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Clive Barker's Next Testament #2
Clive Barker's Next Testament Vol. 2
What if God came back and told us we'd gotten it all wrong?
God has returned to the world in a manner that only horror master Clive Barker could imagine. His name is Wick and he is the God of Colors, the god of the Old Testament, and he is displeased with humanity. Wick’s flock continues to grow, but this brings him no pleasure – what he asks of Julian next may bring his closest disciple to the breaking point. Meanwhile, Tristan & Elspeth meet a pastor who knows plenty about both of them...and Julian. Meanwhile, Julian is forced to make a very public display of loyalty to Wick, as their flock meets resistance from an unexpected source, and Wick’s jealousy leads to a show of force unlike any of his previous acts...
God has returned to the world in a manner that only horror master Clive Barker could imagine. His name is Wick and he is the God of Colors, the god of the Old Testament, and he is displeased with humanity. Wick’s flock continues to grow, but this brings him no pleasure – what he asks of Julian next may bring his closest disciple to the breaking point. Meanwhile, Tristan & Elspeth meet a pastor who knows plenty about both of them...and Julian. Meanwhile, Julian is forced to make a very public display of loyalty to Wick, as their flock meets resistance from an unexpected source, and Wick’s jealousy leads to a show of force unlike any of his previous acts...
128 pages, Paperback
First published February 11, 2015
20 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Clive Barker
705 books15.2k followersClive Barker was born in Liverpool, England, the son of Joan Rubie (née Revill), a painter and school welfare officer, and Leonard Barker, a personnel director for an industrial relations firm. Educated at Dovedale Primary School and Quarry Bank High School, he studied English and Philosophy at Liverpool University and his picture now hangs in the entrance hallway to the Philosophy Department. It was in Liverpool in 1975 that he met his first partner, John Gregson, with whom he lived until 1986. Barker's second long-term relationship, with photographer David Armstrong, ended in 2009.
In 2003, Clive Barker received The Davidson/Valentini Award at the 15th GLAAD Media Awards. This award is presented "to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individual who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for any of those communities". While Barker is critical of organized religion, he has stated that he is a believer in both God and the afterlife, and that the Bible influences his work.
Fans have noticed of late that Barker's voice has become gravelly and coarse. He says in a December 2008 online interview that this is due to polyps in his throat which were so severe that a doctor told him he was taking in ten percent of the air he was supposed to have been getting. He has had two surgeries to remove them and believes his resultant voice is an improvement over how it was prior to the surgeries. He said he did not have cancer and has given up cigars. On August 27, 2010, Barker underwent surgery yet again to remove new polyp growths from his throat. In early February 2012 Barker fell into a coma after a dentist visit led to blood poisoning. Barker remained in a coma for eleven days but eventually came out of it. Fans were notified on his Twitter page about some of the experience and that Barker was recovering after the ordeal, but left with many strange visions.
Barker is one of the leading authors of contemporary horror/fantasy, writing in the horror genre early in his career, mostly in the form of short stories (collected in Books of Blood 1 – 6), and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game (1985). Later he moved towards modern-day fantasy and urban fantasy with horror elements in Weaveworld (1987), The Great and Secret Show (1989), the world-spanning Imajica (1991) and Sacrament (1996), bringing in the deeper, richer concepts of reality, the nature of the mind and dreams, and the power of words and memories.
Barker has a keen interest in movie production, although his films have received mixed receptions. He wrote the screenplays for Underworld (aka Transmutations – 1985) and Rawhead Rex (1986), both directed by George Pavlou. Displeased by how his material was handled, he moved to directing with Hellraiser (1987), based on his novella The Hellbound Heart. His early movies, the shorts The Forbidden and Salome, are experimental art movies with surrealist elements, which have been re-released together to moderate critical acclaim. After his film Nightbreed (Cabal), which was widely considered to be a flop, Barker returned to write and direct Lord of Illusions. Barker was an executive producer of the film Gods and Monsters, which received major critical acclaim.
