Imajica: Featuring New Illustrations and an Appendix

I'm not sure why I was so bored and annoyed with this but it made me question whether or not I still liked reading in general. I may have been in a mood. Generally, a good book will get me out of a funk, not exacerbate it.

The story is Barker's stab at his own creation/death mythology, in which Earth is part of five parallel dominions called the Imajica. Earth has been cut off from the other four (Earth, always gotta be different). A society exists (in England, natch) whose job is to keep it disconnected, generation after generation.

The main plot centers around a Maestro or messiah-type who can bring about a Reconciliation, uniting Earth with the rest of the Imajica.

The first third or so was mildly entertaining. Then, it devolved into a disorganized, repetitious mess. The characterizations were shallow, and I had no investment in their goals or relationships. Barker could have used an editor or someone to rein him in and keep things focused.

There were also all these footnotes to explain who was who and what was what but you could get that same information from the context. Sort of a waste of time. (You could always go to the glossary in the back if you forgot something, which was likely since there are so many characters and references.)

The relationship between Gentle and Pie Oh Pah, possibly forward-thinking in 1991, was a recreation and expansion of the relationship between Genly AI and Estraven in Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness.

For much better fantasy by this author, I'd suggest Weaveworld or Everville.