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Clive Barker Books That Will Haunt You
Clive Barker is one of the most talented horror authors whose work is some of the most unique in the genre. Many believe that Barker’s nightmarishly creative works cannot be surpassed. Many of his works have received film adaptations that have been hugely successful amongst horror movie enthusiasts.
Although his novels are exquisitely strange, they are definitely not for the faint of heart. If you are someone who becomes easily offended, you might want to steer clear of his novels. However, suppose you enjoy delving into fantasy works that commonly feature sex and sexuality and deeply flawed and perverse characters. In that case, you might want to consider reading a few of the novels we have spoken of in this article.
Each of the novels listed is likely to take you on one hell of a ride. They will evoke chilling emotions the likes of which you might never have felt before. Are you ready to wholeheartedly commit to a memorable fantasy or horror novel that’s likely to give you nightmares while evoking complex thoughts? If so, you will want to read the 10 best Clive Barker books of all time.
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1. The Hellbound Heart
It can easily be said that The Hellbound Heart is one of the most terrifying novels Barker has ever written. This novel was published in 1986 and had just under 200 pages of petrifying hedonistic horror. The Hellbound Heart is not only a bestselling novel but was also adapted into a successful film that brought to life one of the most frightening villains.
Those who have read this novel have often attested to its superb writing that truly engages the reader and leaves them thinking about the events that transpired long after they read the last page. The Hellbound Heart introduces the world to the incredibly horrifying cenobites who belong to a religious order that is dedicated to life’s extreme sensual experiences.
In this novel, the main character is a hedonist who has spent his life entertaining his most selfish pleasures yet always seeking more. After hearing about a mysterious box that will take him to another dimension solely dedicated to carnal pleasure, he determines he needs to obtain it no matter the cost.
What follows is maddeningly engaging and captivating. Upon solving the boxes puzzle, the main character gets what he longed for in ways he couldn’t prepare. The events that transpire are sadomasochistic, obscenely enthralling, and incredibly terrifying. A must-read for every horror fan.
2. The Thief of Always
Should you not be looking for something too horrifying, you might want to start your Barker journey with a dark novel that is more fantasy than horror. Yet don’t be fooled. The Thief of Always is still deeply unnerving and terrifying at times.
This intriguing novel was first published in the year 1992 and is considered a fast-paced read with roughly 225 pages. Although it might be targeted towards younger readers, The Thief of Always is still a popular book among many adults.
The Thief of Always follows the life of a 10-year-old boy by the name of Harvey, who has found his life to have become incredibly boring. After some worldbuilding, the novel introduces a mysterious character who tells the main character that he can make all his dreams and desires come true at a “holiday house.”
At the holiday house, Harvey receives everything he has hoped for, and all his dreams seemingly come true, but everything is not as it seems. As Harvey begins to realize that something strange is occurring, he tries to uncover the true nature of the house and its mysterious occupants. With this novel, Barker has managed to neatly weave a wicked children’s tale that is astonishingly immersive, horrifying, and delightful.
3. The Forbidden (Books of Blood V)
Have you heard of the new Candyman film that was released in 2021? If so, did you know that it is based on The Forbidden novel that Barker wrote in 1986? The Forbidden is one of the most popular books in Barker’s Books of Blood series. Similar to many of his novels, this one focuses on the working-class realities of Britain. Despite its more mundane setting, it still manages to evoke true terror in those reading it.
The Forbidden is set in the 1970s and is the story of a young woman who uncovers a terrifying reality while working on a thesis. Her thesis centers around disturbing graffiti that she has found on the walls of an old rundown estate house in the UK. This graffiti references an urban legend known as The Candyman.
After further investigation, she believes that the Candyman is real and is involved in various murders and mutilations. When talking to the locals about it begins to further her belief; she encounters the terrifying Candyman herself. Before watching the new adaption, it would be worth reading the original book first.
4. Imajica
If you have time to sit down and immerse yourself in a brilliant novel that is deemed a horror epic, you might want to get yourself a copy of Barker’s incredibly well-written novel Imajica. This horror book was published in 1991 and spans approximately 800 pages in length. Interestingly, Imajica is Barker’s favorite novel that he has written to date.
This fantasy horror epic displays Earth as one of five dimensions and follows the story of how each dimension is at odds with what one would expect. The novel closely follows the lives of three integral characters who are all connected by the novel’s end.
There is a gentleman who is a master art forger, a woman who has the power to cast influence over men’s fates, and an extraterrestrial assassin that has arrived from a different dimension with one sole purpose. When a horrible crime is discovered, the reader knows immediately that quite the story is sure to follow.
The main themes present are sex, Christianity, gender, death, and love, which all create incredibly imaginative imagery. Although it might appear daunting, you will find that you likely cannot stop once you start to read it.
5. The Midnight Meat Train
If you want a grimy and bleak horror novel that is truly the stuff of nightmares, you may want to consider reading The Midnight Meat Train. Trust us; it’s as horrifying as it sounds. This novel is another one that is part of Barker’s Books of Blood novels and was first published in 1984.
