The Thief of Always

Read this @ last 15 years ago & found it a good Holiday read--esp with kids. A fun fantasy. I've enjoyed sharing it w/friends as a Xmas gift each year. Didn't even know it was a book for young adults until now. Read it yearly...

I ordered this book on the recommendation of a friend. I had heard that it was a children's book, but that many adults really loved it. I'm not into Harry Potter or anything, but I thought I might enjoy it. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't rate it as fantastic, either. It was well written and creative, but if you like a challenge, this won't do it for you.

I noticed another review complaining that their purchase wasn't clearly marked as a Graphic Novel. I must have gotten confused with the item in question because i'm the latest customer to fall 'victim' to a poorly described purchase. I wanted the 'novel' or 'book', NOT the graphic novel and to the best of my knowledge it wasn't clearly marked as such.

That said, it looks compelling, and for the price i'll probably just order the 'book' and keep both.

This book is surprisingly refreshing. I often find it hard to find a fantasy book where the author doesn't babble on in which case i lose interest. This book is great for light reading and the illustrations are captivating, i like that Clive Barker can make it so easy for me to let my imagination run free with no boundaries.

I have a lot of Clive Barker books. He's a horror/fantasy writer. This books main character is 10 and I believe 9 would be an ok age to start reading. Dictionary needed for adults even. Some books he writes should never be seen by children!

My favorite book ever! I keep lending this one out, so I keep buying it over and over again just to be sure I always have a copy on hand. I highly recommend this for young adults and older ones as well! Great characters and great storyline!

You have to be careful, some are the comic version of books now as this was, but it is still a wonderful book. Kids, adults...anyone would enjoy this tale...you would never know it was by Clive Barker.

The description said 'very good' for the condition and while the book is in decent condition and smells of patchouli and nag champa, the cover is stained and torn in some places. I paid extra for a better condition of my favorite childhood book, unfortunately, I lost my original hardcover version and wanted to replace it. I suppose I'm lucky that I at least got the book and not the graphic novel version.

OK let me tell you a story. I was in the 5th grade reading this book and I only got halfway through it before the last day of classes. I was right at the big cliffhanger [SPOILER ALERT: the part where the kid gets out but finds out he's been trapped for years] and I was FURIOUS that I didn't get to finish so i spent YEARS searching for this book again because 10 year old me didn't remember titles or authors. so finally after more than a decade of being haunted by not knowing whether little jimmy or whatever his name is gets those stolen 30 years back I FINALLY found it online and let me tell you reading it at 21 it was just as good as I remembered it being at 10. Read the whole thing in about 2 hours. highly recommend it.

Great story! I read the novel and enjoyed seeing the artistic interpretation of the story. The text is very small though, and as comic printing isn't always 100% accurate, some of the ink in the letters bleed making it difficult to read. Otherwise, I give the story and the artwork 5 stars. It's a great way to introduce younger readers into darker stories that temp their imaginations as they approach adolescence.

Had I read the description more clearly I would have noticed this was an adaptation into a graphic novel. Bummed as I planned to read it based on a recommendation from a teacher friend. Nice graphics, but comic books just aren't an interest of mine.

There was no disclosure or indication this copy of the book is a library book! I did not pay $15 to get a book with library stamps, the plastic dust cover, stickers. In my opinion that is not a “very good” condition book.

Clive Barker one of my favorite Authors. This is a quick read compared to his other series, A good introduction to him. If you like Stephen King Barker is one step up. If Stephen King is High school then Clive Barker is College.

very disappointed. I had this child is a book and wanted to replace it with a hard cover of the same print. I received a completely different book instead and now the only available options are at three times the cost.

I've heard the book is excellent; it is my son's English teacher's favorite book. Since they're studying it in class, I thought I'd be ahead of the game and order it from the store. Not knowing a thing about the book, I went with the cheaper version, seeing no difference in description between this and other versions. Imagine my surprise when it arrived and it's a GRAPHIC NOVEL. Not at all what he needs for class. I had him talk to the English teacher, just to make sure - turns out she did the exact same thing. Her favorite book, she should know what she's looking for, but she ordered this version and was also disappointed to find out it's a graphic novel. She actually has a warning note written on her website to not buy this version (lesson learned: check the teacher's website before making any future purchases). So like others' negative reviews, this is a review of the description more than the book - please, for the love of all parents everywhere just trying to get their kids' school books, be clearer in your description, the store.

I wish it said somewhere on the product description that this was a GRAPHIC NOVEL instead of a regular one. I remember having this read to me in elementary school, and I know it was a written one with only a couple of pages with pictures on them, like Abarat. Very annoying, since I'm not really a fan of the graphic novel.

This book should have on the cover that it is a comic strip version of The Thief of Always. It looks like the actual novel, but it isn't. The actual novel is a wonderful book. I did not want the comic strip version.

I was very disappointed when my copy of The Thief of Always arrived because I was expecting the novel, NOT the graphic novel. The graphic novel will interest a challenged reader but that is not what I was looking for to put in my library.

I should have used the "Look Inside", but I was ordering a bunch of books and things for Christmas gifts and assumed it was the book, this is a comic book, not the actual book, i didn't want that...not worth the cost of returning, will donate to the local library

I was a little upset to open the box and find a graphic novel. I was soooo happy to find a copy of a book I loved as a kid, and then it was a glorified comic book!?!? Nothing was mentioned in the product description about the fact that it is a graphic novel. Returning it tomorrow. :(

This is a graphic novel (a.k.a. comic book). I still can't find where it says that in the item description. My kid needs the book for his English class. Now he has to wait another week until I can get the correct item for him. Waste of stinkin' money and time!!

Haven't read it yet, bought it on a recommendation in my Facebook horror group. I noticed someone was raving about the illustrations, honestly they aren't that great. I like the style of the book, I'll update on the story once I finish it. The label says $15.99 I only paid $7

Originally posted at Fantasy Literature.

It’s summer and Harvey Swick, a ten year old with an active imagination, is bored. That’s how he gets lured into Mr. Hood’s Holiday House. It’s a wonderful place that’s fun and exciting, where Harvey gets everything his heart desires, and where he and the other kids who live there can play all day every day and eat delicious food whenever they want. As the seasons fly by, Harvey is happy at Mr. Hood’s house until things start to get a little spooky and it starts to dawn on Harvey that the place seems unnatural. When Harvey tries to leave, the Holiday House gets downright scary.
I was thoroughly entertained by Clive Barker’s The Thief of Always and I suspect that most children and teens will easily identify with Harvey and, perhaps, will come away from the story with a new appreciation for the slow pace of what seems like their never-ending childhood. For that is the “moral” of the story: cherish your family and appreciate the time you have with them. Don’t be so eager for excitement and fun that you forget to savor the down-time you have with people you love.

The Thief of Always is a beautifully written short novel. The print versions are less than 300 pages and the audio version I listened to (Crossroad Press) is 4.3 hours long. Adam Verner does a nice job with the narration. I’d recommend this for all ages, but it’d be especially nice for a family to listen to together. There are horror elements (vampires and other frightening things), but any child who can handle Harry Potter can handle The Thief of Always.

An entertaining dark fairy tale about a boy caught in the doldrums of February who is invited to a mysterious Holiday House, a place where the mornings are like bright springtime, the afternoons are lazy summer days, it's Halloween at sunset, Thanksgiving for dinner, and every evening is Christmas. There is all the food a boy could want to eat, and wishes come true.

Harvey only intends to stay a little while, just long enough to rest and have some fun, but by the time he realizes everything that is wrong about the house, it may be too late.

This was fast-paced and at once familiar and imaginative. Harvey becomes a more interesting character as he finds the strength to resist everything happening to him, and the story provides some unexpected twists and some really great villains.

