''Imajica'' is a 1991

dark fantasy Dark fantasy, also called fantasy horror, is a subgenre of fantasy literary, artistic, and cinematic works that incorporates disturbing and frightening themes. The term is ambiguously used to describe stories that combine horror fiction, horror ...

horror novel by English author

Clive Barker Clive Barker (born 5 October 1952) is an English writer, filmmaker, and visual artist. He came to prominence in the 1980s with a series of short stories collectively named the ''Books of Blood'', which established him as a leading horror author ...

. Set within a

multiverse The multiverse is the hypothetical set of all universes. Together, these universes are presumed to comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describ ...

of parallel dimensions, the narrative weaves together themes of reality, magic, and the cosmic forces that shape existence. The story follows John Furie Zacharias, also known as Gentle, as he becomes embroiled in a multidimensional conflict involving parallel universes, powerful beings, and the mysteries of creation.

Background

Barker has stated in interview that he wrote the first draft of ''Imajica'' as a manuscript of "14,000 hand written pages." He says in an interview with David Howe: "Imajica started with my thinking about the images which appear in the great paintings of Christian mythology. Whether or not they're true, they seemed to me to be a potent, powerful and important cyphers of image and meaning."

Reception

The novel received critical acclaim. Critics praised ''Imajica'' for its ambition, world-building, and blend of dark fantasy, horror, and metaphysical themes. It was often seen as Barker's finest work, although some criticism was aimed towards the book's length and complexity. Writing in ''

Fangoria ''Fangoria'' is an internationally distributed American horror film fan magazine, in publication since 1979. It is published four times a year by Fangoria Publishing, LLC and is edited by Phil Nobile Jr. The magazine was originally released i ...

'', W. C. Stroby lauded Barker's boldness in tackling "the Big Questions" of love, death, God, and oblivion. He described ''Imajica'' as "audacious, arrogant and subversive in the most imaginative and visionary of ways," declaring it to be Barker's best book. ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'' deemed the novel as "an astonishing feat of the imagination" that runs "riot with ideas, fantastical inventions, graphic sex and violence, soul-terrors, and emotional and intellectual resonances," and commended Barker for surpassing his previous achievements. British film editor Jon Gregory acknowledged Barker's ongoing obsession with religious imagery and the role of women in his narratives, often portraying them as possessing transformative powers. He highlighted the novel's scope, suggesting that ''Imajica'' is a reworking of the Christ myth, filled with monsters and mayhem, and concluded that the book represented a "step upwards" for Barker, offering a story with greater thematic range than his previous works. In his review for ''

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'', Stefan Dziemianowicz revered Barker as a "latter-day Lewis Carroll," adept at transforming contemporary issues – such as AIDS, racial and sexual politics, and censorship – into mythological material. However, he opined that the novel tends to digress, describing it as a "Chinese puzzle box constructed on a universal scale," and pointing out that, while ''Imajica'' dazzles with its inventiveness, it sometimes suffers from an overindulgence in detail that detracts from the overall plot. Additionally, ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' celebrated Barker's "prodigious imagination," noting his ability to conjure vivid characters, gods, and creatures, while acknowledging the book's complexity. The review highlighted ''Imajica'''s "mesmerizing invention" and its blend of violence, eroticism, and myth. ''Imajica'' was a finalist for the 1992 Locus Award for Best Horror/Dark Fantasy Novel.

References

External links

Clive on Imajica
- Clive Barker's opinions on ''Imajica'' {{Clive Barker 1991 British novels 1991 fantasy novels 1990s fantasy novels Novels by Clive Barker British fantasy novels William Collins, Sons books Weird fiction novels