Books of Blood

Books of Blood

Company type	Anthology series
Industry	Publishing, Literature
Founded	1984
Founder	Clive Barker
Products	Horror fiction anthologies

Books of Blood comprises a collection of six horror fiction anthologies featuring original tales by English author, playwright, and filmmaker Clive Barker, written between 1984 and 1985. Barker, initially recognized for his theatrical works, expanded his audience and established a devoted following through this series, which marked the beginning of his prominent career as a novelist. The anthologies were first released as six separate volumes before being republished in two omnibus editions, each containing three volumes. Every volume presents four to six stories. The omnibus encompassing Volumes 1–3 includes a foreword by fellow horror writer Ramsey Campbell, also from Liverpool. Renowned author Stephen King commended Books of Blood, with his endorsement featured on the initial US edition: "I have seen the future of horror and his name is Clive Barker."

Books of Blood Volume 6 is distinguished by introducing Barker’s occult detective character Harry D'Amour in the story "The Last Illusion." This figure reappears in subsequent Barker creations, the Hellraiser comic series published by Boom! Studios, and the 1995 film Lord of Illusions, which Barker adapted himself.

Overview

Barker described Books of Blood with the phrase: "Everybody is a book of blood; wherever we're opened, we're red." The opening story, "The Book of Blood," establishes the anthology’s premise by portraying a fraudulent psychic attacked by genuine spirits who inscribe narratives onto his skin, transforming him into a "Book of Blood" and inviting readers into the collection. UK editions of Volume 6 conclude with "On Jerusalem Street," where a man chases the psychic with intentions to skin him and claim his Book of Blood, creating a framing narrative for the anthologies.

The collection covers various genres including classic horror, dark fantasy, comedic horror, and noir-tinged horror—as exemplified in "The Last Illusion," which also introduces occult detective Harry D’Amour. Most stories involve ordinary individuals confronting violent, enigmatic, or supernatural incidents within modern-day settings. In Faces of Fear, Barker explained that Books of Blood drew inspiration from the anthology Dark Forces, prompting him to explore a broad range of themes and styles rather than limiting the collection to specific categories.

Volumes I-III were marketed collectively as "The Books of Blood," Volume IV as "The Inhuman Condition," Volume V as "In the Flesh," and Volume VI as "Cabal," which includes extra short stories depending on the edition. Barker himself created cover illustrations for some releases.

"The Book of Blood"

The opening tale in Volume 1 acts as a framing device for the entire Books of Blood series (alongside "On Jerusalem Street" from UK editions of Volume 6).

This story envisions the afterlife as intersecting "highways of the dead" that connect with the living realm. Psychic researcher Mary Florescu enlists Simon McNeal, a young medium, to probe a haunted residence. Unknown to Florescu, McNeal is a charlatan who fabricates his visions. However, this time actual spirits attack him, carving names and intricate words into his flesh—his body becoming a literal "Book of Blood." Florescu cares for him while transcribing these inscriptions.

Both this introductory story and the concluding "On Jerusalem Street" have been adapted twice: initially in John Harrison’s film Book of Blood and later in Brannon Braga’s 2020 adaptation titled Books of Blood.

"The Midnight Meat Train"

Leon Kaufman, a newcomer to New York City working in an office, becomes increasingly disenchanted by the city's filth and moral decay. Simultaneously, a subway train murderer named Mahogany, who calls himself the "Butcher," hunts for fresh victims. When Kaufman kills Mahogany in self-defense during a late-night ride, he uncovers a hidden station where ancient entities known as the "City Fathers"—the original founders and rulers of New York—engage in cannibalism. They introduce Kaufman to their leader, the "Father of Fathers," who then appoints him as their new Butcher.

Kaufman awakens in a spotless station and is led by the conductor to cleaning crews who treat him with reverence. As dawn breaks over the city, Kaufman emerges, pledging his allegiance to New York.

This narrative was adapted into the 2008 film The Midnight Meat Train, featuring Bradley Cooper and Vinnie Jones, which expands on the original story by introducing additional characters and plotlines.

