Read this back in the day. Rereading all of Barker's work at present. Really enjoying this fresh experience now I'm 50+. Have to say to an extent agree regarding Koontz although 'Phantoms' and 'The Taking' moved a little outside his usually conveyor belt novels. Again thanks for your reviews, always enjoy checking in with a reader who gets so much from Barker's work
I could listen to you read that for quite a bit longer, you speak like Barker, mesmerising, you should do some full audiobooks or sit and reads like this...?
Great retrospective, Damnation Game was my 1st Clive Barker read back in the 80’s & as you said, a great starting point. One question, did anyone else think the film “The Prophecy” with Christopher Walken, totally ripped off the “resurrecting the recently departed as henchmen” completely from Barker? Had anyone else done it in that messy, yet darkly comedic way before Barker? How many brilliant ideas that have been stolen and become “tropes” did Barker originate? Clive Barker may be the most influential, yet under appreciated writer, next to Philip K Dick, & Thomas Harris(who single handily reinvented the “suspense/crime procedural” that everyone uses a version of today.)
I really did enjoy this book even though I think it's a tad too long for the type of a story it has to tell. There were moments where the book simply dragged on for no reason in my opinion. But overall it was a fine read. The characters are memorable, the key events that happen form a strong picture in your minds eye, the writing style just simply flows like butter. Honestly I'd like to see this book turned into a movie or a one season TV Show. There is great potential for that. Based on the books I read so far, my "must read" books from Barker are Weaveworld, Imajica and The Thief of Always. And If you crave more Barker after those three then I'd say go with The Great and Secret Show (followed by Everville naturally) or The Damnation Game or The Hellbound Heart. Cabal simply felt like a demo to a larger story to me. Sacrament was an interesting book, but I don't think I can appreciate it yet, maybe at a later stage in my life. Coldheart Canyon is something I'll never recommend to anyone, that book was just bad in my opinion. Can't wait to see where I'll put The Scarlet Gospels, Galilee, Abarat and Mister B. Gone in my list one day when I go through them as well. And I DEFINITELY will cause I always come back for more Barker.
Really enjoying the series! I've never read this one, and I'm disappointed in myself now after hearing your thoughts. I'm going to have to give it a shot.
Warsaw subplot was probably just a way for the reader to get the story of how those two met before Whitehead explains everything in the later stages of the book. As for the poker subplot I assume you mean the casino? As we've been told, The Last European lives vicariously through other people. That's why he goes to the casino, but never plays. He just observes.
The Damnation Game was a chore to read, I dnf'd it halfway through, it wasn't an awful book, but just bland and kinda boring in places. I think Dean Koontz's best books are addictive reading, I dissagree with your opinion that Koontz is an Awful writer, to each their own!
Im near half this book and its sooo boring. Characters are flat, I cant connect with them. They all look very depressive and empty. Storyline is going very slow and pretty much nothing is happening. Writter sometimes jumps from story to story without any kind of sense, so you need to stop reading sometimes in order to understand what just happend. Also, writter is just too much describing things. Im like @Hey just stop and give me some story and dialogs so I can figure out by myself who the characters really are@.... I have feeling like they all are trapped in some sort of big house and yard and walking around and thinking too much about this and that. I dont know, perhaps when I finish this book I will give it a bigger mark, but for now its like 2/5 What do you think?
Read this back in the day. Rereading all of Barker's work at present. Really enjoying this fresh experience now I'm 50+. Have to say to an extent agree regarding Koontz although 'Phantoms' and 'The Taking' moved a little outside his usually conveyor belt novels.
Again thanks for your reviews, always enjoy checking in with a reader who gets so much from Barker's work
I could listen to you read that for quite a bit longer, you speak like Barker, mesmerising, you should do some full audiobooks or sit and reads like this...?
Excellent commentary on a subject near and dear to me.
You made a great point about how he peppered the mythos In this. Also other books, imajica comes to mind. Great observation
Great retrospective, Damnation Game was my 1st Clive Barker read back in the 80’s & as you said, a great starting point.
One question, did anyone else think the film “The Prophecy” with Christopher Walken, totally ripped off the “resurrecting the recently departed as henchmen” completely from Barker?
Had anyone else done it in that messy, yet darkly comedic way before Barker?
How many brilliant ideas that have been stolen and become “tropes” did Barker originate?
Clive Barker may be the most influential, yet under appreciated writer, next to Philip K Dick, & Thomas Harris(who single handily reinvented the “suspense/crime procedural” that everyone uses a version of today.)
I love your reviews
Very good review and I want that chair!
I really did enjoy this book even though I think it's a tad too long for the type of a story it has to tell. There were moments where the book simply dragged on for no reason in my opinion. But overall it was a fine read. The characters are memorable, the key events that happen form a strong picture in your minds eye, the writing style just simply flows like butter. Honestly I'd like to see this book turned into a movie or a one season TV Show. There is great potential for that.
Based on the books I read so far, my "must read" books from Barker are Weaveworld, Imajica and The Thief of Always. And If you crave more Barker after those three then I'd say go with The Great and Secret Show (followed by Everville naturally) or The Damnation Game or The Hellbound Heart.
Cabal simply felt like a demo to a larger story to me. Sacrament was an interesting book, but I don't think I can appreciate it yet, maybe at a later stage in my life. Coldheart Canyon is something I'll never recommend to anyone, that book was just bad in my opinion.
Can't wait to see where I'll put The Scarlet Gospels, Galilee, Abarat and Mister B. Gone in my list one day when I go through them as well. And I DEFINITELY will cause I always come back for more Barker.
Really enjoying the series! I've never read this one, and I'm disappointed in myself now after hearing your thoughts. I'm going to have to give it a shot.
What was the warsaw subplot about ? What was the poker subplot about?
Warsaw subplot was probably just a way for the reader to get the story of how those two met before Whitehead explains everything in the later stages of the book.
As for the poker subplot I assume you mean the casino? As we've been told, The Last European lives vicariously through other people. That's why he goes to the casino, but never plays. He just observes.
The Damnation Game was a chore to read, I dnf'd it halfway through, it wasn't an awful book, but just bland and kinda boring in places. I think Dean Koontz's best books are addictive reading, I dissagree with your opinion that Koontz is an Awful writer, to each their own!
A great book but only because of Anthony Breer.
God he sucked lol
Im near half this book and its sooo boring. Characters are flat, I cant connect with them. They all look very depressive and empty. Storyline is going very slow and pretty much nothing is happening. Writter sometimes jumps from story to story without any kind of sense, so you need to stop reading sometimes in order to understand what just happend. Also, writter is just too much describing things. Im like @Hey just stop and give me some story and dialogs so I can figure out by myself who the characters really are@.... I have feeling like they all are trapped in some sort of big house and yard and walking around and thinking too much about this and that. I dont know, perhaps when I finish this book I will give it a bigger mark, but for now its like 2/5
What do you think?