Harlan Ellison WISHES he could write short horror like this. Just a nasty lil book - and I LOVE it. The writing is excellent and the plot is great. Straight to the point and didn't overstay its welcome. Author managed to put sex in as a plot device, and not just to gratify but with actual purpose?? Oh my.
More, MORE!!

Content Warnings

roniiweasley's review

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Content Warnings

nmoriconi's review

Go to review page

dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

barrybj's review

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

jrharris's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

clayby's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Hellbound Heart, by Clive Barker

No tears, please. It's a waste of good suffering.

I just finished reading a few minutes ago, and I think my heart's still pumping fast at the time of writing this, haha.

The Hellbound Heart is a well-written, horrific story, filled with gore, interesting lore, and scary, badass, esoteric, inter-dimensional beings. It's a bit on the short side (it's a novella, after all), but boy does it pack a punch. I've loved Hellraiser for a long time, but like my other spooky October read (Mary W. Shelley's Frankenstein), I feel like this book ended up being in a league of its own compared to the film/s.

I'm looking forward to reading more of Clive Barker's works, especially those related to The Hellbound Heart, and I hope more people begin to recognize what Mr. Barker has brought to the table.

Content Warnings

pn__'s review

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Content Warnings

More...