouldn’t call Clive Barker the British Stephen King. He’s a different beast altogether. However, if you want to try who I believe should carry that staple give James Herbert a go. Classic British horror 👍🏻🇬🇧
I think of Clive Barker as more of a Lovecraftian sort of writer more than Stephen's King's Americana style of horror myself. I adore both of these writers, but Clive Barker is far edgier. Dean Koontz is like the diet coca cola of the two writers. I like Koontz's sentence structure and style, but his style is far more tame than these two authors.
The Great and Secret Show was one of my all time favorite books in my early teens. I kept checking to see if it is on Kindle but it never it was... until today. It and the sequel to it, that I had not read, is on there for like $14 for both. I grabbed them. Barker was my King just because I felt like he was a bit edgier.
I'm right there with ya, man. I have no other reason for not reading Clive Barker but the fact I simply haven't gotten around to it yet. But I own Weaveworld and Hellbound Heart, looking also to get Books of Blood and Imagica. I'm definitely down to try his stuff, and it's great to see you enjoyed your first foray
Great intro
Seems to be the one thing I'm consistent at.
I completely forgot that Barker is the mind behind Hellraiser. Those movies were mind numbingly disturbing. I really enjoyed Books of Blood as well. I thought it was well put together
Man, I was obsessed with the cenobites after Hellraiser came out.
The Damnation Game is his purest "horror" Novel. Clive Barker took Faust, and added Nazis, Necromancy, and beautiful prose while being gore galore. Definitely a few scenes that'll stick with you, and it reads like literary horror. You won't be disappointed
What a mix!
Just read Books of Blood Vol 1 -3 and was very impressed. Most of the stories were good to great, with a few being exceptional. Lots of horror to be found within, and perfect for spooky season!
The standouts: Dread, The Midnight Meat Train, Rawhead Rex and In The Hills, The Cities.
I believe I saw an adaptation of Midnight Meat Train.
Imajica is one of the most profound and beautifully strange epic fantasy horrors ever written. Absolute masterpiece!
I would LOVE to see you do a video on Hellbound heart and The scarlet gospels and especially also a video on the books of blood books.
Just started weaveworld last week. I'm really enjoying the flow and I guess it's the prose.
It's slick.
Another author I need to check out. I have seen Hellraiser, and was a bit disturbed.....and fascinated by it. I was curious abou his books after that, but simply never got around to reading them. Thanks for sharing this :)
Happy to do so!
Sacrament is my favorite Clive Barker novel. The YA series Abarat is also pretty awesome.
Barker writes YA? Wild.
@@mikesbookreviews I had read the first book but I didn't even realize it was YA until I went to the store to get the second and was led to the kid's section - did a double take wondering how appropreite that was as they got pretty damn horrifying - but the right sort of kids can handle that, and more power to them when they find out.
Great fantasy setting Abarat; an Archipelego, each Island abstracting every hour of the day - and then a 25th.
Feels like barker is having a rediscovery.. Read great and secret show people!
Your intros just keep getting better
Gracias.
I am also dipping my toes into the Barker-verse. I've only read his short story 'Human Remains' so far, but I really want to read 'Cabal'. Love the shirt also, by the way.
The Books of Blood, In the Flesh, The Inhuman Condition, The Hellbound Heart and Cabal are each a must-read for any horror fan. The stories in these collections are either short or novella in length; many of which are my favorite horror tales. After these publications Clive delved more into dark fantasy novels, and while they were lyrical in prose, they just didn't really do it for me. With that said, Barker's earlier works are to this day brilliant enough to keep me coming back for rereads. 'He has such sights to show you.'
Very nice intro. This little narration helps to separate you from the rest of the Booktube community.
I really liked A Great And Secret Show, I'd be interested in what you think of it.
Also, since you mentioned Dean Koontz and comparing him to Stephen King, what do you think about the theory that Stephen King stole the idea for IT after reading Dean Koontz's novel Phantoms? I think that would be an interesting topic to talk about it.
I try. Some don't like the excerpts but many more do. I love making them so I'll keep it up.
Found a garage paperback copy of The Great and Secret Show by Clive Barker. Wow. First CB book read ever.
