To put it simply: A rollicking, complex odyssey tinted with themes of religion, love, death, faith, and obsession. To be fair, I did enjoy Barker's Imajica more, and I recommend it highly- that one kept me up at night, and then some- but The Great and Secret Show is incredible all the same. This weird and fantastical tale is based on the idea that the real universe, encompassing more than most humans will ever discover, is comprised of three sections: The Cosm, the physical world; the Metacosm, the extraterrestrial world; and, in between the two, the sea of dreams, also known as Quiddity. TGaSS tells the story of several important individuals from the Cosm, those fighting for power over Quiddity and those caught in between. Part horror, part fantasy, and part dreamscape, this novel deals with a very high number of characters, and it becomes difficult to juggle them after a while (the ragtag team that pieces together near the end is one you would never expect). My favorite was easily Tesla Bombeck, the feisty female companion of Nathan Grillo, a woman who would barely amount to anything at all... if it weren't for the great war raging on in Palomo Grove. Her storyline is really quite fascinating if you trace it back to her genesis. Aside from the at-times-graphic sexual imagery, which I skipped over the majority of, this novel ranks with Barker's best. Everville, the sequel, is now on my list!