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The Adventures of Mr. Maximillian Bacchus and His Travelling Circus
Maximillian Bacchus is the ringmaster, ruler, guide and owner of what he considers the greatest show in the world. Traveling with a Crocodile named Malachi, a trapeze girl named Ophelia, a strong man they call Hero, which is short for Hieronymus a clown named Domingo de Ybarrondo, who paints in a wagon pulled by a giant Ibis bird, the troupe wanders from adventure to adventure with mythic aplomb.
From the first story, in which Indigo Murphy, the best bird handler in the world leaves the show to join in matrimony with the Duke Lorenzo de Medici, to the fabled court of Kubla Khan, the magic never stops. You will meet a young apple thief named Angelo with magic eyes, and an orang-outang named Bathsheba, and a host of other amazing characters with names and personas cut like a patchwork quilt from the mythologies and dreams of the world.
Though written forty years ago, these pages are littered with the same magical side steps that have always been woven into Clive Barkers fiction. Worlds not quit our own, and yet so real they ring with truth and leave you wishing you could step from your mundane life into that other place into those caves of ice if only long enough to catch Maximillian's show.
From the first story, in which Indigo Murphy, the best bird handler in the world leaves the show to join in matrimony with the Duke Lorenzo de Medici, to the fabled court of Kubla Khan, the magic never stops. You will meet a young apple thief named Angelo with magic eyes, and an orang-outang named Bathsheba, and a host of other amazing characters with names and personas cut like a patchwork quilt from the mythologies and dreams of the world.
Though written forty years ago, these pages are littered with the same magical side steps that have always been woven into Clive Barkers fiction. Worlds not quit our own, and yet so real they ring with truth and leave you wishing you could step from your mundane life into that other place into those caves of ice if only long enough to catch Maximillian's show.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
35 people are currently reading
795 people want to read
About the author
Clive Barker
706 books15.2k followersClive Barker was born in Liverpool, England, the son of Joan Rubie (née Revill), a painter and school welfare officer, and Leonard Barker, a personnel director for an industrial relations firm. Educated at Dovedale Primary School and Quarry Bank High School, he studied English and Philosophy at Liverpool University and his picture now hangs in the entrance hallway to the Philosophy Department. It was in Liverpool in 1975 that he met his first partner, John Gregson, with whom he lived until 1986. Barker's second long-term relationship, with photographer David Armstrong, ended in 2009.
In 2003, Clive Barker received The Davidson/Valentini Award at the 15th GLAAD Media Awards. This award is presented "to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individual who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for any of those communities". While Barker is critical of organized religion, he has stated that he is a believer in both God and the afterlife, and that the Bible influences his work.
Fans have noticed of late that Barker's voice has become gravelly and coarse. He says in a December 2008 online interview that this is due to polyps in his throat which were so severe that a doctor told him he was taking in ten percent of the air he was supposed to have been getting. He has had two surgeries to remove them and believes his resultant voice is an improvement over how it was prior to the surgeries. He said he did not have cancer and has given up cigars. On August 27, 2010, Barker underwent surgery yet again to remove new polyp growths from his throat. In early February 2012 Barker fell into a coma after a dentist visit led to blood poisoning. Barker remained in a coma for eleven days but eventually came out of it. Fans were notified on his Twitter page about some of the experience and that Barker was recovering after the ordeal, but left with many strange visions.
Barker is one of the leading authors of contemporary horror/fantasy, writing in the horror genre early in his career, mostly in the form of short stories (collected in Books of Blood 1 – 6), and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game (1985). Later he moved towards modern-day fantasy and urban fantasy with horror elements in Weaveworld (1987), The Great and Secret Show (1989), the world-spanning Imajica (1991) and Sacrament (1996), bringing in the deeper, richer concepts of reality, the nature of the mind and dreams, and the power of words and memories.
Barker has a keen interest in movie production, although his films have received mixed receptions. He wrote the screenplays for Underworld (aka Transmutations – 1985) and Rawhead Rex (1986), both directed by George Pavlou. Displeased by how his material was handled, he moved to directing with Hellraiser (1987), based on his novella The Hellbound Heart. His early movies, the shorts The Forbidden and Salome, are experimental art movies with surrealist elements, which have been re-released together to moderate critical acclaim. After his film Nightbreed (Cabal), which was widely considered to be a flop, Barker returned to write and direct Lord of Illusions. Barker was an executive producer of the film Gods and Monsters, which received major critical acclaim.
