Product Description

A fabulous journey through the mind of the master of dark imaginative fiction, Clive Barker. The nightmare had begun!. Boone knew that there was no place on this earth for him now; no happiness here, not even with Lori. He would let Hell claim him, let Death take him there. But Death itself seemed to shrink from Boone. No wonder, if he had indeed been the monster who had shattered, violated and shredded so many others' lives. And Decker had shown him the proof -- the hellish photographs where the last victims were forever stilled, splayed in the last obscene moment of their torture. Boone's only refuge now was Midian -- that awful, legendary place in which gathered the half-dead, the Nightbreed!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48031 in Books
• Published on: 1991-04-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 268 pages

Review
'A gripping story of powerful erotic intensity' Sunday Independant 'Barker's characteristic juxataposition of fascination and fear find eloquent expression in this novella which treats death as metamorphosis into another state of being.' Time Out

A crackerjack offering of horrors new and old from the author of The Damnation Game and Weaveworld (both 1987). What's new is the ferocious title short novel; what's old - but fresh to our shores - are the four short stories that follow, first published in Britain in 1983 as Volume VI of The Books of Blood. The novel, set in Canada, recasts in high style several of Barker's perennial themes: the erotic bond that survives even death; a magical world just out of sight; the abyss of human evil. Here, an emotionally disturbed man, Boone, is tricked into believing he's a serial killer by his shrink, Decker - the real killer. Boone runs to the isolated hamlet of Midian, where the police shoot him dead. His grieving lover, Lori, drawn to Midian, discovers there a hidden community of the undead - "the Nightbreed" - with Boone among them, given shelter because the monsters' blood flows in his veins, courtesy of a bite just before the police bullets struck. Lust between human and undead; violent vengeance as Boone and Decker clash; and the destruction of Midian ehsue as Barker erects his story in quick but vaulting prose ("Of all the rash and midnight promises made in the name of love, none, Boone now knew, was more certain to be broken than: 'I'll never leave you'"). After this allegro concerto of horror, the four stories appear as mere scales, early yet excellent practice in more traditional forms. A woman is compelled to haunt an ancient charnel house ("The Life of Death"); in "How Spoilers Bleed," jungle explorers endure an Indian curse; "Twilight at the Towers" illuminates truly inhuman spies: and, in the straightforward "The Last Illusion," a psychic detective battles demons bent on taking possession of a stage magician's soul. Glistening terrors, especially that novel, and yet more evidence - if anyone needs more - that Barker has dethroned King as horror's monarch. (Kirkus Reviews)

About the Author
Clive Barker was born in Liverpool in 1952. His earlier books include The Books of Blood, Cabal, and The Hellbound Heart. In addition to his work as a novelist and playwright, he also illustrates, writes, directs and produces for stage and screen. His films include Hellraiser, Hellbound, Nightbreed and Candyman. Clive lives in Beverly Hills, California

Customer Reviews

Sometime monsters have a human form...
This is the first C.Barker book I've read and it still hold a dear place in my heart. The author creates a dark world, where good and evil is slightly different. The creatures of the night live beside us: the werewolf, the vampire, and the bogeyman. And they are an entirely different community, with their own laws, customs and lore. And they also have their enemies, who, although human in form, hide a monstrous soul.

In the dark underworld of the 'Nightbreed', we follow the heroin in her search of her dead lover, who proves to be not as dead after all. Together they defend the hidden clan from their pursuers, fulfilling an old Messianic prophecy.

I just wish Clive Barker would write a sequel to this excellent tale.

An imaginative adventure into a mysterious world of horror.
First published back in 1988, ‘Cabal’ followed the release of the hugely popular novel ‘Weaveworld’. The story turns all our ideas about horror fiction on its head, with Barker’s classic tale of misguided humanity. The tale subtly tackles the conception, misguided judgment and ridicule of views on homosexual community, with the homosexuals represented as the Nightbreed. Hounded, hunted and attacked, merely due to their way of life, the novel takes you into a world of questions and suggested conclusions. The novel is extremely well-written, bringing together horror and fantasy in this dark tale of passion, love and persecution. Barker’s limitless imagination has constructed a truly bizarre and involved tale, that captivates the reader early on, with the quiet whisperings of this forgotten world. This is a story that will immerse you in the horror and unbelievable, forging a novel that you will remember for a long time to come.

The story runs for 268 pages with some versions (the UK Fontana being one of them) including some pen and ink drawings by Barker himself illustrating the novel throughout. The story was later adapted in 1990 with Clive Barker acting as both the Director and the Screenwriter. The director David Cronenberg starred in the film as the deranged Dr. Philip Decker. The cult success (but alas not financial success) of the film, spawned a ‘Making Of Nightbreed’ book, ‘The Nightbreed Chronicles’ film companion book, a series of twenty-five comics (as well as a Genesis collection of four of the comics), a Nightbreed computer game released by Ocean, as well as various promotional items.

Cabal is a fabulous novel that should be read by anyone who is at all interested in Clive Barker’s work. A true masterpiece of fantastic horror that will grip and excite you.

utterly brilliant with orgasmic vibrations
Cabal takes you into a different world, where the monster is not all it seems. Answer the question why do human kind fear all they do not understand? could it be that inside of us all a little bit of monster really does exist and we would urge the day that it would rise to the surface and be free. Clive Barker opens a door to this world with Cabal, do you dare to read further?