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    Imajica
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    Imajica
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    Imajica
    Ebook1,332 pages25 hours

    Imajica

    By Clive Barker

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    A book of revelations. A seamless tapestry of erotic passion, thwarted ambition and mythic horror. Clive Barker takes us on a voyage to worlds beyond our knowledge, but within our grasp.

    John Furie Zacharias, known as Gentle, a master forger whose life is a series of lies. Judith Odell, a beautiful woman desired by three powerful men, but belonging to none of them. Pie’oh’pah, a mysterious assassin who deals in love as well as death. These three are united in a desperate search for the heart of a universal mystery, and will find the truth that lies in a place as mysterious as the face of God, and as secret as the human soul. They discover the Imajica.

    Imajica is many things: an epic novel of vast panoramas and intimate, obsessive passions, embracing ghosts and reflections as well as the human and the divine.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins UK
    Release dateOct 21, 2010
    ISBN9780007355402
    Unavailable
    Imajica
    Author

    Clive Barker

    Clive Barker is the bestselling author of twenty-two books, including the New York Times bestsellers Abarat; Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War; the Hellraiser and Candyman series, and The Thief of Always. He is also an acclaimed painter, film producer, and director. He lives in Southern California.

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    Reviews for Imajica

    4/5

    26 ratings21 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Audible edition, read by Simon Vance. Good narration does make a difference. I may come back and write a more detailed review, but I just wanted to put some feedback down. Very entertaining book. Lots of big ideas, a sojourn through other worlds, men and magicians standing with and against gods and goddesses, all the kinds of stuff I love. Characters behave believably some of the time, but some of the time not at all. Overall I can't think what I'd remove from the book, but it did feel like it could have used some editing. Especially concerning pacing, some segments lingered a bit longer than they needed to. The core ideas could have been told in several hundred less pages, but again, I don't know what could have been cut out without diminishing the whole.
    • 3/5
      Though the back blurb and intro give Judith a last name, I found it nowhere in the text while multiple names are bestowed on the male characters. For all the anti-toxic-male thread that develops in this work, the gaze is unrelentingly male. Most of the huge size is dribbled away in dialog between characters that only minimally interested me. There are wanderings, but of any wonders encountered, it is mostly the monsters that are reported, though I did like the watery Yzordderrex scenes. I found the blasphemies bland and the debaucheries commonplace and the whole work of more value as fertilizer for what other authors have grown from its substance than for itself.
    • 3/5
      Riddle: Why is Halloween like Ray Bradbury's writings?
      Answer: Because too many of Bradbury's stories in one day will make you just as sick as too much trick-or-treat candy.
      ..............
      The thing about Bradbury is that he has one voice. He always writes in irrevent metaphors and staccato dreams and sensational sensuality. His characters aren't individuals - they're icons. All the wise ones speak in the narrator's voice, all the naive but receptive ones speak in short questions, all the hostile ones speak almost nothing.

      And still I love his work.
      ----------------
      But I don't love what he says about women. Although, I must admit, he usually doesn't say anything. Again with the roles. A woman is a beauty, who tempts a boy to grow up, or a man to fall in love w/ a simulacra. Or: (in 2257)a typical suburban housewife who lives as her ancestral mothers lived, in a house, raising her children..." "left behind on Earth" by the space*men*.

      The theme of most of the stories in this book is of wishes. How much would you risk for a wish? If it were granted, would you then be glad?
      -------------------
      Interestingly, a few of these stories stick a tentative toe into the Queer world. Bradbury's not very, erm, enlightened... but neither is he a 'phobe.
      .................
      And done. And forgotten. The thing about these stories is that they're not sticking in my mind at all. The language overwhelms the ideas, and beyond that there is no plot or characterization. I could take a collection of Bradbury to my 'Desert Island' and I wouldn't need either the complete shakespeare *or* 'How to Build a Boat.' I'd feel like a lotus-eater, and just reread Bradbury's prose over and over again until I wasted away....

