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Cabal
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Buddy Reads > Cabal by Clive Barker

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Addy | 5111 comments Interesting question to ponder: Do you think we cry for ourselves or for the dead? According to Kavanaugh we cry for ourselves, because the dead don't care.


Michael Benavidez it has a point, isn't the thing that's said "we mourn for our loss". so we're more sad for the fact that we lost someone close to us, and not so much that a person just passed away.


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Addy | 5111 comments Hmmm. Very true Michael. Puts things in perspective. I loss my uncle recently so this book has me thinking about human behavior when we lose somebody close to us.


Michael Benavidez the book presents a whole bunch of great ideas, but it's just too short to really give much thought on them. but human behavior is one of the biggest things in the book, I think. at least from what I remember haha


Kenneth McKinley | 1717 comments Mod
I loved how the story had a "role-reversal" in how the humans showed their ugly, "monster" side and lack of compassion while we pitied the persecution the monsters went through. It had a very Frankenstein feel to it.


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Addy | 5111 comments Wait a minute, I think I just realized that the story of Boone is over...am I right? These other ones are just stories?


Michael Benavidez Addy wrote: "Wait a minute, I think I just realized that the story of Boone is over...am I right? These other ones are just stories?"

sorry to say, but i'm so damn glad i'm not the only one that fell for that! I felt so stupid when I was half way through a story and realized it had nothing to do with Boone. but yeah it ends on a cliffhanger, and then goes on to several stories that were part of the Books of Blood.
Read somewhere that Cabal was part of a trilogy, but Barker never got around to writing anymore of the story.


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Addy | 5111 comments What!? Aww man, I totally feel jipped! And stupid...lol. I was totally expecting the story to continue...not fair. However, the story I've been reading is good so I guess that makes up for it. When was someone gonna tell me?...lol.


Michael Benavidez I would have had I known that every copy comes with the three stories at the end, or had I remembered about the ending lol. Now that I remember more, that's what ruined the book for me, it didn't feel like it ended haha.
But keep reading, if the stories are the same, well worth the read lol


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Addy | 5111 comments Yeah I'll finish the stories. I like them. I have books of blood 1 and 2. I've read most if 1 already. Have u read them? My favorite so far has been Pig Blood Blues. That story has stayed with me for some reason.


Michael Benavidez I've got both halves of the compilations for Books of Blood. For me the one that stuck with me was Jacqueline Ess: Her Will and Testament and Son of Celluloid, also In the Hills (of course haha)


Patrick Rutigliano | 137 comments A little trivia for you guys: there technically is more Cabal/Nightbreed (sort of). There was a run of comic books in the nineties and a new series has just started up (which is doing some backstory on the characters right now).


Michael Benavidez Patrick wrote: "A little trivia for you guys: there technically is more Cabal/Nightbreed (sort of). There was a run of comic books in the nineties and a new series has just started up (which is doing some backstor..."

I remember reading about this one competition Barker and a publishing thing were holding, where people could send in their stories for a Cabal universe anthology. They could continue introduced characters or create new ones, and show where they are now type of thing.
Knew there was a Hellraiser comic, but not a Cabal. will look into that.


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Addy | 5111 comments I have Son of Celluloid, but not the others. What Barker book wud u suggest I read next? I have The Damnation Game, Weaveworld and Mister B Gone. I'll prob venture one of these in July.


Michael Benavidez I think the others are in Vol 1 and 2 of Books of Blood, not sure.
as to what to read next, not really sure which to say. I went from Hellbound Heart to Cabal to Books of Blood and then Abarat. have yet to read any of the ones you have though i'm tempted to buy those before reading any future books


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Addy | 5111 comments I'd really like to read Imajica but its kinda expensive for kindle. Hmm, decisions, decisions:) How was Aberat? Is that more fantasy?


Michael Benavidez that and Imagica (personal opinion) is far to large a read for Kindle, but i'm old school haha

Abarat is a wonderful book, and very much fantasy, but a book to be read with the illustrations. (I've got it without and it makes for a much less engaging read)


Michael Benavidez also Abarat is part of an unfinished series so I don't know if you want to get involved with that


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Addy | 5111 comments I hear Everville is too. Maybe I'll just stick with what I've got.