We enter the world of young Harvey Swick and are instantly reminded of our youth. we all wanted to do what Harvey does:vanish into a world where playing and having sweets all the time is one big dream, and all you have to do is promise enjoy it and the dream is yours.Forever. So when harvey goes to Mr Hoods house he thinks he has found heaven, but heaven has its darkside, and as Harvey finds out, he is not alone, something is watching him, waiting for him, for his soul burns brighter than any child's, and Mr.Hood has been waiting for a thousand years for a soul like that... This book is truly wonderful, the illustrations done by Barker himself are both disturbing and yet visually perfect for the book.

It shows us that the imagination can be a wonderful place to manifest such dark gifts and talents,and that the will of a little child can often over-run the logic of a parent.With all this in mind, i do stress that although the book was written for children, i would urge any Barker fan to pick this up and read it. It shows us that we are all potential victims of evil, especially to the evil that most of us can never see, or believe in. Barker has done it again,and this is one bedtime story,that you won't want to dream about after. His Lyrically beautiful story is a must, and the art is graphically magnificent.

Clive, you have done it again!

This was my first Clive Barker book, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I knew his writing tends toward the dark side, but that was the extent of what I knew going in. I ended up thoroughly enjoying this dark tale of a young boy being tricked into wasting his days in a house that promises him anything his heart desires. Though the plots are very different, I got the same vibe from this book that I felt while reading Gaiman's The Graveyard Book.

Because this was a story that's written for all ages to read, I was thinking for the most part I'd give it four stars. But the fact is, I read through this in a matter of 8 or so hours. Even though it's on the short side, it still probably qualifies as a novel as far as word count goes. Well, when you blast through a book in a matter of hours--especially considering I only planned to start this and pick up something "bigger" to read--and enjoy every single page of it, that's a five-star book. Also, when an adult (and it's obvious I'm far from alone in this) can enjoy a book as much as they would if they were twelve years old, then you know Barker really accomplished something.

This book did something that so far I've only experienced in Something Wicked This Way Comes. It's intended for all ages, and believe me, it works. Being thirty-five or thirteen, there is a great story to enjoy, a lot of imagination to be fascinated by, and even a few typical Barker-ish moments, where something happens that causes the reader to say "What the . . . " while being amazed at the same time.

In my personal opinion, this story is a tad bit too much for a nine or ten year old to read, but anyone from the age twelve on up who opens this book will find themselves plummeted into a journey that is every bit as entertaining as it is magical. I can't wait until my niece grows up a few more years, as I will eagerly pass this book on to her.
From someone who's used to and expects Clive Barker to stretch the imagination as far as possible, this toned-down tale contains the same power as his complex adult novels, and for that, I applaud him.

Okay, so I've been reading the most recent reviews of this book. People have been complaining that this is a graphic novel and not actually a book. Let me clear up this confusion with anybody interested in buying this great novel.

Clive Barker is an author; Clive Barker is an artist of paint and sketches--therefore Clive Barker put some of his drawings into The Thief of Always! It's still the same amount of words as the "original" version. And for all I know there may have still been drawings in the original version.

On the topic of the actual contents of the novel, it literally SCREAMS Ray Bradbury. It really reminded me of Bradbury's The Halloween Tree in so many ways. It's also a very short read (which also confused people in thinking that they didn't get the right version; but if you bought this THROUGH the store, you'll get the right version--if you buy through a 3rd party, well, they may have screwed up), I finished the book in one day (and I'm an extraordinarily SLOW reader and proud of it).

It's about a kid to goes to the Holiday House. Basically everyday is a different sort of holiday where kids get what they desire. But, our main character soon discovers that the "owner" of the house is a malicious, metaphysical, mind vampire (hard to explain).

I've read a few Books of Blood short stories and The Hellbound Heart, and most of Abarat (until I had to return it, or I'd get charged from the Library), and then the disappointing Mister B. Gone. And I gotta say that The Thief of Always, even though it's meant for children, was still a very compelling read. The proof is that I've never finished a book in a single day before TTOA.

To re-cap: this novel has some pictures, but it's not a graphic novel.

I grabbed up "The Thief of Always" after coming across it out of blinking section while realphabetizing at work.

I literally sat in the floor (mostly because my poor hamstrings were tired of squatting at the bottom level) and read the back then promptly stood and took it to "my pile". "The Theif of Always" is a trip. It's bloated with darkness crawling underneath every paragraph and the reader finds themselves becoming distinctly uncomfortable with what's going on, long before the main character finds himself realizing that there's something wrong. Bad wrong.

As an adult reading a middlegrade horror you know you're going to be keeping a much different perspective than the children. However, Mr. Barker does a phenomenal job of making the book not only creepy but oddly uplifting. The strength of the main character, who is just a child, is really going to speak to your young reader... well, and the older readers too.

I CRIED AT THE END! OKAY?!

*Breath* Anyway, Clive Barker creates a magical and dangerous world where every day is a new adventure, time passes without a care in the world, and anything you could have ever imagined you wanted is right within your grasp. But there's something rotten in the Holiday House, reeking and rotting in the walls and the attic, breathing it's musty breath throughout the beautiful building that Harvey is beginning to suspect is out for blood... or worse.

Grotesque characters, a mixture of beautiful and unsettling imagery, a strong main role and a moral that's creeping along like invisible ants on your skin throughout the entire book... yes, it's good. Very good.

It's a relatively short book, so there's absolutely no reason why you, reader, wouldn't be able to pick it up and have it read in no time at all. You'll gain the benefit of enjoying a new author (who is well worth reading) without pushing back your original TBR pile too far.

Win win!

I highly highly recommend this book and other Clive Barker works as well.

Thegreat gray beast February had eaten Harvey Swick alive; isn't that the way it goes for the Harvey's out there. Or is it different, boring, alone? It seems like that and, one day, a visitor simply pops by and says he can take he somewhere amazing. They agree on no questions, his herald comes back in a few days, and he leaves for the house. After finding how it has been hidden for so long, he notices how everything here is perfect and how he can play or eat or whatever. You just have to watch yourself and remember what season it is because they come every day. Combine that with the people living there, the cook and her story, and with one poor girl and some fish and you have Harvey's tale about the Thief of Always.

As far as writing a book, this is one person who has it down. I honestly see a bit of Coraline in this book here, with some of the same styles showcased here and there. The one thing I have to also say is that the art is totally engaging. The print is REALLY SMALL so some people will have problems with that but the art itself can even be touching. It certainly conveys everything I was hoping for.

Harry is one of those characters you know the book expects more from. It is also a writer style sorta thing not to show us that praise much. I like that, all of that, and I think this is 5/5 and more.

The Great Grey Beast of February has imprisoned Harvey Swick and the young boy is bored to death. How will he ever survive that dreadfully dull period between New Year and Easter? Contemplating his misery, Harvey discovers that he is not alone in his room. Indeed a somewhat strange and scrawny figure is standing in the corner. The man makes himself known as Mr. Rictus and invites Harvey to the Holiday House. And true, Harvey does not believe his eyes: the house is filled with all the pleasures a boy can want. Delicious food, many friends, tons of toys, every day Christmas. What more do you need? Of course there is a price to be paid, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by the wonders of the Holiday House, does not stop to consider the consequences. Only when he discovers that he is no longer a guest, but a prisoner does Harvey start to react. But maybe it is already too late...

Clive Barker's first attempt at writing a book for a younger audience does not go by unnoticed. As Clive is known for his very dark and fantastic tales, he indeed uses these talents to draw a magnificent place where many children surely would love to hide. But with the same zeal he deconstructs the dream and craftily let the evil seep into the story. Of course the villains are not as dark and disturbed as in his adult novels, but still he manages to portrait a series of characters that would enjoy taking permanent residence in the dreams of the younger ones.

One critique that might pop up is that the setting of the story is so rich that it begs for more than one episode. After reading the story, so many things are left untold that it leaves you wanting for more. Even the narrative itself is extremely concise with its twenty-six chapters counting on average not more than six pages each. It would probably not have hurt if more details were introduced in order to make the environment even more exciting and colorful. Nevertheless the story is exciting enough to get the stamp of a must-read. And please, do not worry if you think you are too old to read this book. You never are!

