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  • The Hellbound Heart

  • A Novel
  • By: Clive Barker
  • Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
  • Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (281 ratings)
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The Hellbound Heart cover art

The Hellbound Heart

By: Clive Barker
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
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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

What listeners say about The Hellbound Heart

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Hellraiser fans

A great listen for Hellraiser fans, very well read.
As usual Clive Barker does a good job with this story.

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Listener received this title free

An influential classic

It was an absolute treat to listen to this audiobook and revisit the dark roots of entire genres of horror fiction.

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This audiobook will tear your soul apart!

I imagine many listeners interested in this audiobook will have already read Barker’s novella and / or seen the ‘Hellraiser’ film. If you have, should you listen to the audiobook? I would answer with a resounding ‘Yes!’

There are many articles online detailing the plot and comparing film and novella, so I will not waste time on discussing the actual story. However, it is important to note is that the feelings of dread and horror are just as potent when listening to the audiobook. This story is a highly effective and disturbing narrative in whatever medium it is presented.

The narrator did a great job in capturing and keeping my attention throughout the entire runtime of the audiobook. He made it very easy to follow the story, easy to distinguish between different characters during dialogue scenes, and his pacing was perfect – neither too fast nor too slow. Plus, his low and measured voice was very fitting for this book. I particularly liked that the narrator’s voice was digitally altered when reading the Cenobites’ speeches, as this enhanced the other-worldliness of these creatures. I will definitely seek out other titles with this narrator. Perhaps it was a straightforward, ‘unshowy’ performance that did not draw attention to itself, but there is no need at all to ‘gild the lily’ when narrating Barker’s writing!

I had read the novella before listening to the audiobook, but hearing the text made me more fully appreciate the beauty and majesty of Barker’s writing. This is the advantage of the audiobook over reading the novella or watching the film - just close your eyes and bathe in the exquisiteness of the lush and lyrical prose.

In conclusion, I fully recommend this audiobook, even if you are already familiar with the story in its other iterations.

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No Tears

A fantastic piece by Clive that definitely justified the creation of the movie which followed. Masterfully written with proof of real dark inspiration. Though i do appreciate the changes and improvements clive made in adapting it to a movie. (Specifically Kirsty's relation to Larry)

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Classic horror

One classic horror story . It is one of my top ten books of all time

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Loved the film, and the book did not ot disappoint

Usually read the book before the film but not this on. Obviously a few minor changes but very much the same story and we'll worth it.

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Quite good

Was basically the film. Nothing included other than a small bit at the beginning detailing the ritual. Meh.

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One of my all-time favorites

Hellbound Heart is one of my all-time favorite books, one of the few I have read multiple times. I was over the moon to find a great audiobook version. Jeffrey Kafer's narration (a few minor mispronunciations of French aside) was fantastic. Will definitely be listening back again!

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brilliant book, bad narrator.

brilliant book, much better than the film, which in itself is good.
didn't get on very well with the narrator, sounded like a fake American accent. A book of this stature required a good English narrator. Wish I had gone for the abridged version read by Clive Barker.

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short but sweet

As a huge fan of the Hellraiser franchise I wanted to hear the original story. loved it.

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