Literary horror fans have been waiting with bated breath for Clive Barker’s HELLRAISER/Louis D’Amour crossover THE SCARLET GOSPELS since it was announced as a short story in 1998. It has since grown into a manuscript that was last confirmed to be around 2,000 pages long . As the novel’s epic scope has grown, Barker’s health experienced a recent decline. Despite that fact, the prolific artist has continued to plug away with paintings, the final ABARAT, the HELLRAISER comics and preparations for the upcoming ZOMBIES VS GLADIATORS . In the midst of pursuing these projects and dealing with health concerns, Barker has come forward to address the state of GOSPELS:
A lot of you ask about the status of The Scarlet Gospels. Firstly,thank you for caring. Several portions of the book are written and the scale of the narrative is massive.This is without doubt the most metaphysically ambitious book of mine since Imajica. But unlike Imajica,which offered an entirely new cast of characters,The Scarlet Gospels builds its narrative around Harry D’Amour and the Hellraiser mythology.Unlike Mister [Stephen] King,who has found brilliant ways to connect his different worlds so that we come to understand that each is an echo or reflection of the rest,I have no such grand ambition in mind.I simply want to tell an apocalyptic tale in which Harry will meet the forces of Hell as they appear in The Hellbound Heart and the first Hellraiser movie.
Since I became so unwell earlier this year I am trying to be a little kinder to myself.That means that I can’t tell you exactly when the book will be finished,only that it will be.My love and heartfelt thanks for all the concern you’ve shown for my well being.Over and over again I’ve been gently advised to get well first,then worry about which story will be told when I’ve finished the fifth and final Abarat book.I hope this was useful.Now I head back [to] Abarat,where Christmas Day has just dawned…
So the final ABARAT will certainly be up next, while GOSPELS will continue its gestation. Though I’m disappointed to hear the novel is still far from even an announced publication date, Barker is certainly right in prioritizing his health. Also, from a practical perspective, capping off his more mainstream, young adult ABARAT series sounds like the smart thing to do. It sounds like GOSPELS’ narrative still needs some streamlining (anything more metaphysical than IMAJICA sounds unwieldy), but I have faith the epic crossover is moving forward and will make its way onto shelves eventually. Comment with your own feelings on THE SCARLET GOSPELS slow movement below but, please, no tears. It’s a waste of good suffering.