Barker is a prolific visual artist working in a variety of media, often illustrating his own books. His paintings have been seen first on the covers of his official fan club magazine, Dread, published by Fantaco in the early Nineties, as well on the covers of the collections of his plays, Incarnations (1995) and Forms of Heaven (1996), as well as on the second printing of the original UK publications of his Books of Blood series.
A longtime comics fan, Barker achieved his dream of publishing his own superhero books when Marvel Comics launched the Razorline imprint in 1993. Based on detailed premises, titles and lead characters he created specifically for this, the four interrelated titles — set outside the Marvel universe — were Ectokid,
In 2003, Clive Barker received The Davidson/Valentini Award at the 15th GLAAD Media Awards. This award is presented "to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individual who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for any of those communities". While Barker is critical of organized religion, he has stated that he is a believer in both God and the afterlife, and that the Bible influences his work.
Fans have noticed of late that Barker's voice has become gravelly and coarse. He says in a December 2008 online interview that this is due to polyps in his throat which were so severe that a doctor told him he was taking in ten percent of the air he was supposed to have been getting. He has had two surgeries to remove them and believes his resultant voice is an improvement over how it was prior to the surgeries. He said he did not have cancer and has given up cigars. On August 27, 2010, Barker underwent surgery yet again to remove new polyp growths from his throat. In early February 2012 Barker fell into a coma after a dentist visit led to blood poisoning. Barker remained in a coma for eleven days but eventually came out of it. Fans were notified on his Twitter page about some of the experience and that Barker was recovering after the ordeal, but left with many strange visions.
Barker is one of the leading authors of contemporary horror/fantasy, writing in the horror genre early in his career, mostly in the form of short stories (collected in Books of Blood 1 – 6), and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game (1985). Later he moved towards modern-day fantasy and urban fantasy with horror elements in Weaveworld (1987), The Great and Secret Show (1989), the world-spanning Imajica (1991) and Sacrament (1996), bringing in the deeper, richer concepts of reality, the nature of the mind and dreams, and the power of words and memories.
Barker has a keen interest in movie production, although his films have received mixed receptions. He wrote the screenplays for Underworld (aka Transmutations – 1985) and Rawhead Rex (1986), both directed by George Pavlou. Displeased by how his material was handled, he moved to directing with Hellraiser (1987), based on his novella The Hellbound Heart. His early movies, the shorts The Forbidden and Salome, are experimental art movies with surrealist elements, which have been re-released together to moderate critical acclaim. After his film Nightbreed (Cabal), which was widely considered to be a flop, Barker returned to write and direct Lord of Illusions. Barker was an executive producer of the film Gods and Monsters, which received major critical acclaim.
Barker is a prolific visual artist working in a variety of media, often illustrating his own books. His paintings have been seen first on the covers of his official fan club magazine, Dread, published by Fantaco in the early Nineties, as well on the covers of the collections of his plays, Incarnations (1995) and Forms of Heaven (1996), as well as on the second printing of the original UK publications of his Books of Blood series.
A longtime comics fan, Barker achieved his dream of publishing his own superhero books when Marvel Comics launched the Razorline imprint in 1993. Based on detailed premises, titles and lead characters he created specifically for this, the four interrelated titles — set outside the Marvel universe — were Ectokid,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
July 2, 2016
3.5*
The ringmaster of the circus, Mr. Maximilian Bacchus, decides the circus needs to go to Xanadu and attend the court of Kublai Khan. The overall story is made up of the adventures of his troupe along the way.
The first story is about the wedding of Indigo Murphy, a bird handler, to the Duke Lorenzo de Medici. It sets up the different characters in the book and also sees a new troupe member, Angelo, join the ranks. Overall this wasn't the best story and I was worried that every story was going to be this forgettable.
The second story introduces the orang-outang, Bathsheba, who has run away from a rival circus. When the cruel ringmaster, Dr Jozabiah Bentham, comes looking for her, Bacchus concocts a scheme to ensure her safety. This story was much more engaging and it was more evident of Barkers wonderful imagination.
