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Clive Barker's First Tales
CLIVE BARKER'S FIRST TALES
The book begins with "The Wood on the Hill", a short story about a bourgeois woman who is soon to learn a terrifying lesson concerning her complete disregard for anyone other than herself.
The second tale, "The Candle in the Cloud", is a novella of dark fantasy which follows three children who discover a magical candle that transports them to a world where a plague-cloud is destroying everything in its wake.
These two tales, the first ever written by Clive, are offered here for the very first time. Their production has been lovingly supervised by Clive himself to ensure that these are not mere books, but works of art to be cherished. Complete with original illustrations and appendices on select editions, First Tales is sure to delight everyone from longtime fans to new readers.
In his own words:
"These two stories represent the two essential structures of fantastique literature. ’The Wood on the Hill’ is about an incursion of unearthly elements into an approximation of our world. ’The Candle in the Cloud’ is about a journey taken by people from our world into another reality. Yin and Yang, if you like. Forces pulling in opposing directions but to achieve the same end: Revelation."
Clive Barker (2013)
The book begins with "The Wood on the Hill", a short story about a bourgeois woman who is soon to learn a terrifying lesson concerning her complete disregard for anyone other than herself.
The second tale, "The Candle in the Cloud", is a novella of dark fantasy which follows three children who discover a magical candle that transports them to a world where a plague-cloud is destroying everything in its wake.
These two tales, the first ever written by Clive, are offered here for the very first time. Their production has been lovingly supervised by Clive himself to ensure that these are not mere books, but works of art to be cherished. Complete with original illustrations and appendices on select editions, First Tales is sure to delight everyone from longtime fans to new readers.
In his own words:
"These two stories represent the two essential structures of fantastique literature. ’The Wood on the Hill’ is about an incursion of unearthly elements into an approximation of our world. ’The Candle in the Cloud’ is about a journey taken by people from our world into another reality. Yin and Yang, if you like. Forces pulling in opposing directions but to achieve the same end: Revelation."
Clive Barker (2013)
116 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
22 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Clive Barker
706 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 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 31, 2016
This book contains a short story and a short children's fantasy novel written by Clive Barker when he was around seventeen years old. I went into this knowing that I'd be reading juvenilia, knowing that I likely wouldn't like this very much. I was right. I didn't. I read this because it was written by Clive Barker. I'm a Barker completist and I'd recommend this only to other Barker completists.
"The Wood on the Hill" is a simplistic fairy tale. A snotty aristocratic woman is warned that bad things will happen if she goes through with her plan to hold a ball in some ancient woods. She ignores the warnings and bad things happen. That's it. And the bad things that happen really aren't that interesting.
The Candle in the Cloud is pretty much just a condensed and watered-down cross between The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Lord of the Rings. Three kids are transported to a fantasy world and soon learn that they are the only ones who can save the world by transporting a magical artifact to a deep dark pit.
I expected to be disappointed by these stories. I read them to see if I could find a spark of Barker's genius in his early works, and I was able see some of that, just a glimpse near the end of The Candle in the Cloud. And, truthfully, few writers wrote anything half as good at seventeen.
No, the thing that really disappoints me about Clive Barker's First Tales was a bit more unexpected; the fact that the publisher didn't bother to clean the manuscript up prior to publication. This book was poorly proofed. If they'd printed a disclaimer at the beginning of the book stating that they wanted to show these early works untouched and raw, so as not to tamper with the curiosities presented therein, I might have given them a pass. But they posted no such disclaimer, and they put out a fairly shoddy product.
In addition, the product description for this work is misleading. Crossroad Press claims that The Candle in the Cloud is "a novella of dark fantasy" when clearly it is fucking not. Dark fantasy and children's fantasy are two very different things. It's a matter of public record that Barker wrote this book for children. To try to peddle this as dark fantasy is pretty shitty.
"The Wood on the Hill" is a simplistic fairy tale. A snotty aristocratic woman is warned that bad things will happen if she goes through with her plan to hold a ball in some ancient woods. She ignores the warnings and bad things happen. That's it. And the bad things that happen really aren't that interesting.
The Candle in the Cloud is pretty much just a condensed and watered-down cross between The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Lord of the Rings. Three kids are transported to a fantasy world and soon learn that they are the only ones who can save the world by transporting a magical artifact to a deep dark pit.
I expected to be disappointed by these stories. I read them to see if I could find a spark of Barker's genius in his early works, and I was able see some of that, just a glimpse near the end of The Candle in the Cloud. And, truthfully, few writers wrote anything half as good at seventeen.
No, the thing that really disappoints me about Clive Barker's First Tales was a bit more unexpected; the fact that the publisher didn't bother to clean the manuscript up prior to publication. This book was poorly proofed. If they'd printed a disclaimer at the beginning of the book stating that they wanted to show these early works untouched and raw, so as not to tamper with the curiosities presented therein, I might have given them a pass. But they posted no such disclaimer, and they put out a fairly shoddy product.
