Mister B. Gone [Kindle Edition]

Clive Barker (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This offbeat novel in the form of a minor demon's diary may satisfy devoted Barker fans eager for his return to adult fiction after several years writing the Abarat series, but others, especially first-time readers, are likely to find this fable about good and evil less than rewarding. Jakabok Botch, the child of two demons who has inherited his father's two tails, is rendered even more grotesque after he tumbles into a fire and most of his face is badly burned. A violent dispute with his abusive father, Pappy Gatmuss, leads to the pair being trapped by a net from our world. Jakabok manages to elude capture and eventually finds his way to the home of Johannes Gutenberg, whose wife turns out to be an angel in disguise. The book's format—simultaneously Botch's first-person narrative and his break-the-fourth-wall address to the reader pleading for him or her to burn the book—may puzzle readers unused to Barker's quirks. (Oct. 30)
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Review

Praise for Clive Barker: 'An invocation of both magic and the imagination! A majestic maze of mythmaking' Washington Times 'Passionate and ingenious! A ride with remarkable views' Times Literary Supplement 'A fabulous, engrossing war of the worlds' People Magazine 'Barker's fecundity of invention is beyond praise. In a world of hard-bitten horror and originality, Clive Barker dislocates your mind' Mail on Sunday 'A powerful and fascinating writer with a brilliant imagination! Clive Barker is an outstanding storyteller' J G Ballard

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 289 KB
• Publisher: HarperCollins e-books; Reprint edition (October 13, 2009)
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000W9661Q
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (136 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,576 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Clive Barker was born in Liverpool in 1952. He is the worldwide bestselling author of the Books of Blood, and numerous novels including Imajica, The Great and Secret Show, Sacrament and Galilee. In addition to his work as a novelist and short story writer he also illustrates, writes, directs and produces for the stage and screen. His films include Hellraiser, Hellbound, Nightbreed and Candyman. Clive lives in Beverly Hills, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I found this a very disappointing read..., November 5, 2007

By 

David W. Strauss (Abingdon, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mister B. Gone (Hardcover)

Having been an avid fan of Clive Barker's fiction for the past twenty or more years, starting with "Books of Blood", I have come to expect so much more from this author. I was very disappointed with Mr. B. Gone. I found myself tiring quickly of the pleading to stop reading, the begging for the fire, etc. And I agree with the reviewer who indicated that the book has been "dreadfully proofread". I agree.....so many typographical errors, extra words, missing words....and again, since the book is ABOUT words and their power, I found myself pulled out of the story several times a chapter.

I found it to be not scary, not suspenseful, and rather slapdash. It pains me to write this review, in a way, since I count myself an ardent fan of Mr. Barker's work, but this one....well.....I think I should have given it a miss. I must say though, for the record, that this is the first book of Mr. Barker's for which I have had a less-than-stellar review. Usually, I find his books to completely capture me. This one, I found rather boring.

To those of you who liked it, I wish I felt the same way. But, alas, I did not.

35 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mister B. Gone, and he took my money with him!, November 14, 2007

By 

Brian Baker (Santa Clarita, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mister B. Gone (Hardcover)

There was actually a pretty good book hidden in here trying to get out. Unfortunately, it failed.

First, the good things:

This was a really inventive premise. A demon escapes from Dante's Inferno, and finds himself in the real world. How does he react? How does the World react to him? He has escapades. Cool idea.

Barker's demon Jakobok, and indeed the other angels and demons in this book, in no way fit the common stereotype. Also cool.

Now the bad things:

The conceit of the book that it actually contains Jakobok's spirit, and he wants you, The Reader, to burn the book. While inventive at first, about what seems like the thousandth time you go through it this device becomes more than grating, it is irritating beyond words. I ended up skipping pages and pages at a time to get beyond it and back to the story. In what is already a short book, if this stuff were edited out, you'd have a magazine article remaining. Barker's editor deserves a swift kick in the [...].

In a book in which Gutenberg's printing press play such a pivotal role, it is beyond ironic that this book is so chock full of typographical and printing errors. Also REALLY annoying.

Because the actual story itself is so slight, most of the characterizations are, too. Almost cartoon characters.

So.... one and a half stars, which I'll round up to two because I've enjoyed Barker's past work so much. Pretty generous of me, frankly.

Don't forget to burn this review when you're done reading it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Do not Start Your Barker Experience with this Book, but Still an Enjoyable, Satirical Read., June 3, 2008

By 

Louise Bohmer "Author/ Editor" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mister B. Gone (Hardcover)

It is hard to be impartial when it comes to Barker, for I have been a fan of his work since I was in my mid to late teens. But, I will not recommend this to first time readers of Clive's work. You won't care for Barker if you take this as an introduction. This was obviously written for longtime Barkerophiles, and I have to be thankful for it. It is filled with satirical whimsy and tongue-in-cheek blasphemy Clive fans will enjoy and, trust me, you won't be able to stop yourself from chuckling out loud at some sections.

Jakabok is oddly endearing or, rather, becomes so over the course of the novel. Some stunning imagery and words, as always (particularly near the end), from Barker.

Again, not a book for newcomers to Barker, but if you have read "Imagica", "Books of Bloods", "Cabal," et al., this is a read I think you will enjoy, just enter with the caveat it is not a horror novel, it is a dark satire. A comical look at a lower demon's life, and his travels with a beloved fellow demon friend, after the lower demon is accidentally dragged from the lower levels of hell and into the human world.