The next is about trolls and the circus clown, Domingo. The troupe stop at what looks like a deserted town and find that all the townspeople are living in fear of trolls who live near 'Where the world ends'. The townspeople are coaxed out to a performance but the trolls attack and Domingo pays the price for trying to intervene.
The last story sees them reach Xanadu to perform for the Kublai Khan. Whilst there the Khans niece is kidnapped by a sinister figure and Angelo, who has fallen in love with the princess, leads the troupe through the underground caves to try and rescue her.
The read improved as it progressed and I was thoroughly enjoying it by the end. The characters are all interesting, my favourite being Malachi, the lazy, cowardly but very funny crocodile. Barker wrote this when he was much younger and whilst it's not the strongest story it's easy to see his future potential as a master of dark fantasy fiction.
The ringmaster of the circus, Mr. Maximilian Bacchus, decides the circus needs to go to Xanadu and attend the court of Kublai Khan. The overall story is made up of the adventures of his troupe along the way.
The first story is about the wedding of Indigo Murphy, a bird handler, to the Duke Lorenzo de Medici. It sets up the different characters in the book and also sees a new troupe member, Angelo, join the ranks. Overall this wasn't the best story and I was worried that every story was going to be this forgettable.
The second story introduces the orang-outang, Bathsheba, who has run away from a rival circus. When the cruel ringmaster, Dr Jozabiah Bentham, comes looking for her, Bacchus concocts a scheme to ensure her safety. This story was much more engaging and it was more evident of Barkers wonderful imagination.
The next is about trolls and the circus clown, Domingo. The troupe stop at what looks like a deserted town and find that all the townspeople are living in fear of trolls who live near 'Where the world ends'. The townspeople are coaxed out to a performance but the trolls attack and Domingo pays the price for trying to intervene.
The last story sees them reach Xanadu to perform for the Kublai Khan. Whilst there the Khans niece is kidnapped by a sinister figure and Angelo, who has fallen in love with the princess, leads the troupe through the underground caves to try and rescue her.
The read improved as it progressed and I was thoroughly enjoying it by the end. The characters are all interesting, my favourite being Malachi, the lazy, cowardly but very funny crocodile. Barker wrote this when he was much younger and whilst it's not the strongest story it's easy to see his future potential as a master of dark fantasy fiction.
February 16, 2019
To say this book is atypical for Barker is an understatement, but it is still very good, and probably my favorite of his works.
To begin with, this is a collection of four short stories, linked by the titular circus. The circus heads to Coleridge's Cathay, to entertain "the Khan known as Kublai," and the stories detail their adventures along the way. These are tall tales, with talking animals, people with strange gifts, and mythical creatures, and are much gentler than any of Barker's work I've read previously. There are few, if any, horror elements, and the vast majority of the characters are good, kind and supportive. They are good folks to spend few hours with.
The stories have definite roots in fairy and tall tales, but are original and entrancing. The tone, again, is gentle and also humorous. This, like his The Thief of Always before it, can be read by older children, but I have no problem recommending it to adults as well.
As good as it is, I think this is not quite a five-star read. If it sticks with me, I may reassess it, but I think it's just a little too frivolous to clear that bar. Still, I would definitely suggest it to anyone intrigued by it's concepts. It's a whole lot of fun.
To begin with, this is a collection of four short stories, linked by the titular circus. The circus heads to Coleridge's Cathay, to entertain "the Khan known as Kublai," and the stories detail their adventures along the way. These are tall tales, with talking animals, people with strange gifts, and mythical creatures, and are much gentler than any of Barker's work I've read previously. There are few, if any, horror elements, and the vast majority of the characters are good, kind and supportive. They are good folks to spend few hours with.
The stories have definite roots in fairy and tall tales, but are original and entrancing. The tone, again, is gentle and also humorous. This, like his The Thief of Always before it, can be read by older children, but I have no problem recommending it to adults as well.
As good as it is, I think this is not quite a five-star read. If it sticks with me, I may reassess it, but I think it's just a little too frivolous to clear that bar. Still, I would definitely suggest it to anyone intrigued by it's concepts. It's a whole lot of fun.
February 21, 2013
I am a massive fan of Clive Barker and reading ‘The Adventures of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus’ was like catching up with an old friend, I love his style of writing, the possibilities that anything and everything can happen within his universe.