Barker is a prolific visual artist working in a variety of media, often illustrating his own books. His paintings have been seen first on the covers of his official fan club magazine, Dread, published by Fantaco in the early Nineties, as well on the covers of the collections of his plays, Incarnations (1995) and Forms of Heaven (1996), as well as on the second printing of the original UK publications of his Books of Blood series.
A longtime comics fan, Barker achieved his dream of publishing his own superhero books when Marvel Comics launched the Razorline imprint in 1993. Based on detailed premises, titles and lead characters he created specifically for this, the four interrelated titles — set outside the Marvel universe — were Ectokid,
In 2003, Clive Barker received The Davidson/Valentini Award at the 15th GLAAD Media Awards. This award is presented "to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individual who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for any of those communities". While Barker is critical of organized religion, he has stated that he is a believer in both God and the afterlife, and that the Bible influences his work.
Fans have noticed of late that Barker's voice has become gravelly and coarse. He says in a December 2008 online interview that this is due to polyps in his throat which were so severe that a doctor told him he was taking in ten percent of the air he was supposed to have been getting. He has had two surgeries to remove them and believes his resultant voice is an improvement over how it was prior to the surgeries. He said he did not have cancer and has given up cigars. On August 27, 2010, Barker underwent surgery yet again to remove new polyp growths from his throat. In early February 2012 Barker fell into a coma after a dentist visit led to blood poisoning. Barker remained in a coma for eleven days but eventually came out of it. Fans were notified on his Twitter page about some of the experience and that Barker was recovering after the ordeal, but left with many strange visions.
Barker is one of the leading authors of contemporary horror/fantasy, writing in the horror genre early in his career, mostly in the form of short stories (collected in Books of Blood 1 – 6), and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game (1985). Later he moved towards modern-day fantasy and urban fantasy with horror elements in Weaveworld (1987), The Great and Secret Show (1989), the world-spanning Imajica (1991) and Sacrament (1996), bringing in the deeper, richer concepts of reality, the nature of the mind and dreams, and the power of words and memories.
Barker has a keen interest in movie production, although his films have received mixed receptions. He wrote the screenplays for Underworld (aka Transmutations – 1985) and Rawhead Rex (1986), both directed by George Pavlou. Displeased by how his material was handled, he moved to directing with Hellraiser (1987), based on his novella The Hellbound Heart. His early movies, the shorts The Forbidden and Salome, are experimental art movies with surrealist elements, which have been re-released together to moderate critical acclaim. After his film Nightbreed (Cabal), which was widely considered to be a flop, Barker returned to write and direct Lord of Illusions. Barker was an executive producer of the film Gods and Monsters, which received major critical acclaim.
Barker is a prolific visual artist working in a variety of media, often illustrating his own books. His paintings have been seen first on the covers of his official fan club magazine, Dread, published by Fantaco in the early Nineties, as well on the covers of the collections of his plays, Incarnations (1995) and Forms of Heaven (1996), as well as on the second printing of the original UK publications of his Books of Blood series.
A longtime comics fan, Barker achieved his dream of publishing his own superhero books when Marvel Comics launched the Razorline imprint in 1993. Based on detailed premises, titles and lead characters he created specifically for this, the four interrelated titles — set outside the Marvel universe — were Ectokid,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 7, 2017
More of the same shit, really. Wick continues to deliver tiresome, self-important monologues and gleefully murder huge numbers of people without much rhyme or reason - knowing that chaos and nihilism is the whole point for him doesn't make the writing here any less ham-fisted or lazy.
Cardboard cutout Tristan and his even more underdeveloped fiance Elspeth continue to get into a number of over the top encounters with religious nuts and sexual deviants. The whole thing just trudges along without much progression or passion or rhythm. I don't even hate it; I'm just indifferent at this point.
Cardboard cutout Tristan and his even more underdeveloped fiance Elspeth continue to get into a number of over the top encounters with religious nuts and sexual deviants. The whole thing just trudges along without much progression or passion or rhythm. I don't even hate it; I'm just indifferent at this point.
August 9, 2019
The tale of vengeance and inflicting atrocities on humans continues. And a displeased Wick is much worse than regular Wick. The violence is graphic and truly horrifying. But then if you read Stephen King or Clive Barker or other horror masters, you surely would expect the body count to add up, wouldn't you?
