The hero of "The Thief of Always" is a 10 year-old boy named Harvey. Boredom on a miserable February day causes Harvey to wish for "some fun." Suddenly, a rather repulsive and mysterious creature named Rictus enters Harvey's bedroom and invites him on a holiday where there will be endless fun. Harvey, a wise little boy, hesitates, but soon succumbs to the invitation.

Harvey finds himself as a guest at Holiday House--the home of the mysterious Mr Hood. There are two other children there--Wendell, and Lulu. At first, Harvey has a simply wonderful time--all his wishes come true. But there is something rather strange going on--each day passes through 4 seasons--spring in the morning, long hot summer days in the afternoon, every evening is Hallowe'en, and every night is Christmas. It's all a little too good to be true, and Harvey begins to ask questions. Mrs Griffin, the housekeeper, seems too terrified to answer and admonishes Harvey to enjoy each day, but Harvey's persistence and curiosity eventually lead him to the horrible truth.

This story offers many valuable lessons to the reader--young and old alike. Harvey's bravery, strength of character, and concern for the well-being of others make him a superb little hero. Great evil resides in the house, but Harvey discovers that "Evil, however powerful it seemed, could be undone by its own appetite." Ultimately, the moral of the tale is that time is a precious thing--something that should never be stolen or taken from others, and that we should enjoy each day of our lives and not squander our time or wish it away. Clive Barker added a narvellous introduction to the edition I own in which he describes his writing process, writing as a child, and how "The Thief of Always" was created.

But that's besides the point. In this novel, Weaveworld, Clive Barker, who is most commonly known for his work in the macabre and horror, takes one of his occasional stabs at fantasy. While his horror sensibilities still tend to seep into the story at certain points, the fantastical elements are light years beyond what any other fantasy writer has come up with. Who else could write about a character who has her two sisters' ghosts with her as minions because she strangled them with their own umbilical cords while the three of them were in the womb?

His imagination knows no bounds and, if you like to actually THINK as you read, you'll love this book as the imagery, symbolism and outright bizarre plot twists and turns will leave you wondering whether the ground beneath your feet is real or a product of some magical force beyond your wildest dreams.

Barker mixes de Sade, Poe and Carroll to bring us the incredible story of the Fugue, a magical realm where harm is but a shadow and miracles are the regular coin, a world whose people were once hunted down by an unnamable creature called the Scourge and so had to find refuge in a magical carpet of complex geometrical designs, forever secure in and endless dream of frozen time. Until one day, that last guardian of the carpet dies.

Barker introduces us to a wide arrange of characters with rich personalities and their own personal problems. We have the chance to met Cal, the melancholic poet/dreamer; Susana, the last link between the salvation of the Fugue or its eternal destruction; Immacolata, the mysterious wraith; Shadwel, perhaps the most twisted and corrupted character I've read about in what goes of this year; And my personal favorite, Hobart, the control freak with a disturbed mind tormented by existentialism.

The most interesting premise about this book is the wide arrange of mysteries left without clarification at the end of the book: What is the Scourge and the ruins it guards in the unfathomable deepness of the dessert? Who is Hobart? Why that blind fanaticism replaced by a sudden sense of humility? From where did the Scourge and the Seerkind come? The reader is left alone to ponder at the questions, and Mr. Barker doesn't seem to be ready to spill out the answers entirely, so your guess is as good as mine's.

That which can be imagined need not be forgotten!

The introduction is imperative to setting the scene of a very believable background. King manages to blend the ancient vampire myth in with a modern-day town. King's vivid descriptions help the reader to build-up detailed images of a diseased, and sin stricken community that is being exposed to its own dirty secrets and is hence rapidly falling to pieces. Interesting characters are also introduced such as Ben Mears who grew up in the town and has returned to write a novel. The young boy, Mark Petrie also adds lively contrast to the Mears character. Interestingly, Mr Barlow, the head vampire is hidden away in the story, which helps to provide a steady build-up of tension.

After Ben Mears arrives in town, a local young boy is found dead. A disturbing funeral scene follows the discovery. The boy soon joins the ranks of the undead killing off the town's inhabitants.

As the unsuspecting residents are found dead one-by-one, a dreaded sense of hopelessness descends upon the town. Salem's Lot has a hidden social commentary about small town facades of normality blanketing the true evils and secrets beneath. Salem's Lot ends with a real cliffhanger that is well worth the slow start.

Imajica is far from all this. Barker managed to create something special and unique which incorporated his views on global arrangement, philosophy and religion aspects, love, fantasy, mystery, thriller, fairy tales and a lot of other styles and issues. It's like a projection of the earth's life onto several different planes. The book (two parts) is a whole story with many beautiful descriptions, interesting actions, unpredictable turnings and all that stuff that makes you do nothing except for reading until it is finished.

So, don't hesitate and order it right now. Imajica is what you wouldn't ever imagine in your dreams. It is a masterpiece created by a skilful hand of the great writer of the Five Dominions. Read it!

Although this is first and foremost a Fantasy novel, Clive Barker also proves that he has profound insight into the conflicts and connections between the sexes as well as into our universal need for a god (or goddess) that we can understand and relate to. The book is wonderful in terms of plot, scope, and descriptions, but what really kept me coming back were these deeper struggles and the tie Barker was able to forge between myself and these characters. Without the characters the book would have been dry philosophy. Without the deeper statements of meaning the characters would have lacked depth and purpose. Barker provides a marriage in which both coexist in harmony.

And I used to think that it couldn't get any better than "The Great And Secret Show"...

Enter the powerful imagination of Clive Barker as he takes you on a mindblowing journey through the Imajica... Join Gentle, once a great and powerful Reconciler, as he meets his former love Pie'oh'Pah, rediscovers his destiny and travels through the worlds that make up the Imajica in a desperate attempt to reconcile the Earth with the four reconciled worlds of the Imajica.

Set in a mystical fantasy universe, Imajica is a monster of a book. Although my European version of Imajica was 1138 pages big, I managed to read it within three days - I simply couldn't stop once I got started. Imajica contains everything that a reader could ever want in a single book: Exotical characters, a wonderful story, powerful violence and a vivid sexual element. And as if that wasn't enough, Barker also redefines the entire Christian mythology! Read it at all costs!

This is the type of horror writting I have been looking for. The concept of "the Art" is brilliant. I especially love the tie-in between our world, as we know it, and alternate worlds of pure evil.

I have read most of Barker's novels by now, with special likings to Imajica and Weaveworld. I am now looking for more authors that can give me more to read. Suggestions are welcome.

If you are looking for a brilliant horror novelist and have not read Clive Barker's works before, I strongly recommend The Great and Secret Show as a starting point.