Reading the book jacket I expected to read about two warring families that have power beyond imagination. That is partly correct. The book is about two families; the Geary and Barbarossa family. The warring part though never surfaced. So I was a little misled and that might be part of my disappointment. The story is very well written as were the other Barker books I have read. The ending was lacking but it could be a setup for a sequel.

As I mentioned, the book is about two families. The Geary family is a super rich, super powerful family that may remind you of the TV show Dallas from the 1980's. The Barbarossa family is supernatural. The mother and father of the clan are described as gods of some sort who were worshiped well before the rise of Jesus. The two families are connected but you don't really find out how they are connected until much later in the book.

The book is written from the viewpoint of Edmund Barbarossa who has set out to tell the Barbarossa family history. Edmund happens to be a half-breed. He is half human and half supernatural. Nicodemus, the father, was a sex crazed maniac who bedded a fair share of women. Edmund basically saw the events of the family history unfold as visions, a gift from his goddess mother Cesaria. A large portion of the book is dedicated to the Geary family. The Geary family rose to power after the Civil War and is basically the most powerful family in America.

The story of the Geary's is one of the struggle between love and power. Mitch Geary marries a small town girl, Rachel, and the relationship deteriorates over time due to lack of love from Mitch. It isn't that Mitch doesn't love Rachel, he does, but he is more concerned with the family business. Cadmus, the Geary family leader, is on his deathbed and the leadership of the family is in question. Rachel quickly tires of living the high life of the rich and powerful and her best friend, the wife of Mitch's brother Garrison, tells her to take a vacation to Hawaii by herself. There is a house there that is strictly for the Geary women. She agrees and heads to Hawaii. While there she meets Galilee. Galilee happens to be the wayward son of Cesaria and Nicodemus Barbarossa. He fled his family and lived on the sea his entire life basically a nomad going here and there as the tide takes him. Rachel and Galilee have a steamy affair, which all the Geary women have done, and they fall in love with each other. Back in the states the Geary empire is crumbling. Garrison kills his wife, Cadmus is closer to death than ever and the power struggle begins.

This is where you start to learn the connection between the Barbarossa's and the Geary's. They are enemies but at the same time wouldn't exist without each other. Galilee helped the Geary's become what they are today and became enslaved to the Geary women. He was to give them what they needed when their husbands failed to do so. Once you learn all this the story just kind of ends. There is no war between the families even though it is hinted at throughout the book. In the end Cadmus dies, Mitch dies, Rachel and Galilee are together and that is about it. Very anti-climactic.

Clive Barker is a brilliant writer. The story is told very well. At times you get lost in the history as a lot of names and events are thrown at you at dizzying speeds. The sex scenes are steamy which is normal for Clive. Overall a good book but not exactly high on my recommended list. Hopefully there is a sequel because I would really like to know what happens between the two families.