The fear this novel inspires will refuse to leave while you take yourself along the journey that is The Midnight Meat Train. In this novel, the main character Leon makes the fatal mistake of falling asleep on a subway train. Upon waking up, instead of finding himself at his train stop, he instead finds himself drenched in blood in a nightmarish scene he does not know how to escape.
Yet, waking up finding himself blood-drenched is the least of his worries as he discovers that he needs to navigate a monstrous world if he hopes to survive. Although there is a film adaptation of this novel, it’s better to read it to truly glean the horrifying tale.
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6. Cabal
It’s no surprise that the novel Cabal received a film adaptation. This sensational book by Barker features startling themes, grim realities, and fear-inducing characters. This mind-bending novel was first published in the year 1988 and is still a favorite amongst those who enjoy psychological horrors.
In this spine-tingling novel, the main character suffers from an unknown mental illness that causes him to experience fugue states. Since he suffers from these fugue states, he seeks help from a psychiatrist named Decker. He hopes Decker can help him uncover what he does during these fugue states.
During one of the sessions with the psychiatrist, he learns that he is guilty of a series of atrocious murders that he apparently blocked from his memory. After uncovering what he did, he is driven to suicide but is unsuccessful. When he fails to kill himself, the main character makes himself believe that he can find sanctuary within the walls of a mystical city called Midian. As the novel progresses, there are many intriguing twists, heart-pounding moments, and disturbing scenes that are sure to burn themselves into your memory.
7. The Great And Secret Show
In its base form, The Great and Secret Show is about a pair of angry men who used to be friends, fighting over uncontrollable things. Yet, in its entirety, this fantasy novel is so much more. The Great and Secret Show was published in 1989 and is the first novel in the “Book of the Art” series. Barker has commented in the past that he found this novel to be the hardest to write.
Interestingly, The Great and Secret Show is an immensely intriguing fantasy novel about a secret and surreal world known as Quiddity. Former friends Richard and Randolph both discover Quiddity, but one wants to exploit it while the other hopes to preserve it.
In addition to the ongoing struggle between the former friends, a love story begins with their respective children. When the conflict begins to spill into the real world, the destruction it’s sure to evoke begins to threaten the entire human race.
8. Weaveworld
Weaveworld is dark fantasy writing at its finest. This novel is one of Barker’s longest novels with more than 700 pages. It was first published in 1987 and was his second most successful novel. Chances are, if you like novels about magic carpets, mystical people, and perplexing villains, you will like the novel Weaveworld.
This novel explores several themes but mostly centers around the themes of magic, holiness, sorcery, and secrets. The novel follows the story of a people in hiding known as the Seerkind. When a villain known as the Scourge tried to destroy the Seerkind, they went into hiding in a magic carpet because they believed no one would think to look for them there.
However, their plans of staying hidden until the Scourge is gone are thwarted when decades later their custodian dies, and they are left in the hands of an unprepared person. As Suzanna, the new custodian tries to adjust to her new responsibilities; the Scourge becomes aware of the Seerkind’s presence. The tale that unfolds is illustrious, dark, fantastical, and enchanting.
9. The Damnation Game
Unlike many of the other novels on our list, The Damnation Game is a standalone book that is a thriller, fantasy, and horror combination that makes for an interesting read. This novel was first published in 1985 and is one of Barker’s oldest works that still garners new fans each year.
The Damnation Game is a novel about gambling debts, human and otherworldly devils, and bodyguard duties. The plot of this novel focuses on Marty Strauss, who is a man just released from prison who happens to have an enormous gambling habit. Not only does Strauss have debts with earth-dwelling men but also with otherworldly beings.
When he takes on a bodyguarding job and is tasked with guarding the richest man in the world, chaos ensues. Earth’s weapons don’t work against the villain that is after the man he is meant to protect, and he soon learns that what was meant to be a simple job is much more than he bargained for. The Damnation Game is a must-read for those who enjoy thrills, chills, and dollar bills.
10. Abarat
Younger readers looking to dip their toes into Barker’s deep pool of brilliant novels should try to read his book Abarat, which is the first in The Books of Abarat series. Interestingly, this novel that was published in 2002 is a fantasy novel that is both written and illustrated by Barker. Since it features spectacular paintings and brilliant writing, Abarat was selected as one of the Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association.
Immensely different from his other works, the Abarat follows the story of a young teenage girl who is tired of living in a place she deems to be the “most boring place in the world.” While she is questioning what her future holds, she finds herself literally and figuratively swept away to another world.
In this world, Candy, the main protagonist, finds herself in a world known as Abarat. Shortly after being in Abarat, she uncovers mystical creators, peculiar islands that each have a different hour of the day, and dark terrors.
Soon Candy discovers that she was brought to this mysterious world for a reason. Her task is to save it from dark forces and an evil that is rising to destroy it. This novel isn’t only filled with strange realities, terrifying events, and imaginative plot lines. It also features a spectacularly well-written coming-of-age story.
