Galilee

Rating:
Summary: Seductive plot keeps you riveted...
Review: The somewhat seductive and sensuous plot of Mr. Barkers "Galilee" keeps one riveted to watch the characters unfold. However, the distasteful sexual encounters can corrupt the flow of things. I still feel this was an interesting excursion away from his normal style. Like Stephen King, everyone needs an occasional change of pace to refresh ones batteries. I found "Rose Madder" an exciting psychological thriller and wouldn't mind this style of novel from either author.

Rating:
Summary: Almost but not Quite
Review: There were places in this book where I was spell bound, particularly the story of Zelim, the civil war journal, the first dome sequence. At other points I felt I had fallen into a slow Jackie Collins novel. It felt somehow that the book had been badly edited, parts left out that needed to be there, other parts embelished that would have best been left simple. There were too many string left loose. This was my first time with the author, and likely I will read future works, particularly any sequels to Galilee.

Rating:
Summary: The death of horror
Review: One of the first books I ever read was The Great And Secret Show by Clive Barker. A page turning, gut wrenching, gorefest to say the least! I was instantly hooked on Barker, ravenously gorging myself on all his books I could find,all the way back through the Books of Blood The Damnation and Cabal. But alas, my appetite for his horror is no more. Not because I have grown bored of it, but because it is no more. After reading Sacrament a few years ago, I thought, o.k., he had to get that out of his system, but I was wrong. It seams to have been the beginning of the end of the greatest horror writer since H.P. Lovecraft. Eagerly anticipating Galilee, as Barker's book of redemtion, I found myself drifting off night after night, triping over the endless number of characters, both central and background. This book should have come with a score card and a tablet of No-Doze. This book is a half-hearted attempt at the gothic ( dark romance) genre, an attempt best left for those who can deliver it. Don't get me wrong. I am a true Barker fan...of yesterday. If this is what is to be expected in the future from Barker, then horror is dead. Please, Clive, return to the blood that keeps horror alive, as it is gasping for its last breaths.

Let us bow our heads in a moment of silence for what seems to be the death of horror.

Rating:
Summary: A poor attempt to move from his field
Review: Clive Barker has amazed us with WeaveWorld and Everville. His charcters are rich and involving. Every book so far has been an occasion to take the week-end off and spend 48 hours in suspense and awe. What happened here? Seems that Mr. Barker has gone the way of Stephen King. Once a great master, King has lost his touch of affecting our psyche and making us look over our shoulders at night. Barker had that same affect until Galilee. Great horror novelist should avoid the romance novel and stay with there art, scaring the hell out of the reader. I hope that Barkers recent trend with Sacrament and Galilee is not the end of another great horror writer and the beginning of another Stephen King "Insomnia," or "Rose Matter."

Rating:
Summary: A romance with a twist to pass the time
Review: Picking up the book I thought: "eh, just another romance to pass the time." It seems like one of those but I was surprised for the better - well mostly. Horror exactly...it's NOT. But once you get into it, you can find all sorts of wierd things to liven up a romance. Not bad. Passes the time quite well. For the romantics among us this will be a fun read, although for King lovers, like myself, I would not recommend this unless you really have nothing else to read.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've ever read
Review: I just recently finished this book and I thought it was excellent! Clive Barker has done it again, writing another great book. I would really love to see another sequel from this book. The part that touched me the most was when Galilee said to Rachel, "If I can't live with you, I will die with you."

Rating:
Summary: BARKER PROVES TO BE THE QUINTESSENTIAL MODERN CLASSICIST
Review: Time and time again, Clive Barker manages to enthrall and captivate, manipulating the written medium with the kind of skill that eludes most modern authors. His works are masterful constructions of grammar and stylistic prose that successfully blend elements of fantasy and horror while maintaining sincere drama amidst a cast of incredibly intricate yet believable characters. Although I think that Galilee represents the continuation of a departure of sorts for Barker, a departure from the relentlessly surreal landscapes of Imajica and Everville, there is no doubt that the man is at the top of his form when it comes to the fine art of story telling.

Galilee is described by the author as a romance. That designation may be more fitting for this work than anything Barker has produced in the past, but it is hard to classify this novel in such a basic manner. The conflict between the two families in the story, The Gearys and The Barbarossas, is easily as close to center! stage as the actual tryst between Rachel Pallenburg, estranged wife of the powerful Mitchell Geary, and Galilee, the prodigal son of the Barbarossa clan who lends his intrigue and his name to this novel. Barker does a fantastic job, as always, of bringing the threads of the plot together in a manner that does not allow for predictablity or disinterest. The magical-sexual connection between Galilee and the wives of the Geary men is revealed on the author's own terms. Barker insures that the deliberate and intense pace of the novel culminates in a climax and denoument which, like all other Barker epics, leaves the reader paradoxically satisfied yet hungering for more.

The end of Galilee hints strongly of a sequel, and I sincerely hope the author has plans for such an undertaking. Although Galilee was not what I consider the best of Barker's work, the novel does eloquently document the continuing evolution of an incredible writer, and his talent is far beyond that of the a! verage novelist which makes this book a must read even if i! t is slightly overshadowed by the greatness of Barker's previous offerings.

Rating:
Summary: Thoughts on GALILEE
Review: Dear All: First, may I take this opportunity to thank everyone whose made the new book such a success, and a particularly heart felt thanks to all you kind people who are taking the time to comment on GALILEE, either in your letters or here on Amazon.com. I just wanted to remark on two observations made here. One, the comments about the typos in the book. You're right! There are way too many. While I'm not so naive as to believe that a book - especially a novel as long and complex as GALILEE - can ever be completely error free I'm determined that we can do better. I've already instigated a second typo check for the paperback edition and I've also been able to correct a number of mistakes myself. Hopefully this will make the next edition cleaner. I'd also like to answer the question implicit in several of these reader observations about the possibility of a sequel. Yes, there will be another book. Just one. It will carry the story of the Barbarossas and the G! earys to what I hope will be a mind blowing conclusion. That inevitably means that the ending of this first book leaves some questions unaswered. I can understand how that might be a little frustrating (it's a bit like leaving Han Solo frozen alive at the end of EMPIRE STRIKES BACK) ; but I guarantee that all the threads will be tied up by the end of the saga. It's just that I love large canvases and it sometimes takes a while to fill in all the detail.

That's it for now. Thanks again for all your passion and support. Books are the closest thing to a mind meld that I can imagine...

Best always,

Clive Barker

Rating:
Summary: New Revolution for the Wheel of the Stars
Review: How to sum up this book in such short space? Divine. A fitting adjective to describe _Galilee_, the latest literary effort by Mr. Barker, for part of the concern of this book lies with gods, and men who act as gods. Before this novel, I had never read anything of his before. I suppose the whole "Hellraiser" bit turned me off. How I now regret that I did not give this fabulous author a chance before _Galilee_! Wandering through the bookstore, it was either _Galilee_ or Alice Borchardt's latest, _The Silver Wolf_, and, though I have yet to pick up her new book, I am blissfully happy that I decided on what I did. _Galilee_ seduces with the force and manner of perhaps Nicodemus himself (of whom you shall learn much more upon entering this grand book). I have been a fervent worshipper of Anne Rice for five years now; it seems that it is time for the monk to convert. In Barker I have found a new divinity---one whom I hope to love for many, many more years, and book! s. I hope you will too.

Rating:
Summary: Swedish fan #1
Review: Ther's a certain pattern when I look around among the reviews. All the girls seem to enjoy the plot when the boys find it ridicoulus. Because I'm on of the latter I don't find the book very good though it had its moments. We know you can do better Mr Barker (sorry girls).