I've expected to see more out of the actual Weaveworld in the carpet. It was awesome otherwise. 8,5/10 ( )

When people told me I'd probably like Terry Pratchett, this is more like what I had in mind.

People were wrong but Scott was right. I would tag him to say so but I don't know how. ( )

There is such a sweet power to this story and the world created here. Barker's storytelling creates such a compelling cast of characters, weaving together the real with what can barely be imagined and yet is brought to life here so beautifully, that this becomes a book to sink into and live with. I read it first in high school, and it stuck with me all these years, but journeying into the experience again over the last few weeks was still so refreshing. Barker manages to bring together elements of horror and fantasy in an epic unweaving and reweaving of another world, and his gorgeous prose is immersive.

I'd recommend this book to readers of any genre who want to be immersed in a world of the fantastic. ( )

An early Barker Novel, Weave-World stands out for many reasons. Barker seems to be writing for a larger audience. The sex, gore, and language are slightly tame compared to much of his other works. The writing in Weave-World is just as effective as what he puts out in later novels. This Novel and Imagica could almost be the same story. Where WW does not have the scope of Imagica its grip is just as tight. WW brings together a non-binary form of imagination that few writers seem to able to grasp. Barker is a master of forming worlds and he always links those worlds together using outside influences. This novel in particular is broken up with MANY chapters and sub chapters: A very ambitious venture for a writer so early in their career. The story is good. Good VS Evil. Love VS Hate and of course an element no Barker novel is without. Desire VS Consequence. Weave-World does not feel as if it has to gross you out in order to get your attention. But nonetheless it does so in several places. The novel will make you feel small but integral to your living world and ultimately Barker will remind you that while you (the reader) may be insignificant you are not so in the way you may think you are…..and that makes you integral. This book will bruise your intellect, smash your senses and allow you to walk down a path you might not be able to return on. Returning will be up to you. Barker will give you the tools to do so……but he will make you search for them. Where you find them will depend on what you find in those closed off and locked niches in your heart. Like many Barker stories this novel is a treasure chest. Open it and jump in feet first…….or head first. It matters not. What does matter is how often he will allow you to come up for air and if you are a fan of his then you know you might want to prepare yourself for something unexpected. ( )

It started off GREAT, then, meh. I don't think i could recommend it to anyone. ( )

Years back, one of my very few excursions into horror fantasy. I haven't attempted any of the author's other books.

I'm told he is a heck of a writer. Different strokes for different folks ;-)

This book probably deserves a full analysis, going into a full and deep review mode that gives a grand majority of the characters, both good and evil, lots of time to explore ambitions and twists and character growths and failures. I should also go into a twenty-page monologue on how beautiful and strange and wonderful the fantasy elements are, from the sideways-twisted tormenting of christian beliefs, the reimagining of so many mythical elements, the fact that good and evil are never what they seem and they often fly into each other's territories regardless of how the quasi-demons, quasi-fae, quasi-witches, or quasi-humans look or feel on the page.

It's scary. It is a horror. And while so many horrific creatures with truly awesome descriptions grace these pages, we're not allowed to go with all our natural assumptions. We're supposed to go off the deep end and humanize everyone, not that they particularly deserve it or that the exercise is especially rewarding. Non-magical humans are Cuckoos. The magical races are Seers. The magical realm is called the Fugue. Do these descriptions raise a LOT more questions than they answer? Yes? That's because things are really MESSED UP and that's what Clive Barker is really good at. :)

We switch between the real world and the magical one many times during this epic tale. It starts as a firm grounding in the real world with the baddies on the way to unweave the Fugue which happens to be a magic carpet that contains a magical universe, and so we've got adventure... but that's such a small part of the whole book. It goes much farther, into epic battles, ambitious salesmen, ages-old revenge, demons from a glass-darkly garden of eden, angels who are scourges, and cthulhu-like entities everywhere, with heads like wounds and stomachs digesting on the outside. This is Clive Barker, after all.

The world-building is truly amazing, and so is the deep reimagining of all magic. Can you get an idea how disturbing it is when the magic is called the Raptures and the Menstruum? Or that an old necromancer could be brought back as boneless assassins even though it is implied that he was the one who created the Cenobites from Hellraiser? I LOVE these kinds of hints and terrors. Not only does it tie so much else together, it just keeps going on and on being inventive and creative and huge!