All of the characters are wonderfully written, glorious in fact, my favourite character was Malachi the crocodile, I loved his stories, he was quite the traveller and I loved the fact he was not what you expected a crocodile to be. All of the characters were vibrant, likeable, individual and fantastic to read.
The illustrations by Richard A. Kirk are wonderfully done.
I hope I get read more tales of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus.
All of the characters are wonderfully written, glorious in fact, my favourite character was Malachi the crocodile, I loved his stories, he was quite the traveller and I loved the fact he was not what you expected a crocodile to be. All of the characters were vibrant, likeable, individual and fantastic to read.
The illustrations by Richard A. Kirk are wonderfully done.
I hope I get read more tales of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus.
May 1, 2022
Meni je ova knjiga izvrsna, obzirom da sam veliki fan serije Carnivale, dosta me podsjetilo na nju. Plus što mi je od Barkera Utkani Svijet jedna od najdražoh knjiga koje sam ikada pročitao, ova je dosta u sličnom stilu pisana. Prepuna je "zanosa", zanimljivih likova. Ovo je Bajka, ne fantasy nego Bajka, nema tu (meni već dosadnih Vila, Vilenjaka i Zmajeva), nego su likovi onako baš posebni u horor/bajka stilu.
Barkerove imaginacije su izvrsne.
Jedina zamjerka je što je pre kratka i što je nema za kupit po nekoj normalnoj cijeni.
Barkerove imaginacije su izvrsne.
Jedina zamjerka je što je pre kratka i što je nema za kupit po nekoj normalnoj cijeni.
September 16, 2016
I just finished listening to the audio book version of this. I've never listened to an audio book before but overall, it was okay.
These stories were written by Clive when he just started writing, and was very young. Do not expect to find any horror in this book.
The stories were quite enjoyable, and the characters very likeable. Especially Malaki the crocodile.
It's a very short read/listen of just over 2 hours, and I know the physical copy has just over 100 pages.
If you are a Clive Barker fan, then I do recommend this as it shows how much he has developed as a writer over the years.
These stories were written by Clive when he just started writing, and was very young. Do not expect to find any horror in this book.
The stories were quite enjoyable, and the characters very likeable. Especially Malaki the crocodile.
It's a very short read/listen of just over 2 hours, and I know the physical copy has just over 100 pages.
If you are a Clive Barker fan, then I do recommend this as it shows how much he has developed as a writer over the years.
January 31, 2021
Another foray into children's fiction, and one that predates Books of Blood (although it wasn't published until much later.) This one follows the adventures of the travelling circus as it travels to Xanadu, performing in various towns along the way. There are four stories here, each one a cautionary fable written with Barkerian sensibilities.
Another great gateway for children into the worlds of Clive Barker.
Another great gateway for children into the worlds of Clive Barker.
April 21, 2018
I love Clive Barker a lot. I liked his imaginations for this short stories. But not as much as i loved his other books like Tortured Souls and Hellbound Heart.
August 26, 2020
En esta novelita, Barker nos descubre su talento para la fantasía infantil con una historia con ese sabor clásico de los cuentos para niños. Maximilian Bacchus y su circo recorren los caminos y pueblos y se enfrentan a diferentes aventuras en su camino hacia Xanadú, donde quieren actuar para la corte.
Los personajes son muy entrañables, y destacaría a Malachi, el cocodrilo asustadizo y Gonzalez de Ybarrondo, el payaso. Cuyo nombre sacó Barker de una lápida y del cual inventó una cita que aparecía en Cabal, y que muchos atribuyeron a un destacado escritor. Una anécdota más de este pequeño pero entretenido libro.
Los personajes son muy entrañables, y destacaría a Malachi, el cocodrilo asustadizo y Gonzalez de Ybarrondo, el payaso. Cuyo nombre sacó Barker de una lápida y del cual inventó una cita que aparecía en Cabal, y que muchos atribuyeron a un destacado escritor. Una anécdota más de este pequeño pero entretenido libro.
April 13, 2012
"The Adventures of Mr. Maximillian Bacchus" is a short children's novel written by Clive Barker at around eighteen years of age. The writing is quite remarkable for someone so young, and reading this lightweight, whimsical tale, it isn't difficult to see this as the beginning of what would prove to be a major talent.