Ten-year-old Harvey is bored. He is sitting in his bedroom one February afternoon, watching the rain outside, feeling as bored as he's ever felt. He feels like he might die of boredom. Then, to his surprise, a little person flies through his window. This little man promises Harvey a wonderful vacation where he'll have lots and lots of fun--as long as he doesn't ask any questions. Harvey isn't quite sure about going with the man.

However, a week later, the man shows back up and Harvey decides that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go with him just for a little while. So Harvey walks with him across town through a high wall that isn't really a wall, into a place of magic. Here, at the Holiday House, everyone gives Harvey everything he's ever wanted. Every day holds all of the seasons--in the morning it's like springtime, in the afternoon it's summer, in the early eveing it's fall and time to go trick-or-treating, and in the later evening it's winter and Christmastime. There are two other children there with Harvey--Wendell and Lulu. Lulu, though, has started to go a little bit crazy, so Harvey and Wendell don't spend much time with her.

Harvey intends to only stay at the Holiday House for a few days, but after a couple of reassuring phone calls to his parents when they tell him they want him to stay, he begins to relax. However, he shouldn't relax too much. There are some strange things going on at the Holiday House that aren't fun and exciting. Will Harvey figure out what is going on in time to escape?

I liked the whole idea of the Holiday House--what a perfect vacation spot for little children! I also liked the characters of Rictus, Jive, Marr and Carna. They embodied all characteristics that would be useful for keeping children there. I thought a couple of things weren't believable, though. Harvey seemed to have an undue attachment to Lulu. He barely even knew her, but he was very concerned about her, more so than most ten-year-olds would be. I also didn't buy Harvey's thievery toward the end of the story. It seemed less possible than the rest of the story.

Add this book to the growing pile of books to give a child waiting desperately for the next (and final) installment in the Harry Potter series. This may make the wait a little less unbearable, though nothing will be much solace once J.K. Rowling pens the last page in Book 7. There's only so much one can do about that, after all.

The Thief of Always is also a great choice for anyone smitten by Lemony Snicket, as it features a similarly dark story line with menacing adult characters. There's none of the wonderful banter between author and reader found in A Series of Unfortunate Events, nor really any of the wickedly twisted humor, but there should be just enough terror and danger to keep most fans of this genre riveted.

Harvey Swick is 10 years old and very bored with the long, cold days of February. One day a mysterious man appears, suddenly, in Harvey's room. The man asks Harvey if he'd like to go someplace where life is always fun. Being a self-centered yet somewhat strangely trusting 10 year old, Harvey agrees, and he's led away by the man.

The house where the mysterious man takes Harvey is in a land that's always sunny during the day. Halloween and Christmas, those two revered favorite holidays of children, come every evening. Harvey and another boy, Wendell, have all their wishes granted in this wondrous house, but one day Harvey starts to see that all isn't as it should be, and evil lurks beneath the facade of perfection...

A quick and satisfying read, this is as entertaining for adult fans of the genre as children.

So, summer reading letter comes to me in the mail and under 10th grade I see "Barker, Clive The Thief of Always". Clive Barker? But doesn't he write really X-rated horror? Oh well, I gave it a try and after about five total hours of reading in a single day had read a fairly good fable. The story is easily identified by anybody who's ever heard of Peter Pan or the Pleasure Island sequence of Disney's Pinocchio. It is a great fable for kids around the main character Harvey's age, but I think once you get over 12 or 13 it gets to be too easy a read to hold pure interest. Though it's written well from a kids point of view, I can't help remembering how in another novel written from a child's point of view (To Kill A Mockingbird) skipped over to ominsience every now and then to keep things interesting. Also, the characters were very blank, as if they had to be in order for children to understand them, even the monsters of the story who's looks substituted for personalities. Despite this, I did like the story and it will make a great family motion picture. I'll let my little brother read this one while I go out and find a real Barker book (this was my first). A master horror novelist writing children's books? They may claim it was just another book, I say it's thier publishers wanting to hook younger audiences so as to sell more adult publications later on.

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.

"The Thief of Always" is deeply creepy. A young boy is persuaded to visit at Holiday House by a stranger called Rictus, where every day has all the fun of childhood's favorite holidays. As days go on, there is some really fishy about what is happening to his friends there.

Toned down from Clive Barker's most powerful horror, "Thief of Always" demonstrated the author's ability to inspire dread and unease by tapping into the common underlying existiential fears. To heck with the big words, Clive Barker uses lots of little bits of imagery to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Everything about Rictus seems too good to be true, but slightly wrong. Everything about Holiday House seems too good to be true, but slightly wrong. The depth of wrongness emerges as the tale goes on.

I enjoyed it, but it was written for tweens and teens. I'm not sure that the best balance between character development, plot development, and writing for younger folks was struck, but it was still pretty darn good.

E. M. Van Court

Few books can boast that they can be loved at a young age and also as an adult (Chronicles of Narnia among the few), but The Thief Of Always is one of those special books that stays with you. Now this is the only book I have read by Barker because I was never interested in his adult books. So for me, this is what Barker should have stuck to - children's fantasy with a dark twist to it. While this book in a bit dark, any age will appreciate it the vividness of Barker's imagination and the ability to build such realistic characters inside a world of fantasy. I think we can all relate to Harvey's boredom at different times at youth and that we would all love the idea of going to a place where you had Halloween and Christmas every day, experience every season every day, and eat anything you want. It would sound too good to be true, and in this book, it is too good to be true. And Barker throws in a great twist as Harvey tries to escape the Holiday House. I recommend this book to anybody who loves fantasy, especially dark fantasy.

Clive Barker brings readers this delightful fairy tale, surrounding the main character of young Harvey, a bright adventurous young boy with a stubborn streak. I advise not being put off by its seemingly childlike innocence; this one features monstrous beings, cruel twists of fate, and genuinely frightening outcomes. All ages can enjoy Thief of Always, for it stirs up the imagination and brings back that child in all of us.

With imaginative scenarios, cute little characters, and an all-out showdown to beat other show-downs, Theif of always is worth a read. The setting is of a fascinating, mystical, storybook house. With some minor plot similarities to The Haunting where the house is concerned, we learn through Harvey's eyes what is what and a small mystery is solved.

It's not without its flaws, though - every house has its holes.

One pet peeve is that no one believed Harvey - it's a complaint of mine when that happens to people in either books or movies. And even though it's not supposed to be full of tension and action the whole way through, sometimes it dragged TOO much, to where I nearly got bored.

Overall, great stuff to have fun with, and a wonderful trip down memory lane - a reminder that things don't have to be complex and sophisticated in order to be disturbing and creepy.

Great stuff to have fun with, and a wonderful trip down memory lane - a reminder that things don't have to be complex and sophisticated in order to be disturbing and creepy.

This is the first novel I've ready by Barker, and I plan to read the rest of his books.
This book is incredible! The char are so real, the reader can't help but to care about them.
Young Harry Swick is bored with his life, and wants some exciement. As the old saying goes, becareful what you wish you, you might just get it, and Swick indeed got what he wanted....he just never knew the price would be so high.
Swick was granted access to Mr. Hood's Hoilday House. The house can offer you anything you wish for and your every need and want is met....but it comes at a price. At the house, Swick befrineds two kids named Lulu and Wendell. Together, they try to levae the house, but one of them can't go. That's all I'll say for the plot of the book, b/c I don't want to ruin anything. I'll just say that I loved the char of Lulu. She was incredible.
The reader will be drawn in by Barker's strong writing stlye, and the reader will be glued to the pages to see what happens next.
If you start this book, you wont' be sorry. I can pronmise you that.

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"

When I first heard about Clive Barker,I never thought him capable of writing a book such as this,that kids can read.But he sure showed me!

When a boring day drives a boy over the edge and he starts to wish for something more entertaining,a boy pops out of nowhere and invites him to a place where he can have all the fun possible...But you know the saying,everything comes at a price,of course he is not told that.

