Great & Secret Show
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Great & Secret Show Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Clive Barker (Author), Chet Williamson (Narrator), Crossroad Press (Publisher)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 709 ratings
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In the little town of Palomo Grove, two great armies are amassing; forces shaped from the hearts and souls of America. In this New York Times best-seller, Barker unveils one of the most ambitious imaginative landscapes in modern fiction, creating a new vocabulary for the age-old battle between good and evil. Carrying its readers from the first stirring of consciousness to a vision of the end of the world, The Great and Secret Show is a breathtaking journey in the company of a master storyteller.

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  1. Listening Length
    22 hours and 24 minutes
  2. Author
    Clive Barker
  3. Narrator
    Chet Williamson
  4. Audible release date
    August 6, 2015
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Crossroad Press
  7. ASIN
    B013IR1DZW
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 22 hours and 24 minutes
Author Clive Barker
Narrator Chet Williamson
Audible.com Release Date August 06, 2015
Publisher Crossroad Press
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B013IR1DZW
Best Sellers Rank #40,584 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#840 in Classic Literature
#3,746 in Classic Literature & Fiction
#5,524 in Fantasy (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
709 global ratings
Kindle formatting is terrible. I love Clive Barker, but skip this Kindle edition
1 Star
Kindle formatting is terrible. I love Clive Barker, but skip this Kindle edition
I read The Great and Secret Show in hardcover decades ago, so I decided to buy the Kindle edition to re-read. Unfortunately, the Kindle formatting is messed up. Instead of indented paragraphs, it's left-justified with blank lines to separate paragraphs (see photo). When there's lots of short dialogue, I found it unreadable (for one thing, you're turning pages twice as often). This non-indented format is sometimes used for non-fiction... did someone just pick the wrong option while converting it to Kindle? Did nobody check before releasing it?
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Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Had the receipt in it from 1994,neat
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024
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Got the cover I wanted,and that receipt is one of reasons I love used books
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DEDGirl
5.0 out of 5 stars Arrived fast, In Great Condition
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2023
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Bought this used for a Christmas gift. It’s one of my all time favorite books. I’m happy to share it with everyone. The book was shipped immediately from the seller & was in very good condition. Happy with the purchase.
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M. Knepper
4.0 out of 5 stars Horror and modern fantasy in a complex weave of romance and war.
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2014
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*Note: If possible, I would give this four and a half stars out of five.

I've been a fan of Clive Barker's material for a long time, starting with Weaveworld and Sacrament with The Hellbound Heart somewhere between. Needless to say, he's influenced a lot of my own fiction. I picked up The Great And Secret show as a piece of a greater collection and, of course, to get my Barker fix. In retrospect, I will say this was much easier to get into than Sacrament but, I feel, not as mature. That being said I still recommend it and I do so with praise. I won't give this a five star review, however, because I feel there were a couple problems which could have been eradicated and eased the story's rigid second act.

The first thing I want to praise are the characters in the book. There are a couple, just one or two, that are irritating to read simply because they're incredibly unreliable at points, but on the other hand this novel has given me one of the greatest characters I've ever known. He serves, at first, as the central antagonist. His moniker is catchy, dark and fantastic - something Barker is proficient in crafting. I am of course speaking of The Jaffe. There's a female character who reminds me of Ellen Ripley in a couple ways and I will say she is my second favorite character (and she's not even the main protagonist for the whole novel).

The second thread of the weave I will address is the beautiful, complex worlds created by Barker and the mythology behind them. Quiddity is glorious. The imagery and creatures, beings and ambiance associated with it and the harboring island is magnificent to read. In fact, I will be returning to this novel simply for that reason. It's a balancing act between the dark, terrifying regions of the unknown and awe-inspiring, heavenly spaces seemingly out of reach (you'll get that when you read the book).

The third thing, the amount of plot twists and sheer substance, is complex and plentiful. Never have I felt I've learned so much of a fictional world from a novel in a long, long time. I couldn't have guessed from the first few chapters what the novel's end and even middle portions had to offer. Needless to say, it's a journey, a trip.

Now some complaints... Clive, if you're reading this, stop using the word "din" so frequently. It got a little repetitive in the last sixth of the book. I also feel the second act was very slow, specifically parts three and four and some of five. I ultimately still enjoyed it but I feel it could have been shortened - there were some inner thoughts, dialogue and events that were unnecessary even in terms of filler. I still enjoyed it, however.

