The Great and Secret Show by Clive Barker
The novel begins in a place that feels fairly grounded—at least by Barker’s standards—in the humdrum world of the American Midwest, in a sleepy town called Palomo Grove. But don’t let the mundane setting fool you, because the story very quickly spirals into something much bigger and stranger.
The protagonist, or at least one of them, is a man named Randolph Jaffe. Jaffe is just a regular mail clerk working at a dead-end job at the dead letter office in Omaha, Nebraska. His life is monotonous, and he’s essentially just existing rather than living. But everything changes when he starts sifting through the unclaimed letters and correspondence, some of which are cryptic and bizarre. In these discarded letters, he begins to uncover fragments of knowledge that hint at something monumental—a hidden reality, a secret world that exists beneath the surface of our own.
Through these letters, Jaffe learns about something called “the Art.” It’s this ancient, mystical force that holds the power to unlock other dimensions and realms of existence. Think of it as the ultimate secret to the universe, but one that’s also tied to unimaginable power. The more Jaffe learns, the more obsessed he becomes with mastering the Art and discovering the “Great and Secret Show,” a term that remains mysterious at first, but you quickly realize it’s much more than a show—it’s a cosmic struggle between forces beyond comprehension.
Jaffe’s Descent Into Madness:
As Jaffe delves deeper into the arcane knowledge he’s uncovering, he begins to change. He’s no longer just a disgruntled mail clerk; he becomes someone (or something) entirely different, more ambitious and dangerous. His obsession with the Art leads him on a quest for power, and he begins to strip away any trace of his former, mundane self. Jaffe becomes a villain, though not in a simplistic way. Barker does an amazing job of showing how this ordinary man’s thirst for knowledge and transcendence warps him into a terrifying force.
Jaffe’s journey leads him to another key figure in the story—Richard Fletcher, a scientist who is also drawn into the dark mysteries of the Art, though for very different reasons. Where Jaffe is driven by a lust for power, Fletcher is initially more cautious, even noble in his pursuit. But the two men are destined to clash, and their rivalry becomes the central conflict that drives the narrative forward.
The Nuncio and the Metaphysics of the Art:
One of the core elements of the novel is a substance called the Nuncio. It’s this strange, mystical fluid that has the power to transform individuals, granting them access to the Art and the deeper layers of reality. It’s like a bridge between the physical world and something far more transcendent and dangerous. It’s through the Nuncio that Jaffe and Fletcher both gain their respective powers, but it’s also a double-edged sword.
The use of the Nuncio is a bit like playing with fire—you might unlock immense power, but it could also consume you. Barker uses this element to explore the limits of human ambition and the cost of seeking too much. The Nuncio becomes a symbol for the dangers of unchecked power, the kind of power that corrupts and erases the humanity of those who wield it.
The Battle for the Art:
As Jaffe and Fletcher both unlock their powers, they become embroiled in an epic, metaphysical battle over the Art itself. This isn’t just a simple fight between good and evil, though. Barker doesn’t deal in black-and-white morality. Instead, the conflict between Jaffe and Fletcher becomes a battle between different worldviews, different approaches to the same forbidden knowledge. Jaffe, driven by greed and ambition, wants to use the Art to reshape reality in his image, while Fletcher seeks to protect the world from the chaos that Jaffe would unleash.
Their battle spans not just the physical world but also the metaphysical realms unlocked by the Art. Barker paints this cosmic war in vivid, surreal detail, with dream-like landscapes and nightmarish creatures. There’s a sense that the very fabric of reality is at stake, and Barker’s writing makes you feel the weight of this struggle. Every confrontation between Jaffe and Fletcher feels like a seismic event, as though the world itself is holding its breath.
The Lovers and the Children of Palomo Grove:
While Jaffe and Fletcher’s battle is the central conflict, there are other characters who play crucial roles in the story. One of the most significant subplots involves a pair of lovers, Howard Katz and Jo-Beth McGuire. They live in Palomo Grove and get caught up in the cosmic conflict brewing around them. Their relationship, filled with its own complexities and personal struggles, serves as a grounding point amidst all the chaos. In a way, they represent the human heart of the story, the part that keeps the novel from feeling too detached or otherworldly.
Then there are the children of Palomo Grove, who are born as a direct consequence of the supernatural forces at play. These children are unique, touched by the Art in ways that make them more than human. They’re central to the story’s themes of power and legacy, as they represent the next generation of those who will either wield or fall victim to the Art. Barker uses these children to explore the idea that the decisions we make—whether in pursuit of power, love, or survival—have far-reaching consequences that echo beyond our lifetimes.
Quiddity – The Dream Sea:
One of the most fascinating aspects of The Great and Secret Show is the concept of Quiddity, the dream sea. Quiddity is a metaphysical realm that all humans visit three times in their lives—when they are born, when they fall in love, and when they die. It’s a place of pure, dream-like wonder, where the rules of the physical world no longer apply. Quiddity serves as the ultimate representation of the Art’s power, a place where the deepest truths of existence are revealed.
For Jaffe, Quiddity is the key to unlocking the full potential of the Art. He believes that by gaining control over Quiddity, he can reshape reality itself. But Fletcher, who has a much more reverent view of Quiddity, sees it as something sacred, a place that should remain untouched by mortal ambition. The tension between their differing views on Quiddity becomes a central theme of the novel, as both men seek to control or protect this ultimate realm.
Quiddity is also a deeply symbolic element of the story. It represents the human soul, our connection to the larger mysteries of life and death, and the unknowable forces that shape our destinies. Barker’s depiction of Quiddity is one of the novel’s most striking and beautiful elements, a reminder that beneath all the horror and violence, The Great and Secret Show is a story about the search for meaning in an incomprehensible universe.
The Themes of Power, Corruption, and Transcendence:
At its core, The Great and Secret Show is a novel about power—who seeks it, who wields it, and what it does to those who possess it. Jaffe’s descent into madness and Fletcher’s moral struggle are both driven by their respective relationships to power. Barker is interested in exploring what happens when people gain the ability to transcend the normal boundaries of life and death, and whether such power can be used for good, or whether it inevitably leads to corruption.
Barker doesn’t offer easy answers. Jaffe is clearly a villain, but he’s also a tragic figure, someone who is destroyed by his own thirst for transcendence. Fletcher, meanwhile, struggles with his own darker impulses, and the line between hero and villain becomes increasingly blurred as the story unfolds.
Another central theme is the idea of legacy—the impact that our actions have on the world around us and on future generations. The children of Palomo Grove are living embodiments of this theme, as they inherit both the gifts and the curses of the Art. Barker asks whether we can escape the consequences of the choices made by those who came before us, or whether we are doomed to repeat their mistakes.
Why I Love It:
The Great and Secret Show is so much more than just horror. Sure, it’s got plenty of terrifying moments, but it’s also a deep, philosophical exploration of power, ambition, and the human soul. Barker’s imagination is unmatched, and the world he creates in this novel is both terrifying and beautiful, filled with surreal landscapes, cosmic battles, and characters who feel achingly real despite the fantastical circumstances.
It’s a novel that grapples with big ideas—love, death, transcendence, the nature of reality itself—while still delivering all the chills and thrills you’d expect from a master of horror. Every time I read it, I find something new to think about, some new layer to unravel. If you’re looking for a story that will not only scare you but also make you think long after you’ve put it down, The Great and Secret Show is exactly that.