Clive Barker’s Library of the Dead Adds Original Soundtrack as Late Pledges Remain Open
Clive Barker’s Library of the Dead has passed its $1.75 million Kickstarter stretch goal, unlocking Compositions of the Dead, an original soundtrack curated by Barker. The project brings new short horror fiction from a writer I’ve followed since I was a kid. I backed it during the original campaign, and the new soundtrack is one more reason I’m looking forward to seeing how it all comes together.
The original Kickstarter funding period has ended, but the official campaign page still leads to an active late-pledge flow. There is no confirmed closing date, so readers interested in the books or campaign rewards can check the current pledge options on Kickstarter.
Clive Barker’s Return to Short Horror Fiction
By the time I was 12 or 13, I was already a huge Stephen King fan, reading just about anything of his I could get my hands on. I heard that King had endorsed Clive Barker’s Books of Blood, and that was enough to make me want to find out what all the fuss was about. The first Barker book I could get my hands on wasn’t Books of Blood, though. It was The Thief of Always, which I checked out from my school library not long after it came out in 1992. I loved it, and eventually found my way to all six volumes of Books of Blood, which I’ve read multiple times since. What has always fascinated me about his writing is how unpredictable it can be. Barker can take an idea that sounds completely ridiculous on paper and turn it into something genuinely disturbing, surprisingly emotional, sensual, or all three.
Many horror fans are already familiar with Books of Blood through its film adaptations, including Candyman, The Midnight Meat Train, Rawhead Rex, and Lord of Illusions. I actually saw Rawhead Rex as a kid, and that monster terrified me, although I loved the movie. It wasn’t until I read Barker’s original story years later that I realized just how different his creature was from the one depicted on screen. I still enjoy the original film, but I’ve wanted a new adaptation ever since, particularly one that stays faithful to Barker’s interesting creature design.
Some of my favorite stories are the ones that demonstrate how much more there is to Barker’s horror than monsters and gore. “The Skins of the Fathers” begins with grotesque creatures descending on a desert town, and Barker’s descriptions of them are so vivid and disturbing that they’re practically impossible to forget. Yet the story eventually becomes something resembling a familial rescue, with an unexpectedly emotional heart beneath all the gore. Then there’s “Twilight at the Towers” from Volume Six, which remains one of my absolute favorites because it takes what initially feels like a Cold War espionage thriller and gradually transforms it into a bizarre werewolf-like tale. By the time you begin to understand what’s happening, you’re already invested in the mystery, and the monsters become a welcome addition rather than the entire point. It’s such a unique interpretation of werewolf mythology, assuming that’s even the right way to describe the creatures.
And then there’s “In the Hills, the Cities,” which is basically the original Katamari Damacy. Period.
Clive Barker’s Library of the Dead Unlocks a New Soundtrack
In a November 6 update to backers, Clive Barker Ink announced that the campaign passed $1.75 million and unlocked Compositions of the Dead, an original soundtrack inspired by Library of the Dead and curated by Barker. The current plan calls for at least twelve original tracks by ten composers, bringing together established horror-film composers and newer artists selected by Barker.
The composers have not been announced, and the soundtrack does not have a confirmed delivery date. Every campaign backer is set to receive a digital download as a stretch-goal reward, with the team currently hoping to deliver it when the first Library of the Dead book arrives.
A separate limited-edition vinyl album is planned as an optional additional purchase for campaign backers during the post-campaign period. It is not a free reward, and the team does not plan to sell the edition outside this campaign opportunity.
The project itself gathers three books, Fear Eternal, Dark Descents, and Pyres of Bedlam, with new and previously published short fiction alongside Barker’s art and poetry. The official project description frames the series as his return to short horror fiction, the form that made the original Books of Blood such a defining part of my reading life.
Why I Backed Clive Barker’s Library of the Dead
When the Kickstarter campaign launched, backing it was an easy decision. I chose the Library of the Dead + Books of Blood Set, which felt like it had been put together specifically for someone like me.
A couple of years ago I got to meet Barker at Spooky Empire in Orlando. I’d actually gone hoping to buy some of his original artwork, which he was bringing to sell. By the time I got in, the pieces I would have wanted were out of my price range. I also heard that security was being tightened because people had reportedly been slipping artwork into books and bags and stealing it. That was infuriating. Here were fans hoping for the chance to own something Barker had made, and other people were apparently taking it.
I didn’t come home with a painting, but I did buy two books he had brought to sell: UK editions of Books of Blood, Volume Six and Cabal. He signed both for me. That’s a pretty great consolation prize, especially with “Twilight at the Towers” being one of my favorites. I still hope to own an original Barker artwork someday, and the portfolio of nine fine-art prints included in my Library of the Dead pledge is something I’m particularly excited about. They’re not original paintings, of course, but they’ll be a welcome addition to the collection.
The tier listed an estimated March 2027 delivery when I pledged. None of those rewards have arrived yet, and I am looking forward to opening them when they do. The late pledge campaign also gives new supporters a chance to see which reward options remain available now, though the original backer tiers and prices may not all be unchanged.
There is already another Clive Barker project taking up space in my attention: I recently received the Hellraiser: Revival Leviathan Edition and have started playing the game. Amy can’t handle it, which means Barker’s newer work has already managed to give one person in the house an excellent reason to stay well away from the controller. I shared more of the collector’s set in our Hellraiser: Revival Leviathan Edition unboxing.
Late Pledges Continue as the Campaign Reaches for $2 Million
The next stretch goal is $2 million. The team says that milestone will expand both the books and the music, but has not revealed what the additional reward will be. The late-pledge opportunity remains open for now, and the announcement did not give a specific end date.
If you are considering joining the campaign, the official Kickstarter pledge page is here. It is the direct way to see the current options while they are still available.
Sources: Kickstarter campaign, The Official Clive Barker Website.