I need to reread some of his books. I remember reading Books of Blood when they came out. It is really messed up stuff 😟!
I look forward to finding out.
I’m a huge Stephen King fan and have never read Clive Barker. After watching this I’m going to have to pick one of his books up sometime, he sounds very interesting. Does anyone have any recommendations for his books?
Abarat 1 and the thief of always are two of my faves, along with books of blood, the great and secret show, weaveworld, imajica, everville, sacrament, cabal to name a few more.
@@ottohoulihan2743 awesome, thank you! I’ll have to give some of those a try
Big Steven King fan myself. Never thought Clive Barker's work was anything like Kings. I read the Damnation Game and enjoyed it.
Evan Bode The Great and Secret Show paperback novel? Abarat, the graphic novel?
@@genghisgalahad8465 I found out my mom has The Great and Secret Show so I think that’s the one I’m going to try first. Thank you
The only Clive Barker movies that represent him well are Hellraiser (1 and 2) and Midnight Meat Train. The rest failed a little or a lot.
His novels are really dark fantasy (very dark in places). My favorites are Weaveworld and The Great and Secret Show. The Books of Blood are pure horror though. Some are light-hearted horror (The Yattering and Jack, for example) but some are absolutely brutal.
My mom has been trying to get me to read Imajica for years now and I just started the other day. Its gonna be a tough read for sure but I'm hopeful it will blow my mind or something halfway through.
I'm looking forward to it!
The intro rocked! I Love Barker!!!
Glad you liked it.
Yeah, Barker's prose is beautiful. Horror, dark fantasy, whatever you want to call it, it's great. You mention Damnation Game, also a great book.
Imajica is also more.on the fantasy side. Domination Game is more horror-ry.
Depending on which edition Cabal is the story Nightbreed was based on but also includes The Last Illusion and some other short stories.
Thief of Always is more creepy than horror. Kind of like the movie The Changeling which I enjoyed very much.
Great now more books to add to my list if I can find where I packed them.
I really think you will enjoy Books of Blood and recognize several of the stories. Rawhead Rex, which I have not seen the movie, but I highly Recommend Midnight Meat Train which probably is the closest movie adaptation and is definitely horror.
On a side note would have loved Garek on DS9 at some point say "it's Uncle Frank".
Cabal sounds like it would be what I'm hoping for.
@@mikesbookreviews and Iced Earth - Horror Show for some mood music.
No love for "Mister B Gone" one of my all time favourite opening lines in any book. It made me read the whole thing in one go.
The stuff he writes is truly unique and not like anything else.
I've read Abarat and one of its sequels. All the art in it is done by Clive Barker himself. They're literally some of the heaviest books I own. So interesting though. I think it's supposed to be young adult. It's been many years since I read it.
His art is nuts. I love it.
There’s also a 2001 horror themed FPS called “Undying” (technically “Clive Barker’s Undying), that he was hired to write the whole story & background lore for.
While most of the backstory is told through optional journals & hidden sequences, both them & the overall presentation Oozes Barker’s touch & is very well written for a 2001 game .
The man himself even voices one of the game’s main villains ( the 2nd boss to be exact).
I feel like if you rework & tweak some stuff; maybe restore some cut content, etc., - it’d find a new cult following fairly well.
Weave World was incredible. parts of that book are insanely beautiful
As this is an olde video, I sure hope you’ve delved into the Barker collection!!!
What a great intro!
I highly recommend Coldheart Canyon Mike - just like you my fave author is Stephen King, & I couldn't get on with Dean Koontz. My intro into Clive Barker was Coldheart Canyon & I've just started re-reading it as a "break" from King - I've started reading King in order of publication, even though I've already read about 20 of his novels! Some I read young though & I think I'd understand/relate to them more now ad an adult with kids - I also recommend James Herbert. Can't you tell I'm English 😆
I love watching you're reviews, keep up the good work. All the best from across the pond.
A little late but definitely check out The Scarlet Gospels. It is a looses sequel to The Hellhound Heart and a great novel.