When he arrives to this so called place,he meets a couple of other kids and befriends them.Things start going good.They start enjoying themselves,until it's pay back time.This book is brilliantly written.Clive Barker takes Horror and covers it with Fantasy!

After experiencing some trouble in the so called "hood",the boy looks for a way to leave.But,guess what?leaving is not easy,he has to endure alot of pain before he does,fighting against things that exist only in our dreams!I definitely recommend this book...enjoy...Nigel

"Children's book" is, so far as I'm concerned, a term of condemnation. The only truly good books are adult's books. Of course, some adult's books can be read and enjoyed by children as well, and they may as a result be unfairly branded as literature for children; but, in C.S. Lewis's words, a book worth reading only in childhood is not really worth reading even then.
This is a children's book.
As children's books go it's not bad. I rather enjoyed reading it; I even read it again; and I imagine children will enjoy reading it more than I did; but it leaves very little imprint on the mind. It's a kind of sweetened but flavourless horror. It reminded me how cliched the horror genre is: the ending (a real let-down) is a confrontation with Ultimate Evil which could have come from any one of a thousand cheap films, where the protagonist encounters something of great mythic power, beats it up, sees it resurrected, and then beats it up again.
The book is not without its moments and these moments earn it three stars.

Clive Barker has twisted together a story of malevolent proportions. It illustrates in light satire that we are free to have our fun, but that we must weigh our choices, for fun comes at a very high price...
Harvey is a young boy, searching for what the world doesn't have to give him. But his aspirations are acknowledged at the Holiday House, a magical place which is reminiscent of "Never Never Land" and "Pleasure Island." He decides to sojourn to this place, this place of high adventure and mystery.
What young Harvey finds there baffles his mind and boggles his imagination. His life is carefree, his troubles few, and his worries nonexistent. But as the days go by, the boy finds out what goes on behind the closed doors of the Holiday House. And what thoughts and motives lurk in the mind of Mr. Hood, the House's cryptic master. And it is up to Harvey to escape the evils of the enclosed world... before it is too late.

The thief of Always is a book that I found on accident. At the time, I did not know that Clive Barker had written a novel for his younger audience. I was a little worried that it might not have the same ring to it that his more mature novels do. Boy, was I wrong! I loved every page of this book, and was introduced to another side of Clive's mind that I was not aware he had. IT has been some years since I have originally read this book, but since then I have read it at least three times. If you have a younger horror fan in your life, give them a copy of this book, they won't be disappointed!

With The Thief of Always, Clive Barker scores a bull's eye, and proves he does not have his imagination solely restricted to the violent eroticism which are largely predominant in his "adult writings." Here, he writes what people classify as a "children's book", but that could mislead and discourage many adults, which would be a shame, since this book is lovely.
As always, Barker brings forth examples of prodigal imagination at work, and using both words as well as illustrations done by himself- he brings this book to life. It is compulsively readable, and with its short chapters, you'll find yourself hurrying through it to find out what happens next. Clive Barker is doubtlessly one of the most important writers in our times, and this work is just further testament to his growing string of successes.

A ten-year-old boy named Harvey, bored with his life, falls to the wiles of a seductively welcoming being named Rictus, and becomes a guest at a seemingly wondrous place called Holiday House. At Holiday House, each fun-filled day contains four seasons: and seasons at their very best. The springtime which comes each morning ushers in blossoming flowers and explosions of greenery; the summers that fill the afternoons are always those rare perfect kind one experiences but a few times in the school-less, cloud-less summertime of youth; the autumns that ripens as evening sets in sees the trees dyed with bright colors, as the air cools and the breeze smells sweetly of the bounty of unseen fields. And then winter takes over the night, cold, crisp, perfect for sleeping-in or sitting beside a crackling fire. It's all too good to be true---which of course it is.

Clive Barker's dark fantasy, part fairy tale and part horror story, is clearly intended as a vehicle for appreciative adults to rekindle some of the lost themes of childhood, when the world was simultaneously magical and threatening. In this the imaginative Liverpudlian nearly succeeds. The one serious flaw in The Thief of Always is the same one I've found in nearly everything Clive Barker has written, and that is...as best I can describe it...his story lacks a soul. I don't know any other way to put it. This registers in the ease with which Barker's characters can later be put out of mind, and the acceptance one experiences when something terrible happens to someone we've just spent the last however-many pages reading about. I know legions of Barker fans won't agree with me there, but I have always sensed that about Clive Barker's works, be it The Books of Blood, The Damnation Game, Weaveword, Cabal, or even here, in what was mostly a charming, dark little story.

The Thief of Always is good, it's just not THAT good. It's like a trip through a shattered looking glass; it's flat in a few spots, it's neither character nor plot-driven, and it rushes past far too fast in places where I found myself wishing we could linger. Where Bradbury or King might have gotten the dark fantasy elements right in a tale like this and rendered The Thief of Always an everlasting classic, Barker is just not up to the task.

The Thief of Always was a truly astounding book. Although technically written for young readers, this book has something to say to more mature readers as well. Written in Barker's almost poetic prose, but without his usual eroticism, gore and language, this book reads very easily and quickly, with beautifully used language. But it's got a message -- essentially, that fantasy isn't real. I know it sounds obvious, but it can be very easy to lose track of that. This book is an extremely quick read -- I finished it in one night, and it's also great fun. The characters are dynamic and interesting, the chapters short and to the point, and there are a bunch of interesting illustrations by the author himself. This book is a definite must-read. Don't be fooled by the length and the reading level. This is an excellent book.

This is a quick reading book.
First of all, if you're looking for some more Hellraiser stuff, keep looking.
Don't think that this is all fluffy bunnies, and purple flowers either. This is an evil entity that's in charge of what happens to the main character. I know that makes you think WHAT?!! I don't want to say too much and ruin it.

This doesn't help much, but I can only say that I started out reading sci-fi/fantasy, most of the Horror books didn't have much of a plot they only wanted to be graphic. Then I got turned on to some H.P. Lovecraft, which lead to reading Clive Barker. This story isn't overly graphic, but it's creepy. In short, I think it's worth a read.

I first read this novel when I was 7. It was the first book I'd ever completed entirely myself. Over the years I've reread this story often. It holds such a tale told in the manner of a young boy lost for adventures but still holds that dark mystery that proves that not everything in life is what it seems. An absolute must read! Just as any by other Barker novel. Timeless and always captivating.

-Breck

I read this once a year, in February. Why? Because it's a good, solid story - fable, actually, as the subtitle suggests - that can keep me entertained for a little while as this great gray month plods on. The story of young Harvey Swick is what we wished our childhoods could have been. It is enveloped in magic and mystery and acts of heroism. We are reminded, however, that fantasy is only a nice place to visit. Those who stay are no longer truly human, and eventually we must give them up - give up our childhoods, really - if we are ever to truly grow. Read this to your kids, if you have them. It's written in a style that is perfect for storytelling, with interesting voices and short chapters to get the little ones to sleep faster.... *grin*

As any Clive Barker fan would know, he started his fantasy works from a personal favorite of his,"Peter Pan". "Weaveworld" was originally going to be a Children's Fable, too. It seems to me that this time around, he got around to finally writing the story we've always wanted to have read to us by our parents at bed-time, but the problem was the fact that it hadn't been written yet. I might also mention the fact that this book also shows that he has an imagination that covers wide territory and cannot be typecast as just a horror writer. If anyone was disappointed when they found out it was a children's story, keep in mind that the words "A Fable" appear right on the cover. It's a Fable for the child in all of us, whether we're 7 years old or even 97 years old.