"The Yattering and Jack"

Jack Polo, an importer of gherkins, finds himself tormented by a minor demon called the Yattering, dispatched by Beelzebub due to a broken ancestral agreement. Despite persistent attempts by the demon to unnerve him—including killing Jack’s cats and frightening his family—Jack remains upbeat and seemingly unaffected. Unknown to the Yattering, Jack intentionally ignores its provocations to frustrate it and maintain his mental stability. In the end, Jack cleverly exploits a loophole that results in the Yattering becoming his servant.

This tale stands out for its humor compared to others. Barker adapted it into a script for Tales from the Darkside (Season 4, episode 7; aired 8 November 1987).

"Pig Blood Blues"

Redman, a former police officer beginning work at a borstal institution, uncovers a sinister secret involving a boy named Lacey. Lacey insists that Henessey, another missing boy, haunts the premises as a ghost and may be possessing a massive sow kept on site. Fearing he will be sacrificed to this sow, Lacey’s warnings lead Redman to discover that both staff and inmates are preparing for a ritualistic offering. During a fire outbreak, Redman rescues Lacey but is soon captured and ultimately devoured alive by Lacey under the sow’s influence—a grim reversal of Redman’s earlier attitudes toward Lacey.

"Sex, Death and Starshine"

Terry Calloway directs Twelfth Night in a rundown theatre while engaging in an affair with Diane Duvall, his lead actress whose soap opera notoriety he hopes will draw crowds despite her lackluster acting skills. A masked figure named Mr. Lichfield objects to Diane’s casting as Viola and reveals himself as an animated corpse. After Mr. Lichfield kisses Diane, she falls into a coma, prompting his wife Constantia to assume the role. Diane later returns from her undead state and kills Terry following an intimate encounter.

The production opens before an audience composed of ghosts and reanimated corpses. Afterward, theatre trustee Tallulah sets fire to the building, causing the deaths of all living performers. The undead cast then joins Mr. Lichfield and Constantia on tour as an ensemble of resurrected actors.

"In the Hills, the Cities"

In a secluded region of Yugoslavia, two communities—Popolac and Podujevo—create colossal human-shaped figures by binding thousands of citizens together into towering giants nearly reaching skyscraper height. Every decade approximately 40,000 people form these giants; however, this time the Podujevo giant collapses catastrophically, killing tens of thousands. Traumatized by this event, Popolac’s inhabitants lose their sanity and transform themselves into a giant entity that roams the hills. Many within perish from exhaustion even as it continues its movement.

Mick and Judd, a gay couple on honeymoon, encounter the aftermath of Podujevo’s disaster. A local attempts to steal their vehicle in pursuit of Popolac’s giant to prevent further fatalities. After taking refuge at a farmstead, Popolac inadvertently kills Judd. Overcome with terror alongside elderly farmers, Mick ultimately climbs inside the giant and is carried away.

A phrase from this story—"stale incense, old sweat, and lies"—is referenced in the song "Sin" on Pretty Hate Machine by American industrial band Nine Inch Nails.

"Dread"

Steve, a university student, encounters Quaid, an older peer obsessed with the concept of dread. Quaid admits to abducting a vegetarian classmate, compelling her to confront her fear of meat by feeding her spoiled beef until she consumed it for survival. Steve becomes Quaid's next captive, confined in darkness to relive a traumatic childhood experience of deafness. The sensory deprivation drives Steve to madness, prompting him to flee to a homeless shelter where he is mistaken for a vagrant and provided with ill-fitting clothing.

In a state of rage and confusion, Steve seizes an axe and assaults Quaid. Quaid’s experiments were intended to explore fear as a means of curing his own coulrophobia, but Steve’s clown-like appearance ultimately leads to Quaid’s demise.

This narrative was transformed into the movie Dread, featuring Jackson Rathbone. While the film diverges from the original plot, it preserves the fundamental themes.

"Hell's Event"

Once every century during the London marathon, Satan dispatches a champion to compete against human runners. If this demonic contender wins, control over Earth is granted to Hell. Athlete Joel uncovers the true stakes of the race as other participants fall prey to an unseen monster. Gregory, a satanist politician, has staked the race's outcome with infernal forces. Before securing victory, Joel battles Hell’s runner, who bites off part of his face. Ultimately, the final human runner crosses the finish line first, causing Hell to suffer another defeat. Gregory meets a gruesome end due to his hubris.

