Books by Neil Gaiman

I was 14 when I first read a Sandman comic book. It was amazing, I had no idea comic books could be written like that. For that matter I had no idea either that stories could be written like that.
The comics are about Dream of the Endless, or the Sandman. The Endless are a family of beings (for lack of a better word!) who each control an aspect of the human condition. Destiny, Death, Dream, Desire, Despair, Delirium (once known as Delight) and Destruction.
Fantasy, mythology, religion, what it means to be human. These comics are amazing.
My favorite issues were the Season of Mists story arc, Ramadan, and the Hob Gadling story arc. I'd recommend reading the comics in order though. You will not regret reading The Sandman.

Death: The High Cost of Living - This is a three-issue mini-series featuring Death. She's a fan favorite, probably because her personality and appearance are so different from any other literary depiction. The story is a take on the 'Death Takes A Holiday' theme and in my opinion very well done.

The Books of Magic - This is a four-issue mini-series about a boy named Tim Hunter. Tim has the potential to become the greatest magician in the world, if he so chooses. This potential naturally attracts the attention of powerful beings, seeking to influence Tim for their own agendas. To help him decide whether or not to study magic he goes on a guided tour of the past, present, and possible futures of magic in the universe.
Like 'The Sandman' above, I absolutely loved this comic. It fleshes out some of the characters from other DC comics while creating something new and different.

Mr. Punch - In the hands of a master-storyteller the violent Punch and Judy show becomes the vehicle for a dark tale. A boy spends the summer with his grandfather and his encounters with the puppet show triggers half-recollections of dark family secrets. The story and art create a tense atmosphere, reminiscent of clouded childhood memories. Unlike most of Gaiman's other work there is no fantasy element here. But even within the confines of the "mundane" world the author creates a compelling story.

American Gods - This is a great book for mythology lovers. In this novel, gods walk the earth. They have flesh and blood bodies like us, but also supernatural powers, or what's left of them. The old gods of world mythology are losing worshipers. With the loss of worship comes the loss of power and their situation is desperate. People are worshiping the new gods spawned by science, technology, and consumerism. The premise is very interesting and the story is wonderfully told. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

Neverwhere - I just discovered that the Neverwhere book was a novelization of a TV series of the same name. I've never seen the TV show but I really liked the book. It tells the story of Richard Mayhew a normal young man living a normal life in London. A chance meeting with a girl named Door draws him into London Below, a city existing in parallel with the "real" London, called London Above. Unfortunately for Richard that means he becomes practically non-existent in London Above.
I've always been fascinated by the idea of parallel worlds. The idea is not new or unique, but Gaiman's take on it is very well done.

Stardust - The world of Faerie often appears in Neil Gaiman's work. The village of Wall is right on the border between our world and Faerie. On the eve of the coming of the Faerie Market a star falls. Young Tristran Thorn rashly promises to retrieve the star in exchange for a kiss from Victoria Forester. It will not be an easy task, for in Faerie the star is a living creature, Yvaine, and is sought by powerful adversaries. I love good "quest" stories, and this is one of the best I've read.

This is a collection of short stories, some of the best I've ever read. Two of the standouts are "Snow, Glass, Apples" and "We Can Get Them for You Wholesale". The first is a disturbing retelling (which might be closer to the "original" than the popular version) of Snow White, and the second is a dark, humorous story about how people love a good bargain. I won't spoil it for you, go buy it now!

This is again another superb collection. I have a lot of favorites, among them the short stories "A Study in Emerald", "Other People" and the poems "Locks" and "Instructions". Shadow from American Gods also makes an appearance in the story The Monarch of the Glen. Anything from American Gods is always a treat. Excellent collection

Coraline - This is a good children's book. A good, scary children's book. Coraline (not Caroline!) discovers another world with an "Other Mother" and "Other Father". Everything is not as it seems. She will need her wits, some help, and a bit of luck to get safely home. This book gave me shivers. This is a very imaginative and entertaining story. If you haven't seen the movie, read the book first!

The Graveyard Book - Bod Owens is raised in a graveyard, by ghosts, to protect him from a man named Jack who wants to kill him. That's a mouthful, and it's also makes for a very interesting story. The execution is every bit as exciting as the premise. I could not put this book down, I finished it in two sittings. I would've written a different ending. Fortunately I'm not the author!

• M is for Magic - a compilation of short stories and poems previously published in other collections. I've actually read most of them, but I don't mind buying this book. I like the ones I've read and look forward to reading the others.


• Anansi Boys - a novel about the sons of Mr. Nancy (Anansi) from American Gods. I loved American Gods, and I'd love to read another novel set in its universe.


• Odd and the Frost Giants - tells the story of a crippled Norse boy named Odd and his encounter with three forest animals and a frost giant. I love mythology, and Norse mythology is one of my favorites. I also like stories about unlikely heroes.