Someone who is only familiar with Clive Barker's more graphic adult horror novels and stories may be surprised by the lighter tone of this book. That's because it's intended more for younger readers, with the emphasis on adventure and frights. It's a very basic story of good versus evil, with a definite moral. That doesn't mean that adults can't enjoy it, however. I loved it, as it reminded me stylistically of the works of Ray Bradbury. You won't get any grand character development, but Barker does a great job of mixing senses of wonder and terror, as well as keeping the reader in a constant state of suspense. Almost every chapter ends with some type of hook that will keep drawing you deeper. The author's illustrations perfectly capture the mood of the story, as well. It's quick reading and won't take up too much of your time, so give it a try!

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 really liked this book but i did not realize when i bought it that this version is a graphic novel which has an abridged version of the original story. The illustrations are great and the heart of the story is conveyed but I wish the description made it clear that this is a graphic novel with an abridged story- not the full original story. This is the only version of clive barkers story currently averrable with free 2-day shipping via the store prime.

I read Abarat, and really liked it, so I was disappointed when I read this book by the same author. I might have liked it had I read it when I was younger, but such is not the case.
This is about a boy, Harvey, who is very bored. On the street Harvey meets a man who tells him that he could go with him to a place where Harvey would never again be bored. Harvey follows him. Indeed, the place, Hood House, is a place where Harvey is never bored. He calls his parents, and they tell him to stay as long as he wants, saying they had arranged for it. Harvey is not suspicious, and takes the wonders of the house without question; every morning is spring, every noon is summer, every evening is fall, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas every day - it's all he ever could have asked for. But nothing that good lasts for long... I mean, what do you think happens when Christmas, which comes once a year, happens every night?

Harvey Swick is Tired of school....his friends...his parents... and over all life. He is sitting in his room when suddenly appears a startaling charecter named Jive... Jive tells him many things about a Magical House where they take bored kids like him...He promised that it would cause no harm to Harvey.. Harvey took a Shine to the idea and sooner or later he wound up there at the ...... "Holiday House" little did he know what kind of house this was.... this house was filled with great mystery and enchantment.. it was very different from the outside world... things worked in very small circles.. Normal cycles did not apply in this magical land...By the time Harvey can get out of the Evil house it is too late..

This was a cool book that I enjoyed. I am wanting to get back into Clive Barker (I've read some of his other stuff too, put could never actually finish a book. I just wasn't ready to receive Barker's imagination quite yet - indeed trippy interesting stuff). Anyway, this book showcased Barker's talents without having to read his other tomes. And what I liked probably best, was the fact that Barker can also draw - well done drawings penciled and inked by the author himself is very cool- gives a chance to plumb even deeper into the world the author is trying to convey. Copied perfectly from the minds-eye. A am now going to re-begin my journey into Imagica soon...

Clive Barker is (obviously) a Master of story-telling, character development and (perhaps not so obviously) illustration. He demonstrates all of the aforementioned with The Thief of Always. Bringing back childhood nostalgia of the "Gray Beast February", I remember reading this book for the first time on a bleak snow day, with no school (cheers!) but absolutely snowed-in (jeers!). This is hands down my all time favorite novel. I have purchased it several times for different friends and consider it an absolute must read for fans of horror, fiction and Sir Barker.

This graphic novel felt like it is ment to be part of the studio Ghibli movies. I had the same feeling as watching ''Howl's moving castle''...which is amazing. All the caracters are nice developed and the story is magical. As for the illustrations they are pretty good with this dark blurry feel that they have and they put you right in the mood. It's deffinetly an intresting book!

The diction is written like a child's faerie tale, completely descriptive and abundant in lush similes, metaphors, colors, sounds, smells, shapes, sizes, feelings, textures, creatures, people, and sights. Beneath the candy-coated exterior lies a truly horrific story of a boy trapped in a world where there is no escape, where children are taken and used for food and torture, where the value of life is "less than a penny".
Filled with completely memorable and imaginative sequences, this novella (it takes no longer than 90 minutes to read) can be argued to surpass Clive Barker's other masterpiece, Weaveworld.

I read this book aloud to my 6th grade students and we all LOVED it. Each and every day they begged for more. Short chapters allowed us to make our way through the book in manageable increments. The incredible descriptions and the dark suspense kept us highly engaged. I would highly recommend this book for middle grade readers who are looking for a spooky story with a rock solid main character.

Careful what you wish for... everything comes at a price! The better something sounds the higher the price! With a character named Rictus you have to expect evil. Not a typical Clive Barker read, this one is rather tame for him... but great just the same! If you haven't already, be sure to get a copy and enjoy this tale!

I have always been a fan of horror, and this was the book I actually read to my son that finally started him on his own road of reading for pleasure. A young boy is unhappy with his life; he doesn't like school and doesn't like his parents, and wishes for a place where he can play all day long and have no responsibilities. He finds that place when creepy Rictus leads him through the mists to a place he has always dreamed of. Kindly old Mrs. Griffin runs a quaint little house, cooking marvelous meals for the boys and girls with her cats. Harvey soon finds that this place is magical, every morning is Spring, every afternoon Summer, every evening is Autumn, and every night Winter. The children play in the warmth of summer, have Halloween every evening, and Christmas every night. He makes friends with Wendell and Lulu, and meets some freakish inhabitants. But when he finally finds the lake with the strange fish, and witnesses Lulu changing, that he realizes this wonderful place is a trap and he cannot leave. He seeks a way out, and with the help of Mrs. Griffin's cats he makes it through the misty barrier, only to find that for every day that passes in the House, a year passed in the outside world. Harvey must set things to right again, and that means returning across the misty barrier and confronting the dreaded Mr. Hood. A very enjoyable read, and surprisingly good to read to older children, especially those who may be unhappy with school. Sometimes, you get what you wish for, only to find out its not what you really wanted....

I m not an easy reader to please and was pretty much bored with books when this novel came out. When I saw Stephn King had written glowingly of young Clive Barker I decided one more go at it with this book. I am so glad I did. This was truly the turning point in my yunger days, and I have gone on to read many more books learning and gaining a love of reading. The Thief of Always will always be a favorite in my collection.

This was my first Clive Barker novel and definately not my last! I am an avid reader and am upset to say that I have not delved into the mind of Clive Barker. Until I decided to pick up this book! I found myself latched to it and forgot the world around me until I was finished in record speed! The characters are very rich and imaginative. The atmosphere is fascinating and the story is captivating! It is rare that a book captures me as much as this one has! I am excited to find out if his other works are just as captivating! Thank you Clive for your talent!

I have shifted to graphic novels from memoir, but I realize now that both genres are excellent. This is graphic novel I will keep--for my growing collection of graphic novels.

The Thief of Always is dark, and there are several messages you pick up on in the story. I thought the illustrations are great!

I recommend this graphic novel to the readers of memoir..it picks up where memoirs lead you.

I will look for other graphic novels by Clive Barker.

Enjoy!! :)

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.

This book was just AWESOME! I had actually seen it on television, saying something about Clive Barker doing the artwork in it. I found it in my local library and just could NOT put it down. I'm used to Clive Barker being for an older audience, but when I read the book as a teen, it was EXTRMELY easy to follow and understand. It read like a kid's book, but had a story beyond that. It had me on the edge of my seat [and on my teacher's last nerve].

A friend of mine bought it for me for a present. It's one of my favorite gifts. I don't think my copy even has creases in it LOL.

This book was a spectacular array of excelence and wonder. It was by far one of the best pieces of literature that I have conjectured to read in all of my 12 years on this pitiful era we call earth. I found this book to be incredibly interesting. My heart was crushed upon reading the final pages of this wonderful work for I knew that my time within its grasp was diminishing. I would highly suggest this book to any and all above-average 12 year olds such as myself, and I pray that it touches you in the same magical way that it has touched me.