Michael Benavidez probably for the best, always fun to go into unknown waters


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Addy | 5111 comments @patrick-I stumbled across the comic and figured that wud be the next best thing, but not really into comics:(


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Addy | 5111 comments Hey Michael, thanks for the request! Look forward to talking books with ya some more, but I'm gonna turn off. Have a good nite!


message 73: by Andy (new) - rated it 4 stars

Andy (manicsloth) | 730 comments I just started the audiobook at work yesterday. I'm only about 40 minutes in, but am very intrigued by the relationship between Boone and Decker. I can't help but feel like Decked is manipulating Boone.

Does every Clive Barker book have the same theme of alter-dimensional realms? I can't think of one that doesn't, at least by way of implication.


Patrick Rutigliano | 137 comments Andy wrote: "I just started the audiobook at work yesterday. I'm only about 40 minutes in, but am very intrigued by the relationship between Boone and Decker. I can't help but feel like Decked is manipulating..."

Actually, of the Barker books I've read, I think Cabal has that element the least. It's more about an uncomfortable coexistence between the Nightbreed and humans (and the former being forced to claim a tiny place in the world after constant persecution) than being from some other sphere.


Natasa (natasa79) | 353 comments I'm also reading this book, actually listening as I have the audio book and the narrator is great so I'm totally enjoying it.
It is in 2 parts, so I just finished the first part, so I guess I'm 50% done, no idea what chapter nor page but it's where (view spoiler)
What about these stories you are talking about? I certainly do hope I don't have them in my audio book version or that at least the narrator will say that a story starts because he is very good at pointing out chapter numbers and even sub-chapters.

Addy I'm sending you a message into the inbox. I'm saying this because some people don't check their messages :)


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Addy | 5111 comments Yes, I think you are correct Natasa:) When you hear the narrator mention the title The Life of Death, that is the name of the first story.


message 77: by Andy (new) - rated it 4 stars

Andy (manicsloth) | 730 comments Patrick wrote: "Andy wrote: "I just started the audiobook at work yesterday. I'm only about 40 minutes in, but am very intrigued by the relationship between Boone and Decker. I can't help but feel like Decked is..."

Maybe my comment was premature. When the narrator starts talking about Midian when Boone is in the hospital it sounded like yet another parallel universe.


message 78: by Andy (new) - rated it 4 stars

Andy (manicsloth) | 730 comments Natasa wrote: "I'm also reading this book, actually listening as I have the audio book and the narrator is great so I'm totally enjoying it.
It is in 2 parts, so I just finished the first part, so I guess I'm 50%..."


Agreed. Really good so far. I wanted to listen all day yesterday, but work kept taking away my concentration. Alas, my priorities and and desires didn't match.


Natasa (natasa79) | 353 comments Addy wrote: "Yes, I think you are correct Natasa:) When you hear the narrator mention the title The Life of Death, that is the name of the first story."

Thx Addy, that's good to know! Not that I don't like the idea of listening to a story but I don't want to get confused lol


message 80: by Natasa (last edited Jul 04, 2014 09:42AM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Natasa (natasa79) | 353 comments Andy wrote: "Natasa wrote: "I'm also reading this book, actually listening as I have the audio book and the narrator is great so I'm totally enjoying it.
It is in 2 parts, so I just finished the first part, so ..."


I know what you mean Andy! I usually listen to the audio books when I'm cleaning, doing my housework, I mean when I prepare the house for the new tourists. It's a great way to spend my time...and also one of the reasons why it takes so long to finish some of the audio books. I decided to go and have some walks and listen to books but I live in a village where basically there is nowhere to walk :( really frustrating...so I'm lackingon physical moving which is not healthy and it's too expensive to drive into the city just to have a walk lol

When I'm in my room I usually love to read a book, can't imagine myself lying in bed and listening to a book, I rather read :)


message 81: by Addy (new) - added it

Addy | 5111 comments I thought Midian was an alternate reality as well, but learned that it wasn't.


Michael Benavidez Barker usually has his stories be in otherworldly dimensions but Cabal is more centered on humanity being the monsters while the exiled monsters are the victims


Natasa (natasa79) | 353 comments I think I missed the percentage mark. I have 9 mp3 files, not 2. And I heard him say the page number, so I'm around 100 pages.

I got to the part where the bastard (view spoiler)


Patrick Rutigliano | 137 comments Addy wrote: "@patrick-I stumbled across the comic and figured that wud be the next best thing, but not really into comics:("

It's never too late to start. I know it can be a tough medium to get into when the "superhero" aura puts so many people off, but there are a lot of amazing and very literary ones out there. I honestly tend to opt for comics over movies these days.


