The Hellbound Heart

A Novel

By: Clive Barker

Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Frank Cotton's insatiable appetite for the dark pleasures of pain led him to the puzzle of Lemarchand's box, and from there, to a death only a sick-minded soul could invent. But his brother's love-crazed wife, Julia, has discovered a way to bring Frank back - though the price will be bloody and terrible...and there will certainly be hell to pay.

©2007 Clive Barker Ink, Inc. (P)2013 David N. WIlson

so much better than the movie

I think I've figured out why I wasn't too thrilled with the Hellraiser movie. The book deals so much with all 5 senses and on film you can only truly portray sight and sound. But Clive Barker's true mastery of horror lies in his ability to exaggerate and heighten the senses of the reader and play with their imagination based on their physical experiences. Jeffrey Kafer's monotone gravelly voice is chilling enough for narration but he does the same voice for every character, from Cenobites to humans. Even after Pinhead is described as having a "high breathy girlish voice" he uses the same deep monotone voice but with a sound effect to sound like there's an echo, which begs the question, for me, if you're going to go through the trouble and edit the voice, why not at least adjust it to the right pitch, or aim for the right voice in the first place? Less than impressed with Kafer's portrayal of dialogue, but will most definitely be listening to more of Barker's writing.

Awesome, and so very Twisted!!

I grew up on the Movie. I always wanted to experience the source material. FYi, this is a more recent recording of the book. The other version was originally recorded on tape by the author years ago and coverted to Digital media.

excellent

this book was really quite something. I read it because I enjoyed the movie hellraiser, but now I think I will read the rest of Clive Barker's work. spooky, thrilling, and fast-paced.

Loved it

Absolutely loved it. Great job and loved Jeffrey's way of bringing those characters to life.

Movie is true to the book

I was surprised with how true the movie stayed to this. If you enjoyed the movie, you'd enjoy this as well.

The Master of Horror.

The definition of Beauty in Darkness.

Captivating. Like the movie that spawned from it, this is an absolute Masterpiece.

The words are almost ridiculously fluid and descriptive, they could easily be taken from a Shakesperean play if it weren't for the unrelenting horror and terror that they convey.

The idea of pleasure and pain being intertwined so seamlessly that death is the only release. Truly the stuff of Nightmares.

Narrated to perfection, and I love the subtle effect that comes on when taking the voice of one of the Cenobites.

If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

I have been shown wonders

I listened to Hellbound Heart quite a few months ago and it's stuck with me, enough to be my favorite story of the year. It's a brooding, murderous story about the dangers of obsession and obsessive love. I love the Hellraiser movies and decided to listen to the source material and glad I did. While the book differs from the movie, it packs a different emotional punch.

Loved the hellraiser movie but this is sooo much better

Ok huge fan of hellraiser series of movies. I must say (like almost always) the book is soooo much better than the movie. The visions that Clive Barker creates can name bee be done justice anywhere other than in the depths of ones imagination. In his words and in our minds is where pinhead and the others truly come to life in all their unimaginable terror. The story conveys the thoughts of the characters and the pains, pleasures and horrors that images just couldn’t do justice to. What a truly great dark and twisted tale. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher

Great Story and Great Narration

Such a good story. I love how Clive Barker's horror knows no bounds. Just a phenomenal author. Happy with my purchase

Clive Barker at his best.

I think this book is woefully underrated in the lexicon of horror, often disregarded as simple torture p*** or body horror without purpose. that is a shame because there is so much more to this story than simply the macabre. What might a person find if they allow themselves to become numb to the pleasures of life? What boundaries will they push in their pursuit of pleasure? And will they regret what they find on the other sides of those boundaries?
definitely a 10 out of 10, A quick and easy read, and deserving of a spot in any horror collection.