Clive Barker

1952-

Reviewed by Todd Burger
and Robert Thompson

Clive Barker writes horror and urban fantasy. Many are available for download at Audible.com Read and listen to excerpts at Clive Barker's website.

Click covers to view available formats, including audio & Kindle.

Abarat — (2002-2011) Young adult. Publisher: Once upon a world, where time is place, a journey beyond imagination is about to unfold... It begins in the most boring place in the world: Chickentown, U.S.A. Candy Quackenbush lives in Chickentown, her heart bursting for some clue as to what her future might hold. When the answer comes, it's not one she expects. Out of nowhere comes a wave, and Candy, led by a man called John Mischief (whose brothers live on the horns on his head), leaps into the surging waters and is carried away. Where? To the ABARAT: a vast archipelago where every island is a different hour of the day, from the Great Head that sits in the mysterious twilight waters of Eight in the Evening, to the sunlit wonders of Three in the Afternoon, where dragons roam, to the dark terrors of Gorgossium, the island of Midnight, ruled over by the Prince of Midnight himself, Christopher Carrion. As Candy journeys from one amazing place to another, making fast friends and encountering treacherous foes — mechanical bugs and giant moths, miraculous cats and men made of mud, a murderous wizard and his terrified slave-she begins to realize something. She has been here before. Candy has a place in this extraordinary world: she is here to help save the Abarat from the dark forces that are stirring at its heart. Forces older than Time itself, and more evil than anything Candy has ever encountered. She's a strange heroine, she knows. But this is a strange world. And in the Abarat, all things are possible.

Clive Barker 1. Abarat: The First Book of Hours 2. Days of Magic, Nights of War 3. Absolute Midnight

Available for download at Audible.com.

fantasy book reviews Clive Barker Abarat Abarat

Abarat certainly is an amazing creation.

While reading the book, I was swept away by the brilliance of the dark and powerful artwork that Clive Barker created. The interior art gave the book a texture and feeling that it would have lacked otherwise, much like John R. Neill's artwork added layers to Baum's (and others') Oz books.

Candy Quackenbush is a fairly normal, average girl. I was pleased to see this, because far too often we find authors creating unfashionable, socially inept, or withdrawn characters that they want us to feel sympathy for. There's a good reason that many authors seek to do that — there's nothing like rooting for the underdog. Granted, there is a scene of embarrassment in the very beginning of the book, but Candy's reaction to the embarrassment isn't to go off and cry about it — she takes matters into her own hands. So what we are left with is feeling proud of her, and that is what authors should strive for. The characters on the page need to create some form of powerful emotion within us, and it doesn't always need to be pity.

Her own hands — and her feet — lead her to a field with a dilapidated lighthouse where she meets one of the most original and odd characters I've ever come across in children's, young adult, or adult fantasy — the John brothers. And then immediately the story kicks into overdrive, as Mendelson Shape, a creature out of nightmares, assails them, looking to retrieve something that the John brothers have stolen. Through an act of heroism, Candy calls a sea to the plains of Minnesota — the Sea of Izabella, and the sea transports her and the John brothers to the Abarat, an astonishing archipelago of dizzying diversity.

Candy's encounters in the sea, and her immediate encounters on reaching Abarat, make for rapid page turning. There is simply so much to see, so much that is different than any experience we have come upon before.

But then the story slows down, and becomes, for far too long, a tour of Abarat and an introduction to fanciful creatures. There is absolutely no question that Abarat is an invention to be marveled at, and that the fanciful creatures possess highly unique qualities that are entertaining, but it's simply too much, and there isn't much happening other than a game of bait and chase. Candy has caught the eye of Christopher Carrion — who serves as the Dark Lord of this series, though there are other enemies — and he wants the item that the John brothers stole (and gave to Candy for safekeeping) and Candy herself. He has an odd sensation that he has seen her before, and gradually becomes obsessed with her.

I believe that books should have distinguishable plot and character arcs, and that the ending of a book should complete all of the various arcs. Abarat left quite a bit up for grabs. There wasn't much of an ending — only a wrap up in the final chapter to prepare us for the next book, and while it should be obvious from all of the groundwork laid in Abarat that there is a wild and exciting adventure ahead, nothing was resolved.

One might argue that the first two books of The Lord of the Rings had no discernible ending, and no arcs were resolved. However, that book was written as one book. The publisher, for various reasons, decided to cut the book into three — forever cementing into the minds of those who read fantasy the concept of the need of a trilogy to make something complete, for better or worse. Abarat isn't like The Fellowship of the Ring or The Two Towers. It is supposed to be a stand alone book, and instead it seems more like an extended prologue.

That aside, this was one heck of a story. I'm not going to fault Barker too much for not tidying up before he moved on to the second book. The real test will be the second book — if it lives up to this rather overwhelming creation. We'll see.