A lot of his books in my opinion veer toward dark fantasy with horror elements but some of his earlier work was definitely horror. I think the very first Clive Barker novella I read was The Inhuman Condition back in the mid-80's. It's very possible I read the Books of Blood first from a local library. Regardless, I've been a fan ever since and have most of his books. I even have the collection of comics focused on the rivalry between the Cenobites and Nightbreed, a battle between order and chaos (not good and evil) but I don't recall how much he had to do with that series.
Also, I think it best to read Clive Barker's books in the order in which they were released since he also has a lot of interweaving and shared world / universe content.
Inhunan condition is book 5 of books of blood in US :)
I'll definitely be reading BoB next year.
Clive Barker's most brutal and horrifying novel is The Damnation Game. this book elevated Clive Barker to my top two favorite authors. Absolutely brilliant. I would highly recommend this one. I loved Imajica, but if you are looking for horror than Imajica would be the exact wrong place to start. That book leans far more into fantasy than Weaveworld. It is a wonderful book, but it is one of his furthest from horror.
Can't wait to get to it!
Please.....no tears. That's a waste of good suffering.
Barker is more dark fantasy than 'classic' horror. I personally like his books more than King's.
Another great one for dark fantasy/urban fantasy is China Mieville. Clark Ashton Smith is good too...And a contemporary of HP Lovecraft.
Cold heart canyon was amazing! First Clive barker book I've read.
I don't think you will be disappointed reading any Clive Barker but if you are seeking horror I think you will be left wanting. Even the Books of Blood are not what I would consider horror in the normal sense.
That's what I'm thinking.
The Great and Secret Show is Clive Barker's epic book. He made a sequel as well that is very good. Imajica and Weaveworld are very good as well.
I hear this a lot.
@@mikesbookreviews It's one of my favorites. It's span of time is so interesting and I really enjoyed a lot of the characters.
The Raff is truly terrifying
You should’ve started with the Books of Blood collections, all volumes, really. Pure horror short stories. Thanks for the video.
Your intro was fantastic pinhead is my man
Thank you kindly
My favourite simply has to be Imajica. I felt so empty when I finished it 😔However the advice given to start with Books of Blood is solid. 👍🏻🇬🇧
Yep.
Imajica had a huge effect on me!
I fell so hard for the characters and got completely lost in it's world.
@@belinda35_77 esp Pie’oh’pah. One of the most memorable characters I’ve ever read
@@paulcain548
Same.
One of my most fave characters in any work of fiction.
I even named my Iguana after him!
Called him Pie-O for short.
@@belinda35_77 😂😂😂👍🏻
Hey Mike have you read any Clive Barker since this video? I just read The Hellbound Heart and liked it a lot. Looking at his other books now.
I’m surprised there has been no mention of The Damnation Game. Probably Barkers best strictly horror novel.
Hey Mike I know everyone is throwing Clive Barker books at you. I haven't seen anyone recommend "The Great And Secret Show". I would compare it to The Stand if I was going to compare it to a King book. Imajica is good but it's definitely fantasy and has some really good characters.
That one has come highly recommended.
Amazing intro man
Glad you liked it!
Books of Blood is good too
First I read after Books of Blood was The Damnation Game and loved it.
BoB will definitely be happening.
Definitely gotta give him a try now
Enjoy!
I see you still haven't done a books of blood review...please give Clive Barker a chance. Unfortunately he's suffered health issues due to health care negligence and isn't able to write like he used to. But personally, I believe he wrote some of the greatest horror of all time that cannot be matched in his prime.
Well made video! To be honest, I’m getting a little burned out by King (not a bad thing, still plan on reading more from him). I feel like I need to explore horror more. I had no idea who the hell barker was until horror fest from mike was made and it caught my attention. Mike, anybody, please let me know if there are any other horror writers that I could jump into (note; besides the ones mentioned throughout horror fest). Think a little out of the box. International counts too. I’m looking for my next horror fix.
James Herbert seems to be the one I'm getting recommended the most.
Another horror author to try would be Graham Masterton if you haven’t already. His early horror is really good.
Imagica is not horror either but it's brilliant, and my favorite. Likewise, the Books of the Art are fantasy. Abarat is more fantasy, classified as young adult and my second favorite work from Barker. So, basically more than half his work, imo, falls into the surreal fantasy/dark fantasy genre rather than horror. Clive's prose is very complex, also his worlds are incredibly detailed and rich.