I recommend this book and it's worth the money. I own the original hardback version and the Kindle version (I collect). The each offer their pros and cons - I'm not sure I could recommend either or to you. I will praise and suggest you read the novel for a taste of what modern, dark fantasy has to offer if in capable hands. The fiction within serves some of the best horror and modern fantasy I've read, bundled in a complex weave of betrayal, romance and wars between plains of existence - the dark and the light.

4.5 out of 5 stars.
18 people found this helpful
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Allen Whitaker
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoy the Ride!
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2016
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An intricately woven and meticulous novel where past and future meet in the dream sea of Quiddity. To say any more about what this book is about would ruin the adventure of reading it. It is a reading adventure because Clive Barker invites readers on an exploration of mind, spirit and matter. While many authors tend to separate perception and thought from actual existence in their story telling, Barker creates a world in which Body, Mind, Spirit and Matter exist co-equally. Understanding this is the beginning of Wisdom. Using this understanding is the Art. The Art is therefore a source of unimaginable power. This is a story of good vs. evil and the ways in which two great forces of each face each other in a battle for control of the Art. The very survival of the human race hangs in the balance...
This is not a light read. The world Barker creates is so full of intricate imagery and interconnected people, places and events that you will likely find yourself going back to previously read sections of the book in order to reinforce your understanding of the saga. It will likely take the reader longer to read that most books, which it did for me. So be prepared for a wonderful journey and a great ride! Thanks for reading...
22 people found this helpful
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Scot Day
5.0 out of 5 stars Favourite book I have read.
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2022
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I read this a few times many years ago and continue to lend out copies, for keeps, and have been wanding another had copy or large text paper back.
Found this at a good price and it is in good condition. It is a retired library book with the old card still in it which I found to be kinda cool. However being so the sleeve is a bit stuck on from aging. If I want to refurb the book it will take some work. But I may just leave it as is.
2 people found this helpful
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Justin F.
3.0 out of 5 stars 3-out-of-5 stars for the quality of materials and manufacturing...
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021
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I like this book enough that this is my second time buying it (this new one replaces my old paperback with the mailbox on the cover from the mid-90's). If the summary piques your interest, I recommend reading it to see if it's for you.

The reason for the review is the trash quality of the book itself. Cheap paper stock and a hilariously amateurish cover that looks like a laser jet printer job on straight up heavy card stock, probably because that's exactly what it is.

It looks like a home-printed-photo birthday invitation from 1999.

It's such poor quality that it absorbs fingerprints and leaves permanent moisture marks just from simple handling, even with freshly washed and adequately dried hands. There is also an uneven area on the lower part of the spine that got wrinkled during the manufacturing process.

This trash cost $18.99. Welcome to the new norm of manufacturing. Maximum profit for minimal cost and effort. If it hasn't hit your preferred hobby yet, just wait a bit longer. It's coming for you, too.
8 people found this helpful
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Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2023
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Best book I've read in a long time. Slow burn but holy only does it ever pick up. Seriously fantastic
One person found this helpful
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Jacob
4.0 out of 5 stars Bent corners
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2023
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The corners were bent and there was excess glue on the spine cover which as a collector is kind of annoying but other than that it’s a good book
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Top reviews from other countries

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John Willett
5.0 out of 5 stars Another copy recieved
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2020
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Lost my original
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Gerhard Höller
5.0 out of 5 stars Geniale Sammler-Edition
Reviewed in Germany on June 2, 2017
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Das ist mit die genialste Edition von Clive Barkers, zusammen mit "Everville", wichtigstem Werk - (primär) wegen des Covers und vom Meister angefertigter Grafiken in der Innenklappe und am Buchanfang - auch ist das Papier angenehm-klassisch fest und und der Satz augenfreundlich-groß - das paßt!!
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AHorrorReader
5.0 out of 5 stars Barker's Great Show
Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2016
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What else can you say? A classic. Barker's a marvel. Nobody does it like he does. This is a huge, epic book, but it reads like lightning.
2 people found this helpful
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Richard
5.0 out of 5 stars Barker at his best
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2016
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Clasic Barker at his best
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Will Whittington
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 20, 2021
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Definitely a page turner.
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