Clive Barker is back. The legendary author of The Hellbound Heart, Imajica, and the iconic Books of Blood has launched Library of the Dead, an ambitious new three-book horror anthology series through Kickstarter, marking his long-awaited return to the short fiction that first made him one of the most influential voices in the genre.

The project, released today through Clive Barker Ink and Ensata Press, spans three volumes — Fear Eternal, Pyres of Bedlam, and Dark Descents — and is being positioned as the spiritual successor to Books of Blood, the original six-volume anthology that launched Barker’s career and gave horror readers Rawhead Rex, The Midnight Meat Train, and The Forbidden. Each book blends brand-new stories with out-of-print rarities, curated and edited by Barker’s longtime collaborators Phil and Sarah Stokes. The volumes are accompanied by original black-and-white illustrations and poetry by Barker himself.

The Kickstarter campaign also offers a premium Books of Blood Remastered Edition — a two-volume leather-bound omnibus with new illustrations — alongside limited-edition collectibles including The Art of Clive Barker Portfolio and the Library of the Dead Book Coffin, an ornate stone bookcase display piece housing the entire collection.

“I’m profoundly excited by all that Library of the Dead offers, and the freedom that I now have to present it to you with Kickstarter,” Barker said. “It’s going to be a blast for us all, my friends!”

Supporters can back the campaign through Kickstarter now. For those who need a primer, or a return, this is exactly the kind of Barker publishing event horror readers have been waiting for.

The Library of the Dead Kickstarter launched today, August 18, 2026. Find the campaign at Kickstarter.com.