Fantastic story about a world inside of a carpet sound weird but it just keeps going. A real page turn i could not put this book down.
Probably one of the more readable books by Barker, it avoids some of his usualy gore and "power comes from pain" themes and provides a terrific fantasy tale.
A Pure Venture of the Imagination, July 6, 2004
Reviewer: Alexander Babbie (Dannemora, NY United States)
After reading Barker's other fantasy epic, Imajica; I couldn't wait to get my hands on Weaveworld, and now that I'm done reading it I am convinced that Barker is one of the most talented authors alive.
Calhoun Mooney, a 20 something free-spirit, accidentally falls into a magic carpet which serves as a refuge for the Seerkind, who have been hunted by mankind (Cuckoos) throughout history for their special abilities. Cal's fall into the carpet sets into motion an epic confrontation for the carpet and the wonders it contains. With the aid of the beautiful Suzanna, whose connection to the carpet is deeper than she can possibly realize, Cal must protect the carpet from Immacolata, an "Inncantrix" who once ruled the carpet; Shadwell, a salesman by nature who considers the carpet the ultimate prize; and the Scourge, an ultimate evil whose very existence is tied to the extinction of the Seerkind.
If all that doesn't make too much sense, don't worry...its not supposed to at first glance, and that's the wonderful part reading Barker...he has such a wonderful imagination and is able to convey his imagination so well, that the only real way to understand what his books are about is to read them. Barker also has a gift for making wonderfully complex "villains" that never fail to dazzle. By the end of the story, even the Scourge, which was the ultimate evil to the Seerkind was able to provoke profound empathy from me over the emptiness and sadness that it felt.
Anyone who enjoys fantasy, horror, or simply a good yarn will love this book. Admittedly it does start out somewhat slow, but the pace soon picks up and you will not be able to put it down.
This is a VERY interesting fantasy novel by a well-known author outside his usual genre. His plot and premise borders on the just-plain-strange, but the action is constant and the creativity kept me interested throughout. Beautiful writing.
"A" for imagination. Definitely not for everyone though. There are some really gross and twisted things in this guy's books.
A man loses his wife. As he grieves he seems unable to find interest in any part of his life. Even his beloved racing pigeons are cared for by his son, Cal. When one escapes Cal chases it and discovers an enchanting world which he views when he falls off a wall. A young woman receives a letter from her grandmother asking her to visit before it's too late. Thus begins a strange adventure for Suzanne when she meets Cal.
The enchanting world is enclosed in a carpet where inhabitants sleep and the world is protected. The young woman, Suzanne, arrives to say goodbye to her dying grandmother, custodian to the world. Others want the world, too. Shadwell wants to sell it to the world's most wealthy men. A rogue seerkind wants to kill the families living there. Hobart, a policeman believes Suzanne is a terrorist, and is madly pursuing her.
So much happens that it's hard to stop reading. Cal and Suzanne try to save Weaveworld but it unravels - not once but twice and the second time it falls apart leaving few residents alive. The enemies remain - chiefly Shadwell and Hobart who now search for the Scourge which wants to destroy all seerkind and any vestige of the world itself. It was Shadwell's efforts, accompanied by Hobart and his trained police squad, that murdered so many.
Yes, it's long but it's enchanting and the world that Barker created along with the characters are magical. My only objection is that the ending could have been edited to avoid what seemed to be to be a drawn out scenario.
This is my favorite Clive Barker novel. It really is worth reading. Enjoy!!!
Just as the carpet is woven with stories and danger, you will be woven into this story and not escape until the final page. Trust me, you won't be able to put this book down.
