Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War
Book 2 of the Abarat series
Clive Barker

Candy Quackenbush's advantures in the amazing world of the Abarat are getting more strange by the hour. Christopher Carrion, the Lord of Midnight, has sent his henchmen to capture her. Why? she wonders. What would Carrion want with a girl from Minnesota? And why is Candy beginning to feel that the world of Abarat is familiar to her? Why can she speak words of magic she doesn't even remember learning?
There is a mystery here. And Carrion, along with his fiendish grandmother Mater Motley, suspects that whatever Candy is, she could spoil their plans to take control of the Abarat.
Now Candy's companions must race against time to save her from the clutches of Carrion, and she must solve the mystery of her past before the forces of Night and Day clash and Absolute Midnight descends upon the islands.
A final war is about to begin. And Candy is going to need to make some choices that will change her life forever.

Much like the first in this series, this novel does not disappoint. It's a Cliver Barker novel that anyone can enjoy and since it's set for a younger audience than his usual works, there isn't the sex and violence present here that seems to invade his more adult novels.

This continues the adventures of Candy in the Abarat, and this time she is finally brought to Carrion and finally understands why she recognizes the land. There's even a trip back to her native town of Chickenville, Minnesota.

This series is supposed to be five parts, but it seems that only three have been written so far. I, for one, cannot wait to get the third from the library and I really hope that the other two are written and released soon. This is one of the best series of novels that I have ever read. It also shows just how versatile Barker can be as an author. Not many authors can boast going from something as hard core as The Hellbound Heart to something that is appropriate for all ages such as the Abarat collection.

I highly recommend this book to anyone, but of course you must read the first Abarat novel or you won't understand what is going on in this one. This is an amazing piece of fantasy and I really cannot see a single flaw in the work.

My rating: Five out of five snails.