In addition, the product description for this work is misleading. Crossroad Press claims that The Candle in the Cloud is "a novella of dark fantasy" when clearly it is fucking not. Dark fantasy and children's fantasy are two very different things. It's a matter of public record that Barker wrote this book for children. To try to peddle this as dark fantasy is pretty shitty.
December 16, 2014
I don't listen to many audio books, but I couldn't pass this one up. These are the first stories Clive Barker wrote, and they're very entertaining.
“The Wood on the Hill” is an interesting and dark short story that I really enjoyed. It's about a woman who learns a very valuable lesson.
The second story is a novella. “The Candle in the Cloud” is a dark fantasy children's story about three kids, a magical candle, a scary all-consuming cloud, and the fantastical world they stumble into.
I enjoyed the way both stories are narrated. And I thought they were great with just the right amount of intrigue, tension, and creepiness.
“The Wood on the Hill” is an interesting and dark short story that I really enjoyed. It's about a woman who learns a very valuable lesson.
The second story is a novella. “The Candle in the Cloud” is a dark fantasy children's story about three kids, a magical candle, a scary all-consuming cloud, and the fantastical world they stumble into.
I enjoyed the way both stories are narrated. And I thought they were great with just the right amount of intrigue, tension, and creepiness.
February 5, 2018
i will agree with another reviewer that this book is solely for Barker completists, no one else... nothing of quality in here, besides maybe the chapter titles for the second story... and anyone who says they see 'glimpses of later Barker' in these tales has either 1) never read Clive Barker OR 2) would see those same glimpses in any text attributed to Barker, real or fake... color me unsurprised, as this reminds me in some ways of Neil Gaiman selling his ______ (fill in the blank) to his fanboys/girls while they swoon and gush and claim it's the best ______ (fill in the blank) by anyone. EVER. OK, that might be mean, but it is true at times, especially for popular authors with big online fanbases... any shite they release, then re-release with a new over, then re-re-release with the 'preferred text', and so on makes me gag... i LOVE art on book covers too, but it's the story that i want... hell the cover is covered on the shelf, right?!?!? anyway... skip this and get 'Imajica' or 'Abarat'...
March 5, 2014
Fully recovered from the toxic shock and subsequent coma that threatened his life in 2012, he jumps in his way-back machine and presents two shorts, reportedly his first two short stories ever, written at the age of 17.
Within a few pages I was completely wrapped up in these stories. The prose is so fluid and accessible that one can't help but fall for the magic that Clive Barker brings out of a story.
This is the first release for Mr. Barker's own SeraphimInk label, I hope the first of many.
The Mouths of Madness Podcast
my link text
Within a few pages I was completely wrapped up in these stories. The prose is so fluid and accessible that one can't help but fall for the magic that Clive Barker brings out of a story.
This is the first release for Mr. Barker's own SeraphimInk label, I hope the first of many.
The Mouths of Madness Podcast
my link text
January 1, 2025
First Tales by Clive Barker is a mesmerizing collection highlighting the brilliance and imagination of one of the most celebrated voices in dark fantasy and horror. With its evocative prose, rich world-building, and timeless themes, this collection offers an unforgettable experience for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
🚨 Spoilers Ahead! 🚨
The book includes two stories, The Wood on the Hill and The Candle in the Cloud, each showcasing a different facet of Barker’s genius. The Wood on the Hill tells a haunting and poetic tale of ancient woods with secrets too dark to fathom. The vivid descriptions of the trees, the eerie whispers of vengeance, and the downfall of the arrogant Duchess create an unsettling and deeply atmospheric narrative.
Meanwhile, The Candle in the Cloud is a more fantastical journey into otherworldly realms. The themes of friendship, bravery, and the clash between light and dark are beautifully woven into a compelling tale of adventure and self-discovery. Barker’s ability to blend horror with hope shines through in this story, making it equally chilling and uplifting.
Favorite Scene: The vivid and chaotic Halloween Ball in The Wood on the Hill, where the woods come alive in a terrifying act of vengeance, is a standout moment. Barker’s talent for painting visceral, unforgettable imagery is fully displayed here.
Favorite Quote:
“Some secrets are not meant to be revealed, but the woods remember, and they whisper to those who dare to listen.”
Barker’s prose is lyrical and immersive, pulling the reader into worlds where beauty and terror coexist. While the stories are shorter than his later works, they are no less impactful. Each tale feels like a portal into a vast and dangerous universe, hinting at the larger, darker themes Barker would explore in his career.
First Tales is an absolute gem for dark fantasy and literary horror fans. It’s a brilliant introduction to Barker’s earlier works and a testament to his enduring legacy in the genre.
#CliveBarker #FirstTales #DarkFantasy #LiteraryHorror #MustRead 📖🌲✨
🚨 Spoilers Ahead! 🚨
The book includes two stories, The Wood on the Hill and The Candle in the Cloud, each showcasing a different facet of Barker’s genius. The Wood on the Hill tells a haunting and poetic tale of ancient woods with secrets too dark to fathom. The vivid descriptions of the trees, the eerie whispers of vengeance, and the downfall of the arrogant Duchess create an unsettling and deeply atmospheric narrative.
