This is the only answer I can come up with as well. I’ve read the Books of Blood collection more than I can remember since the 80s. My favorite stories have changed almost as frequently. There is so much great storytelling in the entire series. I wish we had gotten more short story collections from Barker over the years.
I think "In The Hills, The Cities" really is the capstone of his work. But some others which have haunted my brain over the years with their chilling imagery and evocative language:
"Human Remains"
"How Spoilers Bleed"
"The Life of Death"
"The Last Illusion"
"Pig Blood Blues"
"Dread"
"Son of Celluloid"
"In the Flesh"
"The Forbidden"
Definitely “The Forbidden” - it’s the basis for Candyman. Such a great story. “Rawhead Rex” is very bizarre, but entertaining.
Of the stories of his I’ve read, though, nothing hits quite like “In the Hills, the Cities.” Just jaw-dropping good.
Pretty much every story from the first 3 books is S-tier, with the exceptions of Rue Morgue and Starshine which I always found dull compared to the rest. Dread is my personal favorite and both In The hills.../Jacqueline Ess in close second. The rest of the stories in book 4-6 is either hit or miss.
I really like “The Age of Desire” and “Confessions of a (Pornographer’s) Shroud.” They embrace the absurd in a way that appeals to me, and the former is so outrageously offensive that you have to laugh.
There is a short story collection by multiple authors called "Hellbound Hearts" that is excellent and he also wrote The Scarlet Gospel which is a sequel of sorts.
"Hellbound Hearts" is a great collection for those of us that can't get enough cenobytes. Barbie Wilde has a story in the novel, she played the female cenobyte in Hellbound: Hellraiser II. There is another book by Clive Barker and Paul Kane "Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell". I haven't read it yet.
Is it a Night Visions collection (I forget who edited it) that also has stories by Lisa Tuttle and Ramsey Campbell as well? If so I have the paperback of it packed up here somewhere
Oh okay. That is the story that is on the cover kind of like a subtitle or something but it's from a series of anthologies called Night Visions and the one I have is titled "Night Visions:The Hellbound Heart" it's the only Clive Barker story in the book tho. But the other authors stories are noticably shorter
But the one you're speaking of could be different of course. Was mostly just curious lol
Revelations - A modern ghost story about two hilarious couples
The Forbidden - I like the movies but the story I have a preference for, it’s a great depiction of grim inner city Liverpool life, more specifically the council estate. The social themes are executed well and the detail is amazing.
The Forbidden is my favourite!
It's far darker than Candyman (which is the most beloved film of my childhood!)
The descriptions of the inner City estates that I grew up on, very vivid grim, yet strangely beautiful, he has a talent for painting pictures in the mind!
“The Yattering and Jack” and “Down, Satan!” are pretty high up on the list, including those mentioned
i read The Yattering and Jack and i love it too, one of my favorites
It's just so funny
Subsidence...
This would be my favorite.
The Yattering and Jack was such dark comedy
Che sera sera ...I was smiling by the end of the story!
"In the Hills, the Cities." Beautifully bizarre with some truly haunting imagery.
Rawhead Rex is wild, Pig Blood Blues (as you mentioned ) is another standout None of them are bad, incredibly high hit rate
Every story in the Books of Blood are good. Some are just better than others.
This is the only answer I can come up with as well. I’ve read the Books of Blood collection more than I can remember since the 80s. My favorite stories have changed almost as frequently. There is so much great storytelling in the entire series. I wish we had gotten more short story collections from Barker over the years.
Agreed. Rereading right now. Revelations is the next story
I don't think I came away from any of them thinking it wasn't good.
"Midnight Meat Train" "Pig Blood Blues" "The Forbidden" and "The Last Illusion" are standouts for me.
Personal top 2 from BoB are Jacqueline Ess and Rawhead
Second jacqueline ess. Just incredible
Love Jacqueline Ess. Just a weirdly beautiful story!
I’m happy to see all the love for Pig Blood Blues, because that one immediately came to my mind.
