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  • The Thief of Always

  • By: Clive Barker
  • Narrated by: Adam Verner
  • Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (68 ratings)
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The Thief of Always cover art

The Thief of Always

By: Clive Barker
Narrated by: Adam Verner
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Summary

Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for 1,000 years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles and blissful rounds of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied.…

There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by Mr. Hood's wonders, does not stop to consider the consequences. It is only when the House shows it's darker face - when Harvey discovers the pitiful creatures that dwell in its shadows - that he comes to doubt Mr. Hood's philanthropy.

The House and its mysterious architect are not about to release their captive without a battle, however. Mr. Hood has ambitions for his new guest, for Harvey's soul burns brighter than any soul he has encountered in a thousand years….

©1992 Clive Barker (P)2013 David N. Wilson

What listeners say about The Thief of Always

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Listener received this title free

Wonderful Clive Barker Story Suitable for All Ages

The Thief of Always is one of Clive Barker's rare journeys into children's fiction - with the excellent Abarat series being his only other notable work in that category.
It's a wonderful, timeless tale about a young boy who visits a magical house. As with all of Barker's work, it is beautifully written and contains many odd characters.
This was my first time listening to an audiobook narrated by Adam Verner, and I have to say his work was absolutely perfect for this material. It was a pleasure to listen to.
Another winner from Crossroad Press.
Highly recommended.

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Not what I was expecting

When I think of Clive Barker I think of blood, gore, sex, dirt and violence. I also think of rich, layered prose. Unfortunately, ‘The Thief Of Always’ does not deliver on any of these although, in its defence, it was never intended to. I did not realise that Barker subtitles the work as ‘a fable’ written for people of all ages, and this is why I was disappointed – having expected something akin to Hellraiser rather than what read as a kids’ fairy tale book. There is no doubt that Barker is an exceptional writer with a vast imagination, but this particular book did nothing for me.

The narrator, however, was excellent. His pacing and diction were excellent, as were the voices he used for the many characters in the book. I will definitely seek out further audiobooks with this narrator.

In conclusion, this is in no way a ‘bad’ book, just don’t go into it expecting Pinhead!

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Great Listen

I Really enjoyed this book, the performance was great and the story line kept you interested.

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always

I enjoyed the narration of Adam Verner

I can understand how this book can be enjoyed by children and adults.

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It's good

I enjoyed this. You soon forget that the central character is a ten year-old boy and there's an "oh yeah" moment when his parents come back into the story. Time gets twisted, there is an appropriate amount of magic, there's bad guys a-plenty and it's nicely balanced.

At less than five hours it's not a long listen. Who's the intended audience? Difficult to tell, but I could probably play it to my grandchildren without it freaking them out.

The narrator does a tidy job. Recommended overall.

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Loved it.

My husband is a big Clive Barker fan and always expresses his love of this story. Loved it. Not sure if they have done a full cast version but if they did I’d love it.

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Brings back memories!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Thief of Always to be better than the print version?

No. One of my primary school teachers read this to our class years ago, I must have been 7 years old. The content was just as good, but the voices of the characters, (especally Wendell), were very annoying! I prefer the way my teacher read it!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Thief of Always?

It was all about reminiscing. I loved the Halloween parts, they remind me of Halloween as a child.

What didn’t you like about Adam Verner’s performance?

Annoying voices, Wendell reminded me of Patrick Star from Spongebob

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really.

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Fable for All!

Clive Barker flexes his strengths in writing fantastical fiction for all ages in 'The Thief of Always'. This fable truly is the predecessor to Neil Gaiman's Coraline, and its influence on the text is unquestionable. The characters are each themselves entertaining, compelling, and three-dimensional. Barker's ability to interweave light-hearted fantasy elements with eerie and uncanny creepiness is truly unparrallelled. This was a fine read, and I highly recommend it to others looking for a short and memorable tale!

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