A review by joshjorgz
Books of Blood: Volumes One to Three by Clive Barker

5.0

Clive Barker's BOOKS OF BLOOD are the most astonishing and spell-binding tales of horror fiction ever collected. Originally published in 1984--this collection has no equal. The literary flair Barker brings to these imaginative tales of terror is breathtaking. The syntax and the sentences are delicious, even though they are describing death, blood, sex, monsters, creatures, and cosmic-fantastical tidings. Of course, this is the same short story collection that lead to the legendary blurb from Stephen King himself: "I have seen the future of horror and his name is Clive Barker."

I won't go into detail reviewing every short story. But I will give them each a star ranking. Pick this one up, if you haven't already.

BOOK 1:
"The Book of Blood" 4.5 stars (introductory piece)
"The Midnight Meat Train" 5 stars
"The Yattering and Jack" 5 stars
"Pig Blood Blues" 5 stars (my favorite story from book 1)
"Sex, Death and Starshine" 4 stars
"In the Hills, the Cities" 5 stars (my second favorite story)

BOOK 2:
"Dread" 5 stars (my favorite story from book 2)
"Hell's Event" 5 stars
"Jacqueline Ess: Her Will and Testament" 3 stars
"The Skins of the Fathers" 5 stars
"New Murders in the Rue Morgue" 5 stars (My second favorite--a modern take on Poe's classic short)

BOOK 3:
"Son of Celluloid" 5 stars (my second favorite story from book 3)
"Rawhead Rex" 5 stars (my favorites story from book 3)
"Confessions of a (Pornographer's) Shroud" 4 stars
"Scape-Goats" 5 stars
"Human Remains" 4 stars