August 10, 2020
La storia si srotola sotto gli occhi del lettore nel modo più naturale possibile.
Divinità e umanità si scontrano e fondano creando un contrasto tutto da leggere e da scoprire.
Divinità e umanità si scontrano e fondano creando un contrasto tutto da leggere e da scoprire.
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January 22, 2021I don’t know what to make of this yet. 🤷🏻♀️
August 7, 2020
Even more constrained in imagination and scope than vol1, and still drawn slightly awkwardly with bad coloring outside of its very good cover art. As much as this seems to relish its own blasphemous edginess, its actual provocations are relatively lame and unthoughtful in a way that defangs any criticisms it could offer.
May 6, 2016
Dark and imaginative. Wish I had the next volume
May 7, 2018
The Next Testament was something I picked up at a used book store. It was the second volume and that hampered the story a bit- but this was good. So good that I'll hunt down the rest.
So here is what I know- a god-like being has come to Earth and nothing will be the same. Apocalyptic events are happening and all the religious kooks are coming out. In this story we see it through the eyes of the God-being and the eyes of two younger kids trying to survive. They run into a lot of different weirdos. The God-being is very interesting. He does what he likes when he likes, but I guess thats the point of being a God right?
The art work is solid throughout, but it is the interesting nature of the story that makes this an interesting tale. I will certainly hunt down the rest of this to see how it all comes together.
So here is what I know- a god-like being has come to Earth and nothing will be the same. Apocalyptic events are happening and all the religious kooks are coming out. In this story we see it through the eyes of the God-being and the eyes of two younger kids trying to survive. They run into a lot of different weirdos. The God-being is very interesting. He does what he likes when he likes, but I guess thats the point of being a God right?
The art work is solid throughout, but it is the interesting nature of the story that makes this an interesting tale. I will certainly hunt down the rest of this to see how it all comes together.
July 17, 2024
Very good
Disturbing, thought provoking, suspenseful, infuriating (in a way that a story about a powerful psychotic being should be) and...I like it a lot. I love Clive Barker and Mark Millar. The art of Haemi Jang is gorgeous even when it's depicting something awful. I really enjoy this series. I just wish Kindle would provide the entire series instead of getting me completely invested with eight chapters before cutting me off. That sucks so bad. But I guess we can't have everything.
Disturbing, thought provoking, suspenseful, infuriating (in a way that a story about a powerful psychotic being should be) and...I like it a lot. I love Clive Barker and Mark Millar. The art of Haemi Jang is gorgeous even when it's depicting something awful. I really enjoy this series. I just wish Kindle would provide the entire series instead of getting me completely invested with eight chapters before cutting me off. That sucks so bad. But I guess we can't have everything.
October 26, 2019
God is just making things up as he goes along, creating the sense that the author is just making things up as he goes along.
Light biblical references provide some loose call backs to judeo-christian mythology, but there’s nothing mindblowing here. The midwest has been boiled down to characters embodying the worst, and narrowest range, of archetypes.
Since there’s only one more volume, I’m going to just burn through it.
Light biblical references provide some loose call backs to judeo-christian mythology, but there’s nothing mindblowing here. The midwest has been boiled down to characters embodying the worst, and narrowest range, of archetypes.
Since there’s only one more volume, I’m going to just burn through it.
May 30, 2017
Wick moves to San Francisco to see if people would listen to him, there he revealed his plan for humanity. Meanwhile, Tristan and Elspeth must fight off crazed maniacs on their way to stop Wick.
This volume was not as fun as the previous one (in terms of gore and dark humour) but it's got some pretty gritty drawings and a nice storyline which is developing into something interesting.
This volume was not as fun as the previous one (in terms of gore and dark humour) but it's got some pretty gritty drawings and a nice storyline which is developing into something interesting.
July 27, 2021
While it can't live up to the brilliant volume one, there's still plenty to enjoy here. Wick's casual malevolence, the gory artwork and the pacing are all great but the story itself flounders a little, getting predictably (if logically) bogged down with the violent reactions of religious nuts. Good, but just not as good as its predecessor.