      Rather than do that, I'll just pass this book on via bookcrossing.com."
    • 4/5
      I wanted to like this more than I did - I remember enjoying Clive Barker previously and this book just didn't do the trick for me. I kept thinking to myself - get with on with it already! The premise of the book is that there are five Dominions within the Imajica, with Earth being one of them. Earth has been separated from the other four (and no one seems to visit the first Dominion, where Hapexamendios, the god of all, has his city). Two hundred years ago a Maestro tried to reconcile the five Dominions but failed miserably, resulting in much death and destruction. A group called the Tabula Rasa was formed to clear all forms of magic from Earth to prevent this from happening again. As the two hundredth anniversary approaches, it's time for another attempt at the Reconciliation. It was probably about 200 pages longer than it needed to be, and I found the ending anti-climactic. Still, I was interested and I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
    • 5/5
      A beautiful piece of work. A true treasure chest. Open it and get lost.
    • 5/5
      Probably the most beautiful book I ever read, both in terms of writing and the vision. Vast worlds but Clive Barker is never lost for words. He pulls the scenes and characters out and bathes you in them as if he has a 3D cam built-in in his dreams. So thoroughly formed, gloriously described and yet full of energy, rage, sweat and tears. Surprising, sad, shocking and terrifying but altogether naked gorgeous. Big book in pages, yet you end up wanting more. Why, oh why isn't there a ten-hour movie of this?
    • 4/5
      Up there with Weaveworld as a favourite Clive Barker book - I prefer his fantasy to his horror, although there are visceral horror elements in all his books.I find this one difficult to review as so much happens in the book. In short, Imajica is the name for the 5 "Dominions" or parallel universes. Earth is one which is disconnected from the others. The story is about the attempt to "reconcile" Earth with the rest of Imajica, with Messianic overtones. There are Gnostic undertones in the themes, and some themes (the death of God) are mirrored in Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy. Leaves you breathless.
    • 4/5
      There are few people who can spin and epic tale like Clive Barker and with such real characters.
    • 2/5
      Highly imaginative and intricately detailed, the book unfortunately suffers from an extensive length.
    • 5/5
      If you are a true sci-fi/fantasy fan...look no further than Clive Barker. Imajica is a long book in some ways, but I finished it in a few days. I will read anything by this author.
    • 5/5
      Easily one of my favorite novels. Complex, full of rich themes, fantastic creatures and above all a love story of strang proportions.
    • 4/5
      Anyone who likes fantasy epic should give this one a try!
    • 5/5
      It is rare for me that you find a book, especially one as epic as this , that you don't want to end. Every story needs a beginning a middle and an end after all and I personally think a good ending makes the book, but the magnificent journey Clive Barker takes you through just wasn't enough for me . Don't get me wrong the ending was everything I'd hoped for and more , but I just needed the story to go on , he had me hooked on the whole Imajica tale and I wasn't prepared to let go. The first time I read it I finished it in 3-4 days ,reading during breakfast , on the train to work , during breaks and lunch, on the way home , after dinner and before bed. From the first few chapters the book just grabs your attention and the characters are so well formed you get an instant connection that isn't lost throughout the book. Having now read the book at least 7-8 times since the first it has never grown dull and couldn't be more highly recommended by me. The only downside to me is that I often muse I'd like to read some of his other recommended books , especially the highly thought of Weaveworld, but unfortunately when I have these thoughts I inevitably pick up my severely battered copy of this and allow myself to be once again drawn into the wonderful and seducing tale of the Imajica.
    • 5/5
      Although Imajica is a tome of a novel, the story itself is as good as almost any I have ever read. With magnificent settings and all sorts of bizarre creatures, it was definitely an enjoyable read. Clive Barker does tend to play up a theme of love and libido quite a bit too much for my liking, which at times I thought took away from some of the story.This edition comes with a glossary of pictures and sketches in the back which added a bit more culture and mystery to its story. I also noticed a similarity between this novel and Roger Zelazny's Amber series, which is another enormous epic written about 15 years prior to Imajica and probably a good bet if you are looking for a similar style of story.Good for any age-group I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am definitely interested in reading more by Barker in the future.
    • 5/5
      The first Clive Barker I ever read, this is a brilliant and complex fantasy epic. Recommended.
    • 4/5
      Clive Barker is a master in telling stories. His voice is so vivid and strong that it makes every book of his that I've read a page-turner. Imajica has been hailed as one of his best, and I can see why. It is a modern fantasy tale of truly epic (universe-saving) proportions, with surroundings and characters to match.The language is really beautiful, and every page is a pleasure to read. If only there weren't quite as many of them! :) The story is very long, and it takes 90 degree turns many times, which makes you feel a bit cheated. But you still want to read more, just to be able to read the next encounter and find out how vividly Barker has expressed it.And, truth be told, the ending justifies the long trek. It is one of the best endings that I have read in fantasy, or for that matter, in any novel.This book made Barker into one of my favourite authors in one go.