The artwork, the sense of closeness to the events as they occurred, and the uniqueness of Abarat make this a four star review. Normally books that don't resolve arcs get lower marks from me, but in the end I was so impressed with Barker's creation that I found that deviation forgivable. —Todd Burger

Book of The Art — (1989-1994) Publisher: In the little town of Palomo Grove, two great armies are amassing; forces shaped from the hearts and souls of America. In this New York Times bestseller, Barker unveils one of the most ambitious imaginative landscapes in modern fiction, creating a new vocabulary for the age-old battle between good and evil. Carrying its readers from the first stirring of consciousness to a vision of the end of the world, The Great and Secret Show is a breathtaking journey in the company of a master storyteller.

Clive Barker The Book of Art 1. The Great and Secret Show 2. Everville

Imajica — (1991) This is one volume that contains both parts: The Fifth Dominion and The Reconciliation. Publisher: Imajica is an epic beyond compare: vast in conception, obsessively detailed in execution, and apocalyptic in its resolution. At its heart lies the sensualist and master art forger, Gentle, whose life unravels when he encounters Judith Odell, whose power to influence the destinies of men is vaster than she knows, and Pie 'oh' pah, an alien assassin who comes from a hidden dimension. That dimension is one of five in the great system called Imajica. They are worlds that are utterly unlike our own, but are ruled, peopled, and haunted by species whose lives are intricately connected with ours. As Gentle, Judith, and Pie 'oh' pah travel the Imajica, they uncover a trail of crimes and intimate betrayals, leading them to a revelation so startling that it changes reality forever.

Stand-alone novels and collections:

The Damnation Game — (1985) Publisher: A reclusive millionaire makes a deal with the devil. Just another horror tale? Don't bet on it. It's from Clive Barker.

Weaveworld — (1987) Publisher: Clive Barker has made his mark on modern fiction by exposing all that is surreal and magical in the ordinary world — and exploring the profound and overwhelming terror that results. With its volatile mix of the fantastical and the contemporary, the everyday and the otherworldly, Weaveworld is an epic work of dark fantasy and horror — a tour de force from one of today's most forceful and imaginative artists.

Cabal — (1988) Publisher: For more than two decades, Clive Barker has twisted the worlds of horrific and surrealistic fiction into a terrifying, transcendent genre all his own. With skillful prose, he enthralls even as he horrifies; with uncanny insight, he disturbs as profoundly as he reveals. Evoking revulsion and admiration, anticipation and dread, Barker's works explore the darkest contradictions of the human condition: our fear of life and our dreams of death.

The Thief of Always — (1992) Ages 9-12. Publisher: Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful rounds of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied... There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by Mr. Hood's wonders, does not stop to consider the consequences. It is only when the House shows it's darker face — when Harvey discovers the pitiful creatures that dwell in its shadows — that he comes to doubt Mr. Hood's philanthropy. The House and its mysterious architect are not about to release their captive without a battle, however. Mr. Hood has ambitious for his new guest, for Harvey's soul burns brighter than any soul he has encountered in a thousand years...

Sacrament — (1995) Publisher: Living and dying, we feed the fire. Will Rabjohns, perhaps the most famous wildlife photographer in the world, has made his reputation chronicling the fates of endangered species. But after a terrible accident, Will is left in a coma. And in its depths, he revisits the wildernesses of his youth and relives his life with a mysterious couple who have influenced his life as an artist and a man. When Will awakens, he sets out on a journey of self-discovery — one where he will penetrate the ultimate mystery and finally unlock the secret of his destiny. Soaring, provocative and passionate, Sacrament is a masterwork from the pen of one of today's moist acclaimed authors.

Galilee — (1998) Publisher: Rich and powerful, the Geary dynasty has reigned over American society for decades. But it is a family with dark, terrible secrets. For the Gearys are a family at war. And their adversaries are the Barbarossas, a clan whose timeless origins lie in myth, whose mystical influence is felt in the intense, sensual exchanges of flesh and soul. Now, their battle is about to escalate...When Galilee, prodigal prince of the Barbarossa clan, meets Rachel, young bride of the Gearys' own scion Mitchell, they fall in love, consumed by a passion that unleashes long-simmering hatreds. Old insanities arise, old adulteries are uncovered, and a seemingly invincible family will begin to wither, exposing its unholy roots...

Cold Heart Canyon — (2001) Publisher: Film's most popular action hero needs a place to heal after surgery that has gone terribly wrong. His fiercely loyal agent finds him just such a place in a luxurious, forgotten mansion high in the Hollywood Hills. But the original owner of the mansion was a beautiful woman devoted to pleasure at any cost, and the terrible legacy of her deed has not yet died. There are ghosts and monsters haunting Coldheart Canyon, where nothing is forbidden.

