The Great and Secret Show

In the small town of Palomo Grove, California, a supernatural war erupts between two powerful entities who were once ordinary men. The conflict centers on Quiddity, a mystical dream sea that all humans visit three times in their lives - at birth, when finding true love, and at death. The story begins in a dead letter office in Nebraska, where postal clerk Randolph Jaffe discovers cryptic references to an ancient form of magic called "The Art." His obsessive pursuit leads him to New Mexico and a confrontation with Kissoon, keeper of secret knowledge about Quiddity and its power. The narrative spans decades as Jaffe and his former partner Fletcher become superhuman adversaries, their battle affecting multiple generations and threatening the boundary between our world and the dream sea. Their conflict draws in the residents of Palomo Grove, transforming ordinary lives into battlegrounds where reality and fantasy intersect. The Great and Secret Show explores humanity's relationship with dreams, desire, and transformation, presenting a mythology where the boundaries between consciousness and unconsciousness dissolve. The novel functions as both horror and dark fantasy, building a complex cosmology around the universal human experience of dreaming.

Readers describe this as a complex, dark fantasy that requires focus to follow the intricate plot threads. Many note it starts slowly but builds momentum. Readers liked: - The scope and ambition of the mythology - Vivid, cinematic dream sequences - Character development, especially Randolph Jaffe - Blend of horror and fantasy elements - Detailed world-building Readers disliked: - Dense, confusing first 100 pages - Multiple storylines that can be hard to track - Uneven pacing - Some find the ending unsatisfying - Occasional overwrought prose One reader noted: "You need a flow chart to keep track of who's who." Another commented: "The dream scenes are worth pushing through the slow start." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (29,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (800+ reviews) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (2,000+ ratings) The book maintains high ratings despite complaints about its complexity, suggesting readers who complete it find it rewarding.

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🌟 The book is the first part of "The Art Trilogy," though only two books were ever completed - the sequel being "Everville" (1994). 🌊 The concept of Quiddity, the dream sea, appears in other Barker works and is said to be visited by all humans three times: at birth, during first love, and at death. 📝 Barker originally conceived the story as a film script but expanded it into a novel when he realized the scope was too vast for a single movie. 🎨 While writing the book, Barker created numerous sketches and paintings of the characters and creatures, many of which were later exhibited in galleries. 🏆 The novel won the 1990 Locus Award for Best Dark Fantasy/Horror Novel and helped establish Barker's reputation beyond his earlier pure horror works.