MYTHOS GROUP discussion

He's my favorite author, but some people don't like him, and that's fine too.

Hmmmm... I'm 50-50 on Mr. Barker. I've only read Imajica and Weaveworld. Galilee I just couldn't finish.

I really like his stories and the images he describes but to be honest I get tired of all the sex "scenes" that go on and on and on and his vocabulary (vast and impressive as it is) slows things down for me, which often makes it hard for me to get into a good rythm reading his books.

But as far as story. Great Stuff.

His vocabulary can be pretty difficult. My boyfriend I tried to get to read Imajica but he couldn't get past the writing style. Imajica is one of my favorite books, and in that book probably my favorite character was Pie. Out of the two you read, did you like Imajica or Weaveworld better?

C. Stockwell wrote: "His vocabulary can be pretty difficult. My boyfriend I tried to get to read Imajica but he couldn't get past the writing style. Imajica is one of my favorite books, and in that book probably my fav..."
SAY, WHATS IT ABOUT?

Hmmm... it's hard to tell, I think I like Imajica's story better, you are right Pie is a great character, but for whatever reason I remember wnjoying weaveworld much more as I was reading it. Imajica had some passages that were a bit trying, sometimes even hard to visualize whereas Weaveworld seemed like a smoother read. I'd probably say Imajica better than Weaveworld once you consider everyhting.

Actually the opening of Galilee I enjoyed quite a bunch but it suddenly lost me and it lost me big time, maybe I should pick it up again, I might get into it this time.

I D K who he is?.

Well, never read anything by Clive Barker per se. However, did see the Hell Raiser movie (a couple of them actually) and they were ok. Interesting concept. Did see the movie "the midnight meat train" based on one of his stories if I remember right. That was pretty good. Do have his "books of blood", but they are still on my "to read" agenda.

Spencer wrote: "C. Stockwell wrote: "His vocabulary can be pretty difficult. My boyfriend I tried to get to read Imajica but he couldn't get past the writing style. Imajica is one of my favorite books, and in that..."

It's hard to describe. Sort of, that there are four other universes, like our universe, that are connected to each other, and our universe used to be connected but it isn't anymore, and now someone has a chance to find out about the other four universes and maybe even connect them back to this one.

I didn't actually read "Galilee" so I can't say I have an opinion on it. I did read a few of the books of blood, and they were for the most part very good. I think my favorite of those stories was "Dread." (At least, it's certainly the one I remember the best.)

Hmmmmmm

ive actualy neveer heard of him

He was my favorite author until he stopped writing for adults.

deleted user wrote: "He was my favorite author until he stopped writing for adults."

Please don't tell me he's writing for kids now....

Reese wrote: "deleted user wrote: "He was my favorite author until he stopped writing for adults."

Please don't tell me he's writing for kids now...."

He has written a few things that are better for kids(i.e. Abarat, The Thief of Always) in that they don't have so many sex scenes and are less graphic, but the stories are in the same style and I don't see why they couldn't be enjoyed by adults as well as children. I personally enjoyed those two I just said very much.

I have heard of both of those, but am not such a fan that I don't automatically grab them off the shelf at the used book store I go to when I see them.

Barker is one of my favorite "horror" novelists - he can be slow-paced, but he does manage to write genuinely creepy stuff. As others have mentioned, he has a large vocabulary that he doesn't hesitate to use, and he errs on the side of verbosity with description, but I enjoy that (I know not everyone does).

He did write a few things that I just wasn't particularly interested in reading, though, like Galilee, which seem more "mundane" on a casual flip-through.

I was really big into Clive Barker back in the Books of Blood/Weaveworld era. The he started moving further into fantasy (and kid's books!?) and I moved on. It's only recently that I've begun to see the 'new weird fiction' element to his writing and gained a renewed appreciation.

I have to be honest and say that Barker has really grown me.

I didn't think much of Books of Blood, and the Hellbound Heart took a while to get into.

But Imajica and Weaveworld are excellent.

He's an odd one. His dissociated, surreal tone achieves no suspension of disbelief. Yet his heart is clearly in the right (or wrong!) place. His mythic cruelty, savage violence and over-all sense of ruthless menace is unequaled since the golden age of pulp.