Mister B. Gone — (2007) Available for download at Audible.com. Publisher: Mister B. Gone marks the long-awaited return of Clive Barker, the great master of the macabre, to the classic horror story. This bone-chilling novel, in which a medieval devil speaks directly to his reader — his tone murderous one moment, seductive the next — is a never-before-published memoir allegedly penned in the year 1438. The demon has embedded himself in the very words of this tale of terror, turning the book itself into a dangerous object, laced with menace only too ready to break free and exert its power. A brilliant and truly unsettling tour de force of the supernatural, Mister B. Gone escorts the reader on an intimate and revelatory journey to uncover the shocking truth of the battle between Good and Evil.

fantasy book review Clive Barker Mister B. Gone Mister B. Gone

Thanks to the movies Hellraiser, Lord of Illusions, and Candyman, I was introduced to Clive Barker, but it was his writing that made me a hardcore fan. Imajica, Weaveworld, Books of Blood, The Great and Secret Show, Everville: all personal favorites of mine and great examples of Mr. Barker’s wild imagination and unique talents. Unfortunately, it’s been a while since I last read a Clive Barker book, so when I heard about Mister B. Gone I couldn’t have been more excited, especially after reading the press release: “A propulsive frightfest layered with psychological nuances, textured characterizations, philosophical reflections and theological meditations, Mister B. Gone is the Clive Barker original his millions of fans worldwide have been awaiting, one packed with subtle scares and heart-stopping terrors from cover to cover.”

Let’s just say the description is not a hundered percent accurate...

First off, I’m not sure I would describe Mister B. Gone as a “frightfest.” Sure, the main character is a demon from the Ninth Circle of Hell, and there’s some evisceration, bathing in infants’ blood and a plethora of other ghastly moments. At the same time however, fantasy elements are prominently in play — yet another slant on the war between Heaven and Hell — and there's also plenty of wry humor. In fact, Mister B. Gone doesn’t take itself too seriously, and its playfulness actually diminishes the book’s more gruesome moments.

Just to give you an example, demon Jakabok Botch, the book’s narrator, has a family ( his bastard father Pappy Gatmuss, his whore Momma, and his younger sister Charyat), goes to a school in the Ninth Circle to learn the Agonies, and is captured by humans in the World Above by a trap that uses “shanks of raw meat and cans of beer”’ as bait. Of course the most telling manner of the book’s more flippant nature is the way Jakabok, or Mister B. as he’s sometimes called, is written. In short, Jakabok is the Mister B. Gone book and throughout the entire novel he’s talking directly to you the reader, in hopes that you will be persuaded to burn the book. Along the way, he’ll try to Threaten you, Appeal to your compassionate side, Seduce you with gifts, regale you with such memories as The Bonfire, The Bait, Killing Pappy, My First Love (yes, apparently demons can love, What Happened on Joshua’s Field, Meeting Quitoon, How He Saved My Life; and even tell you the story of how he became the book in the first place, which takes place in Mainz, Germany in 1439 and involves goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg, an invention that marks the End of the World, angels, demons and a shocking Secret. In essence, Jakabok is quite the amusing little demon, due mainly to a personality that is snarky and whimsical and he's actually quite likeable. Being afraid of Mister B., though, is a whole different story.

I’ll be honest. Mister B. Gone wasn’t the book I was expecting. I was really hoping for a return to Clive Barker’s early days when he wrote some of the most creatively disturbing horror I’ve ever read, but instead we get a book that is much more humorous than it is scary. Just because it wasn’t what I was hoping for though doesn’t mean I didn’t like the book — it’s Clive Barker for goodness sake! So once I got over my initial disappointment, Mister B. Gone turned out to be a pretty fun little pick-me-up that features the author’s vintage prose, idiosyncrasies, and imagination which plays around with the concept of demons, Christianity, good vs. evil, love, and so on. The only real problem I had with the book is that because it’s so short (256 pages) some of the themes and secondary plots weren’t fleshed out that well — specifically the relationship between Jakabok and fellow demon Quitoon. Basically, the two end up traveling together for over a century and developing a special bond which comes into play in the later stages of the story. Since we don’t get to see that development, the subplot loses a lot of its impact. Personally, I think if Mr. Barker had spent more time recounting the two demons’ adventures together as they sought out new inventions and terrorized humanity, those moments would probably have been my favorite in the whole book.

As it stands, Mister B. Gone is not the Clive Barker original that I’ve been waiting for, and I think other readers will agree with me, but it is a pretty good diversion. —Robert Thompson

Books of Blood — (1988) Publisher: The stories written on the Book of Blood are a map of the dark highway that leads out of life towards unknown destinations. Few will have to take it; most will go peacefully along lamplit streets, ushered out of living with prayers and caresses. But for a few, the horrors will come to fetch them. With the 1984 publication of Books of Blood, Clive Barker became an overnight literary sensation. He was hailed by Stephen King as "the future of horror," and won both the British and World Fantasy Awards. Now, with his numerous bestsellers, graphic novels, and hit movies like the Hellraiser films, Clive Barker has become an industry unto himself. But it all started here, with this tour de force collection that rivals the dark masterpieces of Edgar Allan Poe. Read him. And rediscover the true meaning of fear.

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