June 28, 2020
The world has gone to Hell and it's all God's fault.
The continuation of God's exploration of what has happened in the world since he, Wick, was caged. Meanwhile, Tristan and Elspeth travel what's left of the country, trying to find a way to stop him.
The continuation of God's exploration of what has happened in the world since he, Wick, was caged. Meanwhile, Tristan and Elspeth travel what's left of the country, trying to find a way to stop him.
February 18, 2018
Riveting.
August 18, 2019
This is less gory than the first book and therefore I can see the beauty of the plot here. I like how it evolves and wonder what would happen.
August 21, 2020
curious apocalyptic demiurge
clive barker does not disappoint with his tale . he keeps you wondering what the real intent of his demiurge really is
clive barker does not disappoint with his tale . he keeps you wondering what the real intent of his demiurge really is
December 19, 2020
This is a much better outing. Still the same heretical overtone, but now we get a sense of character development and story.
December 21, 2020
What the king says, goes.
July 2, 2022
Compared to volume one, volume two was overall very dull. Every issue felt like a recycled previous issue.
April 2, 2023
Not as strong as the first volume. The couple's story gets frustrating. Looking forward to see how this will end though.
April 20, 2023
3.7 rounded up. Not as good as Vol. 1.
March 19, 2024
How is it possible to remain a dull-witted adolescent one’s whole life?
September 16, 2020
Read it please
March 14, 2015
After reading the first volume, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second one. And now I eagerly await volume three.
Clive Barker is an author who you really cannot categorize. Sometimes horror, sometimes fantasy, sometimes religious, and sometimes completely out of left field. But regardless of what he writes, he is masterful at storytelling.
That being said, this storyline is hands down one of the best he has ever written.
I don't want to say anymore or it would spoil the book - just pick it up and judge for yourself.
Clive Barker is an author who you really cannot categorize. Sometimes horror, sometimes fantasy, sometimes religious, and sometimes completely out of left field. But regardless of what he writes, he is masterful at storytelling.
That being said, this storyline is hands down one of the best he has ever written.
I don't want to say anymore or it would spoil the book - just pick it up and judge for yourself.
September 16, 2014
Sorprendentemente bueno. Se lee rápido, es novedoso y la acción y lo que está en juego escala rápido. No hay miedos a la hora de mostrar maldad, desinterés y poder.
Creo que voy a poner otras cosas de Clive Barker en la lista de lectura, he leído poco de él, pero no me ha decepcionado.
No va a cambiar el mundo de los comics ni es una gran obra de arte, pero sí es una muy entretenida lectura que atrapa, cumple y deja muy satisfecho.
Creo que voy a poner otras cosas de Clive Barker en la lista de lectura, he leído poco de él, pero no me ha decepcionado.
No va a cambiar el mundo de los comics ni es una gran obra de arte, pero sí es una muy entretenida lectura que atrapa, cumple y deja muy satisfecho.
May 3, 2016
Wick the self proclaimed god continues his march arcross the United States converting many to his side and destroying the others in the darkest ways imaginable.Fans on Clive Barker will not be disappointed with the series.The imagery and clever dialogue blend beautifully and really set the tone for the overall story.
January 4, 2017
This series continues to be wonderful and horrifying. Wick is moving along to try and inspire awe and devotion from humans but is disappointed at every turn. Meanwhile Tristan and Elspeth are trying to escape the midwest with varying levels of problems. The apocalypse may be coming properly but it all depends on Wick's whim and there isn't a plan at all. Wick is also a good liar.
More please!
More please!
August 29, 2014
This part was much better than the first. The ending was great.
December 3, 2015
The storyline continues to progress into what will surely be an explosive finale!
Still an insane page-turner, but I wasn't as into this volume as I was with the first.
Still an insane page-turner, but I wasn't as into this volume as I was with the first.
March 17, 2016
Considerably better than Vol. 1. The conflict is emerging, as humanity plunges into darkness.
July 16, 2020
If you're interested in religious horror, this is for you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews