Ahira's Hangar

I was wondering if there are any other Neil Gaiman readers here. I was impressed with both American Gods and his children's book Coraline (which is very good and creepy), so when I saw a book of his Sandman comics I picked it up today...and am very impressed with it as well! But it's definately NOT a comic book for children! Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell<i></i>

I don't know his books at all. But I know comic books. I have a couple thousand. Sandman is, in the opinion of many, including me, among the best comics ever. It's not very often that a writer or artist works on a book for as many issues as he did this time. (There were many different artists while he wrote.) Usually, a writer has a great idea, and does several, or even 20 or 30, fantastic issues. But here's Gaiman doing such an amazing job for... Well, I don't remember how long, but I'm thinking it was at least 70 issues. One of the highlights of comic books. Fist and Faith<i></i>

I would just like to point out that American Gods did win both the Hugo and Nebula for last year...if anyone is in the mood for an unusual fantasy novel in a stand alone setting, this one might be the one you are looking for... Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
****Tavern Wench of DOGMA, the Defenders of George Martin's Art****<i></i>

And Coraline won this year's (2003) Hugo for a novella...do many children's books get Hugos? Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
****Tavern Wench of DOGMA, the Defenders of George Martin's Art****<i></i>

Wow!! I had no idea American Gods won either of those awards, let alone both! He's in some pretty damned good company! And I was interested in reading it before, because of your questions about Viking mythology. ____________
Highdrake's mastery of spells and sorcery was not much greater than his pupil's, but he had clear in his mind the idea of something very much greater, the wholeness of knowledge. And that made him a mage.<i></i>

Only thing I've read by him was when he coauthored with Terry Pratchett for Good Omens. <i></i>

I've read Good Omens and American Gods.

I wasn't as wild about AG as most people though. IMHO, Tim Powers has handled similar themes with more originality and quality. Oddly enough, while I wasn't too interested in the whole gods business, I really enjoyed the "town secret" subplot, which I guess a lot of readers felt was an unnecessary distraction.

Read one of the Sandman graphic novels too, but don't remember much about it. <i></i>

Actually, I liked the small town Wisconsin parts, too.

My favorite of the "gods" featured is probably the Egyptian cat goddess, who appropriately enough, lived in Cairo, Illinois.
I still haven't been able to track down those Russian/Eastern European gods who were living in Chicago, though. I've even tracked down and read some books on Russian mythology hoping to figure out who they were.

One very GOOD thing about American Gods was that it got me reading a lot of books of myths of cultures I didn't know a lot about, like Russian and Japanese. Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
****Tavern Wench of DOGMA, the Defenders of George Martin's Art****<i></i>

In Legends II there is a follow up story to American Gods, with Shadow in Scotland, facing monsters from Beowulf and meeting figures from old Northern European legend and myth.
Shadow's Norse God name is revealed, which confirmed somethign I had suspected, and pleased me. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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In the time since I last visited this thread, I've read more Gaiman.

Stardust is a wonderful fractured fairy tale. I really enjoyed it.

Neverwhere was a great story of a hidden London underneath and beside our London. It is also a great miniseries from BBC.

I just started reading Anansi Boys, a stand alone novel set in the same world as American Gods, and so far it both charming and very funny. Sibling rivalry in a family with god powers can be pretty interesting. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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WIth the exeption fo Anansi Boys, his latest, whcih I have, but have not yet read, I think I have read and own teh bulk of Gaiman's work both in the comic medium and his career as a novelist.

I still think his Sandman work is his best work - amazing that a comic won the World Fantasy Award, even moreso tha it deserved it. Neverwhere is a wonderful, simple, urban quest story, sporting a terrific duo of villains. It's one of the best A to B books I have read in the genre. Amercian Gods I really enjoyed, as a whole his best novel although perhaps lacking of real "power" point. Coraline is a fantastic YA novel, and Good Omens (with Pratchett) proof that all collaborations aren't awful. Stardust another nice effort, although the one I least enjoyed.

Al lthat said I think Gaiman's best work (with the exception of the Sandman works is found in his short stories. His colection, Smoke and Mirrors is incredible. I would also want to point out a anthology that fans of Sherlock Holmes and Cthullu would enjoy in Shadows Over Baker Street, called 'A Study in Emerald'.

I would also point out an anthology he edited, that showcases stories of the Endless, The Book of Dreams, whcih features such talent as Susanna Clarke, Steven Brust, Tad Williams, John M. Ford, Lisa Goldstein, Gene Wolfe, among others. The Bodhisattva

Fantasybookspot.com

My interview this week: Paul Park
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I have not read any of his short fiction yet (other than the Shadow novella in Legends 2), though his is the last story in an anthology I have nearly finished. So soon I will be able to read my fist Gaiman short story. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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I have both Anansi Boys and American Gods on my shelf right now, could be a while until I get to them though. ------------------

" 'You see, I don't believe in Todd. I think Todd exists only in your minds.'
'You take that back!'
'Where is your Todd now?' *laughs evilly*"<i></i>

Welcome to the Hangar Ellester.

I haven't read any of Gaimans latest stuff, (will get there), but have been a long-time fan of the Sandman series, and seem almost alone in having loved Neverwhere.

--A