"Speculative, Imaginative, reality reconfiguration" - To describe Clive's prose using his own words.
I love Clive Barker one of my favorite authors but I don't think he cleanly fits the horror author mold. He has such a beautifully twisted imagination and a way with words that hooks me every time. I consider most of his more popular novels more as fantasy with strong horror elements rather than horror. For horror I'd lean more towards Books of Blood but still feel you will come away with a not true horror feeling.
I loved the " Imagica" series.
The only book of his I've read was weave world. All I remember from it was that I didn't really like it. Oh and I've read a bunch of Koontz. Very formula, Not even playing in the same league as King.
I just DNF weaveworld. It was a hard decision for me because I loved it. But I hit 50% and felt the book started boring me. The over sexualizing of everything also bothered me. At radon bits he would just throw In. How full a characters testicles felt. It was an odd experience. The prose though was chefs kiss magnificent.
You are severely underfollowed.
I had heard that James Herbert was the British Stephen King
That seems to be the consensus in the comments.
Barkers novels all have great ideas and some fantastic segments but the plot and pacing are uneven. Coldheart Canyon and Galilee I struggled to stay invested in and most of the others could do with a bit of editing. Sacrament was a difficult one as well. His writing style, atmosphere and characters carry me through generally.
His Books of Blood though are some of the greatest short stories I’ve even read so he seems at his best with a tight focus to explore specific ideas.
Dean Koontz is the more commercial version of Stephen King imho. To me he is hit or miss.
Peter Straub the more literary version of Stephen King.
The British Stephen King is probably James Herbert.
Clive Barker is the Steven Erikson to Stephen King's Robert Jordan. Or very scary Neil Gaiman.
If you want Horror novel by Barker, look up The Damnation Game. Maybe Coldheart Canyon and Great and Secret Show too, it is halfway between horror and Weaveworld.
His Books of Blood are must reads.
Herbert is the #1 response in this video. Going to have to look him up.
@@mikesbookreviews he is very solid and has variety in his novels, from splatter to Gothic horror. Don't expect to be blown away though, he is on a different league to King
Yoooo Mike, are any more coming?
Wow absolutely phenomenal artwork 🖤⚰️🌚
I need fright fest in my life every year! If this becomes annual I will be happy guy.
No idea what the future holds, but I'd love to do this each year.
YOU SHOULD READ BOOKS OF BLOOD
Weaveworld is a masterpiece!
While you are in horror mode, how about James Herbert?
He seems to be pretty popular around these parts.
I love your intros but the music seems always way to loud
Why the long intro, bro?
Nah jk, it was really cool!!!
Not all of King's work is more than " Horror ", I wouldn't classify The Tower series as " Horror ", and the little book, " The girl who loved, ?( forgot name) about the baseball guy"
Darktower is fantasy series. Om writing is non-fiction. Longwalk and runningman dystopian future.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon possibly? If memory serves 😅
The only exposure I've had to Clive Barker (outside of hellraiser), was a videogame he wrote. The game itself was awful but the story was fantastic and very creative.
Was that Jericho?
@@mikesbookreviews yes it was
Yes
@@mikesbookreviews should be remade
Damnation game is a good horror novel
The "quote from King" always makes me laugh because he never said it. It's a funny story.
Cool
Huge Clive Barker fan. I've read the Books of Blood many times. Definitely horror. I would say James Herbert (Rats) is more of a British Stephen King than Barker.
I've gotten the JH response a lot.
@@mikesbookreviews as for an influence on Clive Barker, just have a quick scan of the Book of Enoch, some bat shit crazy stuff going on there.
Older Koonz is definitely better than the newer stuff.
I hope ur enjoying horror books?? Sorry not fan horror books 😐😐😐 happy reading to u!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Huge fan of Barker's, I'm so excited for you! Have fun, and let yourself be seduced 😁 It's the only way to truly enjoy his works, they're magical. Even the darkest of stuff.
Can't wait.
Music is overpowering.
Sent you a message via FB messenger...
This man Did fantasy better than most and way ahead of his time in that genre and one of the best horror authors on top and a great artist painter and illustration just great
Cheers to you, good sir.🙏🌹💀