Max Bacchus and his circus travel through a strange country, delivering their entertainments to those who ask for them, and meeting various bizarre characters. The plot is simple, and the people who make up the circus give it life. There are lots of unusual goings-on, as readers of Barker's later works will expect, but this is a very lighthearted story, and features none of the spookiness or demons of his later work.
The book was published in a limited edition, and is worth seeking out for Barker completists.
Max Bacchus and his circus travel through a strange country, delivering their entertainments to those who ask for them, and meeting various bizarre characters. The plot is simple, and the people who make up the circus give it life. There are lots of unusual goings-on, as readers of Barker's later works will expect, but this is a very lighthearted story, and features none of the spookiness or demons of his later work.
The book was published in a limited edition, and is worth seeking out for Barker completists.
August 27, 2021
This was short and sweet. The stories had the feel of Renaissance fables, which is something different to what I have previously read from Clive Barker. Enjoyable.
January 30, 2015
I love Clive Barker for his horror, but reading this novellette written by a seventeen-year-old Barker I was enchanted by his ability to tell a fantasy story like a folk tale. It was strange, ethereal, and lyrical, a modern-day Grimm fairy story that seemed real enough to me that I was enchanted from the moment I picked up the book.
A ringmaster, a talking crocodile, a boy with sunlight in his eyes: So many stories rely on explanations, but in Mr. Maximillian Bacchus you don't need explanations -- and you aren't offered them. Because a boy-thief can save a princess, just as much as a strongman can be an artist, and a Nile crocodile can sing.
It's been a long time since I was so enchanted with Barker -- not since I first read Books of Blood, Volumes One to Three did I so vastly enjoy Barker's work. Not to say this is the perfect novel -- it suffers some, mostly in stylistic choices, and the first story was weak -- but is it a wonderful one.
As a bonus, the illustrations are beautiful. I only regret I own the ebook, not a proper hardcopy; although, once my finances settle after I move, I suspect I might try to get myself a copy.
A ringmaster, a talking crocodile, a boy with sunlight in his eyes: So many stories rely on explanations, but in Mr. Maximillian Bacchus you don't need explanations -- and you aren't offered them. Because a boy-thief can save a princess, just as much as a strongman can be an artist, and a Nile crocodile can sing.
It's been a long time since I was so enchanted with Barker -- not since I first read Books of Blood, Volumes One to Three did I so vastly enjoy Barker's work. Not to say this is the perfect novel -- it suffers some, mostly in stylistic choices, and the first story was weak -- but is it a wonderful one.
As a bonus, the illustrations are beautiful. I only regret I own the ebook, not a proper hardcopy; although, once my finances settle after I move, I suspect I might try to get myself a copy.
September 16, 2013
This is a collection of four short stories which, connected, tell a larger narrative. It's a fairy tale feel, full of improbabilities told with a reassuring voice. I would read more of these characters, especially if they included that other traveling show...what was the name of it again? Regardless, I wasn't ready to be done with this cast of characters.
Favorite quote from this one? "Reality is a schizophrenic, unstable target. It exists only in the moment; anything after that is suspect."
Favorite quote from this one? "Reality is a schizophrenic, unstable target. It exists only in the moment; anything after that is suspect."
April 7, 2014
Another book I bought for the kindle that took me forever to finish. It's ornately written, but couldn't hold my interest, even though I love circuses, fairy tales, and Clive Barker short stories. It is poetical enough to be glittery and cold but not original enough to be compelling.
January 10, 2021
Thirty years ago Clive Barker was my favourite author. Somewhere along the way I lost touch with his magic. The circus of Bacchus is weird, fantastic, strange and compelling. Well done, Sir. I’m off to re-read Weaveworld. I suggest you do too.
July 21, 2021
I don't think I would have liked this collection as much, if I hadn't just randomly stumbled upon it on my Kindle.
October 27, 2025
4.5 out of 5.
When I started reading this, I didn't know what I would get, but what I got was a lost gem from the time when Clive was but a young author and artist.
This is another hard to find book and while it is overpriced in almost anything but E-book format, it doesn't take away too much to read this as an e-book.
