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170 reviews for:
The Complete Clive Barker's The Great And Secret Show
Gabriel Rodríguez, Chris Ryall, Clive Barker
3.83 AVERAGE
170 reviews for:
The Complete Clive Barker's The Great And Secret Show
Gabriel Rodríguez, Chris Ryall, Clive Barker
3.83 AVERAGE
What a bizarre book! By all accounts it shouldn't be the type of book I'd ever pick up, much less the kind that would keep me engrossed all the way through--but it was, and it did. I tried to explain the plot to a couple of people, and each time I ended up with a confused jumble of themes all wrapped up in a feeble explanation. "It's about... uhh... good vs. evil. And demons, the undead, nightmares that come to life, shamanic magic, a talking ape, and metaphysical horror. Among many other things."
The ironic thing is that by the time I reached the last page, I realized I didn't actually like any of the characters. Even the "good" ones. Howie and Jo Beth's relationship was so forced and sudden that it made me roll my eyes throughout. Grillo and Tesla were the two that came closest to being genuinely likeable, yet they fell short as well. Despite that, I still found myself eagerly dragged along by Barker's imagination. I wanted to know what would happen next, and so I went along for the ride. In the end, I'm glad I read it, but I'm not entirely sure I need to read the sequel.
The ironic thing is that by the time I reached the last page, I realized I didn't actually like any of the characters. Even the "good" ones. Howie and Jo Beth's relationship was so forced and sudden that it made me roll my eyes throughout. Grillo and Tesla were the two that came closest to being genuinely likeable, yet they fell short as well. Despite that, I still found myself eagerly dragged along by Barker's imagination. I wanted to know what would happen next, and so I went along for the ride. In the end, I'm glad I read it, but I'm not entirely sure I need to read the sequel.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
“Memory, prophecy and fantasy - the past, the present and the dreaming moment between - are all one country, living one immortal day. To know that is Wisdom. To use it is the Art.”
This story unfolds in the town of Paloma Grove, California. Here a lake which has never existed comes to be. It’s the start of Armageddon being fought through the children of Jaff a man-spirit obsessed with darkness and Fletcher a being of light. Both are wanting to possess “The Art” the greatest power known to mankind. Nightmares walk the streets and dreams are real in this Great And Secret Show.
What’s fascinating about how this book was written was that Barker was inspired by Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious. He believed it to be another world both strange to us filled with images remote from our domestic lives and closer than concrete reality in which we live because the door that leads to it lives inside us. This Barker called Quiddity. A place we visit three times in our lives. First when we are born, second when we lay with someone we love and third when we die. The three confrontations with the show of our dreams.
This is the basis and beginning of this story. It’s a dark fantasy masterpiece. Quiddity is in Paloma Grove and we witness the fight for “The Art” written in Barkers unique style. There are so many protagonists in this story but of course the evil one of all Jaff sticks out for me as he’s as evil as they can get. Monsters are unimaginable and are made from fear and dreams and actual shit 💩🙈
This novel is not for the easily offended as Barker does graphically bring to life events which are disturbing and the imagery of which is disgusting yet intimately and beautifully written.
I couldn’t put this book down. Reading it again after many years I picked up on things I had missed before and enjoyed this book. Full of dark disturbing imagery and twisted romance, The Great And Secret Show is a must read for every Barker fan 👍🏽
This story unfolds in the town of Paloma Grove, California. Here a lake which has never existed comes to be. It’s the start of Armageddon being fought through the children of Jaff a man-spirit obsessed with darkness and Fletcher a being of light. Both are wanting to possess “The Art” the greatest power known to mankind. Nightmares walk the streets and dreams are real in this Great And Secret Show.
What’s fascinating about how this book was written was that Barker was inspired by Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious. He believed it to be another world both strange to us filled with images remote from our domestic lives and closer than concrete reality in which we live because the door that leads to it lives inside us. This Barker called Quiddity. A place we visit three times in our lives. First when we are born, second when we lay with someone we love and third when we die. The three confrontations with the show of our dreams.
This is the basis and beginning of this story. It’s a dark fantasy masterpiece. Quiddity is in Paloma Grove and we witness the fight for “The Art” written in Barkers unique style. There are so many protagonists in this story but of course the evil one of all Jaff sticks out for me as he’s as evil as they can get. Monsters are unimaginable and are made from fear and dreams and actual shit 💩🙈
This novel is not for the easily offended as Barker does graphically bring to life events which are disturbing and the imagery of which is disgusting yet intimately and beautifully written.
I couldn’t put this book down. Reading it again after many years I picked up on things I had missed before and enjoyed this book. Full of dark disturbing imagery and twisted romance, The Great And Secret Show is a must read for every Barker fan 👍🏽
Second time through, and it's still one of the most amazing books I've ever read
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I accidentally read the sequel to this earlier this year and I have to say, getting all the pieces to the puzzle of the second book was satisfying but more than that, it's another expertly woven tapestry of world building and a carefully crafted plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War
This story centers around a man named Randolph Jaffe who is unhappy being a regular guy that work in the post office sorting through dead mail in Omaha, Nebraska. So he goes on a quest to become something more than what he is, threatening to tear the fabric between our world and a world of nightmare-ish evil.
Not safe for work due to:
1. Rape (sort of)
2. Hints of incest
3. A scene of beastiality
I would go into this book knowing what you're getting beforehand. It's a long book and, at times, very slow. If you know anything about Clive Barker, you know what to expect. He has a very, very vivid and, at times, dark imagination. I love that about him, yes, but this definitely wasn't my favorite of his works that I've read so far. For me, I struggled because it seemed to go so slow. Just go in being mindful!
Would recommend for horror/fantasy lovers and those that have a fondness for Mr. Barker.
Not safe for work due to:
1. Rape (sort of)
2. Hints of incest
3. A scene of beastiality
I would go into this book knowing what you're getting beforehand. It's a long book and, at times, very slow. If you know anything about Clive Barker, you know what to expect. He has a very, very vivid and, at times, dark imagination. I love that about him, yes, but this definitely wasn't my favorite of his works that I've read so far. For me, I struggled because it seemed to go so slow. Just go in being mindful!
Would recommend for horror/fantasy lovers and those that have a fondness for Mr. Barker.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Such a wide scope but manages to stay focused.
I reread this because I remembered the first part being really good when I read it many years ago. That part is still good. The premise is great. Then it drags on for 300 pages too long and while having a cavalcade of creative ideas it's more a Pollock painting than anything that resembles something intelligible. He smashes a trilogy's worth of worldbuilding into one novel and people seem to love it. The problem is that world and the characters just aren't very good.