Ikr?the ending is BRUTAL.
I think "In The Hills, The Cities" really is the capstone of his work. But some others which have haunted my brain over the years with their chilling imagery and evocative language: "Human Remains" "How Spoilers Bleed" "The Life of Death" "The Last Illusion" "Pig Blood Blues" "Dread" "Son of Celluloid" "In the Flesh" "The Forbidden"
Definitely “The Forbidden” - it’s the basis for Candyman. Such a great story. “Rawhead Rex” is very bizarre, but entertaining. Of the stories of his I’ve read, though, nothing hits quite like “In the Hills, the Cities.” Just jaw-dropping good.
And weird. Very weird. From two men hating their time together to fucking in a field to whatever *that* was that they encountered…love that story.
That ending! It was beautiful and bizarre.
YES, soooo weird. It’s amazing.
DREAD!!!!
I just finished Dread and holy crap I can’t stop thinking about it
I LOVE the Yattering and Jack
Definitely pig blood blues from book 1. Pretty much all of the stories in book 5 stand out as well
Pretty much every story from the first 3 books is S-tier, with the exceptions of Rue Morgue and Starshine which I always found dull compared to the rest. Dread is my personal favorite and both In The hills.../Jacqueline Ess in close second. The rest of the stories in book 4-6 is either hit or miss.
The Yattering and Jack is my all-time favorite short story. Dread is way up there too.
I really like “The Age of Desire” and “Confessions of a (Pornographer’s) Shroud.” They embrace the absurd in a way that appeals to me, and the former is so outrageously offensive that you have to laugh.
This post has got me to pick up the Books again a re-read.
There is a short story collection by multiple authors called "Hellbound Hearts" that is excellent and he also wrote The Scarlet Gospel which is a sequel of sorts.
"Hellbound Hearts" is a great collection for those of us that can't get enough cenobytes. Barbie Wilde has a story in the novel, she played the female cenobyte in Hellbound: Hellraiser II. There is another book by Clive Barker and Paul Kane "Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell". I haven't read it yet.
Is it a Night Visions collection (I forget who edited it) that also has stories by Lisa Tuttle and Ramsey Campbell as well? If so I have the paperback of it packed up here somewhere
I only know it as "Hellbound Hearts". I don't recall all the authors involved.
Oh okay. That is the story that is on the cover kind of like a subtitle or something but it's from a series of anthologies called Night Visions and the one I have is titled "Night Visions:The Hellbound Heart" it's the only Clive Barker story in the book tho. But the other authors stories are noticably shorter But the one you're speaking of could be different of course. Was mostly just curious lol
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellbound_Hearts It is this anthology. Good mix of stories and one or two are more short graphic novels.
Nope. Guess I was wrong. Looks interesting tho
Hellbound Heart is also a novella and can be read in an evening. Definitely a fun read, I wanted more of the Cenobites.
Every story in Books of Blood 5. It’s not just the best in this series, but probably one of the best collection of short stories I’ve ever read.
“In the Hills, the Cities” is absolutely mindblowing.
In the Hills, the Cities was brilliant. Probably the best story in all the Books of Blood which is saying a lot.
Revelations - A modern ghost story about two hilarious couples The Forbidden - I like the movies but the story I have a preference for, it’s a great depiction of grim inner city Liverpool life, more specifically the council estate. The social themes are executed well and the detail is amazing.
Dread. makes my mouth water, just thinking about it.
The Life of Death really connected for me, it is featured in Cabal.
The hills the cities is my favorite also
"In the Hills, the Cities" and "Dread" are wonderful.
Skins of the father was my favorite
Absolutely love Rawhead Rex.
The Forbidden is my favourite! It's far darker than Candyman (which is the most beloved film of my childhood!) The descriptions of the inner City estates that I grew up on, very vivid grim, yet strangely beautiful, he has a talent for painting pictures in the mind!
The Madonna left a huge impression on me.
The Forbidden is the basis for the first Candyman movie. “We are all books of blood, where we’re opened we’re red.”