Abarat Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Abarat: The First Book of Hours |
2002 |
Buy |
| Days of Magic, Nights of War |
2004 |
Buy |
| Absolute Midnight |
2011 |
Buy |
Book of the Art Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Great and Secret Show |
1989 |
Buy |
| Everville |
1994 |
Buy |
Books of Blood Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Books Of Blood Volume 3 |
1984 |
Buy |
| Books of Blood Volume 2 |
1984 |
Buy |
| Books of Blood, Vol. 1 |
1984 |
Buy |
| Book Of Blood Volume 4 / The Inhuman Condition |
1985 |
Buy |
| Book of Blood Volume 5 / In the Flesh |
1985 |
Buy |
| Books of Blood Volume 6 |
1985 |
Buy |
Clive Barker’s Book of the Damned Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Book of the Damned |
1991 |
Buy |
| Book of the Damned II |
1992 |
Buy |
| Book of the Damned III |
1992 |
Buy |
| Book of the Damned IV |
1993 |
Buy |
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser (2011) Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Vol. 1 |
2011 |
Buy |
| Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Vol. 2 |
2012 |
Buy |
| Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Vol. 4 |
2012 |
N/A |
| Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Vol. 3 |
2012 |
Buy |
| Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Vol. 5 |
2013 |
Buy |
Clive Barker’s Next Testament Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Clive Barker’s Next Testament Vol. 1 |
2013 |
Buy |
| Clive Barker’s Next Testament Vol. 2 |
2015 |
Buy |
| Clive Barker’s Next Testament Vol. 3 |
2015 |
N/A |
Fantasy Tales Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Fantasy Tales 1 |
1989 |
Buy |
| Fantasy Tales 2 |
1990 |
Buy |
| Fantasy Tales 3 |
1990 |
N/A |
| Fantasy Tales 4 |
1990 |
Buy |
| Fantasy Tales 5 |
1990 |
N/A |
| Fantasy Tales 6 |
1991 |
Buy |
| Fantasy Tales 7 |
1991 |
N/A |
Galilee#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Galilee |
1998 |
Buy |
Imajica Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Imajica |
1991 |
Buy |
| The Fifth Dominion |
1995 |
Buy |
| The Reconciliation |
1995 |
Buy |
Mondo Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Mondo Barbie |
1993 |
Buy |
| Mondo Elvis |
1994 |
Buy |
| Mondo Marilyn |
1995 |
Buy |
| Mondo James Dean |
1996 |
Buy |
Roger Corman Graphic Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Edgar Allan Poe Turns 200: Halloween Comic Book |
2018 |
Buy |
Clive Barker is a British author, filmmaker, and visual artist who emerged in the 1980s as a major voice in horror fiction. Born in Liverpool in 1952, he began his career writing plays before publishing the Books of Blood short story collections in 1984. Stephen King famously declared that Barker was “the future of horror.”
Barker’s fiction combines graphic horror with philosophical depth and sexual frankness. His novels Imajica and The Great and Secret Show created elaborate fantasy mythologies, while The Hellbound Heart introduced the Cenobites and inspired the Hellraiser film franchise. He also writes young adult fiction, including the illustrated Abarat series and The Thief of Always.
Beyond writing, Barker has directed films including Hellraiser and Nightbreed, and his paintings have been exhibited internationally. Health issues in recent years have slowed his output, but he remains an influential figure in horror and dark fantasy. His work is known for challenging genre boundaries and combining beauty with transgression.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Clive Barker best known for?
Barker is best known for his Books of Blood short story collections (1984-1985), the novel The Hellbound Heart (1986) which he adapted into the film Hellraiser, and his dark fantasy novels Imajica and The Great and Secret Show. He created the iconic Cenobite character Pinhead.
Did Clive Barker write the Hellraiser movies?
Barker wrote and directed the first Hellraiser film (1987), adapted from his novella The Hellbound Heart. He wrote the story for Hellraiser II but was less involved with subsequent sequels. He returned to write comics continuing the mythology and consulted on the 2022 reboot.
Is Clive Barker also a visual artist?
Yes, Barker is a prolific painter and illustrator. He created over 400 oil paintings for his Abarat series and has exhibited his artwork in galleries worldwide. His visual art often depicts the same dark fantasy imagery found in his fiction.