Horror Aficionados discussion

Starting September 1st

I'm in. This has been on my to-be-read list for several years now!

Welcome Missy! Glad to have you:)

Wow, Addy, are you going to read this and Imajica in parallel? If so, I am in awe of your ability to manage 2 such works at the same time. :-)

I know! I'm a bit crazy, but I'm gonna try....lol. I think September is full on with these barker books! But they're soo good!

You see, I read chapter 1 and decided there was no way I could let it sit on my bookshelf for a month or so.

I'd love to join in too. :)

Of course! Happy to have you:) Hopefully, well get a good group going.

Ok. Started to read this and I must say that this is pretty bizarre. I think Im gonna have to stretch my mind on this one...lol.

I've started as well(Pg. 111) and it just keeps getting weirder. I haven't tried to figure out just what is going on yet (view spoiler)[with the Nuncio and the Kissoon, or what the ART is?? (hide spoiler)] :) Not sure if what I said really spoils anything, but just in case...

I've always thought it would be really cool to work in the Dead Letter Office. For whatever reason it fascinates me.

Just started this one. A bit bizarre as Addy says. For I Have Sinned

Cool, glad we've started! This is a monster of a book. If I didn't have to work tonight, I don't think Id be able to put it down. I like weird:)

Yes, weird is good! :)

I read this book a few months ago. It is the first book I read by Clive Barker and I am now a definite fan of his works. Weird, bizarre, scary, keep-you-up at night horror, just a few descriptive words for this book.

Awesome Deborah! So glad u liked it! Sounds right up my alley:)

Thanks for getting the thread up Addy. I'll be starting in a few days.

I was wondering about you:) Np. I set it up a little early in case others wanted to join. We've got a nice group going!

Seeing these Buddy Reads for Clive Barker books is making me wonder whether I should re-read some of his novels. I read a lot of his books many years ago, & don't remember them all that well now (I still have them all on my bookshelf though).

I still see him as my favourite author, as he completely warped my imagination from the age of 10 years old, when I first watched Hellraiser & had to sleep with the light on for the first time since being a baby, lol, & then I later got into his books :-)

Sorry if I'm not meant to post this here. Been on Goodreads for a few years, but only just joined any groups a few days ago, so still getting to grips with them. Sorry if this is a little off-topic. Jules x

Thanks for chiming in Jules! We get off topic all the time. No worries:) Hope you decide to join us if u can!

I grabbed the book today at a used book store. I'm gonna start tonight hope I can keep up with you guys lol

With everything else I'm reading, I'll prob be a little slow. Im only 50 pages in.

Good I don't feel so bad

Hmm, the league of virgins....this could be interesting.

(view spoiler)[ I really thought the part when the girls almost drowned was pretty neat...makes me weary of beaches now (hide spoiler)]

Addy (view spoiler)[such a primal fear eh? Swimming in a deep lake you can't see the bottom of...I thought they were going to die for sure. I'm still trying to figure out just how things are going to intertwine. I'm waiting for the reappearance of Raul the monkey boy. He freaked me out! (hide spoiler)]

Kirstin(view spoiler)[Aww. I like monkey boy:)Wasn't it kind of weird how the girls felt them inside....creepy! (hide spoiler)]

Finally got started last night.
Part one (view spoiler)[ I really enjoyed the groundwork being laid here. I've always been a sucker for those secret society/underground/conspiracy theory stories. Some pretty obvious religious themes, good vs evil, dark vs light He staggered away from it, raising his hand in front of his face. There were several cuts there, but one particularly large, in the middle of the palm, for all the world as though someone had driven a nail through it. (hide spoiler)]

part two (view spoiler)[ Plenty of questions about the lake scene. So are the girls trying to get pregnant just to provide cannon fodder for Jaffe and Fletcher or is there something more? Did they both give the girls the "itch to recreate" or was it just one? (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Carolyn doing it with a man in his fifties! What is wrong with these ppl. Again, this is only getting more interesting. (hide spoiler)]pg89

Addy wrote: "[spoilers removed]pg89"

Ha!
(view spoiler)[Didn't seem to matter who, just as long as you got it done! (hide spoiler)]

Lol. So many questions yet to be answered! I love it! On to part 3!

Addy wrote: "Kirstin[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yes it was creepy! I'm trying to understand why they needed the men if they were 'raped'(?) in the pond. I guess they can't fully get the job done from where they are(Jaffe and Fletcher). Where ever that is! (hide spoiler)]

Ctgt wrote: "Finally got started last night.
Part one [spoilers removed]

part two [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Definitely a battle of good and evil! I think they both(Fletcher and Jaffe) got inside the girls. Fletcher only to oppose Jaffe, perhaps? Not sure why they would need offspring yet. Are they stuck in whatever plane of existence they're in?Maybe they need children to come back? (hide spoiler)] Can't wait to keep reading to find out!