Although ostensibly a children's book, 'The Thief of Always' has always struck me more as a book for adults about their childhood. The themes of loss and potential fit perfectly with anyone who looking back on their childhood from the position of mediocre adulthood has ever wondered if they might have amounted to something more. That may sound rather pessimistic, but Barker's point always seems to be that we never value the present as much as we should, and that having an eye on the future can have terrible consequences. So maybe if these sentiments are inspired in the reader it is Barker suggesting that we 'grow up' a little, rather than wallow in what might have been. All in all I found the characters unfailingly sympathetic and well drawn, and Barker has a brilliant understanding of the things that really frighten you when you are young. Certainly things like ghosts and vampires are frightening, but the thought of killing one of your friends is surely a far more terrifying prospect. I read this book when I was about 14. A few years later, at the age of 21 I had the desire to read it again, I don't know why; perhaps one of the universal fears that Barker is so good at manipulating had impinged on my life for a moment, but whatever, I remember the book and went out and bought a copy. I can give it no greater compliment than when I read it again, with all the sobriety and cynicism I had gained since being an eager 14 year old reader, and still found it utterly beguiling and charming.

I think barker hit the nail on the head. hellbound heart was a murderous romp, imajica is twisted and very complex, one has to be a damn rocket scientist for some of the script. cabal was good untill I lost my only copy of it and never got another one. but this book is different. this book takes your heart and soul and makes them cry. He kind of adds nostalgia, fantasies, and horror and brings out the best in them all. I give it a ten for sure. And not just because I have read it ten times

anybody should read this book. i thought wonder was good until i read this. this is twice as good as wonder. it had me thinking the whole time i read it, wanting to know more. if you havent read this you must read it now!

This was an excellent book. I strongly recommend it to people of all ages with a good imagination and sense of humor. Who couldn't love a story about a boy who is visiting a holiday house and literally takes a year away for each day he spends there? My favorite part was the whole book. It makes you think if there really is a place where you can go and encounter all the seasons in one day. Just make sure you have a good dictionary by your side as you read and you will be fine.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK. I'VE READ IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I STILL ENJOY IT. THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE AWESOME, AND SO IS THE STORY. I HEARD THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE THIS BOOK INTO A MOVIE YEARS AGO, AND I STILL WONDER IF THAT'S GOING TO COME OUT STILL. IT SHOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE ON BIG SCREEN, BUT SO LONG AS YOU READ THE BOOK, THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO SEE THE MOVIE. THE BOOK PLAYS OUT IN YOUR HEAD AND IMAGINATION. CLIVE BARKER SHOULD DO MORE BOOKS LIKE THESE FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE, BUT I AM 24, AND STILL LOVE IT. I READ IT WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

My 13 year-old loved this. I thought it was pretty good. Barker owes a lot to Bradbury for this. Everything about it reminds me of Bradbury's writing and I read a lot of Bradbury when I was younger so it kind of brought me back. Now I'm wondering if we should try Barker's other YA stuff (Arabat etc...)

The Thief of Always is not the typical child/young adult literary fair that people have come to expect. It talks on issues such as childhood depression and remorse, and then explores the depth and imagination in such dark and disturbing ways that one might expect from Horror writer Clive Barker. However, the fear aspect of this book has nothing to do with the gore subject material that many people have come to expect. Its the fear of Human Nature, and human involvement in their own destiny's.

Every now and again i pick up this book and re read it over, and now being 24, i find i still love the story of it. Yes it rudimentary and basic in its style and approach, but there is a style and emotion that captures what i remember at Henry Swick's age. And even to this day do i relate. It's not necessarily a book for little goth boys and girls, such as Emily the Strange, and its not the uppity fan fair that you would get from the Boxcar children sets either. This is a good start off book for kids that will eventually turn to Barker and King and Bright, for a escape. And escape is what Always is all about.

This is an awesome book in my perspective. The "Thief Of Always" is an awesome book because Clive Barker is descriptive about every character he uses so that you can imagine it in your mind. Authors should always be descriptive about everything in their book that is important. That is exactly what Barker does. This book is about a magical but bad house where kids like Harvey Swick (main character) get tricked into going there. Harvey was a bored kid who just wasn't happy at home. That is how he ended up at the "Holiday House". Barker was very descriptive about this magical house as Harvey walked up to this hell hole for kids. If you love fantasy you would love this Book. It seems Barker has an expanded imagination full of great ideas that he had put into this book. Barker describes the magical people that work at the house with full throttle detail; he describes their faces, bodies, how they talk, how they walk, everything you need to have. It's so descriptive it's almost like a movie playing in your head. If you have little imaginative thinking then this will boost your mind. This is a great book for any age that ranges from 12 to 15.

Not only is this an amazing read, it's also filled with the very descriptive artistry of the author.
Not since 1961 has an intended tale for children been so popular with adults. It's like Ronald Dahl's JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH transformed into an even darker and bizarre journey. The "Holiday House" and the Giant Peach seem to entice all of us into leaving our lives behind.
Mr. Barker is a horror fiction legend from the U.K. He makes Steven King's works look like Nancy Drew Mysteries.

I first picked-up this book when I saw it laying on my mom's bookshelf. I was bored of television and wanted something more interesting to hold my attention. I had been eyeing the book for quite some time because the cover was so captivating and the title seemed interesting. Anyway I started to read it and soon couldn't put it down. I have never read anything of Barker's before this book and let me say if you start off reading his work with this it's a good choice. The tone of the novel, the characters and the amazing detail and imagery he uses is just captivating. I read this book in two days because I found myself horrified at what might happen next, thinking that something would happen if I closed the pages. I can't say much about it, if you want to know what it's about read the editor's review, if I tell I'll probably give everything away. Let's just say this is the type of book that you will want to talk about with everyone, even if they read it or not.

CLive Barker, born in 1952 in Liverpool, produced the book The thief of Always in 1952. Harvey Swick, a teenage boy looking to escape the every day problems that life brings narrates this story. One night a goblin named Rictus appears in Harvey's window and invites him to the House of Happiness. Harvey accepts this invitation and goes to a place where everyday is a new season. Clive Barker does a very good job describing detail about the joys of everyday changing seasons. Harvey meets many new friends and learns more and more about the evilness of this hosue. Harvey finally decides to escape this house and takes his new friend Wendell with him. But what they find after they escape they cannot believe. Everyday that passes in this fantasyland is one year in the real world. The boys return to the house to somehow regain all years lost. This book is action packed right from the get go. The only time this book slows down is when you put it down. Clive Barker is an excellent writer and should be offered to anyone who enjoys mythological reading.

Do really great stories have something in common?
Perhaps that is a generic question, but a fair assumption would be that the stories that get into our hearts and stay there for the rest of our days are stories we can really relate to.
The Thief of Always is about something everybody can relate to - the process of growth. The Thief of Always is about the metamorphical change that occurs when we go from being children to being adults, it more than hints at how the precious untainted hearts and souls of children can be threatened by a horror beyond the comprehension of most adults.
Right up there alongside Stephen King's The Eyes of the Dragon, The Thief of Always tells us a great story about what being human and growing up is all about.
It is perhaps Clive Barker's best short story - not just for hardcore horror freaks, The Thief of Always is a great experience for all ages and all walks of life.
Enjoy!

I've enjoyed other Clive Barker works. Recently a fellow teacher recommended The Thief of Always as a read aloud. I needed something that would keep the students interested and open them up to new ideas. This book fits that bill.

I just finished reading it myself and I can't wait to read it to them. I was hanging on every chapter; I think the students will be as well.

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.

Clive Barker captures the unknown depths of the imagination and brings them all forward. His writing style and technique make you speed through the book even if you're not a fast reader! I highly, highly recommend this great story to anyone, even over the age of twelve. Experience this adventure that takes you where your imagination has wanted to go, but never has! Buy it now!!!!!!!

I first read this book when I was 10 and I absolutely fell in love with it. I'm 17 now and I still love to pick up the book, every time I do I can't ever seem to put it down. It's a wonderful read and it's unexpectong turns make it a wonderful story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and continue too.

I know that this is a kids book but what the heck. I have read many of Clive's books and wanted to add this to the list. Mr. Barker has taken his surrealism to a new level, the kids level. The story is well told and it holds the imagination. Harvey is one tough kid. This book could be considered a precurser to the Harry Potter books. I recommend it for kids of all ages.

