For people who like Audiobooks, but don't really like comics I would highly recommend the Audible Originals version of The Sandman. It has an amazing Voice Cast with James McAvoy as Dream and Neil Gaiman as the Narrator in the most prominent roles
Ok this is sooo interesting because I view the sandman as a visual media, but you’re saying it’s still good without the images… may have to give it a try 🤔
@@Bookborn I haven't read the Sandman comic because when I read Comics/Graphic Novels/Manga I read them like a normal book and completely ignore the art I have heard from people who have read/listened to both versions that it is a really good adaptation that looses very little in the Audiobook format.
@@Bookborn I don't have any idea how to engage with comics as a medium, but looking at the art while listening to the audiobook was definitely helpful in getting into it because it could tell me what I was supposed to be getting from the art. But, also, the audio dramas are just really well acted.
Great video! Neverwhere is my favorite Gaiman book that I’ve read so far. I enjoy the struggle that the main character has while toeing the line between the “normal” world and the underworld. But I can understand why some people might not enjoy it.
To me The Sandman in its whole is one of the best pieces of storytelling in any medium. I am on my third reread. That is where my love for Gaiman actually came from. And I really liked Neverwhere 😅But he has something for almost everyone and that is great. Thank you for your insights
I loved Neverwhere. I just felt so connected to the world and characters in that story. It wasn't my first Gaiman novel though, that was American Gods, which I also loved. Loved the rankings regardless of the Neverwhere rating 😅
What's wild is that you could do a video like this JUST for the original 75 issue Sandman run. Some great one-shots, some amazing story arcs (sometimes the one-shots are dropped in the middle of a crucial story arc), and some story arcs that, because of the artist, don't land as well (The Kindly Ones, for me anyway). What I love most about Gaiman, though, is his ability, in whatever medium, to create stories within stories.
I didn't love the Kindly Ones art style at first but it grew on me. The weird angles and rough strokes lent a sense of unreality that I can appreciate, especially for the dreamier scenes.
Awe, she's adorable! I appreciate both of your insights. I have a soon to be 5 year old, and he loves to read (he can recite the entire "Creepy Pair of Underwear" and "Creepy Carrots" books from memory) so getting him good books to keep that going is huge for me.
Ok ngl at first I thought you were talking about me and I was offended ☠️☠️ if he likes creepy books (we loved creepy pair of underwear over here too) then def do wolves in the walls!
Fortunately the Milk is fantastic. I love that you reviewed all his kids books as well. Sandman can be a bit patchy and awful in parts but I can absolutely recommend Volume 8 At World’s End which can probably be read standalone because they’re short stories almost unrelated to Morpheus and there’s a brilliant stories within stories thing going on
I would highly recommend watching the movie Stardust. I had heard of Gaiman before, but the movie put Gaiman on the map as someone to check out his other works for me. I wouldn't watch it with kids, though, not because it has scary moments, they are not scary at all, but because some of the late scenes are a bit intense for younger minds, imho.
I respect not continuing with Sandman if it didn't speak to you, but as a huge lover of Sandman, it's one of those pieces of fiction that truly shines in its entire length. The story opens up in the back half in a way that I never would have anticipated based on the first sections. You also would have missed some of the best one-shot stories if you only read the first 16. loved the video though!
I just read Stardust as my second Gaiman and felt much the same as you. This video came just at the right time because I've been trying to figure out Gaiman's bibliography lists and they're so hard to navigate :DD
I’ve only read graveyard book, ocean at the end of the lane, and Coraline. For some reason I loved the sandman adaptation, the stardust movie, and the Coraline movie. Which idk if I just prefer his screen writing skills over his authorial voice or what? I’ll have to read and watch good omens to see how I feel about each individually.
I love Neil Gaiman. Startet with neverwhere and really liked it. American Gods used to be my favorite book for many years. In my opinion nothing is below good. When i finished the Graphic novels "the high cost of living" and "the books of magic" i got really emotional. When I used to work as a teacher I would read Neil Gaiman to every class I had. Have not read views from the cheap seat. Will get to that soon. We Can Get Them For You Wholesale is one of my favorite short stories of his, and the wedding present.
I haven't read Stardust yet, but i loved the movie. Was shocked to see the book so low. Definitely recommend checking out the movie when you get a chance.
If I am remembering correctly, Blueberry girl was written for a friend of his who was undergoing a difficult pregnancy. So in a sense you are correct, the intended audience was an adult woman worrying about her baby's future, it's not really a children's book at all.
