tcgarback's review against another edition
4.0
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Personal Score: A-
Critical Score: B+
Well. The omnibus ends on a high note. Not the highest, perhaps, because Volume One really was magnificent, but high enough. I’m in awe of Barker’s talents, and his presence in the literary landscape means a lot to me personally as a writer.
My ranking:
“Rawhead Rex”
Delightfully perverted and propulsive like a classic slasher movie, this gem delivers epic scene after scene and is my favorite of the bunch, and perhaps my second favorite from the first three Books of Blood, after “In the Hills, the Cities.”
“Human Remains”
Profound, moving, sensitive. Begins with an absolutely perfect opening scene that almost works as a (very ambiguous) short story by itself but sadly deteriorates into a crime plot with a touch of racism, which then mostly restores itself in the final act with an artful take on identity crisis and dissociation. Barkers calls to Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde, Frankenstein, Dorian Grey, and Carter’s Lady Purple.
“Scape-Goats”
This one is memorable for its setting and mounting suspense throughout, though the antagonist was underwhelming until the final sequence, which was visually terrific. Lacks a heftiness, but that’s actually quite suitable in a collection—they can’t all be epic ambitious feats. This one feels like a horror comic book issue, and that’s more than okay with me.
“Confessions of a (Pornographer’s) Shroud”
The title is a little click-baity, which let me down, and I couldn’t shake the mafia vibes despite the British setting, but overall the refreshed ghost imagery and revenge plot gripped me the whole time, even if it felt like a B-movie kind of ride.
“Son of Celluloid”
I almost feel bad about this one, like clumsy reading led me to some confusion, but that may have been unclear writing, and either way I’m left being a little confused on exactly what the setting was here, what was abandoned and what that space through the grille was...regardless, there’s some clever movie theatre set pieces here. I just felt a lack of footing, and the tone was occasionally too mean-spirited for my taste.
Personal Score: A-
Critical Score: B+
Well. The omnibus ends on a high note. Not the highest, perhaps, because Volume One really was magnificent, but high enough. I’m in awe of Barker’s talents, and his presence in the literary landscape means a lot to me personally as a writer.
My ranking:
“Rawhead Rex”
Delightfully perverted and propulsive like a classic slasher movie, this gem delivers epic scene after scene and is my favorite of the bunch, and perhaps my second favorite from the first three Books of Blood, after “In the Hills, the Cities.”
“Human Remains”
Profound, moving, sensitive. Begins with an absolutely perfect opening scene that almost works as a (very ambiguous) short story by itself but sadly deteriorates into a crime plot with a touch of racism, which then mostly restores itself in the final act with an artful take on identity crisis and dissociation. Barkers calls to Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde, Frankenstein, Dorian Grey, and Carter’s Lady Purple.
“Scape-Goats”
This one is memorable for its setting and mounting suspense throughout, though the antagonist was underwhelming until the final sequence, which was visually terrific. Lacks a heftiness, but that’s actually quite suitable in a collection—they can’t all be epic ambitious feats. This one feels like a horror comic book issue, and that’s more than okay with me.
“Confessions of a (Pornographer’s) Shroud”
The title is a little click-baity, which let me down, and I couldn’t shake the mafia vibes despite the British setting, but overall the refreshed ghost imagery and revenge plot gripped me the whole time, even if it felt like a B-movie kind of ride.
“Son of Celluloid”
I almost feel bad about this one, like clumsy reading led me to some confusion, but that may have been unclear writing, and either way I’m left being a little confused on exactly what the setting was here, what was abandoned and what that space through the grille was...regardless, there’s some clever movie theatre set pieces here. I just felt a lack of footing, and the tone was occasionally too mean-spirited for my taste.
kratositaly's review against another edition
4.0
Rating the stories of this collection:
XII: SON OF CELLULOID - 4.5/5
XIII: RAWHEAD REX - 3.5/5
XIV: CONFESSION OF A (PORNOGRAPHER'S) SHROUD - 4/5
XV: SCAPE-GOATS - 3/5
XVI: HUMAN REMAINS - 3.5/5
XII: SON OF CELLULOID - 4.5/5
XIII: RAWHEAD REX - 3.5/5
XIV: CONFESSION OF A (PORNOGRAPHER'S) SHROUD - 4/5
XV: SCAPE-GOATS - 3/5
XVI: HUMAN REMAINS - 3.5/5
anaedsac's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it better than the other two volumes. It had more suspense and thrill.
erikwmj's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Gore, Blood, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia and Fatphobia
deanpeters's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
macbean221b's review
3.0
Son of Celluloid - An escaped convict dies hidden in a movie theater and his body is never found. Over the years, his cancerous tumor takes the strong emotions of the theater audiences and becomes sentient. And then starts killing people. This story was pretty weird, even by Clive Barker standards, yet it still managed to bore me. It took me days to get through it and I wasn't impressed at the end.
