The Scarlet Gospels Audiobook By Clive Barker cover art

The Scarlet Gospels

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The Scarlet Gospels

By: Clive Barker
Narrated by: John Lee
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The Scarlet Gospels takes listeners back many years to the early days of two of Barker's most iconic characters in a battle of good and evil as old as time: The long-beleaguered detective Harry D'Amour, investigator of all supernatural, magical, and malevolent crimes, faces off against his formidable and intensely evil rival, Pinhead, the priest of hell. Barker devotees have been waiting for The Scarlet Gospels with baited breath for years, and it's everything they've begged for and more.

Bloody, terrifying, and brilliantly complex, fans and newcomers alike will not be disappointed by the epic, visionary tale that is The Scarlet Gospels. Barker's horror will make your worst nightmares seem like bedtime stories. The Gospels are coming. Are you ready?

©2015 Clive Barker (P)2015 Macmillan Audio Anthologies & Short Stories Fiction Horror Short Stories Scary

Featured Article: The Hellbound Heart and Hellraiser—Book vs. Movie


One of the most recognizable characters from horror films, and a wildly popular Halloween costume to boot, is The Hell Priest, better known as Pinhead, from Hellraiser. It's one of the most arresting sights in the 1987 film adaptation of Clive Barker's 1986 novella, The Hellbound Heart. Based on this character's lasting popularity in pop culture, you might think that Pinhead featured prominently in the book—but that’s not the case.

Featured Article The Hellbound Heart and Hellraiser Book vs. Movie
Engaging Plot • Vivid Worldbuilding • Excellent Demon Voices • Rich Character Development • Graphic Horror Elements
Highly rated for:
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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

New to Clive Barker and horror? Yes I would recommend.

Fans of Clive Barker? No. It would be disappointing for you.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most: The prologue is strong. As well as the final battle Pinhead has.

Least Interesting: The journey INTO hell and the last scene of Pinhead.

Which scene was your favorite?

Prologue.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes, but it would never be a movie. Way to graphic.

Any additional comments?

Before I begin, I have to say I am a huge Clive Barker fan. Films, movies, and comics. Therefore I want to try to be unbiased. Here we go:

I just love Clive Barker's writing style. It is so eloquent. So wise. He uses words you don't hear much anymore. Some words would make you want to Google the definitions. Reading works like this only increases your own vocabulary. Being a fan, I am well aware with the mythos of the Hellraiser world. I've read the original novella, which I recommend by the way. Mr. Barker does not stick to rules he established in the Hellraiser films and his own novella. Which makes me thing: "what is this a sequel to? The film? The novella?" I still question that, sadly. I'll give two examples. They're not really spoilers. First is the puzzle box itself. In the novella, it's all black and shiny. The films have a wooden box with gold trim on all sides. Scarlet Gospels has the box from the films. Next, when the box is opened, a bell is chimed. This was in the films and the novella and occasionally in here. However, sometimes it's not.

*One Warning:
If you don't know his work, he can be very erotic and graphic. If you're not comfortable with sex, nudity, and profanity, you might have a problem with this book. But hopefully you know this already.

Overall this is a good book. I'd even say this book is better for newbies to Clive Barker than the fans. If you want a really good Clive Barker book, I recommend "M I finished it in 6 days and it was very much a page turner. I will re-read this in a couple months and see if the nostalgia and disappointment gave it only 3 stars.

Good listen. Okay story. Disappointing for fans.

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Clive Barker delivers a wonderful ending to the saga of the Hell Priest while taking another fan favorite, Harry D'Amour, into the depths of hell.

A must for fans of Mr. Barker popular characters.

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Throughout the years leading up to the release of The Scarlet Gospels Clive Barker teased that he was writing his next Imajica sized novel. Pinhead was going to be at the crucifixion, 9/11, the holocaust, etc etc and he was going to really examine the depths of pain the cenobite inflicted and everything behind it. Basically everything you would want from Clive! Years passed and finally a release date is announced and we come to find this mammoth novel is now only 250 pages. I was very disappointed to hear that but I would of course still support Clive. I listened to this book right after finishing the new Imajica audiobook and while TSG is good you can't help but wish for what was originally promised. The visuals Clive creates are amazing but they come and go too quickly, just like everything else. If you are a Clive fan, my words will make sense after you finish. I recommend this book to all Clive barker fans, and horror fans, but be warned, you will feel this visit to this world is too short.

Very good story, just not the "epic" I expected

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the narrator just isn't the best. felt like pin head commands a deeper voice and the new York accents were just awkward

great story

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it was a decent story but the narrator ruined it. he was fine with the southern characters but does he think everyone from New York speaks with a Yiddish accent

eh

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If horror is what you seek, then you can do a lot worse then "The Scarlet Gospels" by "Clive Barker". The story is engaging, exciting and keeps getting more and more engaging. A masterpeace in my opinion. The narration is excellent and gives every character a life of its own. Absolutely worth a listen.

Dark, Horrifying and entoxicating

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I really enjoyed this story. I've listened more than once. My only problem is one characters extremely over the top "New York accent". I know this accent very well, since I have it. I understand it's absurdity. however this is a caricature. If you can get past this one characters voice, you'll enjoy yourself. I certainly did!

Great Story!

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Two big thumbs up on the book but the narrator was hard to listen to.

loved the book.

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Everyone sounded Yiddish, it was very distracting, Pinhead sounded like a mixture between Hannibal Lector with a Yiddish accent. I agree with many reviews, I don't think Barker finished the book, I feel like he wrote the first 2 chapters and the handed it off to his assistant.
the ending sucked badly, I do and don't recommend this book, if it is on sale I'd buy it, I would not pay full price for it. the narrator when he was talking in his normal voice was really good, but he didn't give anyone a distinct voice, everyone sounded Yiddish, it drove me nuts!!!
I struggled through the audio version, I think if I read the book, it would have been better.

everyone was Yiddish.

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The story is wonderful. It brings so much of Clive Barker’s mythology together in one place in such an awesome way. I read the physical book when it was first released and loved it so I decided to relive the journey on an audio platform, but I have a problem with how the story is brought to life. When John Lee is simply doing narration, he is sublime. When he does character voices it becomes torturous. It sounds like he learned to do New York accents by listening only to Orthodox Jews and I found the effect to be distracting. Also, being a fan of the Hellraiser series, I in particular did not enjoy the narration of Pinhead. I wish it could be re-recorded with John Lee narrating with a full cast and Doug Bradley reprising his role as the famous hell priest. If a great story is all you need to get you through the day, spend a credit. If you care about dialogue, stick with the paperback.

If only the characters were better voiced.

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