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Addy | 5111 comments I think they are too expensive. I did enjoy Locke and key, but I've only read the first one. I kinda like Jeff lemire's work like Trillium, but don't want to spend the money.


Patrick Rutigliano | 137 comments Price is definitely an understandable issue. I try to get around that by sniffing out good mini-series. But I do make exceptions for long series I really like (Revival, Pretty Deadly, etc.). Hehe ... and I did actually collect all of Trillium.


Natasa (natasa79) | 353 comments Well if anyone wants me to send the Dark Tower comic series, just let me know :)


Michael Benavidez Lol tempting Natasa, very tempting. But thats one series I think I'll keep.

I think I'll look to see if there are any omnibus editions for Cabal like there were for the hellraiser comics


Natasa (natasa79) | 353 comments Michael what do you mean by you're going to keep, didn't understand that? I'm not a native English speaker so sometimes I don't get all phrases sorry. If you mean you want to keep the comics, actually you can because I didn't get them from Amazon so you don't have to return it to me.

And what about this Cabal omnibus edition? Is that also with Cabal comics? Or with the short stories at the end?

Btw does anyone know why the book is called Cabal, what does that mean? I'm 85% done, it's getting hairy :)


Michael Benavidez lol sorry Natasa, misunderstanding was on my end. I was writing that while I was as work. I meant, I'm tempted to lend you the Dark Tower comics (I own almost all of them up until the Way Station I think?) but I love the series too much to loan it out lol

By that I meant, I wonder if they have a book that contains Cabal comics 1-5 and so on and so forth, so it'll be easier than collecting individual issues.


message 91: by Andy (new) - rated it 4 stars

Andy (manicsloth) | 730 comments Michael wrote: "Addy wrote: "Wait a minute, I think I just realized that the story of Boone is over...am I right? These other ones are just stories?"

sorry to say, but i'm so damn glad i'm not the only one that f..."


You'll be happy to know that I also fell for the change in story. I listened to the audiobook version and there was really no indication that Cabal had ended and that the Elaine and Kavanaugh story was separate.

I second Addy's feeling of wanting more from Cabal.


message 92: by Joey (new) - rated it 3 stars

Joey (jwfolker) Funny quote I found about a Clive Barker book I had to share. If you ever read Mister B. Gone you know what he's talking about.
"I didn't read the book. I burned it after the first sentence." - Review by Rodindeadpan of the book Mister B. Gone


message 93: by Andy (new) - rated it 4 stars

Andy (manicsloth) | 730 comments Buttonface was a pretty cool villain. I am going to watch Nightbreed soon and I'd also like to track down the comic.


Patrick Rutigliano | 137 comments Natasa wrote: "Michael what do you mean by you're going to keep, didn't understand that? I'm not a native English speaker so sometimes I don't get all phrases sorry. If you mean you want to keep the comics, actua..."

A "cabal" refers to a "secret politcal clique or faction." So, in the book's context, the Nightbreed are a cabal and Boone probably got the name as he symbolizes its new direction.


message 95: by Addy (new) - added it

Addy | 5111 comments Way to go Patrick! I couldn't remember.


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Sarah (sarahstokes) | 6 comments Michael wrote: "I would have had I known that every copy comes with the three stories at the end, or had I remembered about the ending lol. Now that I remember more, that's what ruined the book for me, it didn't f..."

Just interrupting the convo here to say that if you're reading a standard US edition, then it contains Books of Blood 6 in addition to the novella Cabal. Interruption over!


Michael Benavidez How weird. I wasnt even aware it was a novella. I thought it was a full fledged book until I hit that other stort.


Natasa (natasa79) | 353 comments Thx Patrick for clearing that up for me!


Patrick Rutigliano | 137 comments You're most welcome.


message 100: by Natasa (new) - rated it 5 stars

Natasa (natasa79) | 353 comments Well I am for sure late but I have finished the book. Probably would have a long time ago but I listened to the audio book (and audio books I listen usually when I work something...so I usually read much more, though I totally enjoyed my second Clive Barker book and as well an audio book, what a great narrator!)

Big thx to Addy for warning me on the point where Cabal finishes and another short story starts. As I'm behind with reading in general I will probably leave this treat for some other time when I'm in the mood for a short audio story.


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