Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Explore the depravity of the human heart, 28 Nov 2002
This fast-paced, action-packed novella served as the basis for Clive Barker's extreme horror movie masterpiece Hellraiser, but it is well worth reading on its own merits. The human heart and its vulnerability to perverse pleasures of a sensuous nature is a compelling theme at the heart of Barker's writing. Those familiar with the movie will find that this original story matches up fairly closely with what they have seen, but there are some important differences. For one, a little more information about the infamous puzzle box is revealed. The characters are fleshed out a little better, yet Julia remains a cold person whose motives are not completely understandable. The Cenobites are actually featured much less here than in the movie, and the physical descriptions of them are far less developed--Pinhead himself reportedly speaks with a girlish voice in the novella. The blood and gore are certainly here, but their full magnitude is determined by the imagination of the reader. Interestingly, Kirsty's relationship with Rory (who was called Larry in the movie) is ambiguous at best. While one assumes Rory is her father, Kirsty always refers to him by name, and her relationship with him, if he is her father, is not a normal one for she seems to relate to him as some sort of potential lover. The depth of Barker's vision is much better developed in print than on the movie screen, and that is what makes this novella a must-read for fans of extreme horror. The dark side of the human soul is a source tapped deeply by Barker's imagination, and he is unafraid of revealing the depravity of any given individual. As such, his writing betrays a complexity and ingenious subtlety which critics of horror will never identify or understand. Surprisingly, there is really not a great deal of perverse sexuality in this particular work, so readers who tend to shy away from his Books of Blood may actually find The Hellhound Heart to be the optimal doorway by which to enter the haunted, terrifyingly alive world of this modern master of horror.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thrilling, 9 May 2009
I bought this book as I felt like reading the book that the film, Hellraiser was based on, would help me like the film more than I originally did. I found the film tedious and at times just downright confusing, so to read the book I should not have been surprised to find it was much better than the film in almost every way. The fact that Clive Barker not only wrote the book, but had almost everything to do with the first movie is almost disappointing. It seems to me that the film would have been better if made by a fan of the book and not the author itself, as the film seems to have taken on a more simple view and drawing a lot away from what made the book the exhilarating read I found it to be.
The plot of the book focuses around the object of the Lemarchand Puzzle Box. This puzzle box opens a portal to hell which releases torturous demons known as Cenobites, who reveal themselves to the person who unlocked the puzzle and promise them eternal pleasure, which turns out to be unthinkable sadomasochistic torture. Rory and his wife Julia move into an old house inherited by Rory and his brother Frank from their deceased grandparents. Frank hasn't been seen by Rory since his wedding, but he was in their new home just a year before alone trying to solve the Lament Configuration. Since his solving of the puzzle and meeting the Cenobites, he hasn't been seen since, but that is until Rory cuts his hand thus starting a murderous rampage.
The story is exhilarating from start to finish and at times purely frightening to the point where I expected to be startled at an event I was certain would be coming. Unfortunately that startling event didn't happen, but what did happen was a series of descriptively gifted events that set the tone for a truly great book. The character of Julia is someone I hope I never meet. Although defined as almost biblically beautiful, her dark and sinister lust brought out an evil side that I found myself believing it to be unlikely to exist. Rory is a dorky and forgettable character and the Cenobites don't play a huge role in the book which is surprising, considering the cult status gained by the movie version of the pinhead Cenobite which is in the book also.
The Cenobites seem almost more human in the novel than their movie counterparts which I felt was a let down to what was up to that point a flawless book. You don't expect the demons to converse in a normal and social style, but in this they do tend to take that position especially with their first confused introduction with Frank. Apart from the forgettable Rory, the characters featured within are brilliant in their human reactions to events taking place. Julia is a woman you know has that dark streak but hides it well. Kirsty who in the book takes the form of a neighbour is the caring and curious friend of Rory and Frank of course is the first person to succumb to the wrath of the Cenobites and looks at escaping their grasp by getting his confused lover, Julia to bring him bodies to feed on.
It's a delightful book with all the workings of a true horror, and I think the first Hellraiser could have been much better if Barker hadn't tried changing some of the best parts of the whole book to try and make what he must have thought to be a better movie. If you haven't seen the movie, then I would say give this a go first, and if you like this then try the movie but don't expect a carbon copy.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!, 6 May 2009
I read this book in a day-no particular accomplishment as it is a very short book, but a superb one at that. I have been a fan of the Hellraiser films since my early teens but never got round to reading the original novella. The wait was well worth it. A tempestuous, interesting read.
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