I’ve since bought a hardback copy to protect my signed paperback from further damage. A second reading made me realise my error. I liked the concept (and the cover, below), and something must have told me it was worth another go. I loved the horror of Books of Blood and wonder now if Weaveworld‘s dark fantasy put me off. First time I read it I didn’t like it, to the astonishment of friends who raved about it. Barker’s breakthrough second novel saw him do the rounds of TV chat shows (including a hilariously awkward Halloween Wogan alongside James Herbert). His children’s works ( The Thief of Always and the Abarat series) are not, therefore, in this list but are well worth seeking out. It is, however, his birthday on October 5th so to celebrate that, here’s my utterly subjective ranking of his adult novels. Barker these days is a far less prolific author than Mieville (or even his younger self), so there’s no new work appearing to prompt this. I compiled a China Mieville Top Ten a few months ago to mark the TV adaptation of The City and The City.
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