"Jacqueline Ess: Her Will And Testament"

Jacqueline Ess, a housewife struggling with depression and boredom, discovers an ability to manipulate flesh following a suicide attempt. Troubled by her husband's lack of compassion and her therapist’s attempts to sedate her, she kills both men. She briefly experiences solace with Oliver Vassi but abandons him to seek out Titus Penifer in order to learn "how to wield power." Their tumultuous relationship ends when Jacqueline eliminates Titus’s blackmailer and escapes. Titus becomes obsessed with her, imprisons her, and pleads for death; Jacqueline refuses and instead transforms him into an animal, resulting in his death at the hands of a bodyguard. Later, Vassi locates Jacqueline in Amsterdam where she works as a prostitute whose clients survive only one night. Losing mastery over her abilities, she reunites with Vassi and they perish together.

This tale also appears in I Shudder at Your Touch and "Behold! Oddities, Curiosities & Undefinable Wonders."

"The Skins of the Fathers"

After his vehicle breaks down in Arizona, Davidson observes a procession of monstrous beings searching for Aaron—a child born six years earlier from their union with a local woman. The woman’s abusive husband understands that most of these creatures are benign but seeks vengeance for their impregnation of his wife. It is suggested that modern humans descended from such unions while male humans drove these creatures nearly extinct.

Davidson arrives in town where armed residents form a posse intent on exterminating the monsters. After killing one large creature and Aaron, the survivors become trapped in quicksand that solidifies around them under the desert sun. The creatures then disappear.

This concept of quicksand was later incorporated by Barker into the film Lord of Illusions.

"New Murders in the Rue Morgue"

Lewis, aged 73, journeys to Paris after his friend Phillipe is detained for the murder of a young woman. Phillipe insists that an orangutan was responsible before taking his own life. Although skeptical at first, Lewis later encounters the primate—clad in human attire and armed with a razor blade. He discovers that Phillipe, known for his eccentricity, had raised the orangutan as part of an experiment inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue". Despite Lewis's frustration over others dismissing his claims, he ultimately leaps into the Seine while the orangutan continues to live disguised as a human.

"Son of Celluloid"

An escaped prisoner dies while hiding behind a movie screen. Subsequently, a cancerous tumour within him gains consciousness, fueled by the emotions of the cinema audience, and comes to life. This entity hunts viewers by projecting vivid hallucinations featuring John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe, consuming those it ensnares until apparently destroyed by the theater usher. Later, the usher locates a girl previously possessed by the creature and eliminates it using acid.

"Rawhead Rex"

During an unusually warm summer in rural Kent, an ancient nine-foot beast named Rawhead is inadvertently awakened. The monster terrorizes a village, killing residents, corrupting the local verger, and delivering a fatal wound to Reverend Coot, the village vicar. Before passing away, Coot instructs Ron Milton—father of one of Rawhead’s victims—to find a talisman depicting a pregnant woman, the sole object capable of frightening Rawhead. Milton uses this talisman to delay the creature while villagers ultimately slay it.

"Rawhead Rex" shares narrative similarities with films such as Alien and The Thing from Another World, though it is set within a countryside backdrop. Barker authored the 1986 film adaptation Rawhead Rex but later distanced himself from it due to dissatisfaction with its creative direction.

"Confessions of a (Pornographer's) Shroud"

Ronnie, a devout Catholic, is wrongly accused by the Mafia of heading a pornography ring. After avenging himself by killing two mobsters, he is captured, tortured, and murdered by the Mafia. As a ghost animating his morgue shroud, Ronnie exacts vengeance on his killers. The mob boss responsible discovers his wife’s infidelity and kills them both; Ronnie’s spirit then brutally kills him by turning him inside out.

In his final moments, Ronnie seeks last rites from a priest who ignores him while photographing a nude girl. This story employs dark humor centered on the visual gag of a ghost manifesting as a floating bedsheet.

"Scape-Goats"

A yacht becomes stranded on an uninhabited island in the Atlantic Ocean, where intersecting underwater currents accumulate drowned sailors’ bodies. These corpses scattered on the ocean floor are disturbingly not entirely dead and pose a danger to those stranded.

"Human Remains"

A young bisexual prostitute is employed by an archaeologist. One evening, he uncovers a Roman-style statue depicting a man bathing. Over several weeks, he becomes haunted by a doppelgänger and undergoes a chilling transformation—growing cold, lifeless, and no longer needing food or sleep. Eventually, he encounters his double at his father’s grave; this figure appears more genuinely human than himself, leading him to relinquish his identity to it.