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'.

I think that The Thief of Always was a great book. This book was about a ten year old boy named Harvey whose life wasn't quite as exciting as he wanted it to be. He was sick of the same old routine and wasn't having much fun at all, until one day he got a strange visitor who changed his whole world around. When Harvey arrived at the Holiday House it was everything he hoped for, and more. Harvey was having the time of his life, until one day things started changing around the Holiday House, and he realized that things weren't quite what they seemed anymore. This book is very exciting, and full of adventures and surprises. It always seemed to keep me guessing, but never bored me. This book makes you think a lot about life in general, and I think it is suitable for people of all ages. Although when I first started reading the book I didn't think I'd enjoy it, by the end I loved it, and I'm sure you will too.

My son and I read this book together. He was a pre-teen at the time, and I'm glad I was there so we could talk about some of the disturbing things that happened. In spite of the frightening events, we both enjoyed the book and the time we spent together reading it. This book is not for every pre-teen, though. If your younger child reads it, you'll probably want to be there, too.

In many ways this is the scariest of Clive Barker's novels. Not gorey, but the idea was chilling. I know it has been done before (like in the Island of lost boys in Pinnocchio) but it was still terrifying. Next to Imajica: Featuring New Illustrations and an Appendix this is my favorite Barker novel.

The Theif of Always was easy to read, but did not fail to keep me interested. I picked it up one night while i was having trouble sleeping to put me to sleep, big mistake. The book kept me up the remainder of the night because i just wanted to know what came next. The book had moments that weren't as great as others, but this is the case in many books.

Clive Barker writes another great book! Although this book is like a fairy tale, Barker's dark side is not completely left out. The story starts out with ten year old Harvey Swick being persuaded to go to The Holiday House on a promise that all of his boredom will vanish. To his surprise, the house offers everything that was promised to him and much much more. The turning point of the book is when the truth is revealed and Harvey realizes that the house is actually evil and that for every day spent at the house, a year had gone by in the real world. The climax is when Harvey trys to fight back towards the house.
I recommend this book to everyone. Although this book was aimed for children, it is liked by adults as well as children. This book can teach valuable lessons that should be with children and adults also.

Going inside a young man's mind can be a scary thing, when part of his mind leads him to a house that is ever changing. Circle of events, some terrifing, some fun, continue to happen over and over. When he decides it is more fun than he bargained for he finds there is no way out. From Christmas to a pond full of demons, his life is not his own.

What does everybody think is so brillant about this book? Someone said it gets to the soul of Clive Barker. It's a kids book that's no where near the size of Imajica. And as for the comment that you'd have to be a metaphysicist to understand that, Imajica epitomises most of Barker's work (Everville, Weaveworld, The Great and Secret Show) whereas this does not.

This book was a really good book to read. Fantasy books really interest me the most because they are more fun to read. For example fiction books are too real. I feel those kinds of books to informative and nothing magical happens, but in this book Thief of Always it's a totally different story. Throughout the whole book it was magical. In the book there is a boy who is bored with his life and just wants something to do. He gets invited to go to this house and at the house he has so much fun with his friend he meets. After a while he and his friend try to get away from this house. When they get out they realize something bad has happened to their families. You should read this wonderful book because there is a great theme to it. Even thought it is for younger children it will still be great to read.

A fun read. Good for both the kids and the occasional adult. Cliver Barker would do well to use this book as a template. Leave out the kids and all of the weirdo freaky "Great and Secret Show" type stuff and you have yourself a Top Seller.

This book is not just for young adults, I truly enjoyed it. I didnt want to put it down. I lent it to a friend to read and never got it back and I miss it cause its a book I would read over again. It didnt take me long to finish it. So if you have not read it, I reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys horror/suspense books.

I started reading this book when i was 13. There was a copy of it in my library at school funny enough. Anyways i had to return it before i finished it much to my dismay. About six years later i came across it again in Chapters,picked it up and I have read this book about six times. And i could read it more. I don't know why its just every time I pick this book up and start to read, i am totally captivated. I think it is Clive Barkers best book. The Great and Secret Show, however imaginative, i still felt was unneccesarily falic. Barker develops your imagination in this book, but in a very nice innocence. Thats why,disagree with me if you want but this is my absolute favourite book.

As a 5th grade teacher, I read to my students every day. It is a constant search for books that will keep my students'attention. The Thief of Always holds them spellbound and there are no distractions when I am reading this book. It is magical and the lessons it teaches are many. High School students still claim it as their favorite and many own their own copies. I am still hunting for something to top it but in the last 6 years nothing has come close. I highly reccomend this book as an educator and find students are no longer bored with reading.

This book takes me back six years to the age of ten, the age of young Harvey (the book's protagonist). It conjures up all the old fears and enchantments, crystallizes them and makes me realize how precious they are. The climax and ending are... human perfection. One is left with a happy-nostalgic feeling.

After reading all of these reviews praising this book to no end, I gave it a shot. First of all, it's very short. I didn't find it genuinely engrossing or suspensful, and I was not unhappy when I'd finished it.
It's a quick, mildly entertaining read, but by no means one of the best books I have ever read.

Why would anyone draw new images to this wonderful book originally illustrated by the author? And why doesn't it clearly state in the cover that it is illustrated by someone else? I was disappointed, much prefer the original.

~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

The Theif of Always is Clive Barker's idea of a kids fairy tale story. However, in the words of Pinhead it will "Tear your soul apart!". Barkers imagination is a bottomless pit, and as ever his stories send chills down the spine. This one's for his fans and its a ripper

Maybe it's just me, but when I read this book I found myself wanting to pull my hair out and hurl the thing across the room in frustration. I didn't know the book was made for a younger reading group...say round 10-12 years-old. I'm sure that they would enjoy the imaginative story and can relate(or at least try to) the main character, Harry. He'll be around their age. Over the couple hours in which I finished the book I found myself becoming more and more aggravated by the utter stupidity of the villans (How can a thing that's been alive for centuries be so gullible?) or the unrealistic actions taken by the hero of the book.(Who in their right mind would try and pet a blood-thirsty beast that was given an order to destroy you?) Like I said, this book seems to be geared towards a younger reading group, and my 10 year-old nephew seemed to like it. But if you are anywhere near a highschool reading level you might want to shy away from this one if you are looking for some serious reading.

Believe it or not, I read this book for the first time when I was 17 years old after my brother who was 13 at the time recommended it to me. I was skeptical at first, however, The Thief of Always is now one of my favorite books. Though geared for a younger age group, young adults can enjoy this book for its fabulous use of imagination and imagery that evoke various emotions in the reader. I will admit that I cried at the end..twice! Any book that can bring out that kind of emotion deserves 5 stars from me, and I think that everyone who "wants to be anywhere but here" can benefit from reading this book. :)

Strange how the fellow from Kirkus seemed to hate this book, and then a dozen reviews rate it a 9 or better. Kirkus made it seem that if you like Barker's horror, you wouldn't like this. I like his horror and think this is probably his best book.

I first read this book as kid, and fell in love with the rich story and original characters. About a year ago I found this book again, and decided to flip through and look at some of the wonderful illustrations; I ended up reading the entire book that day. The book is very fast paced and has you frantically flipping pages to find out what happens next. A perfect blend of horror, comedy, fantasy and childhood adventure make this story a timeless classic. I highly recommend this book to children and adults.

This book is excellent, I read it constantly. It's kind of like that saying the grass is greener on the other side, this book shows you the other side. Harvey's adventure is exciting, eventful and scary at the same time. My favorite things are the Christmas gifts and his new friends at the Holiday House. This book should be catagorized as not only a children's book but everyone's book. I can't say enough good things about it, all this is a huge understatement. Read It, You'll Love It!!!

This is a very enjoyable read. You don't have to be a fan of Clive's work to enjoy this. Yet different from Clive's other work, this is one that children can actually read, and adults can enjoy this wonderful tale just as much as children.