But, if I had this as a physical book, it would only have elevated the feelings of a cozy adventure for all ages. This was like a middle school version of Jump Tribe.
But, this has the masterful prose of Clive's adult novels which I think doesn't work too well with the kind of story being told here. I think a simplified language would have helped. Now, english is not my native language but I'd say I'm fluent in it, still, I feel that many of the words said in this book are fairly "Barker-ish" so that's to mention if you're gonna let your kid read this.
But, there are some genuinely amazing scenes in this little book. A scene that really pulled on my heartstrings was when Domingo fell over the edge of the world. Amazing!
The characters were also great. I didn't expect there to be so many characters that immediately felt fully fleshed out and somehow, even though they were the least normal of people, relatable.
All in all, it's a shame that this isn't a more widespread novel and I hope it gets reprinted in a mass market paperback for everyone to buy. This has the potential of being a classic children's story. We just need it to be available for the kids and not just the Clive Barker completionists.
When I started reading this, I didn't know what I would get, but what I got was a lost gem from the time when Clive was but a young author and artist.
This is another hard to find book and while it is overpriced in almost anything but E-book format, it doesn't take away too much to read this as an e-book.
But, if I had this as a physical book, it would only have elevated the feelings of a cozy adventure for all ages. This was like a middle school version of Jump Tribe.
But, this has the masterful prose of Clive's adult novels which I think doesn't work too well with the kind of story being told here. I think a simplified language would have helped. Now, english is not my native language but I'd say I'm fluent in it, still, I feel that many of the words said in this book are fairly "Barker-ish" so that's to mention if you're gonna let your kid read this.
But, there are some genuinely amazing scenes in this little book. A scene that really pulled on my heartstrings was when Domingo fell over the edge of the world. Amazing!
The characters were also great. I didn't expect there to be so many characters that immediately felt fully fleshed out and somehow, even though they were the least normal of people, relatable.
All in all, it's a shame that this isn't a more widespread novel and I hope it gets reprinted in a mass market paperback for everyone to buy. This has the potential of being a classic children's story. We just need it to be available for the kids and not just the Clive Barker completionists.
April 29, 2023
4.5: this novella stands out from the glut of circus/fairytale fantasy stories for adults. reading it feels like being transported back to when your parents read you bedtime stories on a school night to convince you to go to sleep. the characters are hilarious and portrayed with vivid personality. it's a real treat and, considering his other hard fantasy work is not as good, this book is a hidden gem in Barker's canon.
December 17, 2021
What a neat little book, full of enough familiarity from Barker's style to draw me in, but enough unique and separate from his usual works to really set this book apart.
This book tells of Mr. Maximillian Bacchus, a circus master, travelling with his troupe of eccentrics to the fabled land of Xanadu of Samuel Taylor Coleridge renown. This venture at times takes a back seat as a framing narrative while the mishaps and adventures of the circus along the way take center-stage (pun not intended, but welcomed). This makes it feel maybe more like a small collection of short stories than a novella. It is also laden with mythological, religious, historical, and legendary references and allusions, which is a nice little treat for enthusiasts.
As I was reading this, I couldn't help but think of and compare it to From the Dust Returned. The characters are all so unique and spirited, their mere presence feels like a vignette or scene from a play. Each has the ability to steal the spotlight, but the length of the book prevents us from delving too deep. If you're a fan of a shorter medium, this book is for you. If not, learn to love the unrequited desire for more story.
This book tells of Mr. Maximillian Bacchus, a circus master, travelling with his troupe of eccentrics to the fabled land of Xanadu of Samuel Taylor Coleridge renown. This venture at times takes a back seat as a framing narrative while the mishaps and adventures of the circus along the way take center-stage (pun not intended, but welcomed). This makes it feel maybe more like a small collection of short stories than a novella. It is also laden with mythological, religious, historical, and legendary references and allusions, which is a nice little treat for enthusiasts.
As I was reading this, I couldn't help but think of and compare it to From the Dust Returned. The characters are all so unique and spirited, their mere presence feels like a vignette or scene from a play. Each has the ability to steal the spotlight, but the length of the book prevents us from delving too deep. If you're a fan of a shorter medium, this book is for you. If not, learn to love the unrequited desire for more story.
November 5, 2023
“Darkness has its place, great Khan. It is where we may suppose the mysteries dwell.”
