"Cabal" by Clive Barker

This was the book that really hooked me onto Barker's work for years. I was so impressed by it that I even had 'Cabal__' as my online handle for many years. I read it initially in university, after I read Barker's 'Books of Blood' which I like but wasn't head over hills about them. I was amazed by the world Barker created in this book. The idea that the monsters are the good guys, living in the mythical city of Midian, far in the remote and obscure Canadian north, the psychological background, the concept of 'knowing' you have to fulfill your destiny, that there is a plan, bigger and larger than you and your daily life, all that was immensely impressing for a college sophomore. I basked in the references to Baphometh, the androgynous idol of the Templars, which tied into my own strong interest in mysticism. Also the powers of the Nightbreed, their allure of power and aloofness, remoteness but assertiveness in the same time, was a very powerful metaphor for a young guy who tended more towards the anti-social side.

Alas, this lasted about 6-7 years, until I saw Barker's movie 'Nightbreed' (which is also the name of the novel in the US), which was at about the same time when I learned tha Barker is gay, and very vocal and active in defending gay rights. This is, of course, great, every thinking man knows that segregation and discrimination of people by their sexual orientation is not only wrong, but also deprives the society of large amounts of intellectual and creative potential. However, I am strongly against interweaving fantasy novels with the LGBT message and using them as vehicle for such messages unbeknown to the reader. The movie makes it completely obvious that 'Cabal' is about the plight of the LGBT community. They are the 'monsters' living in Midian's graveyard. They look and act different from the 'regular' people and the 'regulars' hate them for that and try to exterminate them by any means. The Nightbreed are thought of as 'abominations' which is a label frequently applied to the LGBT by the fundamentalist right. The psychologist is the unscrupulous politician, who will use the most negative feelings of the public, and amplify and direct them, to his own advantage and goals, never really having a strong opinion about the matter in reality. Boone is the 'savior' the Christos in the original meaning of the word, with feet in both worlds, and understanding both, and ultimately reconciling them.

That all is great, however the reader should be warned about it. I ended up feeling cheated and with bitter taste in my mouth after analyzing the book from the LGBT paradigm, as it made much more sense than the superficial fantasy/horror paradigm. Don't get me wrong, I still like the book; I actually re-read it recently, but now I 'see through' the elements of the book, and see them as metaphors for Barker's social views. This is something that I feel strongly about, but I would not read a fantasy book dedicated to espousing it, thinly wrapped in fantasy/horror themes. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone who is looking for exciting and powerful story, as long as you don't look too much below the surface. On the other hand, do yourself a favor and don't waste 2 hours watching 'Nightbreed' unless you are interested in the LGBT rights campaign in the early 90s.