Galilee

What a fabulous tale - endless weaving - great language - fun characters - a gothic Forsythe Saga. I haven't read Barker's other work, but now am anxious to give it a try. Whatever you say, you have to admit he's an entertainer! (He's got the American gossipy style down pat - not unlike Tom Wolfe and Gore Vidal, in a way. I look forward to Galilee #2.)

I have read all of Barker's work and this, by far, is his best to date. A true mingling of fantasy and horror with just a pinch of science fiction for good measure. Barker has always been able to captivate his readers with his visions of Other Worlds and Fantasy landscapes, and here he brings with that an ensemble of characters that just beg for attention as they twine through a history of events quite unlike any other. If you enjoyed Imajica\s sense of adventure and Weavewarld's sense of wonder then there is no disappointment to be had here. This is not just fiction--this is literature!

This has to be the best book I have ever read. The detail in which he decsribes the journal, it's as if Maddox is a real person writing a real journal. A must read for any Barker, or horror, fan. This has become my new Bible.

"Galilee" is a strange one, since it mixes the horrible cliches of romance fiction and celebrity magazines with Barker's visionary and majestic style. Was he winking at us at times, tongue in cheek? I hope so! On a purely aesthetic level, I think this is Barker's best written novel--and yes, I've read everything--with passages of such poetic grace and lyricism I had to put the book down to catch my breath. And the current of eroticism that runs through this book--! Barker, bless him, has always been interested in the power sexuality plays in our lives, more so than any other genre writer; some of the scenes here gave me quite a thrill, even sitting in a coffeeshop filled with people! OK--as for the story, it's obvious Barker's going for the American angle, going after those old warhorses the Kennedys. I loved the fact that Garrison Geary was such a deeply perverted man, and is growing in perversity and power as the novel ends. I think the Civil War stuff was dead brilliant and truly horrifying in places. I do wish some of the characters had been fleshed out. Maddox was an interesting character, despite being somewhat passive. Actually, I think this novel is fun in a way Barker's books never have been. He's playing with all those corny conventions of crappy pop fiction, yet presenting us with fables and visions and ideas about divinity and spirituality you don't find anywhere. That's what makes Barker so unique in contemporary fiction. I find his metaphysics to be really thought-provoking and exciting, and he seems to be growing with every book (and I thought he'd said it all with "Imajica"!) And as a male reader, I love the way he puts women at the forefront--wait till you meet Cesaria, the Mother Goddess! Great descriptions of her. some people disliked the "soft" climax, but I didn't mind it. I don't always like big "slam-bang" endings, and the conflict between the Barbarossas and the Gearys is not over. BUT--what the heck is up with all the typos??? Who does! the proofreading at HarperCollins? Come on! I've never read a book with so many errors. I wish Barker got more attention from so-called "mainstream" press--he is totally underrated as a writer; I know lots of well-read people who still think he's simply a horror writer. Arggh, I hate that! And I've met lots of novelists (I worked in a bookstore that specialized in author readings) who don't have nearly Barker's intelligence, curiosity, orjust simply his talent--what other writer can you name who's an accomplished playwright, painter, sketch artist, short story writer, novelist, and filmmaker? If any of you ever get the chance to hear him lecture--GO! Oh, "Galilee"--just fantastic. Sometimes melodramatic and silly, but always captivating. Great summer read, and one worthy to be put next to "Imajica" and "Weaveworld." I can't wait for the next part.