The Thief of Always

The Thief of Always was the first novel by Clive Barker I ever read, having before known of him only as the man behind such movie greats as Hellraiser (which was a Barker book first). Anyway, it totally blew me away, and Barker is now one of my top authors, and the book is now one of my favorites (which is saying a lot because I'm quite an avid reader). The story centers around a ten-year-old boy named Harvey Swick, who becomes bored with his life and begins to wish the days away. In answer to his prayers, he is taken to a mysterious place called the Holiday House, supposedly built for children who want to have fun. Questions come up in Harvey's mind about what is really going on behind the House's happy-go-lucky exterior, and he is pulled into a horrific adventure beyond his wildest dreams (or nightmares).
I won't give anything more about the story away, you'll just have to read it for yourselves. But there are many pros in this novel, and not one con as far as I see it. The plot is unique and interesting, so much so that you won't want to put it down. It is certainly not slow-paced, and although it is almost 300 pages long it is almost over as soon as it begins, which is really the only bad thing about it. But as soon as you finish you can't help but want to read it again.
The characters are in depth and believeable, the bad guys are majorly cool, unique, and interesting. And they aren't the kind of villians that are super-strong and seemingly impossible to beat, even the worst of them has believeable weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, and I can assure you that it won't be a disappointment.

Prior to this novel, I had only read Mr. Barker's short stories in the combined volume of his Books of Blood. Many of those stories were pure genius, with riveting plot twists and original premises, but I must admit that I wasn't sure how that would translate into a novel suitable for all ages...
It turns out that I had nothing to worry about. The Thief of Always is a classic fable with enough originality to make it fresh. I was hooked as soon as I read the first paragraph.
Mr. Barker shows an insight into the mind of a child that I don't think I expected from a man who made his mark with tales of gruesome horror. Then again, I probably should have known better given the amazing insight into the human psyche that was apparent in many of his short stories. (Take, for instance, his commentary on mob mentality in "In the Hills, the Cities.")
Like many children in such tales, Harvey's downfall is his boredom and his desire for something different, something fun. He finds himself drawn into a world of wonders that quickly becomes a world of horrors. Barker's supporting cast, the good and the evil, are flawlessly executed with just enough surreal charm to make you fear what might really be going on in Holiday House.
The evil in the story is horrifying (without going too far for a younger reader) and Barker's message is clear. Harvey learns that nothing comes without a price and that time is precious. He learns to appreciate each moment he has with his family and friends, no matter how dull those moments may sometimes seem. In the process of making these discoveries, he also proves himself to be a hero as he overcomes his own weakness to defeat Mr. Hood.
I highly recommend this book for young and old alike ... I've recommended it to my husband, since he's been looking for a light read and this one is well worth the time.

~Come open the door into Mr.Hood's "fun" house~ As I anxiously began to read the first paragraph of this book, I already new I was reading a truly excellent and well written novel. This book explores imagination and creativity to it's fullest potential. Followed by the impressive and very expressive illustrations, I felt I was actually standing in Mr. Hood's Holiday house! This book excites in the same style & traditon as Ray Bradbury. I recommend this book to any one who has ever made a wish for a change of scenery. Whether your 9 or 95, this book WILL entertain and amaze you. I am in fact proud to call this my favorite book. Just read it and you'll see...Be prepared to unlock your imagination! ~P

From the opening pages of this novel, the reader is swept into a world from every kids childhood fantasies. An escape from everyday life to a world that seems limitless. Clive Barker lets the reader join along in the bizarre life of Harvey Swick. Reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, Harvey is taken from his dull life and brought into a world of unique characters and strange events. The bright perfect world that Harvey is swept into comes not without its dark shadows. Soon Harvey must face his demons to try to recapture his youth in a heart pounding climax that leaves the reader in awe. This book is not without a lesson, something that few novels are able to capture in this day in age. The lesson is simple: There is no place like home. Clive Barker's imagination and stlye of writing should put this novel on everyone's list of 'books to read in my lifetime'.

Clive Barker is known as the master of Horror and Fantasy. The Thief of Always proves it. The story is non stop from the beginning. A ten year old boy named Harvey Swick is bored and tired of the same old routine. So when the opportunity arises to do something different, he does what most ten year olds would do, take it! But where Harvey is going is not what it seems. Is the Holiday House and all of it's joys real or an evil illusion? As Harvey makes friends, things begin to spark his doubts about this place. Fearing for his safety and missing is parents, he tries to go home, or can he? You will have to read the book and discover what happens to Harvey. I truly feel this is Clive's best. The story would make a very suspenseful and exciting movie. This book is not graphic and does not contain foul language, therefore making it a book even teens can read. I highly recommend this novel!

I used to love scary books. This is creepy, and the author has always done a great job writing books that feel evil. Now that I'm older, I still like creepy, but there's soooo much wrong going on in the world I'm not so sure that younger people should keep getting fed this kind of stuff. Soooo.........there's also a moralistic ending and I did like that and youth should learn from that.

Bottom line, I was on the fence. I was going to give it a 3 star, but the ending made me feel better so I'll give it 4 star. As a mature adult, I felt a little silly reading it as it's kind of an in-betweener novel and really for teens. A waste of my time actually, but also fun-ish escapism and that's all I gotta say.

At first, I wished it was longer. But now, even after finishing it in one day, I love it just like it is. It's a short, sweet, and terrifying fable that is a great read whether you're 8 or 80.

I am a fan of Barker's, but sometimes he goes a bit overboard. This is written in a plain, straightforward manner, making it an easy read that intrigues you from the very first paragraph.

Got this for my 11 year old sons book report. Library is closed due to Covid. Super fast shipping, and in excellent condition. So far the book is really fun and easy to read. Can';t wait to finish it with him.

This is a childhood favorite of mine. I've read this book at least 10 times in the past 20 years. Had to even buy it a 2nd time because the first got worn out so much (and the 2nd one is well on it's way).

The characters were interesting and the story was best described by Publishers Weekly when they called it "a tale that manages to be both cute and horrifying"

I liked this okay.