And on a side note, I kept thinking about playing one of the Desgaea games again, because I'm SOOO sure that they stole the idea of going into items to level them up from the novel. It would make so much sense! But in this case, it's just a carpet with a WHOLE UNIVERSE inside it. :) :)

Everything in here *is* basically based on christian good and evil, but is so nicely subverted and wrenched out of place that it nicely serves the purpose of real horror. You know, looking at the reflection of a thing and recognize it for what it is, and yet it is so sinisterly *off* that it dredges up a whole slew of emotional reverberations that keep us off balance? Yeah, that's Clive Barker for you.

My only real complaint is that I sometimes got lost in a little boredom between all the awesome bits. I can't honestly say that the book could do without them, tho, because when everything is so intense, I'd also lose the thread of letting it settle and get the implications in. It's a long book, and placing this up against ANY modern dark fantasy epic will probably impress just about anyone if they turn a critical eye upon it. Brilliant is an accurate description. Detailed and far-reaching and extremely-deeply thought-out is another.

I love most of the characters, but I didn't love the null spots. Maybe we needed them for just that extra bit of twisting and fleshing for the characters, but lets face it... there were a LOT of characters to get full-dimensionalized. Hats off. I was immensely fascinated for most of the book and creeped out a great deal of the time, too.

It's my own fault, I think, if I didn't care so much during some of the character's crusades. Fortunately, on the whole, this is a truly magical classic. :) ( )

This book has its flaws to be sure, but I love it. I love the mix of adventure, horror, magic, personal stories of love and loss combined with an epic tale of attempted genocide, and all the weird psychosexual aspects that make this book utterly compelling and (so far in my reading) unique. I've re-read it so many times since the first reading (when I was 14 or so), and I don't doubt I'll be reading it again in the near future. ( )

"We weren't hiding," said Jerichau. "We just weren't visible."
"There's a difference?" said Cal."
"Oh certainly."

Clive Barker truly is extra-ordinary. I have honestly not encountered anyone like him, and I am pretty sure I never will. That makes it feel even more stupid to try and compare, but it's extra-ordinary in the way of Tolkien or Siken. It's a good read but it's most of all an experience, a story. It happens to you, you know? Weaveworld is just more evidence of Barker's wonders. Try to explain not just a character chasing after a bird for, like, ten pages but how engaging these ten pages are. It's hard. I guess that goes for most books, but I always find myself struggling to describe or summarise Barker's work. There's so much I want to mention, but also so much I don't want to explain or describe in my own words when the person could just.... experience it themselves.

That being said, my dad has always told me that while Barker is one of his absolute favourites because he is so fucking good when he is good... he is also pretty bad when he is bad. And I think I know what he means after reading Weaveworld (which is tragic as it is my dad's favourite Barker story) because while much better than most others, I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. I'm not entirely sure what it was; because the world was so rich and exciting, and some of the characters truly stood out in ways few characters do... but it still lacked that something that keeps Coldheart Canyon in my thoughts even months after reading it. It was fantastic, but not a masterpiece. But I also have a feeling this is one of those kinds of books that you have to read more than once... and I'm perfectly fine with that. ( )

I didn't finish the book. I couldn't relate to the characters and the story bored me. I'm just not the reader for this book. ( )

A very well-written dark fantasy novel. Full of charming characters, surreal imagery, and patches of wonderfully disturbing writing. I honestly cannot believe it took me this long to read Clive Barker. What was I doing with my life? This is a medium-to-long book, and Barker's narration never failed to keep me engrossed: through imaginative and detailed prose, Barker brings his characters and their vibrant, fantastical settings to life.
I cannot wait to dive into Barker's oeuvre. He seems like a relatively forgotten Fantasy/Horror writer who definitely deserves more attention. ( )

I first read WEAVEWORLD back in the late '80s just after it came out, and did so while on a boat trip around the Chester area on the Shropshire Union canal, so it was an episodic reading experience, punctuated by working locks, taking in scenery, and visiting a huge number of pubs. It's a surprise any of it stuck with me at all really, but I found on rereading this weekend that large chunks of it were there in my memory, flickering lights, raptures as Barker describes them, seductions and visions of elsewhere to make your heart break.

