Customer Reviews

Clive Barker's A-Z Horror

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an excellent book about all things horror, but is mostly concerned about books and movies. I got this book after flicking through the pages in the local bookstore and was taken aback by the wonderful layout and colorful images of what Clive Barker has to tell us about the world of horror. It is completely illustrated from start to finish and has lots of art work from Barker himself and there is plenty to read about in between images and pictures of all things diabolical.

Essentially the book donates a few pages to each letter of the alphabet like "M" is for "Murder" and then Barker starts ranting about that topic in as many of its different forms as he sees fit - however the book is primarily written by Stephen Jones, but there is plenty of Barker inside. There is lots and lots of references to artists, writers, actors, filmmakers, makeup artists and directors. Barker also talks about real life horror with such topics as Ed Gein the serial killer.

I would highly recommend this volume of work to anyone who wants to know more about horror. By flicking through the pages they will come across lots and lots of things that they would probably like to know more about. Whenever I am thinking about buying a horror movie or a horror novel I always turn to this guide to see what Barker or Jones recommend. As a horror writer Barker is into the whole scene and is never short of coming up with something interesting that you might like to know more about.

This is highly recommended companion guide to all things horror. The book is really well designed and you will find yourself turning to it time and time again.

Combining short but insightful text with a visually stunning layout design, _Clive Barker's A-Z of Horror_ provides a light read on some very dark subjects. It would make an excellent gift for both those making their first steps into this genre as well as for old hands looking for something to keep around for visitors to squeal about.

I would recommend this book for all passing horror fans and experts alike; Clive Barker, that well respected mentor of modern English horror, has created a fine compendium. If at times a little pretentious, particularly in the sprawling and philosophical introduction, the layout is first-class and it doesn't dwell on the statistics-for-anoraks that so many of these type of film book do. Enjoyable, perhaps even essential for your film shelf. It is at times a little lightweight; at others, snobbish and frothy.

Glossy, high-concept, yes! Satisfying, high-content, not even close! This book looks lovely but has almost nothing to say about horror, and that's too bad. Barker is certainly one of the most influential horror writers alive, and he's also quite a personality. But this book feels like it was thrown together with very little work on Barker's part. The entries are all short enough and sufficiently eclipsed by the artwork--which IS impressive--that Barker gets by without saying very much about any of them. What's worse, he has an irritating way of sounding profound without actually having anything of substance to say. I can't imagine anyone coming away from this book having learned anything from it or thinking about horror differently than they did when they opened it up (although perhaps it would bring new names to their attention).

All of this is disappointing because, as I've said, Barker is a very influential figure in the genre. He's also quite controversial. Readers have a right to expect better from him than they get here.

I join the ranks of those who have given high praise to this superb, vibrant compilation of facts and other curious oddities about horror in books and film. The layout design is graphically pleasing with dozens of photos and illustrations in both black and white and color. These are attractively aired with white space on the pages and, though interesting in themselves, never compete or distract from the text. Essential bibliographic data or curious informational tidbits are smartly set in gray screen and/or block frames. All of these design elements make for a highly attractive book but, most importantly, aid in gleaning facts at quick glance. In fact, much of the book's design strategies help disguise the fact there is an abundance of information that might seem tedious or less interesting if presented less imaginatively. The book is actually quite dense with facts, dates, and quotes--all visually displayed in a palatable, readily accessible presentation. Though this reviewer has not seen the acclaimed BBC television series to which this book is the official companion, he suspects it to be equally energetic and ambitious in its presentation; and the inspirational basis for the book's high-concept, stunning design. A detailed index gives added value to this concisely written, well-organized guide to the best horrific frights in cinema and print.

This book is not written by Clive Barker, but is based on the tv-series that took its que after the successful author. As far as i can see most of the text is written by Stephen Jones. But this should not scare away the Barker fans, because the book is packed with illustrations and qoutes from our favourite author. On top of that the book contains a lot of interesting essays about a lot of horrorrelated subjects(A-Z).
Great buy and beautiful book!

I picked up and flipped through Barker's A-Z of Horror on at least through occassions before purchasing it. My first thought was - this is a picture book on horror - I have alot of these, do I need another? My second was - I know horror, A-Z books are for beginners. Then one day I sat and read the first few chapters and I was hooked. The book is at once and abbreviated Danse Macabre, a morphology of fear and a history of Horror. And there are some surprises which are a consequence of Barker's unique perspective from Europe (i.e. the chapter on Dennis Wheatley). My only real criticism was the absence of a chapter on Stephen King - we have alot of supporting quotes from King scattered through the book, but no effort by Barker to situate King within the heritage of horror. This is a real weakness and can only have been a conscious decision (which is why the book only gets 4 stars). Overall the book is superb, with outstanding visual supports. The harcover book is a real nice addition to anyone's library and I would highly recommend it. Later.

What an excellent book, I'm so glad I bought this. It covers the likes of horrors such as PSYCHO, DERANGED, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, EXORCIST, HALLOWEEN, NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET...ETC. Very interesting and informal, I recommend this book.

It's a drop-dead gorgeous book, a primal primer of Clive Barker's inspirations, imaginings and id. A ghastly glimspe of genius skating that thin line of insanity. A must reference for fans of Night Breed and Hell Raiser, you will be enthralled by the alphabetical approach to horror. Poster art, sketches and photos flesh out the interesting tidbits of terror.

Wait! Was that the wind or a hellhound outside my door? Shivers of pleasure await dear reader...

HEY DEMOS, I LIKE THIS BOOK, RIGHT DEMOS GELFAND? OK DEMOS, I'LL SEE YOU LATER