Volume Four

Released under the title The Inhuman Condition.

"The Inhuman Condition"

Karney and his companions attack a homeless man, during which Karney takes a knotted string from him. As an avid puzzle solver, Karney works to untie the knots, inadvertently unleashing demons that proceed to kill his friends. Each demon grows stronger with every knot undone. Recognizing the gravity of his error, Karney turns to the vagrant for assistance.

"The Body Politic"

In a bizarre insurrection, human hands gain independent consciousness and revolt against their owners. Charlie’s hands spearhead the rebellion: the Left hand is cautious, while the Right declares itself a Messiah and is resolute. Despite Charlie’s objections, Right severs Left, who escapes and organizes other hands before rescuing Right, igniting a brutal uprising of limbs. This narrative partly inspired the film Quicksilver Highway.

"Revelations"

Virginia is compelled to accompany her emotionally detached preacher husband, John Gyer, on a U.S. tour. At a motel haunted by spirits Buck and Sadie—connected to a murder from three decades prior—Virginia perceives their presence. Meanwhile, John uncovers that their driver Earl has been administering anxiety medication to Virginia and catches Earl with the motel owner’s daughter, Laura-May. Virginia acquires Sadie’s murder weapon and attempts to shoot Buck’s ghost; instead, John is fatally struck. Following Sadie’s advice to claim insanity, Virginia responds to interrogation with "the Devil made me do it," smiling eerily at the moon.

"Down, Satan!"

Gregorius, a prosperous businessman feeling forsaken by God, endeavors to construct a Hell on Earth in order to summon Satan, hoping this will prompt divine intervention. However, Gregorius loses sight of his original purpose and becomes consumed by cruelty, torturing hundreds within his Satanic Cathedral. The story leaves uncertain whether he truly called forth Satan or succumbed to madness.

"The Age of Desire"

At a private laboratory conducting experiments on volunteers to develop a chemical aphrodisiac, one participant becomes overwhelmed by uncontrollable lustfulness. This leads them to abandon morality and legal boundaries, committing violent acts before ultimately burning out and dying.

Volume Five

Published in the United States as In the Flesh.

"The Forbidden"

Helen, a university student researching graffiti, investigates unsettling tags associated with an urban legend known as the Candyman on a deteriorating housing estate. Her research links the graffiti to recent murders, though locals refuse to speak about it. Eventually, she encounters the Candyman himself.

This tale served as inspiration for the films Candyman (1992) and Candyman (2021).

"The Madonna"

Jerry seeks funding from a local entrepreneur to redevelop an abandoned swimming pool complex inhabited by mysterious nude teenage girls who flee when discovered. Exploring separately, they uncover a glowing central pool containing a strange life-form called the Madonna. The businessman flees in terror and drowns; Jerry remains, sleeps with one of the girls, and awakens transformed into a woman. Returning later to find the complex demolished, he dives into the pool to join the Madonna and the girls.

"Babel's Children"

Vanessa Jape uncovers a hidden enclave where aged scientists and intellectuals covertly influence global affairs. After prolonged seclusion, their governance has devolved into mere games of chance. When Vanessa and the men attempt to flee, a car crash results in the deaths of all the elders except one who chose to stay behind. Compelled to rejoin, Vanessa becomes involved in the survivor’s games until new participants arrive.

"In the Flesh"

Prisoner Cleve acquires a cellmate named Billy, who deliberately committed a crime to be incarcerated. Billy is convinced that his grandfather Tait, a formidable sorcerer interred there after execution, can be summoned through ritual. Billy’s ceremonies cause Cleve to endure disturbing visions of a purgatorial realm where murderers endlessly replay their offenses. After Billy vanishes, he is found dead next to his grandfather’s remains. The experience leaves Cleve able to perceive homicidal thoughts, driving him into despair and heroin addiction. Following his own act of murder, Cleve is killed by law enforcement and trapped in purgatory until he learns escape is possible via reincarnation.

Volume Six

Several narratives in this section are also included in Cabal.