Your daughter is so adorable 😊 Great video! It’s nice to see how diverse Gaiman is as an author since I’ve only read like two of his books and wasn’t sure which ones of his would be for me.
You should give Sandman #19, A Midsummer’s Night Dream from his Dream Country collection, a chance. It’s usually considered one of the best single comic issues of all time.
I've been a Gaiman book fan (almost) since the beginning. The first I read was Neverwhere, and I loved it. I'm not English, but I've spent a lot of time in London and know most of the locations where it takes place quite well. Perhaps it doesn't make the same impression if you don't, if it's just some random place names? The second I read was Stardust. I really liked it, but I agree, it's a bit weird tonally. A strange mix of a whimsical fairy tale and dark fantasy, but I actually think that it was deliberate on Gaiman's part. And then American Gods of course, and yes, it's great.
I'm a big Gaiman fan. I started with Sandman in 1990 and think its the greatest comic book series ever written! I'm not going to try and convince you to read all of Sandman, but do have a suggestion. Sandman is divided into long stories (multiple comic book issues = one story) and short stories (one comic book issue = one standalone story). I would recommend that you read the collection titled "Fables and Reflections". It's a collection of several Sandman short stories and contains some of my favourites (e.g. "Three Septembers and a January" and "Ramadan"). Please hunt that book down and give it a chance :) I have 3 kids and they all grew up having Gaiman books read to them before they moved on to reading Coraline and The Graveyard Book.
Ill check these out. Tbh, Sandman just didnt grab me..even though Gaiman narrated the audiobook. Even the show was underwhelming in the last half, with a complete shift in the tone of the series. I loved Gwendoline Christine's sublime portrayal of Lucifer though..
I’ve only just begun reading American Gods and was mostly ok with it thus far, that is until I finished the Essie Tregowan portion of chapter 4. I was completely blown away. What a beautiful and full story in the midst of the larger narrative going on. I’m all in now on wherever this book is taking me
I love this video and I think you've convinced me to read Gaiman! I'll be honest, I started reading American Gods and the intro scene hit me a little hard and I ended up putting the book down and not picking it up again. But all the stuff you said have convinced me to try him again! As always, thank you for these awesome videos!
The first Neil Gaiman book I ever read was Coroline! It’s probably the first “horror” or scary book that I ever read as a kid and I reread it every couple of years!
I’m impressed by the fortitude required to get through everything he’s written holy. I’ve only read a handful of his books and especially loved Anansi Boys and American Gods
I agree with Neil Himself about the Stardust movie - it’s one of my favourites of all time, but I didn’t really like the book when I tried to read it after loving the movie…
Just read neverwhere and like you I didn’t love it too BUT did not understand how I wanted to read more of neil gaiman because of that, then later i realized I wanted more of neverwhere and think that it should have been more of a thicker book.
Mirrormask was a movie by Neil's long time artistic partner, Dave McKean, who did all of the covers for Sandman. Dave wasn't interested in storytelling so much as showing off his artistic set pieces. He asked Neil to write the story, but things had to happen in Dave's art pieces, so Neil was handcuffed somewhat.
I read Neverwhere a long time ago. I never understood the hype. My unread copy of American Gods had been collecting dust for years and years. Thank you.
Thank you for dedicating a video and sharing your opinion on Neil Gaiman. IMO he is a diverse talent, and I love what comes out of his imagination. I was able to see him live in Chicago and he can create a story out of the air and make it sound thoughtful and elegant. I'll stop gushing now... maybe....we'll see. ☺
Sandman's audio version on Audible is pretty darn amazing. I kinda ended up liking Neverwhere even though I couldn't really get into the TV series, and never finished it. Some people seem to prefer the TV series though. (I think the series came first, and Gaiman added stuff to the book that was cut from the series and he liked)
My first Gaiman was American Gods and it went right over my head - that was 2009... I was lost the entire time, but I had just undergone a huge upheaval in life and I am wondering if it was just the wrong vibe for me... I will have to revisit :) I didn't pick up another Gaiman until 2020 with Ocean and I was like - Wah? How is this the same author!? I loved it. I have mad respect for him though and you've def inspired me to try more!
i have not read a lot of Gaiman,my favorite is Anansi Boys.it's really fun and it's got just the right amount of characters for a novel. i enjoyed Anansi Boys just a tad better than American Gods because there was some many characters running around seemingly everywhere.i do think i will give Trigger Warning and The Graveyard Book a try.nice video
I’ve been a huge Gaiman fan my whole life starting with The Sandman when I was 15 and hearing that you didn’t like The Sandman or weren’t a fan of Dave McKean literally hurt my soul 😂 You could do an entire series on The Sandman and its impact on the comic book industry and McKean is one of the most famous comic book artists ever.
