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geekwayne's review against another edition
2.0
'Infernal Parade' by Clive Barker is a title I was initially excited to read, as I've been an occasional fan of his work. What we get here is a series of short stories that were originally written for a line of Todd McFarlane action figures.
The book is a collection of 6 linked stories about the formation of a gruesome parade of strange people with weirdly obvious names. Tom Requiem is a murderer who has been hanged and buried, and he is rescued from his coffin. Mary Slaughter kills babies and has a collection of dangerous swords. There is the unfortunate golem who finds himself without a master and Bethany Bled who is made to be tortured for the amusement of the crowd.
These are all stories of terrible people or victims of terrible people who find themselves grotesquely transformed, but we never learn the overarching reason for this. These are not very nice people and when they get their comeuppance, I just found myself not caring at all. If you are looking for the Barker of 'Books of Blood' or 'Hellraiser' fame, I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Subterranean Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
The book is a collection of 6 linked stories about the formation of a gruesome parade of strange people with weirdly obvious names. Tom Requiem is a murderer who has been hanged and buried, and he is rescued from his coffin. Mary Slaughter kills babies and has a collection of dangerous swords. There is the unfortunate golem who finds himself without a master and Bethany Bled who is made to be tortured for the amusement of the crowd.
These are all stories of terrible people or victims of terrible people who find themselves grotesquely transformed, but we never learn the overarching reason for this. These are not very nice people and when they get their comeuppance, I just found myself not caring at all. If you are looking for the Barker of 'Books of Blood' or 'Hellraiser' fame, I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Subterranean Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
3.0
In reading Clive Barker's Infernal Parade, it's important to remember that these stories were originally published and packaged (much like the Tortured Souls collection from 2015) with the McFarlane toy line. That means they were designed to serve as stand-alone stories, connected, but not necessarily forming a linear narrative.
What that means for fans is that we get an all-too-rare serving of vintage Barker, with stories written during the very early days of Abarat, long before his 2012 brush with death. In putting the collection together, however, I feel like there's a missed opportunity here - one that would have made this collection truly memorable. We're introduced to Tom Requiem and the freaks of his Infernal Parade, but we never get to see them brought together. With the opening story suggesting a Books of Blood feel to the collection, I would have loved to see a new story at the other end to tie it all together.
That's a minor quibble, however, and not a criticism of the stories themselves. These are short, but powerful stories of torture and transformation, true horror with a freakish, monstrous feel. They have an almost fable-like feel to them, being stories of human cruelties and supernatural retribution. Sometimes it's the who and what they are that makes them freaks, but the stories are at their best when it's how and why they die that casts them into the Infernal Parade, doomed (or perhaps blessed) to endlessly relive pain for pleasure.
The stories of Bethany Bled, with its fateful wish that dooms a pair of lovers, and the Golem Elijiah, with it's dark twist of an ill thought-out command, are probably closest to that fable feel, but it's the stories of Mary Slaughter and Tom Requiem himself that remind me the most of Barker's most classic tales.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
What that means for fans is that we get an all-too-rare serving of vintage Barker, with stories written during the very early days of Abarat, long before his 2012 brush with death. In putting the collection together, however, I feel like there's a missed opportunity here - one that would have made this collection truly memorable. We're introduced to Tom Requiem and the freaks of his Infernal Parade, but we never get to see them brought together. With the opening story suggesting a Books of Blood feel to the collection, I would have loved to see a new story at the other end to tie it all together.
That's a minor quibble, however, and not a criticism of the stories themselves. These are short, but powerful stories of torture and transformation, true horror with a freakish, monstrous feel. They have an almost fable-like feel to them, being stories of human cruelties and supernatural retribution. Sometimes it's the who and what they are that makes them freaks, but the stories are at their best when it's how and why they die that casts them into the Infernal Parade, doomed (or perhaps blessed) to endlessly relive pain for pleasure.
The stories of Bethany Bled, with its fateful wish that dooms a pair of lovers, and the Golem Elijiah, with it's dark twist of an ill thought-out command, are probably closest to that fable feel, but it's the stories of Mary Slaughter and Tom Requiem himself that remind me the most of Barker's most classic tales.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
minseigle's review against another edition
2.0
Short, fantastical story about beasts living in the Underworld and joining the Infernal Parade. I only read this novella because the 11-year old picked it up and read it and somewhat enjoyed it. If you like Clive Barker (I have never read his work before), you might enjoy this short story. I just thought it was ok.
cms_books's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
atom_cable's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
david_agranoff's review against another edition
3.0
Weird little short story collection masked as a Novella. Full review coming
erichart's review against another edition
4.0
Short little vignettes, as in Tortured Souls, also originally written for a line of action figures by McFarlane Toys. But make no mistake, Barker doesn't hold back on the violence and monstrosities, and seems to be building towards something bigger.
bugzthecat's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0