Rawhead Rex - A seriously evil ancient monster is accidentally released from its underground prison and wreaks havoc on an English town. The beginning of this story didn't do much for me; after the last story, I was starting to worry this whole book would be a bust. But by the end I liked this one, even though there were a few parts I felt were there only for shock value (which I don't care for) and the actual ending itself wasn't all that special.
Confessions of a (Pornographer's) Shroud - A Catholic guy is framed as the king of a porn cartel. He goes on a bit of a rampage and kills some of his enemies, but the remaining ones get their revenge and he is killed, too. But then he manages to possess a sheet... Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? It is, a little bit. This story is seriously dark comedy. I think it's my favorite in this book.
Scape-Goats - Four people get stranded when their yacht ends up beached on an uncharted island in the Hebrides. This island happens to be situated where the currents carry the bodies of all the people who drown at sea. DUN DUN DUNNNNN! This story wasn't as good as it sounds like it should be, but I didn't dislike it.
Human Remains - It's a doppelgänger story, y'all. I LOVE THOSE.
Rawhead Rex - A seriously evil ancient monster is accidentally released from its underground prison and wreaks havoc on an English town. The beginning of this story didn't do much for me; after the last story, I was starting to worry this whole book would be a bust. But by the end I liked this one, even though there were a few parts I felt were there only for shock value (which I don't care for) and the actual ending itself wasn't all that special.
Confessions of a (Pornographer's) Shroud - A Catholic guy is framed as the king of a porn cartel. He goes on a bit of a rampage and kills some of his enemies, but the remaining ones get their revenge and he is killed, too. But then he manages to possess a sheet... Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? It is, a little bit. This story is seriously dark comedy. I think it's my favorite in this book.
Scape-Goats - Four people get stranded when their yacht ends up beached on an uncharted island in the Hebrides. This island happens to be situated where the currents carry the bodies of all the people who drown at sea. DUN DUN DUNNNNN! This story wasn't as good as it sounds like it should be, but I didn't dislike it.
Human Remains - It's a doppelgänger story, y'all. I LOVE THOSE.
dasrach's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
paulopaperbooksonly's review
2.0
Another fail to me...
Human Remains is the best story of the bunch. After knowing Clive Barker story on his teens I believe this tale is related to him , very personal.
As you know, Clive Barker Is homesexual and he even say that he had some relantionships with womens then came out at 18/19. So, there are some characters in this tales (mainly in this last tale) of a main gay character.
Again, I don't give a crap about the sexual orientation of a writer/character UNLESS I see as a pandering and not feel real. What I mean by this, is that nowadays books all have some POC &/OR gay characters because they want to tick all the boxes. It feels wrong...
I really can't say why but it does... Maybe it's because Clive is gay and so he knows how to write gay character? I don't know. Enfin... Not political argument - sorry.
Either way... This book is not that good. Comparing with the first Book of Blood the second and third were a downer to me... (again, to me).
Human Remains is the best story of the bunch. After knowing Clive Barker story on his teens I believe this tale is related to him , very personal.
As you know, Clive Barker Is homesexual and he even say that he had some relantionships with womens then came out at 18/19. So, there are some characters in this tales (mainly in this last tale) of a main gay character.
Again, I don't give a crap about the sexual orientation of a writer/character UNLESS I see as a pandering and not feel real. What I mean by this, is that nowadays books all have some POC &/OR gay characters because they want to tick all the boxes. It feels wrong...
I really can't say why but it does... Maybe it's because Clive is gay and so he knows how to write gay character? I don't know. Enfin... Not political argument - sorry.
Either way... This book is not that good. Comparing with the first Book of Blood the second and third were a downer to me... (again, to me).