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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Pig Blood Blues and Sex, Death and Starshine where unfortunately the only two I liked. Can’t believe they’ve never got adapted for film or tv (but Midnight Meat Train has???)
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Short story collections and anthologies always feel hard to judge because they always feel as strong as their weakest link. Volume 1 of Books of Blood doesn't have any bad stories, so it was overall enjoyable, but there are like 2 or 3 stories here that are really good and it's a shame that the rest of them are much weaker.
The Book of Blood: good framing device, the imagery in this was pretty great, it's not really that much of a story, but it sets the tone well
The Midnight Meat Train: this one wasn't bad, but I was expecting more, the ending was kind of dumb
The Yattering and Jack: this one was more overtly comedic than the others, and I didn't find it terribly interesting
Pig Blood Blues: now this one was good, gave me goosebumps, I think out of all of these it'd make a pretty great movie
Sex, Death, and Starshine: another comedic one, idk, this one felt like just felt silly to me, was overall enjoyable I guess
In the Hills, the Cities: ok, this one was awesome, the concept is fantastic and the imagery is quite staggering
The Book of Blood: good framing device, the imagery in this was pretty great, it's not really that much of a story, but it sets the tone well
The Midnight Meat Train: this one wasn't bad, but I was expecting more, the ending was kind of dumb
The Yattering and Jack: this one was more overtly comedic than the others, and I didn't find it terribly interesting
Pig Blood Blues: now this one was good, gave me goosebumps, I think out of all of these it'd make a pretty great movie
Sex, Death, and Starshine: another comedic one, idk, this one felt like just felt silly to me, was overall enjoyable I guess
In the Hills, the Cities: ok, this one was awesome, the concept is fantastic and the imagery is quite staggering
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had decided at some point earlier this year that I had read the works of far too many authors who cite Clive Barker as an inspiration to have never read one of his books for myself, and needed to have my taste of the source material that inspired so many other pieces of media I adore. From the moment I finished reading The Midnight Meat Train (the first story following the introductory "Books of Blood" story), I knew I had decided correctly.
Stephen King described Barker as "an important, exciting and enormously talented writer," "the future of horror," and "so good I am almost literally tongue-tied." I'm very inclined to agree with him. Few authors are quite as skilled at weaving together splatterpunk-esque visceral gore with sophisticated metaphor, deeply personal sensuality, and nearly existential cosmic horror. I had feared from the titular story appearing first in this volume that this would be a collection of the relatively basic ghost and possession horror that I tend to be bored by. I was entirely wrong. Clive Barker's writing is made of human flesh and blood and bone and muscle, completely deserving of the collection's title.
A wonderful introduction to a beloved master of horror. Through the six stories in this first volume, I've found myself a new favorite author, and I can't believe it took me as long as it did to finally read his work.
Stephen King described Barker as "an important, exciting and enormously talented writer," "the future of horror," and "so good I am almost literally tongue-tied." I'm very inclined to agree with him. Few authors are quite as skilled at weaving together splatterpunk-esque visceral gore with sophisticated metaphor, deeply personal sensuality, and nearly existential cosmic horror. I had feared from the titular story appearing first in this volume that this would be a collection of the relatively basic ghost and possession horror that I tend to be bored by. I was entirely wrong. Clive Barker's writing is made of human flesh and blood and bone and muscle, completely deserving of the collection's title.
A wonderful introduction to a beloved master of horror. Through the six stories in this first volume, I've found myself a new favorite author, and I can't believe it took me as long as it did to finally read his work.
LOVE!!! The perfect October/ Halloween season read. Neat collection of horror stories.
.
Personal Ranking:
1) In the Cities, In the Hills - I love a gay breakup drama inside a fantasy sociopolitical one? I could see this one expanded honestly
2) Sex, Death and Starshine - Has 80s/early 90s Tales of the Crypt energy
3)The Yattering and Jack - Christmas in the Billy and Mandy universe
4) The Midnight Meat Train - I ♥️ NYC. The A Train is horrible but important.
6) The Book of Blood - Solid framing story for the book, and has a fable like quality
5) Pig Blood Blues - Has some interesting and bizarre things happening but I've already forgotten how it ended
.
Personal Ranking:
1) In the Cities, In the Hills - I love a gay breakup drama inside a fantasy sociopolitical one? I could see this one expanded honestly
2) Sex, Death and Starshine - Has 80s/early 90s Tales of the Crypt energy
3)The Yattering and Jack - Christmas in the Billy and Mandy universe
4) The Midnight Meat Train - I ♥️ NYC. The A Train is horrible but important.
6) The Book of Blood - Solid framing story for the book, and has a fable like quality
5) Pig Blood Blues - Has some interesting and bizarre things happening but I've already forgotten how it ended
This was my second Barker read this year (and ever), and the man does not disappoint! All of these short stories were excellently executed. The only one I didn't quite care for was "Sex, Death, and Starshine," but I think it would resonate well with readers who have a theater background. It's tough to choose a favorite from the others in this collection. There is gore, humor, tension, grief, dread - all weaved into such creative, unique stories. I'm looking forward to reading the other Volumes in the future.