The Thief of Always
 First edition | |
| Author | Clive Barker |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Clive Barker |
| Cover artist | Clive Barker |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Dark fantasy Suspense |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Publication date | 1 November 1992 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 225 (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0-06-017724-1 |
| OCLC | 26356764 |
The Thief of Always is a 1992 novel written and illustrated by Clive Barker.[1][2] The plot concerns a 10-year-old boy who journeys to a magical house, only to discover its master uses the home to attract children and steal their youth to ensure his own immortality.
Plot
[edit]10-year-old Harvey Swick is approached by a stranger named Rictus, who offers him the opportunity to stay at the magical Holiday House, founded by one Mr. Hood. Harvey accepts and accompanies Rictus there, meeting two other children, Wendell and Lulu, as well as its elderly caretaker, Mrs. Griffin, and her three cats.
At the Holiday House, all of the seasons pass by in a day, with Halloween and Thanksgiving in the evening and Christmas at night. However, Mr. Hood himself is nowhere to be found, there are mentions of a mysterious figure named Carna, the nearby lake is full of enormous, sad looking fish, and Mrs. Griffin seems to be keeping a dark secret about the house. Harvey must use his wits and clever thinking in order to escape and return home.
Reception
[edit]Reviews
[edit]Publishers Weekly described the book as "both cute and horrifying", noting its similarity to Grimm's Fairy Tales.[3] Kirkus Reviews described Barker's "studiously simple narration" as lacking in spirit.[4]
Awards and nominations
[edit]The novel was nominated for the 1993 Locus Award for Best Horror/Dark Fantasy Novel.[5] It won the 1995 Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for best youth novel, and was nominated for the 1996 Kurd Laßwitz Award for best foreign novel.[6][7]
Adaptations
[edit]The Thief of Always was adapted as a bimonthly three-part comic book, published between January and May 2005, by IDW Publishing.[8]
In the mid-90s, The Thief of Always was set to be adapted for Paramount Pictures as a $22.5 million animated musical film with music by Jerry Goldsmith and Clive Barker set to produce.[9][10] Nelvana was set to produce the animation for the film, and Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall serving as co-executive producers.[10] The film reportedly made it through two thirds of the storyboarding process.[10]
References
[edit]- ↑ Barker, C. "Clive Barker - The Thief of Always Cover, 1992". Revelations. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ↑ Barker, C. "Portfolio - The Thief of Always". Revelations. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ↑ "The Thief of Always: A Fable". Publishers Weekly. 2 November 1992.
- ↑ "The Thief of Always". Kirkus Reviews. 20 May 2010.
- ↑ "sfadb : Clive Barker Awards". www.sfadb.com. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire 1995 – Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire" (in French). Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "KLP 1996 Bester ausländischer Roman". www.kurd-lasswitz-preis.de. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "IDW's The Thief of Always". Revelations. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ↑ Mangels, Andy (March 1993). "Hollywood Heroes-Feature Films". Wizard magazine. Wizard magazine. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
- 1 2 3 Beeler, Michael (April 1995). "The Thief of Always". Cinefantastique. Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
External links
[edit]
- Revelations – official Clive Barker website for adults: includes a full bibliography, filmography and frequently updated news
- The Beautiful Moment – the official Clive Barker website for all ages – for younger readers – features Abarat and The Thief of Always
- Portfolio - The Thief of Always – gallery of illustrations made for the book
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