Absolute Horror Book Forum

Mister B Gone by Clive Barker.

Two words for this book - "Oh Dear!"

Right from the outset I've been an avid and faithful fan of Clive Barker's. Right from the beginning with The Damnation Game and The Books Of Blood. I even enjoyed his Dark Fantasy and Fantasy Novels - a genre which mostly leaves me cold.

So when I saw this in a book store and I hadn't even heard about a new story from Barker being released it quickly went onto my wish-list and became a Christmas present.

Basically it's the tale of a minor Daemon from the lower parts of Dante's Inferno and his story of his trip into the real world and how he became entrapped in the book you're reading. That for me is the main part where it failed. Every few pages Mister B Gone would implore you to put the book down or to burn the book, etc. Because of the dire secrets it held - sorry to say, for me the secrets weren't that dire. Though I do wish I did put the book down.

Barker's writing style in the novel also feels very lax and at times the story feels like it's missing punch and power; which is so unlike Barker (maybe the Cigar's have finally gone to his head). There is something very lacking in this story and that is also where it fails.

I did however like the idea of the printing press and this really brought it into the real world and fixed it there, if a little too late.

Because of the style and the lack of push it took me over two months reading - the book is only 248 pages long (ouch). His other books I've usually finished in two to five days.

If you're a fan add it to your collection, if not then the choice is yours.

2/10

Come join me - We ALL Float Down Here.

PENNYWISE Stephen

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