"The Life of Death"

Following cancer therapy and a hysterectomy, Elaine fixates on a church demolition uncovering a tomb filled with plague victims. She encounters Kavanagh, a grim individual she believes personifies Death itself. As friends die and police close in, Elaine seeks shelter with Kavanagh, who is unveiled as a serial killer and necrophile. He murders Elaine, but she finds dark satisfaction knowing he now carries the plague to disseminate further.

"How Spoilers Bleed"

A group of European mercenaries under Locke’s command purchase jungle territory inhabited by Amazonian tribes. After one mercenary accidentally kills a native child, the tribe curses them with a condition that renders their bodies extremely fragile. As his men succumb one by one, Locke returns seeking atonement only to discover the tribe has been slaughtered by rival mercenaries. He then begins suffering from the curse’s debilitating effects, realizing that neither cure nor redemption is possible.

"Twilight at the Towers"

British intelligence agent Ballard stationed in Berlin encounters his KGB counterpart Mironenko, who soon disappears mysteriously. Investigating further, Ballard uncovers that both are werewolves, trained by their agencies to assassinate each other. During a raid, Mironenko undergoes full transformation; Ballard manages to escape and eliminate an opposing operative sent after him. Later, he finds Mironenko reading the Holy Bible to werewolves, suggesting Mironenko believes they are fated to dominate humanity.

"The Last Illusion"

Illusionist Swann dies backstage as a result of his own magic trick gone wrong. Before passing away, he instructs his wife Dorothea to cremate his remains promptly to prevent adversaries from exploiting them. Concerned for her safety, Dorothea hires private investigator Harry D'Amour, renowned for confronting supernatural threats. D'Amour uncovers Swann’s demonic pact that granted him genuine magical powers. With assistance from Swann's demonic servant Valentin, D'Amour safeguards and cremates the body, thereby marking himself as an enemy of Hell’s forces.

This tale introduces Harry D'Amour, who features in other works by Clive Barker and later faces Barker's Hell Priest (Pinhead). Barker adapted it into the 1995 film Lord of Illusions.

"On Jerusalem Street" (Postscript)

Featured in certain UK editions, this follow-up to "The Book of Blood" serves as a framing device for the anthology. Wyburd is assigned to retrieve Simon McNeal’s narratives but instead removes McNeal’s skin. The skin begins to bleed excessively, overwhelming Wyburd, who then narrates his experience while journeying along the roads of the dead.

Both this tale and the prologue from Volume One have been adapted twice: initially in John Harrison’s film Book of Blood and later in Brannon Braga’s 2020 adaptation Books of Blood.

Reception

The debut volume propelled Barker to instant fame, earning acclaim from Stephen King, who described it as "the future of horror." It secured prestigious honors including the British Fantasy Award and the World Fantasy Award.

Neil Gaiman reviewed Books of Blood in Imagine magazine, highlighting its boundary-breaking horror, vivid imagery such as hands striving for global control, and unexpected shocks lurking behind every corner.

Comics

Eclipse Books transformed eighteen stories from the Books of Blood into comic adaptations through the series Tapping the Vein along with other related publications.

Film and television

Novelette "Rawhead Rex":

• Rawhead Rex (1986), directed by George Pavlou

Novelette "The Forbidden":

• Candyman (1992), directed by Bernard Rose
• Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995), helmed by Bill Condon, inspired by characters
• Candyman 3: Day of the Dead (1999), directed by Turi Meyer, character-based
• Candyman (2021), directed by Nia DaCosta, character-inspired

Novella "The Last Illusion":

• Lord of Illusions (1995), directed by Clive Barker

Novelette "The Body Politic":

• Presented as the opening story in the TV film Quicksilver Highway (1997), directed by Mick Garris

Novelette "The Midnight Meat Train":

• The Midnight Meat Train (2008), directed by Ryuhei Kitamura

Novelette "Dread":

• Dread (2009), directed by Anthony DiBlasi

Short stories "The Book of Blood" and "On Jerusalem Street":

• Book of Blood (2009), directed by John Harrison
• Books of Blood (2020), TV movie under direction of Brannon Braga

Novelette "The Yattering and Jack":

• Season four, episode seven of Tales from the Darkside (1987), adapted by Clive Barker

External links

• Revelations – The Official Clive Barker Online Resource – Features a comprehensive bibliography, filmography, and news updates.