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Imajica by: Clive Barker

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Rating: - Read It

Clive Barker is afraid of nothing. As Stephen King (I think it was him) once said about him, he makes all other writers of this genre look like they've been asleep for the last 25 years. When you read his work, you are always left in awe at his unequalled skill as a story teller of the strange, frightening and wonderful. Imajica is, in my opinion, his best work. It is huge, epic and unforgettable. Even if you don't normally get on with fantasy type work, read this anyway simply for the sheer beauty of his writing. Some of the passages take your breath away, they are so lovely. The tale swoops from the wonderful to horrifying, from comforting to dangerous, from blissful to tragic and back again in a heart beat. The different worlds are drawn in a way that emphasises the wonder one feels when you visit a place for the first time. The human characters are complex, fallible and inherantly flawed, so you care deeply about what happens to them. The non-human characters are strange, wonderful and terrible, but they grab you by the scruff of the neck and force you to take notice. The book ellicits your totally engagement and draws out every emotion as the tale unfolds. It doesn't disappoint on any level, even when you re-read it several times as I have. It always gives me the same feeling that I have just read something unique and amazing. I don't often commit myself when it comes to fiction, but I can honestly say this is one of the best books I've ever read.

Rating: - Fantasy for Grown-Ups

Imajica is a sprawling and majestic work, ambitious in the extreme and of dizzying complexity. Despite being a weighty tome, the subtle character development combined with a gradually unravelling plot make it difficult for the reader to stop gorging on the delights of Earth's parallel sister-worlds and the mystical powers needed to travel there. This is a serious time-thief.

Although being one of Barker's finest works (with the possible exception of Weaveworld) it does suffer from the same malaise of many of his books, namely the oddly disturbing sexual depravity on show. Whilst his frank and open approach to sex is liberated and honest, some of the depths to which it is explored are akin to being led through a child-brothel by a trusted family member (I would imagine). It can be quite nauseating and utterly without boundaries.

Nevertheless, although you have to retch gently through the less savoury elements (unless you happen to share Mr Barker's fascination with extreme and hedonistic perversions) it is rarely gratuitous and is part of the opulent tapestry of this epic work. Not one you can read too often, but a book that should be on the shelf of every fan of intelligent fantasy, if you don't mind being challenged by your literature.

Rating: - A fantasy masterpiece

I have now read this book three times. The first time I was gobsmacked by the creativity and complexity, I just knew that I had read my all time favourite book.

The following readings and I was able to think back to the previous read and think "ah yes perhaps that is what he meant". Suffice to say Mr Barker's imagination and ability to interweave characters and plots goes far beyond my limited ability to describe. He writes on a plan of complexity and creativity far beyond a mere mortal such as me and also beyond any of his peers.

I recommend this book for anyone that enjoys epic fantasy and is looking for a truly original read. Within the pages of the book he somehow creates cultures and philosphical viewpoints and crazy, flawed characters that are somehow credible and believable even though you know it is pure fantasy.

Rating: - My favorite book of all time

This book covers, fantasy, horror, spirituality, sexuality, love, beauty and pain. In my humble opinion the best and most rewarding book I have ever read.

Rating: - A tedious lacklustre marathon

This is one of the most tedious books I have ever read. It is a slow, plodding, dialogue, bereft of any incentive to read further aside from a masochistic desire to see whether it gets any better - it does not fail to deliver on its opening promises ... continuing in a rambling, dull manner for over 1000 pages - it uniformly disappoints from start to finish. If anyone seriously considers this is worth a read, then I would suggest they have never read any decent fantasy novels. I have read thousands, and this is one of the worst - not worth picking up let alone paying money for.

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