All the Bells on Earth

Book excerpt: “Blaylock is one of the most brilliant of that new generation of fabulist writers: All the Bells on Earthmay be his best book . . . Enthralling” (The Washington Post Book World). In the dead of night, a man climbs the tower of St. Anthony’s Church, driven by a compulsive urge to silence the bells. In a deserted alley, a seemingly random victim is consumed by a torrent of flames. And in the deceptive light of day, a mail-order businessman named Walt Stebbins receives a bizarre artifact—a glass jar containing the preserved body of a bluebird. Things like this don’t usually happen in a town like Orange, California. Ordinary people don’t expect to face evil—real evil—in their backyards. But as Walt unravels the mystery of the bird in the jar, he learns that the battle between good and evil takes place every day . . . “An absolute page-turner . . . A terrific novel by a master of the offbeat and the absurd.” —The Washington Post Book World “In the best tradition of The Twilight Zone, crossed with wacky characters, humor and moments of real love stunningly portrayed.” —Rick Kleffel, The Agony Column “With acrobatic grace, Blaylock, winner of two World Fantasy Awards, once again walks the dividing line between fantasy and horror—this time, as he relates a deal-with-the-devil story set in suburban Southern California.” —Publishers Weekly “While juxtaposing subtle humor with grim horror, the author portrays a world in which human virtues become mystic weapons and unlikely heroes grope their way toward salvation.” —Library Journal