I wasn’t prepared to have my heart eviscerated with your reviews of Stardust, Neverwhere, and Sandman!! 😂 However, one of the things I love about Neil Gaiman is how pro-adaptation he is. So if the original format didn’t work for you, you can watch the Stardust movie (as you mention), the Neverwhere miniseries (I once saw it as a stage play and it was fantastic!), or the Sandman tv series (pretty faithful adaptation). I also resent Neil’s pro-adaptation stance because I’d like new material from him but he’s got his hands in so many projects!!
I have not read any of his books , but I'm definitely intrigued by some of your top level ones. Looking for something to break up my Malazan journey, so I might try one of these.
Agree and disagree, same as much of your review and commentary work. BUT ... I really respect how you respect your children. Well done. Parents are responsible for children, not owners of children.
I'm pretty close to agreeing with your lists. Just small adjustments for my lists to move a couple things further up the list. I would encourage you to give at least the next collection of Sandman a try. This comic was really the setting in which Gaiman developed his later writing style. You can see the themes he continues to explore in all of his writings come into focus as the series goes along. Also, issue 18, "A Dream of a Thousand Cats" is absolutely brilliant. Must read. Oh, and one other comic to try might be "The Books of Magic." It's about a young English boy with scruffy dark hair, round glasses, and a pet owl who learns that he's an exceptional wizard. The series started coming out in the early 90's. Sound familiar?
I think that's probably every short story collection I've ever read though, some hit and some don't lol. (which is probably why short story collections don't do as well).
Think of the Mirrormask book as a picture book movie tie-in to a film like Labyrinth. I'm surprised you were able to appreciate it at all without the movie.
Blueberry Girl was written for Tori Amos, who is good friends with Gaiman. The Wolves in the Walls was my kids favorite, read over and over at our house.
I loved The Graveyard Book and then read Ocean at the End of the Lane and hated it. I've been told I'd love American God's and Good Omens but I'm afraid to start!
I’d try another of his books for sure, they are all so different and if you loved graveyard there are others out there. What did you hate about ocean? Maybe I can help think of a good one depending on what you disliked about it
@@Bookborn I just didn't connect with any of the characters. I liked the ideas but not the execution. Side note: I started Dandelion Dynasty on your recommendation and I adore it, so thank you!
@@xeragreensea5611I also enjoyed the graveyard book! I'd recommend Good Omens over American Gods, as American Gods is pretty long and I think a lot more graphic.
As much as I love Stardust, I have to agree that the sex stuff doesn't quite mesh with the rest of the book. Despite that, however, I still really like the book. There are some aspects of the book I like more than the movie (the bittersweet ending), while some of the movie parts are definitely better (like Captain Shakespeare and the crew. De Niro is perfection in this role!) Good Omens the show didn't land for me. I stopped watching halfway through. I really ought to give the book a shot, because in concept it seems right up my alley.
You're a much bigger Gaiman fan than I am. However, I've found that he has such a wide readership that just about anywhere I go, I can strike up a conversation with someone about at least one of his books. Also, I do sometimes teach The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and my students usually have positive reactions to it.
I have not read a single one of his books yet, I do however have 2 at home, which are American Gods and Neverwhere and even though you rated it lower I will still start with it...but that will probably not be soon since I have so many books on my TBR that have a higher priority for now.
Not me putting on this video then getting my LitJoy special edition of Stardust in the mail while watching. 😂 I love Stardust. I did not like Neverwhere on the first read but on a re-read it’s one of my favorites of his. I also didn’t like American Gods, but loved it on a re-read. Why I kept reading and re-reading Gaiman when I didn’t like him, I can’t tell you, but I couldn’t get him out of my brain and I’m happy for it. Just takes me a little longer to get some of his stuff.
I own 6 of the 12 kids books... me, I own them. My daughter gets to read them 🤣 I just ordered View from the Cheap Seats because I forgot it existed, so thanks!
Read American Gods and Good Omens last year. Really enjoyed AG but GO probably just good for me. Will definitely check out Ocean at the End of the Land and a few Anansi boys at some point
Gaiman is a chameleon. His books are so different. I haven’t read an author who has the range he does in terms of writing completely unique books. The uniqueness of his books is why I think he’s a hit-or-miss author for most people, myself included. But he has more hits than misses for me. My favorite is also American Gods.