    • 5/5
      I've always loved Clive Barker's writing and storytelling, but this is possibly the best yet. Intriguing, engrossing, characters in a vivid world space and a brilliantly crafted story.
    • 5/5
      There is so much I love about Imagica. The breathtaking world building. Characters as rich in flaws as they are in admirable qualities. A plot that reimagines our most cherished mythology. Sure, it’s over 1000 pages but the journey is worth the time and effort.
    • 3/5
      I find this book tedious. While I think the underlying story was interesting, it had about 20% too much filler for me and I started skipping pages just to get the plot to move forward.
    • 4/5
      This is a very long visceral book full of weird sex scenes and blasphemy.
    • 4/5
      A fantasy epic spanning five Dominions, scores of characters, and over 800 pages, Imajica promises much and, though it does not deliver on all these promises, it is still quite an achievement. Barker is usually thought of as a horror writer in the mould of Stephen King, an idea that is not completely inaccurate, as he has written straight-up horror stories. But neither King nor Barker can be pigeon-holed as mere horror writers; perhaps as popular genre writers, but neither are purveyors of penny dreadfuls. I know King’s work much better than Barker’s, but I have to say that as a first experience of Barker, this book excites me tremendously. It is very well-written, considering its subject matter and literary background, and it also makes good on its picaresque promise, especially in the first half of the book.The book has two main characters, Gentle and Judith, erstwhile lovers, who both set out on journeys from the Fifth Dimension (our reality) across the Imajica. The dual-protagonist structure is notable, as the book is very concerned with gender roles and expectations of fantastic journeys. The Imajica is a wonderful puzzle-box of the imagination, with creatures of all shapes and sizes inhabiting the world(s). One is constantly assailed by new stimuli – like Mervyn Peake, Barker is also a visual artist – and the visual spectacle is bolstered by other sense information. (I suspect, though it is never made explicit, that the five Dimensions also refer to the senses). As mentioned, this is especially noticeable in the first Book of the novel, in which Gentle and his otherworldly companion, Pie ‘oh’ pah, journey across the Imajica. Pie is a mystif, a being that conforms to one’s desires and expectations of it, but which is essentially androgynous. This gives an even more interesting spin to the gender question, with Gentle becoming ever closer to Pie. Their relationship forms the backbone to the first Book, as Judith tries to reach Gentle across the dimensions. We later learn that no-one is really who they seem; both Judith and Gentle initially suffer from a strange kind of amnesia, which only lifts as they travel and learn more about their histories. What they learn is both distressing and illuminating, and will eventually determine their roles in the Reconciliation of the Dominions. I do not want to give away too much about what is revealed about the characters; not because it would spoil the book, but because it would detract from Barker’s sophisticated smoke and mirrors act. Suffice it to say that characters are doubled and refracted through their histories and families.Barker makes an interesting point about power relations between the genders, while also commenting on faith and doubt. Without going into too much detail, Barker posits the Imajica as the handiwork of Hapexamendios, a male god (or God) who has subjugated and, in some cases, destroyed, the Goddesses of the Imajica. We get a very intriguing reading of this most-familiar dichotomy, with Hapexamendios and his children representing a very patriarchal and fundamentalist type of religion, while the Goddesses represent the matriarchal and more generous interpretation of religion. But this is not quite the binary opposition that it at first appears to be. Some of the God’s (male) children rebel, some of the Goddesses are dangerous in their own right, and Pie ‘oh’ pah spans the gap that seems unbridgeable.The book loses some momentum after the first part, but this is understandable in such a long book. Perhaps Barker could have trimmed it a little, but he is such a generously-gifted fabulist that one would be hard-pressed to say what should be left out. After the picaresque journey of the first part, the second part, which is mostly set in our reality, seemed somewhat quotidian. Not a major quibble, but still a bit disappointing. I also found the resolution of the Reconciliation a bit arbitrary and unconvincing. But endings, especially after enjoyable beginnings and middles, are often disappointing.So, a very entertaining book that considers some heavy topics, without falling into a feminist or masculinist reading of its topics. The book is not perfect – perhaps it worked better as originally published in two parts. Now it is a bit of a shaggy monster. Still, very readable and imaginative.A note on the edition: if the book sounds interesting, I would get the Perennial edition, as it has a beautifully illustrated appendix that is very useful for keeping track of everything that is going on. Just be careful when looking in it when you read the book for the first time; there are many spoilers!