In Clive Barker’s collection, Maximillian Bacchus is the ringmaster, ruler, guide and owner of what he considers the greatest show in the world. Traveling with a Crocodile named Malachi, a trapeze girl named Ophelia, a strong man they call Hero, which is short for Hieronymus a clown named Domingo de Ybarrondo, who paints in a wagon pulled by a giant Ibis bird, the troupe wanders from adventure to adventure with mythic aplomb.
This is a collection of stories based on this great travelling circus. It’s where worlds and realities collide. In his signature style, Clive Barker describes with beauty and mystery the workings of this travelling circus and those they encounter.
Each story is a day in the life of this group of people. With magic and fantasy, these stories depict a world where one would want to escape to.
I love these kind of stories by Barker where he creates worlds that are full of beings and creatures of all kinds.
A fun wee read I would definitely recommend.
In Clive Barker’s collection, Maximillian Bacchus is the ringmaster, ruler, guide and owner of what he considers the greatest show in the world. Traveling with a Crocodile named Malachi, a trapeze girl named Ophelia, a strong man they call Hero, which is short for Hieronymus a clown named Domingo de Ybarrondo, who paints in a wagon pulled by a giant Ibis bird, the troupe wanders from adventure to adventure with mythic aplomb.
This is a collection of stories based on this great travelling circus. It’s where worlds and realities collide. In his signature style, Clive Barker describes with beauty and mystery the workings of this travelling circus and those they encounter.
Each story is a day in the life of this group of people. With magic and fantasy, these stories depict a world where one would want to escape to.
I love these kind of stories by Barker where he creates worlds that are full of beings and creatures of all kinds.
A fun wee read I would definitely recommend.
April 16, 2022
This dark fantasy children's novella was about a traveling circus that attended a wedding and then after several other experiences eventually gets to Cathay in the wondrous place called Xanadu. Not necessarily Barkers best work, but it compliments his other children's stories such as: the 'Abarat' stories and 'The Thief of Always' quite well, though. Told as several short stories that made up chapters in the story, it also had an important introduction written by Clive Barker, himself and to complete it, there were several illustrations of the circus characters to peruse.
This reader thought that the five star rating was, and will always be reserved for: 'WeaveWorld', the epic 'Imajica' and 'The Great and Secret Show' (the Abarat series gets 4.5 and 'Everville' is yet unread). While, 'The Adventures of Mr. Maximillian Bacchus and his Traveling Circus' gets a deliciously disturbing and slightly mad FOUR STARS on this occasion. 4 STARS.
This reader thought that the five star rating was, and will always be reserved for: 'WeaveWorld', the epic 'Imajica' and 'The Great and Secret Show' (the Abarat series gets 4.5 and 'Everville' is yet unread). While, 'The Adventures of Mr. Maximillian Bacchus and his Traveling Circus' gets a deliciously disturbing and slightly mad FOUR STARS on this occasion. 4 STARS.
June 7, 2022
This definitely feels different than other books I've read from him. He's my favorite author, even though I haven't read a lot of his books, I stopped reading for a long time due to working 80 hours plus a week and other life happens type of things. I still really recommend this book even though it feels different then his other reads, just know that going into the book. The characters are really interesting and it's wonderful to see the imagination of this fantastic author in a different gene than he is usually known for.
March 11, 2022
Written prior to The Books Of Blood by who I presume to be a teenage Barker, 'The Adventures Of Maximillian Bacchus And His Travelling Circus' shows evidence of Clive's glorious imagination but only glimmers of that jaw dropping prose.
An interesting, quick read that features that trademark Barker imagery and a solid pulse of humour in four shorts that would, after a rewrite, fit rather nicely into the world of Abarat.
An interesting, quick read that features that trademark Barker imagery and a solid pulse of humour in four shorts that would, after a rewrite, fit rather nicely into the world of Abarat.
June 28, 2025
I think the best way to describe this story is light. There just wasn't as much to it as I hoped or wanted. The book itself is summarized nicely in the title: Bacchus takes his circus around and has some mini-adventures. There are three adventures that all flow into the same story.
