Imajica (book review)

One of my favorite books ever..

This isn’t a new review, though it is making its Substack debut. It was originally posted to my old Goodreads profile on December 18, 2015. I hope you enjoy it.

**

“It was the pivotal teaching of Pluthero Quexos, the most celebrated dramatist of the Second Dominion, that in any fiction, no matter how ambitious its scope or profound its theme, there was only ever room for three players. Between warring kings, a peacemaker; between adoring spouses, a seducer or a child. Between twins, the spirit of the womb. Between lovers, Death. Greater numbers might drift through the drama, of course -- thousands in fact -- but they could only ever be phantoms, agents, or, on rare occasions, reflections of the three real and self-willed beings who stood at the center. And even this essential trio would not remain intact; or so he taught. It would steadily diminish as the story unfolded, three becoming two, two becoming one, until the stage was left deserted.”

Thus begins what many consider Clive Barker's masterpiece, and though I've only read Weaveworld (which I highly recommend,) and this one, I am inclined to agree. From the epic tome's opening pages, we're introduced to Charlie Estabrook, and the story quickly unravels from there. Not that this is light reading, because it isn't. Barker's prose is dense, verbose and concerned with many details, some of which are minute, but there are many more which inform the reader of character development and plot, subplot, themes, et al. At the same time, this Liverpool, UK, resident possesses the ability to churn out some genuinely beautiful and breathtaking prose, which kept me flipping pages for its aesthetic alone. As I got deeper into the novel, the shocking twists and turns occurred frequently, thus amplifying the plot and scope and complexity in ways which did not feel orchestrated in any way whatsoever.

Imajica is not solely concerned with its world and life altering plot, either. As all-consuming as my words might or might not imply, there's a heart and a strength at the center of everything, and Barker seems to revel in his large cast, and the world(s) they inhabit. It is because of their fullness that I grew to love and admire them. I will not forget them any time soon. In fact, I finished this in December, 2015, and they resonate still.

I loathed some of them and I gradually loved others, despite such strong emotions. And then there are individuals (like Gentle, Judith Odell, Celeste and Dowd, and of course, the alien assassin, Pie 'oh' pah,) who are nothing short of magical, for various and unfathomable reasons. It's as though Barker possesses some ancient and undefined ability, which he sprinkled his masterpiece liberally with. He's very methodical in that respect.

I want to advise anyone thinking about giving this 1991 offering a go, please do so blindly, or with as little information as possible. This is simply one of those books that rewards the reader for her/his ignorance. Despite this warning, I feel compelled to mention the denouement, because it did satisfy me on multiple levels, yet somehow it also disappointed me. I think that there's excessive buildup throughout its eight hundred and twenty-seven pages, which naturally heightened my expectations to an unhealthy level. When something is riding on that level of pressure, it's almost always inevitable to both fear and expect the very worst.(view spoiler)


I still cannot begin to fathom the fact that Imajica originated from a series of vivid dreams that Barker had. They inspired him to write seven days a week, fourteen to sixteen hours a day, completely hell-bent on recollecting every minute detail and chronicling the amazing journey of these characters. Even more mind blowing is the fact that he completed it in just fourteen months, which begs two questions: how did he keep all of the images and details intact? And was it the rough draft that was finished in fourteen months, or the final draft? I suspect this refers to the initial draft, but who knows? Crazier feats have been accomplished. Either way, it's extremely impressive. It's mind-boggling.

A final question: just how did he retain his sanity?