The Scarlet Gospels
Encyclopedia
The Scarlet Gospels is a novel by horror/fantasy writer Clive Barker
, yet to be released (according to an April 2008 interview it may not be finished for another few years). Clive Barker's twitter has a post from June 18 2010 stating "the 243,000 words of 'The Scarlet Gospels' merely lacks a publisher". Originally it was intended to be the title of a selection of short stories, including a novella-sized story that would have been a sequel to his groundbreaking horror story, first told in a novella called The Hellbound Heart
, and then in a highly successful feature film called Hellraiser
. As Barker got further and further into writing the story, he decided that the material deserved more, and gradually, the unrelated short stories were put aside in favour of the main story becoming a single self-contained novel of its own.
, a character seen in several previous stories such as the novel Everville and the short story The Last Illusion later adapted into the film Lord of Illusions. The second, Harry's adversary in The Scarlet Gospels, is known only as Pinhead
, a member of The Order of the Gash, residing in a world bordering our own, devoted to exploring pleasure - at least, pleasure as they themselves define it. The first meeting between these two characters actually occurs in the past, when Harry is twelve or thirteen years old and in Catholic school, and this encounter with Pinhead is said to be a prime cause in Harry's later disturbed demeanor.
In the present day, a friend of Harry's is taken hostage by Pinhead, and Harry, accompanied by four mismatched companions (including the blind medium Norma Paine, who has appeared in earlier Barker stories) and an animal, must track his friend down into the lowest levels of Hell. Roughly two thirds of the story will take place in Hell itself, and much is expected to be learned about the nature of Hell, its creator, its inhabitants, about the Order of Cenobites and Pinhead's place within.
Clive Barker
Clive Barker is an English author, film director and visual artist best known for his work in both fantasy and horror fiction. Barker came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories which established him as a leading young horror writer...
, yet to be released (according to an April 2008 interview it may not be finished for another few years). Clive Barker's twitter has a post from June 18 2010 stating "the 243,000 words of 'The Scarlet Gospels' merely lacks a publisher". Originally it was intended to be the title of a selection of short stories, including a novella-sized story that would have been a sequel to his groundbreaking horror story, first told in a novella called The Hellbound Heart
The Hellbound Heart
The Hellbound Heart is a horror novella by Clive Barker, first published in November 1986 by Dark Harvest in the third volume of their Night Visions anthology series, and notable for becoming the basis for the 1987 movie Hellraiser and its franchise...
, and then in a highly successful feature film called Hellraiser
Hellraiser
Hellraiser is a 1987 British and American horror film based upon the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Hellraiser explores themes of sadomasochism and morality under duress and fear. The film spawned a series of sequels...
. As Barker got further and further into writing the story, he decided that the material deserved more, and gradually, the unrelated short stories were put aside in favour of the main story becoming a single self-contained novel of its own.
Plot summary
The story centers on two characters Barker has used in his previous work. The first is the private investigator Harry D'AmourHarry D'Amour
Harry D'Amour is a fictional character created by English author, filmmaker, and artist Clive Barker.D'Amour is a private investigator who specializes in cases involving the occult. His body is marked heavily by tattoos that confer protection against evil....
, a character seen in several previous stories such as the novel Everville and the short story The Last Illusion later adapted into the film Lord of Illusions. The second, Harry's adversary in The Scarlet Gospels, is known only as Pinhead
Pinhead (Hellraiser)
Pinhead is a fictional character from the Hellraiser series. Created by Clive Barker and portrayed by Doug Bradley, Pinhead is a prominent figure in the series, mostly featured as the main antagonist....
, a member of The Order of the Gash, residing in a world bordering our own, devoted to exploring pleasure - at least, pleasure as they themselves define it. The first meeting between these two characters actually occurs in the past, when Harry is twelve or thirteen years old and in Catholic school, and this encounter with Pinhead is said to be a prime cause in Harry's later disturbed demeanor.
In the present day, a friend of Harry's is taken hostage by Pinhead, and Harry, accompanied by four mismatched companions (including the blind medium Norma Paine, who has appeared in earlier Barker stories) and an animal, must track his friend down into the lowest levels of Hell. Roughly two thirds of the story will take place in Hell itself, and much is expected to be learned about the nature of Hell, its creator, its inhabitants, about the Order of Cenobites and Pinhead's place within.
Known facts about The Scarlet Gospels
Though the full course of the story is not known, Barker himself has been forthcoming with small facts about the story in various telephone and print interviews.- The Lament Configuration puzzle box and others like it, which in The Hellbound Heart and the Hellraiser films are used to summon the Cenobites, will be present in The Scarlet Gospels and will be explored in slightly more detail than in The Hellbound Heart, but not in any great detail. The same goes for their creator, Philip Lemarchand. In Barker's words, "This book is not about Lemarchand. It's about what happens when Hell puts down its machinery, meaning the little boxes, and takes up its older ways."
- The origins of the Cenobites will be explored. As Barker said in a July 2007 interview for SFX magazine: "I not only lay out how the Cenobites began, I also lay out how it will all finish. So after this book there is nothing more for me to do as far as this mythology is concerned..."
- The PinheadPinheadA pinhead is the head of a pin.Pinhead may also refer to:* A telemark skier* A juvenile cricket* Pinhead; A very dull or stupid person according to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary...
character and his true role in the order of Cenobites will be explored. - Pinhead will be given a genuine Cenobitic name in the story. This is significant since the character was never officially named in any story, nor were any other Cenobite characters. Pinhead was identified only as the "Lead Cenobite" in the first film, and in subsequent films the name "Pinhead" has been used as a placeholder.
- Barker will not be following the continuity established in the Hellraiser sequel films.
- One location in the book will be a Viking cemetery, located in the islands off the western coast of Scotland.
- Barker has said that The Scarlet Gospels will include numerous mytho-historical characters from the New TestamentNew TestamentThe New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and early Christian lore. One of these will be JesusJesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
of NazarethNazarethNazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, whose crucifixion on Golgotha will be seen in the book. Another is Joseph of ArimatheaJoseph of ArimatheaJoseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion. He is mentioned in all four Gospels.-Gospel references:...
, who is said to have brought the Holy GrailHoly GrailThe Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
to a tin mine in CornwallCornwallCornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, though Barker has not said in what way Joseph will be featured in the story. - The book will make reference to something called the Lazarus Requiem, though Barker does not say what role it will have in the story (this is actually Barker's name for his own notes, and would have been his name for the story itself had he not decided it sounded too much like a science fiction title).
External links
- Revelations - The Official Clive Barker Online Resource - Includes a full bibliography, filmography and frequently updated news.