This was an extraordinary book to read. It's about a young boy who was brought to a place called the Holiday House, which is for young children who are bored, lonely, or just need to get away. The owner of the house, Mr. Hood tries to convince children that it is a perfect place and they will never want to leave. I personally loved the book, it was very well written and you will definitly get lost in the imagination and imagery in the book. Clive Barker is an excellent writer and gives amazing description of all the characters. I highly recommended this book to anyone with an active imagination.

This was the first Clive Barker book I ever read. I first read this about 7 years ago. I had no idea who Clive Barker was. This book is excellent. It easily tops my list of favorite book. Clive Barker has a wonderful imagination and talent to be able to put this great story together. Since I first read this, I have read it at least 10 more times. This has prompted me to buy more of his books. I am in the middle of reading Weaveworld and I also bought The Inhuman Condition. I know that both of these books will be excellent as well. The Thief of Always is a "must read" book. It's a definate page turner!

I am a big fan of the Abarat books and I discovered this one (...) while browsing others of Barker's other novels. This is as good or better than Abarat! All the characters especially Harvey, Wendell, Lulu, and Mrs. Griffin are great. By the end of the novel, you truly feel a lot of sympathy for them. Another hightlight of this novel are the pleasant, but sometimes frightening and disturbing, illustrations. They add alot to the text. I would surely recommend this book to Barker fans of all ages, and it is a good book for first-timers getting into Barker's magnificent writing! Hope you enjoy!

This book is wonderful, especially for children. It is a fun book, another book that lets the reader dive into imagination. I thought the book was detailed and creative. I wrote to Clive Barker myself, he is a very good man. The descriptiveness of his writing is amazing, especially since it is coming straight from his imagination. The characters were well put together and gave me a good firm image of what they looked like and what their personality was.

In 6th grade, I found this book on the floor of myclassroom. It was missing the first few pages and had illustrations. Iwas a bit ticked off at the world whene i first saw it, so i kicked it around a little and then picked it up and read some of it. I was pleasently surprized. This book was wonderful, and was my main spark into the massive amounts of reading i do today. I strongly suggust you buy it. Before i saw this book, I never read anything that wasent written for kids in a big font. END

A completely original, and fasinating book. While some classify it as merely a children's story, this book has no age limits!!! I have read it twice, and have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed so-called adult books like the Exorcist and The Shining. One of my all time favorite books.

John Glover's portrayal of such a wide variety of characters in this audio book makes the story come alive and entertain. Not as creepy and scary as some of this author's work, so it is suitable for children.

It was a cool idea, but it was all about plot, and the characters were definitely pawns of the author instead of real people. Some of the turns of events were predictable. Then again I'm talking about a book written for children, and *sometimes* kids don't see these things coming.

In my opinion this book was definately on the high end of all books in the genre. No other book has made me feel such pure emotion. Clive Barker is undoubtedly the most gifted writer of our generation.

I recieved this book as a gift when i was about 10. My father and I read it together and I remembered it as being very good and that even my father liked it. Now that i'm out of college and on my own, I am slowly getting all my old stuff out of their storage--including this book. I picked it up and couldn't put it down. It was just as good as I remembered it. Poigniant, well written with a lively pace, and a sympathetic protagonist that I can still identify with. If your a parent with a 9-12yr old son get this book.

The Thief of Always is a exciting, fun book that keeps you want to keep on reading. A little scary but addicting. The expression bored to death, which was created by Zeus when Hermes told everlasting jokes to a monster, just means your bored for a couple minutes and then you find something to do, but to this boy he is literally bored to death and is taken to a holiday house, a kid's dream! Then things begin to change......if you want to find out what happens I suggest you read the book, The Thief of Always!

that's exactly what this book is. the vivid detail from the setting to the characters feelings is astounding. harvey surmounts so much in this book it's very touching and lulu is the most magnanimous character i can recall from the many books i have read. mr. hood is very demonic, but only in the subtlest sense that's not revealed until towards the end. i read this book nonstop for two days, something i rarely do. great novel i can't wait to read more Barker!!

What's to say? I've read many of Clive Barker's books, and liked some better than others. By far, this one is my favorite. It's just as fantastic as the story with Cabal with a story line appropriate for any age group (And as a rec therapy assistang at a childrens hospital, that's a good thing to keep around.). All that's left to say is that I may have to buy another copy, simply because I leant my last one to a friend and haven't seen it since.

When it comes to imagination this can blow it away, the first time i read it was in 1998 and i must say i have read it about 17 times since!, i recomend this to any true fan of a closer to reality form of fantasy its not the same as other books by Barker but thats just another way to tell that its a one of a kind story and i gurantee that it will N-E-V-E-R get old!!!

The Thief of Always allows the reader to join Harvey Swick on his journey into Mr. Hood's Holiday House. Where every childhood wish is reality, and every day is perpetual fun. This dark fable vividly illustrates that evil can hide under a golden veil, which is unleashed by young Harvey's desire for adventure. Clive Barker shares his exquisite take on the age old societal warning: Be Careful What You Wish For.... A Must Read!!!!

This is an incredable story that flows seemlessly from first to last page. It has all the elements of a classic Grim Fairy Tail and some of the best Gothic drawings I've every seen. The charecters are so real that you end up feeling for all of them, and the discription of Mr Hood as a vampire of the soul could not have been more accurate. Not quite one to read to the kids but it's definatly one to read when the kids are asleep.

I rarely get emotional reading a book, but there is a first time for everything! It's full of twists, turns and surprises. When you read this book you feel for the characters, that's a rare experience.It's also is a good book for teens, not just adults. If you enjoy reading a good book, I strongly suggest reading this. It has everything, fantasy,horror, and suspense.

If you only read one book in your life read this one. It is an absolutely wonderful tale, woven into a world of childrens dreams. It is in my opinion the only one of Clive Barker's books that is worth the time. The rest are filled with disgusting ideas and words that I would not wish on my worst enemy.

I enjoyed this story. I don't think it is the most spectacular thing I've ever read but it was cute and good for a young boy with a wild imagination. However, I think I'll stick to Barker's more recent novels from now on.

This book is a great fantasy book, nothing like his other books. A child who wishes away his boring, rainy days gets more than he bargains for at the Hood House. Not scary, but is a wonderful read. Try very hard to get the hardcover from 1992, Clive drew the most wonderful illustrations that really make the book a great find.

Clive Barker is an amazing author. This book is a bit scary and has a dark theme, but is also alright for children to read. I first read this book in the fourth grade, and was entralled by Barker's writing style and personificationary depictions. I was a rather morbid forth grader,I'll admit, but the book is highly recommended for all.

This was a great book, I'm not one to read much. But when I was informed about this book I had to read it and I enjoyed it. Having the boy in the story go through a whole year in a day brought back alot of childhood memories and it was great!!!
So I guess all I could say was this was a really good book, and I would reffer it to everyone

This is called a childrens book simply because a child of 12 could read it with no problem. However Fans of Barker, all ages, and fans of great stories and reading will enjoy the book greatly. A more mature reader could take more from this book then a young adult, who would be amused and entertain by the story itself.

This is the first Barker book I've read.I've been wanting to read his books a while now,but this is the first one to pass the"test."I loved this book.This book is about young Harvey Swick.Swick is bored with his life.It's february,and Swick is bored stiff.But one day Swick is visited by a very strange man. From then on,Swicks'life is changed Forever.

Clive Barker has done it again. He has succeeded in weaving a fantastical tale full of horror and surprises. Though the horror aspect is toned down, Barker fans will enjoy this new world and the colorful characters it holds.

Harvey Swick is a boy bored as a dog. One day he gets a guest telling him to come to the House of always. Harvey goes and likes it at first ,but then see it's not so bright and shinny all the time. Then, he has to face the concequences.

after i read this book i realized that you be happy in the live you have because if you go away and have nothing to do with your family you can't get all those years back!!!!!!!baaaaaahhhhhhh baaahh blacksheep yah man!!!!!!!!!