I got more out of it this time round, reading it in a solid chunk over two days. It's a masterful piece of work, full of Barker's vision, parts of it poetic, other parts showing off his visual imagination to the full, and all of it grounded in the character of Cal Mooney, lost in the lights of a vision of something he doesn't understand, but knows that he needs.

The central conceit of a magic carpet, and the wonders it contains is a great one to hang a fantasy on, and this is indeed fantasy, albeit one with a grotesque edge of horror, particularly in the villains, who are among the nastiest in fiction.

It's a big slab of a book, but I didn't notice, as I was lost and away with Cal in Wonderland most of the time, and I was almost sad to finish it.

It reminded me of something I'd forgotten, a need for wonder, something my own recent writings has lacked, and something I'll be trying to rectify. But I can't hope to reach Barker's flickering, glorious, raptures of body horror; that vision is his and his alone.

I was sorely disappointed with Barker's SCARLET GOSPELS, but reading WEAVEWORLD again reminded me that, on his game, he's up there with the best.

And this is one of the best. ( )

Des oiseaux par milliers forment un nuage au-dessus d’une petite demeure de Rue Street. Quel est le lien entre une vieille dame, une potière londonienne et un ancien tapis à l’histoire extraordinaire? Des puissances surnaturelles ont été libérées et devront être affrontées dans une bataille sans merci. Un roman singulier qui nous offre un voyage dans un univers merveilleux et effrayant à la fois. Clive Barker a réussi une création littéraire alliant mondes imaginaires, violence, érotisme et horreur, dans un format au rythme rapide et aux chapitres courts.

I couldn't really get into this one and must admit I skimmed a lot during the 2nd half. It's an interesting concept but Barker didn't manage to completely engage me and I felt emotionally detached from both the outcome and the characters throughout the story. ( )

Weaveworld is a standalone fantasy written in the late 80’s, set in the “real world” at around the time it was written. We follow two main characters, Cal and Suzanna. In the beginning, Cal gets a glimpse of a secret world hidden in the weave of a carpet, and longs to visit it. At around the same time, Suzanna is urgently summoned by her grandmother, whom she barely knows. Her grandmother is the last remaining guardian of that secret world, but naturally she’s too ill by the time Suzanna arrives to give her any useful information.

The story caught my interest right at the beginning. It was a bit cheesy and melodramatic at times, with a definite 80’s vibe, but it was interesting. However, I started to lose interest after the first third or so, and from there it fluctuated. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to spend more time exploring the mysteries of this secret world and its inhabitants; I was particularly interested in that. Another problem I had was that there is a lot of hopelessness that permeates the second half, to the point that I almost didn’t care what happened by the end. The story did pick up for me some toward the end, but I think the first part was my favorite.

There are some horror elements, but mostly I would just consider it a fantasy story. The horror elements were more gruesome than creepy, and a bit over-the-top at times. The cheese factor was pretty high, at least in the beginning. After a while, I’m not sure if it was toned down or if I just got used to it. As one example, the term used for a power possessed by some women in the story is the menstruum. Yes, really.

So I guess I have mixed feelings. I did like the characters, and I enjoyed the imagination and potential of the story, and I thought it was told pretty well. On the other hand, I was sometimes bored by the direction it took and I rolled my eyes at some of the cheesiness. ( )

Very strange book... at times, I was enthralled, but mostly... mostly, I just stared at the pages thinking, "What the...?"

If I were a bigger fantasy fan, I'd love this, I'm sure. But I'm more sci-fi than fantasy, and this definitely falls on the fantastical side of that thin line. So I'm going to say I liked it, but I'm not really sure that's a true statement... ( )

Weaveworld is one of the very few books that I can claim to enjoy from the first page to the last, all 700 pages of it. Even the introduction is great, normally I skim through lengthy intros to get to the story, but Clive Barker puts his heart and soul into this one, including this beautiful passage about the genre fiction:

“I have been, I think, altogether disparaging about the ‘escapist’ elements of the genre, emphasizing its powers to address social, moral and even philosophical issues at the expense of celebrating its dreamier virtues. I took this position out of a genuine desire to defend a fictional form I love from accusations of triviality and triteness, but my zeal led me astray. Yes, fantastic fiction can be intricately woven into the texture of our daily lives, addressing important issues in fabulist form. But it also serves to release us for a time from the definitions that confine our daily selves; to unplug us from a world that wounds and disappoints us, allowing us to venture into places of magic and transformation.”