Addy wrote: "[spoilers removed]pg89"

Haha! (view spoiler)[Better than a biker bar gang bang, I guess! (hide spoiler)]

I totally agree Kirstin! Arleen's was the worst! I hadn't read that far when I posted...lol.

Part 3
(view spoiler)[ This part started a slowly for me but really ramped up at the end. I really liked how both Jaffe and Fletcher were pissed off when Howie and Jo-Beth ended up attracted to each other.

Setting up Tommy-Ray to be the big bad.

Not sure where we are headed with the Grillo character. (hide spoiler)]

Busy morning today. Finally gonna read some of this while I still have time.

Hey ctgt, which part 3? You mean Free Spirits?

Part 3-Free Spirits (view spoiler)[Tommy-Ray is a strange one. Was his and Jo-beth's relationship insestuous? She mentions how close they are, how she loves him more than anyone, and she doesn't mention Howard to him. Then Tommy turns out to be such a jerk! Like a jealous boyfriend more than a brother . Do you think he was just reacting(unknowingly)to the fact that it was Fletcher's son she was seeing? (hide spoiler)]

I also liked the part when(view spoiler)[Buddy watched the visions of the girls swimming in the pond. The part when Jaffe takes the 'terata' from Buddy as he dies was cool too. Poor Fletcher realizing that there is more fear and evil in the world than fantasies and goodness. (hide spoiler)]

Addy wrote: "Hey ctgt, which part 3? You mean Free Spirits?"

Yep, sorry Addy should have spelled it out.

Kirstin wrote: "Part 3-Free Spirits [spoilers removed]

I also liked the part when[spoilers removed]"

Re: your first spoiler
(view spoiler)[ It's funny you brought that up because I almost added that to my earlier post. I have a hunch it's not actually incestuous but Barker does tap dance around it enough to leave some doubt. Especially considering Tommy-Rays reaction to Howie. (hide spoiler)]

I need to catch up!

(view spoiler)[ Somehow I don't think Fletcher and Jaffe pictured their children being of the opposite sex! Idiots!...lol. Now instead of fighting a war, they're falling in love! This is perfect:) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[So I also had a feeling that Tommy and Jobeth were being incestuous, especially when Tommy said she was cheating on him. Weird. Hopefully it will be clarified. (hide spoiler)] The end of part 3 was getting trippy. Onto part 4.

Some things are being explained now. :) Part 4 Primal Scenes (view spoiler)["I would have killed you stone dead." How chilling was that to hear?
Tommy-Ray's meat doll? So strange! I have a feeling he and The Jaffe will get along just fine. That is until Jaffe has no more need of him.
I loved Buddy's collection of carnival art! (hide spoiler)]

Prob wont get back to this til Monday. I'm visiting my parents and forgot my book:(

Kirstin wrote: "Some things are being explained now. :) Part 4 Primal Scenes ""

Re: the first part of your spoiler, chilling is right. Just so matter of fact.

I really liked chapter 9 in Part 4. The end of it resonated with me. Talking about how people have lost their imagination and dreams. Comforted only by their talk shows and soap operas.
(view spoiler)[Terata-Are they the same thing Fletcher is looking for? Just the good version? I'm looking forward to the description of those, and if they are as beautiful as Jaffe's terata are ugly. (hide spoiler)]

Kirstin wrote: "I really liked chapter 9 in Part 4. The end of it resonated with me. Talking about how people have lost their imagination and dreams. Comforted only by their talk shows and soap operas.
[spoilers r..."

Good question Kirstin. (view spoiler)[Sounds right. Initially I couldn't figure out why Fletcher was having such a hard time finding his own version. I guess the feeling of dread/complacency had already overtaken the town and there weren't many good dreams left? (hide spoiler)]

Part Five Slaves and Lovers
Chapter VII
(view spoiler)[ I really enjoyed this sequence with Tesla and Raul after she was shot and the part with Kissoon and Tesla(is her name a coincidence) in the loop. I'm really suspicious of Kissoon at this point. I loved this part about the Shoal
But you can read between the lines of other histories, and you'll find the Shoal everywhere. It's the secret behind all other secrets. Entire religions were seeded and nurtured to distract attention from it, to direct spiritual seekers away from the Shoal, the Art and what the Art opened onto. (hide spoiler)]

I have a few more pages to go before Part 5. Chapter X Part 4
(view spoiler)[I like how Fletcher is mirroring the readers thoughts(this readers thoughts, anyway)"Fletcher did not entirely understand what Quiddity was(perhaps no human could)" That makes you and me both Fletch!

Tommy has made his 'unbrotherly' intentions toward Jo-Beth known.

I'm excited for Fletchers theatrical, spectacular last act! (hide spoiler)]