Meanwhile, The Candle in the Cloud is a more fantastical journey into otherworldly realms. The themes of friendship, bravery, and the clash between light and dark are beautifully woven into a compelling tale of adventure and self-discovery. Barker’s ability to blend horror with hope shines through in this story, making it equally chilling and uplifting.
Favorite Scene: The vivid and chaotic Halloween Ball in The Wood on the Hill, where the woods come alive in a terrifying act of vengeance, is a standout moment. Barker’s talent for painting visceral, unforgettable imagery is fully displayed here.
Favorite Quote:
“Some secrets are not meant to be revealed, but the woods remember, and they whisper to those who dare to listen.”
Barker’s prose is lyrical and immersive, pulling the reader into worlds where beauty and terror coexist. While the stories are shorter than his later works, they are no less impactful. Each tale feels like a portal into a vast and dangerous universe, hinting at the larger, darker themes Barker would explore in his career.
First Tales is an absolute gem for dark fantasy and literary horror fans. It’s a brilliant introduction to Barker’s earlier works and a testament to his enduring legacy in the genre.
#CliveBarker #FirstTales #DarkFantasy #LiteraryHorror #MustRead 📖🌲✨
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2022
'The Wood On The Hill' is an enjoyable enough fairy tale written by a 17 year old Barker that reads nothing like his popular work.
'The Candle In The Cloud' offers glimpses of the wordbuilding we saw in Weaveworld for example but it really is a variant on tales previously told. Again, enjoyable but not some great glimpse at what was to be.
Maybe I'm being harsh but these are texts written by an author at the beginning of his journey. They may be better than anything other authors that age were writing but the reality is I'm not so sure these would've seen the light of day had Barker not moved onto such highs. The book getting such a limited release further stresses my point.
I'm thrilled to own the book, the formatting, build and artwork are lovely, but the stories within really are for the completist, which thankfully I am.
'The Candle In The Cloud' offers glimpses of the wordbuilding we saw in Weaveworld for example but it really is a variant on tales previously told. Again, enjoyable but not some great glimpse at what was to be.
Maybe I'm being harsh but these are texts written by an author at the beginning of his journey. They may be better than anything other authors that age were writing but the reality is I'm not so sure these would've seen the light of day had Barker not moved onto such highs. The book getting such a limited release further stresses my point.
I'm thrilled to own the book, the formatting, build and artwork are lovely, but the stories within really are for the completist, which thankfully I am.
August 25, 2025
It's interesting as an insight into how Barker developed as a writer, but apart from it it was very meh. The first story was ok, though nothing special, and the second, the one that's like a novel, started well enough, but then it rushed to the end and hits all the child fantasy tropes along the way.
December 30, 2020
Were it not for Barker’s later success, this would not have been published. The second story is decent and it actually seemed like the writing improved as the story went on. Not bad for a first effort.
August 1, 2024
Early writings when he was still a teenager. Nothing fantastic but good skill for his age and solid story telling.
You can see and feel the beginning of his career as a storyteller.
Short read.
You can see and feel the beginning of his career as a storyteller.
Short read.
September 6, 2014
This book is two tales in one. The first is a short story that is almost a fairy tale about a woman who learns that just because a forest lies inside her property line on a map doesn't mean its denizens consider her welcome.
The second tale is a novella that reminded me of Narnia or Wonderland. It tells us the story of kids who find a candle out in the middle of nowhere. When they eventually light this candle, they are transported to a world of fantasy. Everything seems great at first, but soon they learn that this world will be ending soon, and they need to find a way back home before they end with it.
Both tales are well-written and fun. It's a little odd to me as I know Barker primarily from his Books of Blood, The Hellbound Heart, etc. The stories presented in First Tales are family friendly and are the sort of thing you can read to your children if they enjoy fantasy tales like Narnia or The Hobbit.
The second tale is a novella that reminded me of Narnia or Wonderland. It tells us the story of kids who find a candle out in the middle of nowhere. When they eventually light this candle, they are transported to a world of fantasy. Everything seems great at first, but soon they learn that this world will be ending soon, and they need to find a way back home before they end with it.
Both tales are well-written and fun. It's a little odd to me as I know Barker primarily from his Books of Blood, The Hellbound Heart, etc. The stories presented in First Tales are family friendly and are the sort of thing you can read to your children if they enjoy fantasy tales like Narnia or The Hobbit.
April 12, 2015
The earliest writings by a very young Clive Barker. Enjoyable because u could see where he was going to take these fantasy & horror stories to in the future. The 2nd story is very Weaveworld & Lord Of The Rings. A talent at the very beginning. I am happy I got myself a limited signed copy of this by Mr Barker himself.
April 24, 2014
An interesting look into what was to become the Clive Barker of today. Certainly points to early seeds of later Barker themes.
January 7, 2016
First book was ok but I enjoyed the second story so much that I didn't want it to end.
November 19, 2017
Only 2 stories. Was not what I am used to reading from Clive Barker. Was just ok to read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews