Abarat Book 2: Nightmares, Time Gods, and the Sea of Izabella

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In this video, I review 'Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War' by Clive Barker, the darker sequel in his children's fantasy series. This portal fantasy delves deeper into character development and theological themes, with biblical references and connections to Christianity and Norse mythology. I discuss the book's exploration of good vs. evil and praise Barker's stunning illustrations. While the world-building takes a backseat, the focus on characters and theology creates a compelling narrative.

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**SHOW NOTES**

1. The Norns—Urðr (Past), Verðandi (Present), and Skuld (Future)—are the Norse goddesses of fate who weave the threads of destiny at the Well of Urðr (Wyrd) beneath Yggdrasil. Their names embody time’s flow: Urðr ("that which has become"), Verðandi ("that which is becoming"), and Skuld ("that which shall be"). The Old English word "wyrd" (meaning "fate" or "destiny") evolved into "weird," originally denoting cosmic inevitability (as in Shakespeare’s "weird sisters" in Macbeth), later diluted to mean "strange." This shift reflects modernity’s disconnect from the ancient view of fate as an active, woven force—not random chance, but a tapestry the Norns ceaselessly spin, cut, and knot.

2. Several Church Fathers, including Justin Martyr and Tertullian, speculated that demons originated from the sexual union between fallen angels (Genesis 6:1–4) and human women, birthing the monstrous Nephilim—a corrupt lineage purged by the Flood. Others, like Augustine, rejected this but saw demons as angels who fell with Lucifer, their malice crystallizing in rebellion. Intriguingly, these theories echo the grotesque metaphor in Clive Barker’s Abarat, where Adam and Eve’s vomited seeds spawn monsters: both traditions frame the Fall’s corruption as physically generative. For the Fathers, demonic evil wasn’t abstract but embodied—whether in Nephilim bones or the "seed" of forbidden knowledge festering in creation.

3. Clive Barker’s Abarat series—a phantasmagoric epic meant to span five books—remains tantalizingly unfinished, with only three volumes published (Abarat, Days of Magic, Nights of War, and Absolute Midnight) since 2002. Despite Barker’s ambitious plans (including titles like The Eternal and Zahir’s Conquest teased in interviews), progress has stalled due to his health struggles and shifting creative priorities. Fans cling to his vivid concept art and cryptic updates. The delay mirrors the series’ own themes: like Candy Quackenbush trapped between islands of frozen time, the saga lingers in potentiality—a masterpiece-in-waiting, as enigmatic and fertile as the Sea of Izabella itself. Barker’s 2012 Kickstarter for Abarat Book 4 raised hopes (and funds), but the project remains in limbo, a testament to art’s battle against mortal constraints.