While to much attention was paid in the last Clive barker interview in Rue Morgue about Clive Barker's return to horror I am finding increasingly annoying that people ever thought he left. Sacrament has many elements of Clive Barker in his classic form and Coldheart Canyon is no different. There is fantasy but not in the way that books like Weaveworld or even his Art books (Great and secret show/Everville) Sure CC often has a biting tongue in cheek satire of the imagine consciousness of Barker's new home town of Hollywood. This is the man who wrote the books of blood it might be fairer to say it is a shredded and pierced tongue in cheek.

The Dark and fantastic Barker we all know and loved from the Books of blood is alive and well in all his twisted glory. Don't be fooled by the sarcastic Classic Hollywood pretty boy photo fool you...this is a savage horror novel. Barker has like many of the great modern horror authors taken the classic haunted house story and given it a twist that is 100% Barker original. The dark fantasy and twisted sexuality that is a part of barker country is raging.

Themes Barker is fascinated with are at the heart of this story. Keys, puzzles and in this case tiles painted with a living imagine of the devil's country, the room becomes the gate to this dark world. Painted Lilth the devil's wife to...well that is a spoiler for sure. I was hooked from the first intensely gothic moments of the prologue where a silent screen movie star becomes the owner of the tiles the room and the gateway which is also a fountain of youth. Like all Barker gateways it leads to a sexually perverse and pain filled world that he is so good in creating.

At its heart is Todd Picket the world's greatest action star who in the failing years of his career is being courted by the evil forces of Hollywood to trying regain his youth. After the plastic surgery trying to hide from the media Todd ends up at a Hollywood dream palace hidden in a haunted canyon owned by Silent movie star Kayta Lupie and well you get the basic idea.

The only negative to the book is in the 100 or 200 pages of story that is a big over done. Most importantly the last 100 pages which is more of an extended epilogue, I enjoyed the ending but the book could have benefited from a shorter version.

This book could never have happened had Clive Barker not made the three films or lived in Hollywood; he was having fun grinding his axe about the city he loves and hates at the same time. The book has laugh out loud parts, but most importantly it is a horror novel that reminded me why there is no one in the same league as Clive Barker he is a artist and imagination on his own realm.
While to much attention was paid in the last Clive barker interview in Rue Morgue about Clive Barker's return to horror I am finding increasingly annoying that people ever thought he left. Sacrament has many elements of Clive Barker in his classic form and Coldheart Canyon is no different. There is fantasy but not in the way that books like Weaveworld or even his Art books (Great and secret show/Everville) Sure CC often has a biting tongue in cheek satire of the imagine consciousness of Barker's new home town of Hollywood. This is the man who wrote the books of blood it might be fairer to say it is a shredded and pierced tongue in cheek. The Dark and fantastic Barker we all know and loved from the Books of blood is alive and well in all his twisted glory. Don't be fooled by the sarcastic Classic Hollywood pretty boy photo fool you... this is a savage horror novel. Barker has like many of the great modern horror authors taken the classic haunted house story and given it a twist that is 100% Barker original. The dark fantasy and twisted sexuality that is a part of barker country is raging. Themes Barker is fascinated with are at the heart of this story. Keys, puzzles and in this case tiles painted with a living imagine of the devil's country, the room becomes the gate to this dark world. Painted Lilth the devil's wife to... well that is a spoiler for sure. I was hooked from the first intensely gothic moments of the prologue where a silent screen movie star becomes the owner of the tiles the room and the gateway which is also a fountain of youth. Like all Barker gateways it leads to a sexually perverse and pain filled world that he is so good in creating. At its heart is Todd Picket the world's greatest action star who in the failing years of his career is being courted by the evil forces of Hollywood to trying regain his youth. After the plastic surgery trying to hide from the media Todd ends up at a Hollywood dream palace hidden in a haunted canyon owned by Silent movie star Kayta Lupie and well you get the basic idea. The only negative to the book is in the 100 or 200 pages of story that is a big over done. Most importantly the last 100 pages which is more of an extended epilogue, I enjoyed the ending but the book could have benefited from a shorter version. This book could never have happened had Clive Barker not made the three films or lived in Hollywood; he was having fun grinding his axe about the city he loves and hates at the same time. The book has laugh out loud parts, but most importantly it is a horror novel that reminded me why there is no one in the same league as Clive Barker he is a artist and imagination on his own realm.