The Inhuman Condition
Clive Barker

In these five tales you will discover The Inhuman Condition - a world of ordinary people, going about their daily business, until suddenly they take a wrong turn and find themselves on the twisted back roads of the human psyche, in a world of powerful eroticism, violence and uncontrollable desires. Here hands begin a violent revolution against the minds that control them; conundrums lie hidden in a piece of knotted string - and each knot, when unraveled, releases a dark, hungering nightmare; here the living and the dead find an unholy sexual alliance in a forsaken motel room; here the first truly effective aphrodisiac releases a monstrous depravity upon the world; here a palace is built to lure Satan back to earth.
Travel these harrowing roads with Mr. Barker, and watch as he unflinchingly reveals the landscapes. His wit will lure you, his supple style will delight you, his graphic vision will scare the daylights out of you. He will darken your daydreams and illuminate your nightmares.

Much like many other Barker novels, this one comes with the warning that it is not suitable for all ages. Graphic violence and sexual situations are involved in many of these stories and thus, this collection of short stories is only appropriate for an adult crowd. And even then, I recommend that the adult crown not be easily offended by anything violent or sexual, no matter how far it pushes or goes over the line.

That being said, also like many other Barker novels, this one is fantastic. Each story is intriguing and will suck the reader in. I don't have a personal favorite out of these, nor a least favorite, I like them all pretty much equally and there's not much more you can ask for out of a short story compilation.

Barker continues in this novel to do what most other writers will not do - push the line of sex and violence not for the sake of itself, but for the sake of a phenomenal story. While this puts his work into the adult category, it would not be the same without the author's fearlessness with which he tackles subjects that most people would shy away from. This is what makes Barker the best writer of our generation.

I highly recommend this book... if you're an adult and not easily offended.

My rating: Four out of five snails.