As a lifelong devotee of SF/F/H fiction, I sometimes have the same doubts about preferring this type of fiction above all others but the above passage really puts it in perspective for me.

Weaveworld is about another dimension called “The Fugue” which has been transformed into a carpet in order to hide from an unstoppable creature called “The Scourge”. The residents of the Fugue are called the “Seerkind”, a race with magical abilities who view mankind with disdain and refer to humans as “cuckoos”. The Fugue in carpet form works a little like suspended animation or dehydrated food in which places, animals and most of the Seerkind are woven in as patterns on the carpet; to be reconstituted by an appointed guardian when the world is safe. The storyline concerns two human protagonists who become involved with the Fugue and the Seerkind and their struggle against powerful enemies who are trying to destroy both.

I first read Weaveworld around fifteen years ago and certain elements and scenes have stuck with me through all these years. It is a dark fantasy with several horrifying scenes — definitely not for the faint of heart — and scenes of surreal beauty. The most memorable element of the book for me is the magical jacket worn by Shadwell, the main human antagonist of the book, the lining of the jacket is able to enslave anyone who look at it by showing their heart's desire and allowing them to delve into it and obtain that very thing.



The central characters are very well written and believable, the antagonists are suitably warped, formidable and devious. In spite of its considerable length Weaveworld still manages to move at a fair clip. Something bizarre is always happening on almost every page and boredom never sets in. There is also more artistry in his prose than you would find in most genre books. The best thing about this book is that it is wonderful escapism, this book can sweep you away from a dull rainy day, or a slow day at the office. If you are a fan of Neil Gaiman’s [b: American Gods|4407|American Gods (American Gods, #1)|Neil Gaiman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1258417001s/4407.jpg|1970226] this book is likely to be right up your alley, though it is much more horrific, packed to the gills with horrible slimy, sticky, drippy – not to mention horny – monstrosities.

With an average rating of 4.13 Weaveworld is generally very well liked. However, all books have their share of negative reviews and while I respect opinions contrary to my own, I take exception to one review that says this book “is lacking”. The trouble is the reviewer does not say what it is that the book is lacking. Is “lacking” an adjective now? In any case I don’t think it lacks anything and I heartily recommend it.


Cover art for the 25th anniversary edition of Weaveworld by Richard A. Kirk (click on image for larger size).
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Note: I have to admit Clive Barker's books are generally very hard to review, they tend to be densely plotted and the settings and storylines are always so goddam outré. This is particularly true of Weaveworld, I really struggled to write this review. I normally make notes when I read a novel so I will have some material ready to put in my review, but with this book I was so engrossed that I hardly paused to make any notes at all; just a sentence or two. ( )

Have you ever read a Clive Barker novel? If so, congratulations- you’ve read Weaveworld. Did you enjoy his style? If so, then you’ll enjoy this one as well. Weaveworld contains all of Barker’s basic plot elements: magic, mysterious other world under threat, meddling humans, strangely narrated sex scenes, and graphic, visceral horror (these last two in much less supply than other Barker tales). In fact, everything feels almost summarized in this book. The story itself has promise and potential, but a better editor would have drawn that out more clearly.

In this tale, the world under threat is “The Fugue”, a realm literally woven into the fabric of a carpet to protect its inhabitants from a power of destruction known only as “The Scourge”. In addition, a member of the Seerkind (the people of the Fugue) and her Cuckoo (human) sidekick seek the carpet for themselves. It falls to the Cuckoos Suzanna and Cal to save Seerkind…and discover their own powers along the way.

There are beautiful moments here- most of them centered around experiences in the Fugue. Suzanna’s battle with a fascist police inspector within the pages of a book of fairy tales is probably my favorite scene in the novel, and I wish Barker had evoked that sense of wonder throughout. Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between, and ultimately, Barker’s second novel falls short in both fantasy and horror.