It's beautifully written and fun. However, while each character is unique, they aren't very three-dimensional. Plus each adventure is kind of light in content of doing much. At the same time, I can't discount that it is something. Maybe it's a target audience thing. I didn't see the book labeled as YA. And from the YA that I see my kids reading, this would actually fall somewhere between YA and kid books. If you are picking up this book because Clive Barker wrote it, don't be expecting his horror. You will get his world building and his fantastical characters. But in my opinion, this is more of an amuse-bouche than a full book that you walk away from satisfied.
It's beautifully written and fun. However, while each character is unique, they aren't very three-dimensional. Plus each adventure is kind of light in content of doing much. At the same time, I can't discount that it is something. Maybe it's a target audience thing. I didn't see the book labeled as YA. And from the YA that I see my kids reading, this would actually fall somewhere between YA and kid books. If you are picking up this book because Clive Barker wrote it, don't be expecting his horror. You will get his world building and his fantastical characters. But in my opinion, this is more of an amuse-bouche than a full book that you walk away from satisfied.
March 28, 2020
This is a real hard one for me as a lifelong fan of Clive Barker but I came into this hoping for another Imajica or Weaveworld, albeit condensed but instead I felt like I as listening to Neil Gaiman's retelling of Roger Rabbit.
The stories I feel are very much a product of their time and maybe I'm being unduly critical but I just felt the stories to be more of a Aesop's Fables than a work of the titanic mind that created Weaveworld or the dark one that gave us Cabal.
Coupled this with a narrator who is perfectly good but unsuited to the book I was more than happy to reach the end and I certainly won't be revisiting this one.
The stories I feel are very much a product of their time and maybe I'm being unduly critical but I just felt the stories to be more of a Aesop's Fables than a work of the titanic mind that created Weaveworld or the dark one that gave us Cabal.
Coupled this with a narrator who is perfectly good but unsuited to the book I was more than happy to reach the end and I certainly won't be revisiting this one.
September 20, 2024
Clive Barker wrote this when he was around 18 years old, but it was only published in 2009. I do not know if this 2009 publication has had some rewrites or this is the original text he did when he was 18.
Regardless, this is a novella that predates Books of Blood and is much more oriented towards kids. It's a fun little adventure with the circus owner Maximillian Bacchus and his group of performers.
Yes it's short, yes it's fragmented, yes things happen very quickly so nothing really has time to breathe. But it's a novella that he wrote at a young age and for that I have to appreciate it.
Regardless, this is a novella that predates Books of Blood and is much more oriented towards kids. It's a fun little adventure with the circus owner Maximillian Bacchus and his group of performers.
Yes it's short, yes it's fragmented, yes things happen very quickly so nothing really has time to breathe. But it's a novella that he wrote at a young age and for that I have to appreciate it.
July 17, 2017
harkening back to when this was written, it isn't bad... hard to believe the guy who wrote 'The Books of Blood' and 'Imajica' started so lightly... honestly, the afterword is the best part of this book... we need fantasy to be different from reality in more ways than ever... so kudos for a great early career story set from Mr. Barker, and i'm glad his style hasn't changed, and that imaginative fantasy keeps getting better...
October 19, 2017
This tiny book, a collection of some of Clive Barker's earliest stories, is...fine, I guess? The stories are mildly amusing, and kind of clever. They're not great, but as some of his earliest works, I guess they show the promise of genius to come. That does make it hard to recommend for any but the most avid Barker fans.
April 18, 2022
Cool quick little read to get the imagination going. Beautiful words that invoke feeling and images to make the fantastical tales come to life. Best thing is you can read it anywhere and when you come back, the images come back to life. I do wish there were more adventures. Back to life, back to reality.
January 1, 2023
A novella consisting of three short tales and some illustrations. The storytelling is good, the characters intriguing. Unfortunately, the grammar and layout are faulty. The book is in desperate need of a proofreader. This lack of care drops a star.
Anyway, this is the story of a travelling circus on its way to Xanadu to perform for Kublai Khan. Well worth the read.
Anyway, this is the story of a travelling circus on its way to Xanadu to perform for Kublai Khan. Well worth the read.
May 7, 2017
A fantastical adventure where anyone who loves fantasy or the circus will thoroughly enjoy. There is an air of mystery about several of the characters and all are quite interesting. An awesome short novel which is a quick and easy read. It will keep the reader enthralled.
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