I have found on two occasions that adult newcomers to Gaiman's work will accidentally start one of his younger age books (like Neverwhere) first, not enjoy it, and move on to other authors. If I am able to intervene before that first reading, I will recommend Good Omens (granting said person has the barest appreciation for dry British humor and would not be offended by the religious aspects) first. if they enjoy that, I say to jump into the deepest end with American Gods. And for a fan that is on their second or third reading, I would recommend The Annotated American Gods by Gaiman and Leslie S. Klinger. It is a WEALTH of back story information and a real deep dive into the text. It also makes clear the differences between the original published text and the 10th anniversary edition text. As far as Sandman goes, well, I am biased. I have been a fan of comics in general for over 50 years, and I put Sandman "up there" among the best and most "important". I would urge you to continue your reading, but fully understand if you just don't enjoy the medium. When all is said and done, all of the original Gaiman penned issues really DO amount to a fully formed story. So, by stopping after book 1, you are actually DNF-ing the story. For shame. LOL. I've got my magical "persuasion hat" on now. Glad I just found you, Bookborn. Love the video. Subscribed.
I love the concept of Stardust, and watched the movie before reading the book. Although the book was very fun, I have to agree with the man himself - the movie was a better execution. Probably one of the only times that’s happened lol
I do love to hear your opinions and thoughts on books. And now here's why you are wrong... ;-) Actually, I agree with most of your choices, except the obvious. Sandman was started by a nervous young writer just finding his feet, and finished by an accomplished professional. You can see the evolution of the writer throughout the series. You stopped just as it started to get good! If you want to give it another try, 'A Game of You' is a (mostly) stand alone novel. 'Fables and Reflections' is a collection of short stories, including my favourite, 'Three Septembers and a January', a true story about the first and only Emperor of the United States. You have encouraged me to go out and get a copy of The View from the Cheap Seats, so thank you for that 🙂
With a lot of Gaiman's writing, it seems like he just writes a thing, and then other people come in after and fit it into a marketable bracket and sell it, so if it doesn't quite fit into a category of bookshelf in your opinion that makes perfect sense to me.
American Gods was the last book of his that I read, and it was definitely my least favourite, not counting some of his short stories. I’m a huge Neil Gaiman fan so I was surprised that his most renowned book was so meh for me. Although, I’ve heard that the graphic novel version fits the story better so I might try that. I think the reason it didn’t work for me was that I love his narrative voice, and it didn’t have that same distinct voice. It only really came out in the sections narrated by Mr. Ibis, which I loved.
Kudos on the vid. Well-argued and earnest. 😊 I always recommend The Graveyard Book for those who have never read Gaiman. I'm curious to find out how you would rank two (2) books of his for adults that you missed: (i) A Walking Tour of the Shambles, which he co-wrote with Gene Wolfe; and (ii) Mr Punch, a graphic novel with long-time collaborator Dave McKean. I find the first fun, and the second so profoundly sad. I was surprised that you didn't like Stardust, more so since I think you read the illustrated version, which I adore. (Charles Vess is my favorite of his collaborators.) Caveat: I belong to the "target" readership of Stardust. I read it at the tail-end of a Victorian to early 20th Century mythopoeic fiction phase in my final year of college. I devoured William Morris, George McDonald, Lord Dunsany, Hope Mirrlees, Mervyn Peake, the fairy and ghost tales of Kipling, James Branch Cabell, etc. -- and Stardust was such a brilliant, loving pastiche of that fantasy tradition (which continues on in the works of John Crowley, Susanna Clarke, Sofia Samatar, Catherynne Valente, etc.) I have never recommended Preludes & Noctunes or The Doll's House to those curious about starting on The Sandman. Dream Country and Fables & Reflections, both collections of stand-alone stories, should redeem the series for you. If you're remotely curious, read the haunting "Ramadan" in the latter volume, which showcases Gaiman at the height of his powers, comic book-wise. Crossing-fingers.