Overall, Weaveworld is Barker-lite. There’s enough here for fans to enjoy, but new readers will ease into Barker’s twisted tales through a subdued introduction. ( )

The story itself is good, fantastical fiction. While Barker is known for his horror, this book is more of an epic fantasy with touches of horror thrown in for color. There was nothing in here that sent chills up my spine or had me sleeping with the lights on. I found the villains imaginatively crafted and the parallel Weaveworld unique in fantasy fiction.

My biggest problem is that Barker has to dirty things up. If there is a filthy (filthiest) word for something, he will use it, even when unnecessary to the furtherance of the mood or portrayal of the character. In the middle of a beautiful scene, he HAS to throw in something trashy or vulgar. I don't get why he does that. I'm not adverse to bad language and looking over my fiction list, it's evident that foul language isn't something I take much notice of. It's sort of like Spike Lee calling out Tarantino for his over-over-over-use of the n-word. There comes a point when you wonder about a person's state of mind. I realize other people were wondering that long before with his straight-up horror, but it fit better in that world. Here it just seems out of place, like he has to dab some excrement on his wonderful imagery. ( )

I dithered about what to rate this one - I really want half point options for moments like this!

I've been wanting to read Barker for months, out of the blue found his work and wanted to read all of it. I started here and I don't think it was a bad choice. First up he's an incredible craftsman, this is one of those novels that I both enjoyed for the story and for the novel crafting I could see in it. The prose was great, the plotting was good and I could see the structural impressiveness of it, too.

The story itself was wonderful. I'd been warned that Barker was dark and gory but wanted to find out for myself. Turns out that I find him [i]wonderfully[/i] dark and gory! None of it was gratuitous, in fact I don't think Immocolata would have been as impressive a villain if she hadn't been so confrontingly evoked. I liked the characterisation, I loved seeing the developments of their perspectives, they grew and changed as a result of the events of the plot - as they are supposed to! I could see the influence of this book, too, as a prelude to things like urban fantasy as a genre. Even while reading it I was nodding and thinking "this is why people list it as a classic. It's solid and important."

Why not five stars? I had two major issues that stopped me loving it rather than just really enjoying and appreciating it. It seemed lengthy, I liked the plot developments but it felt like we had two or three "false climaxes" and it began to drag towards the end for me. The end was still satisfying but I felt like I'd wasted emotional energy on the previous climax and resolution points. I also struggled with the third person omniscient-ness, I know it can produce detachment from characters and the story and Barker was great in producing characters that were memorable and well-rounded despite that, but I never felt close to them. They were memorable, yes, but I didn't quite go far enough to [i]care[/i] about their fate. It was just beautifully wrought story about some people with strong tendencies and personality quirks. I think this added to my apathy towards the finale, I was over seeing these characters try and try and try again. It's a nice plot device but draining when my compulsion to follow the characters is weak to begin with. Suzanna in particular was a bit nothing for me, we're told she's practical and hands on and likes pottery but she was a bit empty for me. Cal was less so but still suffered in the end.

All that aside: read it. This is one of those fantasy classics I wish I had found earlier and despite my personal lack of focus towards the end and issues with not bonding tightly enough to some of the characters it's really, really worth the read. If only to read some of Barker's lovely prose, but the execution of the story is entirely worth it as well.

( )

Beautiful, masterly writing and unsurpassed fusion of bone-chilling horror and fluid, effortless fiction. Old Clive Barker should be made compulsory read for all purveyors of modern zombie/vampire rubbish. No brain-eating crap here, but go check out the menstruum! Barker's stuff is sooo gold. ( )

Barker can craft incredible monsters. Other than thatm the story was passable. Not enough real backstory to the characters to make me care about them, and the Weave/Fugue was just too random for no reason. ( )

I was reading about organism living in wildly variant environments, at this time, it seems. All these people live in a rug. Possibly this is an extension of Author's avoidance technique. Not greatly compelling. ( )

A witch uses a shady salesman to exact vegeance upon the mythical beings who rejected her. A marvelous and quirky examination on the nature of being an artist, I loved every word of this masterpiece. At least two too many climaxes, but why quibble? The whole thing is simply wonderful. ( )

I wish he'd written more like this: complex and engaging with great characters. Recent books have been disappointing. ( )