Rating: 
Summary: Not for the weak of heart--or mind
Review: Clive Barker, I can say, is hands down the best in his genre. Which one has to admit is rather widening. However, the Books of Blood, as one of his first published works is strict fantastic intelligent horror. If you love King, you may find yourself a new favorite in Barker. His writing is absolutely magical, his words flow like poetry and his imagry is dark and powerful. This collection of short stories gives you a little taste of all his sides. Eroticism, humor, horror, suspence, and a bit of mystery and science fiction thrown in. It is not for those who enjoy fairytales and happy endings. I recommend it to anyone openminded and looking for a fabulous new read.
Rating:
Summary: Not for the weak of heart--or mind
Review: Clive Barker, I can say, is hands down the best in his genre. Which one has to admit is rather widening. However, the Books of Blood, as one of his first published works is strict fantastic intelligent horror. If you love King, you may find yourself a new favorite in Barker. His writing is absolutely magical, his words flow like poetry and his imagry is dark and powerful. This collection of short stories gives you a little taste of all his sides. Eroticism, humor, horror, suspence, and a bit of mystery and science fiction thrown in. It is not for those who enjoy fairytales and happy endings. I recommend it to anyone openminded and looking for a fabulous new read.
Rating:
Summary: An exquisite collection of horror, wit and, yes, gore!
Review: Clive Barker, the multi-talented Liverpudlian, supposedly was to be "the future of horror" (so said no less an authority than Stephen King) with the release of these first three "Books of Blood" way back in 1984. Turned out, however, that with his finely-honed pen, his gift for odd details, locales, and the powerful image, his penchant for mordant wit, the ambiguity with which he infused his stories (are there ever clear demarcations between those hoary old cliches Good & Evil in these tales?) and the sheer glee he took in subverting the genre turned off readers looking for a slice of American Gothic, a la Anne Dean Koontz, John Saul, and even King himself.I say, leave those authors for the housewives and dilettantes; Barker is the real thing, a writer whose work doesn't comfort, but disturbs. How could readers looking for the traditional horror fiction formula react to stories like "In the Hills, the Cities," "Sex, Death, & Starshine," or "The Last Will & Testament of Jacqueline Ess"? He doesn't want to frighten you so much as radically alter your perception of the world. The horror genre is too often reactionary as it tries to banish the monster, the alien, the seemingly terrifying. Barker wants transformation; his characters confront the darkness, and find themselves changed, often times for the better, when they embrace it (literally, in the climax of "Jacqueline Ess"). Rather than recommend this to conventional horror fans, I say readers who like to challenge themselves should check these out--perhaps readers of Martin Amis or Julian Barnes or Jeanette Winterson, or Jorge Luis Borges, or Italo Calvino. Then again, maybe I'm wrong--Barker's work is graphically blood-drenched, which gained him a reputation in the mid-80s as a splatterpunk, which of course anyone who has read later, more mature works like "Weaveworld," "Sacrament" or "Imajica" will realize how inaccurate that is. I think Barker is nearly a poet of horror in these stories, with prose as elegant and vivid as any of those writers mentioned above, and I think he deserves a wider readership. Here, in this new trade paperback, he has written a great introduction, one in which he reveals how he has changed over the years since he wrote the "Books of Blood." It's a thoughtful, perceptive, funny, vulgar essay, classic Barker, and the visions you'll find within are no less wonderful. "Future of horror"? Thankfully not. Clive Barker transcends any genre, and remains untouchable.
Rating:
Summary: Very Good
Review: Clive is par excellence! His work is amazing! Gripping! Enthralling! Emotionally stimulating! I could go on, but I won't. My opinion: If you don't have this book you are missing out! Also, check out Mark Ventimiglia's new book. He is a contemporary of Clive's and his work rivals the master. I discovered him by accident and must say, I was impressed!
Rating:
Summary: Barker is a MASTER
Review: Every story in the "Books of Blood" is exceptional work. Some that stood out to me were "The Midnight Meat Train", "Dread", "Jacqueline Ess", and "Son of Celluloid", although every single one was very good. I would have to say that
the worst of them all was "Human Remains", but even that one wasn't too bad. Any self-respecting horror fan should have read these stories long ago. I'd give this book 10 stars if I could.
Rating:
Summary: Barker is a MASTER
Review: Every story in the "Books of Blood" is exceptional work. Some that stood out to me were "The Midnight Meat Train", "Dread", "Jacqueline Ess", and "Son of Celluloid", although every single one was very good. I would have to say that
the worst of them all was "Human Remains", but even that one wasn't too bad. Any self-respecting horror fan should have read these stories long ago. I'd give this book 10 stars if I could.
Rating:
Summary: Rawhead Rex Rules
Review: I agree with "Stunning" Rawhead Rex is the best monster story ever written! Too bad they made it a movie. I love most of the stories as well. RR is enough for me to recommend the book. Mr. Barker ropes you in to his graphic writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Extremely Disappointing
Review: I am an avid fan of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and horror in general, but had not read any of Clive Barker's offerings. I purchased this book hoping it would introduce me to another good horror writer, opening up another vein from which to mine the dark and fascinating tales that I have so enjoyed from these other authors. As you might have guessed from the title of my review, this mine is empty, you'll have to dig elsewhere. Barkers' tales are childish and unimaginative. They don't end so much as stop. The author seems to think that a shallow tale embellished with enough vivid descriptions of blood and gore will somehow become a decent read. Don't waste your time on this one, the cover illustration was the best part of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Soon...
Review: I just ordered this book, and cannot wait to read it! I have read The Inhuman Condition(Vol.5) and loved. Now, I will read the 3 Vols. in 1 day! I cannot wait!
Rating:
Summary: Future of Horror?
Review: I read all over the literary map so I won't enter the "future of horror" discussion. Barker is a gifted and wildly imaginative writer whose work transcends genre labels. I remember feeling the shock of the new after reading the first few stories in The Books of Blood. The sheer brilliance of "In the Hills, the Cities" still resonates after a recent re-reading. I collected the entire series (in paperback--now lost) and went on to read the incredible "Weaveworld". I've since been impressed with Dennis Etchison and particularly Thomas Ligotti but neither have had quite the same impact as Clive Barker. A must-read for those who would dare to visit the dark country.
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