The Thief of Always

The house of the vanished years, even (orig. The Thief of Always) is a fantasy novel published in 1992 by the English author Clive Barker. It is his first book for children and young people.

Action

The ten -year-old Harvey Swick is bored almost to death and wants excitement and adventure.

One day he encounters the mysterious Rictus, who tells him of Mr. Hood's Holiday House for children.

Harvey can not resist the tempting offer and accompanied Rictus. Rictus leads Harvey through a wall of fog, and the two arrive at the house. Harvey notes that Mr. Hood's Holiday House is a place full of wonder, because the house met every need. Morning is spring, noon is summer, autumn is the evening ( with a Halloween festival) and at night is the winter ( with a Christmas festival). Harvey is happy about this miracle and finds in children Lulu and Wendell playmates. If they are hungry, they cook the nice old Mrs. Griffin the food they want. But then Harvey has the feeling that he is more a prisoner than a guest and want to go home. Harvey wants to escape, and thus begins a battle for life and death.

Criticism

"If one is looking for horror stories out, their literary quality to be of trivial products through the - here is one. " Süddeutsche Zeitung

Expenditure

• Clive Barker: The thief of always. Neuausg. Harper Trophy, New York 2002, ISBN 0-06-440994-5.
• Clive Barker: The house of the vanished years. Novel ("The thief of always" ). Heyne, Munich 1998, ISBN 3-453-13100-2.

Adaptations

• Clive Barker, Kris Oprisko, Gabriel Hernandez: Thief of Time ("The thief of always" ). Egmont VG, Cologne 2007, ISBN 978-3-7704-3058-1 ( Graphic Novel).
• Clive Barker: The thief of always. Harper Collins, London, 1992 ( 2 cassettes, read by John Glover ).