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avid fan · 05-07-2010, 07:53

Hi folks,

I noticed there wasn�t a general Clive Barker thread so thought I�d address it!

I�ve got an urge to read more in the horror/ fantasy vein, and thought I�d pick up some more Clive Barker. I remember reading the first Book of Blood years ago and can still vaguely recall some of the short stories (I�m sure one of them had a malevolent pig in�)

I�ve always been keen to dip more into his works, but just never got around to it. To redress this, I�ve already ordered �The Great and Secret Show� and was looking for any other recommendations. From Amazon reviews, it sounds like Imagica is one of the highest recommended of his works??

Can anyone recommend any others? � has he done anything recently that�s up there?

the thing with no name · 05-07-2010, 09:04

weaveworld and Imajica prob his best stuff

have to say i was really enjoying the Abarat books too, I know they are based more for kids/teenagers, but still a great inventive read.

Met him many moons ago at a book signing in Nottingham for 'the thief of always'
Such a nice bloke, really friendly and after the signing stayed around to chat with a few of us for a good few hours, much to the bookstore owners annoyance!

Was hoping for the next in the great and secret show series, or possibly the long mooted next part of imajica to be arriving. but seems to have gone a bit quiet.

Some great books from him though

loujareth · 07-07-2010, 21:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by the thing with no name

weaveworld and Imajica prob his best stuff

have to say i was really enjoying the Abarat books too, I know they are based more for kids/teenagers, but still a great inventive read.

Met him many moons ago at a book signing in Nottingham for 'the thief of always'
Such a nice bloke, really friendly and after the signing stayed around to chat with a few of us for a good few hours, much to the bookstore owners annoyance!

Some great books from him though

Same here, I met him on that book signing tour, for me it was in Leicester. My mum went with me as she is an avid book reader and it was such a treat for her to meet him. A friend of mine went to Leicester Forbidden Planet later that day and met him and like you spent some time chatting, he said he was a great guy.

Read most of his and I think Imajica is my fave with Weaveworld 2nd. what an imagination he has.

RCW · 07-07-2010, 21:31

Weaveworld is fantastic, also love Thief Of Always & the Abarat books which I couldn't put down, just wish he would hurry up with the rest.

love his art work as well

will definitely be looking out for this next year...

http://www.berlinger-sinofsky.com/#/...f_clive_barker

gjkendall · 08-07-2010, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCW

Weaveworld is fantastic, also love Thief Of Always & the Abarat books which I couldn't put down, just wish he would hurry up with the rest.

love his art work as well

will definitely be looking out for this next year...

http://www.berlinger-sinofsky.com/#/...f_clive_barker

The documentary looks like it could be good...it was announced ages ago, shame we have another year to wait!

gjkendall · 07-07-2010, 07:46

I have been a long time fan/collector of all things Barker!

The Damnation Game is a storming first novel, and probably the closest to traditional horror you will get with Barker...this would make a fantastic movie.

The books of the Art are great (The Great And Secret Show & Everville)...the final part is LONG overdue, although they do work as stand alone novels.

Weaveworld and Imajica are well worth investing time in.

His books for 'younger' readers are bloody brilliant....The Thief Of Always and the Abarat books...must haves.

Without wanting to sound too gushy, you really should read them all..and possibly in chronological order as well. You get a feel for Barkers improvement in writing and ideas,themes cross over between books.

His short stories are worth reading too.

New material is out soon from Clive (as well as some very good biographies from his official website)

MrSpeed · 07-07-2010, 11:24

Weaveworld = brilliant

leemel · 07-07-2010, 21:19

Mr B Gone was an interesting read...I loved most of his earlier work, but found Gallilee hard going.

leemel · 07-07-2010, 21:33

Totally agree, although Clive Barker writes short stories that are very descriptive and well paced, he really excels with a full novel. I felt Imajica in some ways seemed like it was retreading old ground at first glance, but the more I read it, the more it pulled me in. Much more immersive than Weaveworld, as I felt Weaveworld had too many incidental characters to concentrate on.

Taq · 08-07-2010, 11:38

One thing I love about Barker is that what you think is going to happen at the end of his stories more often than not happens about a third of the way through, and characters you thought may be just minor ones gain in importance later on making it a much more interesting read.

I have a hardback copy of Weaveworld I bought on ebay sitting on the shelf in my office atm

Another vote for the Abarat series too. Apparently book3 is stuck at the publishers for some reason and he's deep into book 4 currently.

It's a pity not many of his stories have been translated well to screen (apart from the original Hellraiser of course and Nightbreed was okay). HBO should do a Weaveworld or Imajica mini series adaptation.

Reverend Scapegoat · 08-07-2010, 12:20

No love for Cabal?
The original novel that Nightbreed was based upon

I'm still living in hope that the proper version of Nightbreed sees the light of day - According to Doug Bradley, the film they made was an extremely close adaptation of the book... Until the studio started messing with it, re-edited the whole thing ( And dubbed over all his lines with a daft German accent for Lylesburg ).

The Books Of Blood collections are also excellent.

RCW · 08-07-2010, 14:14

don't think Cabal is up there with the likes of Weaveworld, Imajica etc but I do like the movie & still watch it occasionally, that and the first Hellraiser, didn't like the sequels.

there were plans for animated films of Abarat & Thief of Always but seem to have been shelved.

lintone · 08-07-2010, 15:19

Weaveworld is my favourite book,love all the clive barker stuff,he hasnt written anything i havent enjoyedthere was definatly plans a foot a few years ago to make weaveworld into a tv series and i am sure it was the bbc.

gjkendall · 08-07-2010, 15:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by lintone

Weaveworld is my favourite book,love all the clive barker stuff,he hasnt written anything i havent enjoyedthere was definatly plans a foot a few years ago to make weaveworld into a tv series and i am sure it was the bbc.

I was helping out with the 'Lost Souls' fanclub and I was all arranged for me to be the on-set reporter when Weaveworld was filming....gutted it never happened.

RCW · 16-11-2010, 20:17

just been to look for updates on his official site and appears he's fallen out with his publisher

not surprised tbh, thought there must be something behind the delays and lack of stuff getting to the shelves, hope it's sorted soon, been too long to wait for Abarat 3.

Guest 320 · 16-11-2010, 20:30

Finished the Books Of Blood and thought they were generally excellent. Then read The Great And Secret Show which was a bit pants really. Starting on Imajica, bit of a monster tome. Have high hopes for it as i liked Weaveworld.