Babelonium with A Fish Hat (Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War: Days of Magic, Nights of War Bk.2 - Clive Barker)

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War: Days of Magic, Nights of War Bk.2 - Clive Barker
Date:	04/03/05 (226 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good story, Colourful characters

Disadvantages: May be too strong for younger readers

Most authors aspire to a symmetry of words and verse. For those who live in a literary haze, the ultimate of creating prose that sparks fancy either in paragraphs or rhyme is something only a few can achieve. This is very like at the centre of the tabernacle that forms the Abarat series of books written by Clive Barker.

“Days of Magic, Nights of War” is the sequel to "Abarat" intended by the author to be the second in a series of four. The Abarat itself is a strange world of curio where a series of islands are set permanently according to the hour of the day. Examples would include Yzil which is the noon-day island where it is permanently noon; Qualn Hah which is 9 am and Gorgossium where midnight lasts forever. There is also the existence of the mystical 25th hour, which has an ethereal presence almost like a latter day heaven.

At the hub of the saga is Candy Quakenbush, a young girl from Chickentown, Minnesota who having arrived in the Abarat in the first book, finds herself pursued by Christopher Carrion, the Lord of Midnight and his minions. Candy has a key that is central to Carrion’s plot to take absolute control over the islands and usher in a state of permanent midnight. However, in this phase of the story, Carrion has come to find himself strangely drawn to Candy, much to his psychopathic grand-mother’s disdain. It’s the ongoing quest to conquer the world of the Abarat where the only credible opposition comes in the shape of Candy and her bizarre companions that fuels the intrigue for this latest Abaration outing.

The Abarat as a concept has been a huge success. Purchased by Disney to form the basis of a new theme park, the Abarat is a fantasy world of colourful monsters and strange lands that is unique enough for a major corporation to sink millions of pounds into the project. With such a background, the literary soil is fertile enough to see Barker complete the foursome with the word on the street that Abarat 3 will be started after a further anthology of short stories including a conclusion to the Hellraiser series that initially made Barker’s name as a writer and a presence in movies.

DOMNOW is a logical follow on from the first book. With the continuity of the main characters still present, some new players are thrown into the mix like Lotheo who turns into a monster unless he is given a certain solution to drink. Needless to say, this is kept under strict control by Christopher Carrion in order to blackmail the poor Lotheo to do his bidding. This aspect of the story is typically flamboyant with other intimidating characters such as Otto Houlihan, the Criss-Cross Man who amounts to a bounty hunter with a clinical streak and the evil Sacbrood who are unimaginable creatures living in the pyramids of Xuxux. It seems that the sand blasting of evil beings is comfortably etched out in the dream state of Barker’s writing giving the story the hallmark of the author’s style.

The relationship between Carrion and Candy is further developed as they share some potentially intimate moments and an extra dimension to Candy’s background slowly unravels adding complexity to the Lord of Midnight’s motives. This diametrical opposition of the two main characters becomes blurred as the ignominy of Carrion’s past as well as it’s frailties are brought to bear. For a man with a jar of fluid around his head containing slithering, eel-like nightmares with the power to frighten others to death, it seems that he is not as certain as he is in the first book although the assertive psychotic that is his grandmother acts as a frustrating conscience that eschews all things with integrity and honour.

Candy is joined once more by Malingo the Geshrat having liberated him from the evil wizard Wolfswinkel and their road trip across the islands hotly pursued by the antagonists isn’t too dissimilar to a macabre yellow brick road from Baum’s “Wizard of Oz”

At 489 pages, DOMNOW is a hefty read although chapters are typically half a dozen pages. There are also numerous illustrations in colour throughout the book that brings Barker’s creations to colourful life. The author is also a prolific painter, often staying up throughout the night to produce his latest canvas work. These pictures are of a high quality and do bring another dimension to the text. There is a distinct Eastern feel to place names as well as the naming of many of the creatures. This is common place in fantasy writing.

The problem with this particular book is its intended audience. With the theme park idea due to be made into reality, the idea seems to be pitched at a younger readership. Originally billed as Barker’s first foray into books for children, as early as the first chapter Carrion’s nightmares kill a cowering victim as the Lord of Midnight laments that he would have hoped that the victim would have lasted longer. Whilst no surprise to those familiar with Barker’s work, that dark almost callous edge to the tale features throughout and will almost certainly be too much for younger children. Whereas the Harry Potter series gets world wide attention for the rather genteel killing off of the occasional character, the merciless machinations of Mater Motley and her grandson will limit the age group for potential readers of the book. It’s that ambiguity of a target market that may have affected the slightly disappointing sales of this follow up.

Notwithstanding its limitations, DOMNOW does get stronger as the story progresses and that familiar fluency of writing is there for all to see. There is the all too familiar grand design theme of an alternate world running parallel to our own linked by a mythical sea that forms only occasionally and at random. This idea that there is this alternate reality running underneath our very feet without us noticing is a constant that almost forms an obsession for the writer in many of his books.

Barker does achieve depth to the main story as well as many of the sub-plots and this is typified by further revelations around Candy’s tumultuous childhood and the relationship between herself, her mother and her aggressive father. In many ways, this is mirrored by similar revelations of Christopher Carrion’s own tragic upbringing and the destructive relationship he now has with Mater Motley.

The story builds to a crescendo of a finale that still leaves the door open for the next instalment despite a number of principal characters shuffling of this mortal coil.

The second in the Abarat series is a colourful, surreal romp through an imaginative alternate world of creatures and traditions. The ambiguity of the tone of the story makes it difficult to recommend to readers of all ages despite its billing as a children’s fantasy series. For that reason, DOMNOW is suitable for older children and adults but in particular for the many fans of Clive Barker who will enjoy the book as they will be comfortable with the themes. Definitely, one mainly for fans.

Thanks for reading

Marandina

More info at http://www.clivebarker.com

ISBN: 0-00-710014-0
Published by Harper Collins
Originally priced at £20 for the hardback version, Abarat 2 is available for £14 at Amazon and £12.99 for used copies.

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