You know you said every Neil Gaiman book is different? Every issue of The Sandman is different. You've only ready 2 out of 12. I'd recommend you continue...there are gods later ;-)
I have a sales pitch for Neil Gaiman's early comics! His early work is very interesting and artsy and experimental. Now here's the bad news for you personally, they are with Dave McKean. Good News again, This is a very different Dave McKean than you have been exposed to so far in those kids books, his Art changes wildly over the years, he is very experimental and constantly evolves his style and medium, much like Gaiman's writing, if you don't like one piece of Dave's art, try another, you might like the next. I personally really enjoy his work in these early comics. I would recommend _Violent Cases_ and _Mr.Punch_ if you want to read weird, semi, kinda sort of not really auto biographical fiction of Neil Gaiman. He's talked about it before in interviews that he puts more personal things in comics and short stories, and that some of the early comics are surprisingly true, hidden in amongst all the lies. So a meta enjoyment while reading these two comics is trying to parse the truth from the fiction due to so much of Neil's life and personality being known, which is of course impossible! (But still fun!) And they are also just very good stories in and of themselves, no meta analysis needed. _Black Orchid_ has gorgeous art and is a cool story with a female protagonist and a solid ecological message that is good but doesn't hit you over the head with a baseball bat lol. And also a Batman cameo! Signal to Noise is probably my least favorite of the four, but I did enjoy it and the art is very good.
Gaiman is so hit and miss for me! I loved Neverwhere, hated American Gods. Loved Norse Mythology, hated Stardust. But his hits are so good, I will never stop reading him. Also the Mirrormask movie is one of my favourites, even though nobody knows about it.
I would put The Graveyard Book in mind-blowing. It is my favourite book of his. I got it for my nephew when he turned 10, but it gave him nightmares. It is pretty damn scary for a 10-year-old, especially a sensitive one like him. I was a sensitive kid too, but I loved supernatural and spooky stuff and it would not have bothered me. Oh well. Sorry Caden! And Neverwhere...yeah...I would put it at Excellent. How dare you.
I understand why you stopped reading Sandman, but you did stop basically right before one of the best arcs lol. You just got through a young writer still finding his footing and figuring out what he was doing with his first long running monthly comic (and I think like 5th or 6th ever comic? He really hadn't done that many comics before, it's kind of insane to think about). Anyway, I would really recommend at least reading through Dream Country and Season of Mists (which is a fan favorite) and if you STILL don't like it, then sure, it's probably just not for you. (Though there are still other stories that are amazing like Ramadan or Dream Hunters, that could perhaps win you over as well.) 😊
I love american gods! One if my fav books! So much to appreciate and enjoy about that story! Wish the show adaption worked out.. first season was great, second season was pretty good, and the third was terrible.. 20:49
I thought "Neverwhere" was great. One of my favourite books by Gaiman. "Coraline" was also great, I think if I had read it as a kid I would have liked even more. My other favourites include "The Ocean at the End of the Lane", "The Graveyard Book" and "InterWorld", which is missing from your ranking and was co-authored by Michael Reaves (along with it's two sequels "The Silver Dream" and "Eternity's Wheel", which were co-authored by Gaiman, Michael Reaves and Mallory Reaves) and are excellent teenage sci-fi. "Fortunately, the Milk", "Odd and the Frost Giants" and "The Sleeper and the Spindle" were also excellent in no small part due to the amazing artwork by Chris Riddell, who has also illustrated editions of Gaiman's "Coraline", "The Graveyard Book" and "Pirate Stew" along with enormous amount of works by other authors from classics to contemporary. "Good Omens" is also great, but I also see more Terry Pratchett in it than Neil Gaiman. "The View from the Cheap Seats" was alright, but I prefer a somewhat similar collection of Terry Pratchett's non-fiction works - "A Slip of the Keyboard" to Gaiman's book. However, a couple of essays from "The View" published in a book called "Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change the World" illustrated by Chris Riddell is a worthy addition to your library if you love beautifully illustrated books. "Norse Mythology" was pretty average, as I had already read better adaptations/retellings of Norse myths. "Stardust" was also disappointingly average. The three Chu books were pretty meh, but that is probably because I listened to them as an as adult and did not see the artwork, which matters just as much as the text in children's picture books. I've read the first chapter of "American Gods" and watched the first episode of the Starz adaptation, but neither clicked with me, so I left the book/show to continue reading/watching at some indefinite time in the future. "The Sandman" also did not click with me, so I put the comics aside for future reading. Haven't watched the Netflix series either. From other Gaiman's works not mentioned in the video I can strongly recommend the short story/novelette "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains". People that liked "Neverwhere" as much as me would also probably enjoy "How the Marquis Got His Coat Back" a short story/novelette set in the same world. I also recommend "Snow, Glass, Apples" a comic adaptation/retailing of the classic German fairy tale "Snow White" beautifully illustrated by Colleen Doran. Note that although this is a comic retailing of a fairy tale, the book is suitable only for mature readers as it contains some very dark themes/visuals not appropriate for young children or even teenagers.
I did not like Ocean at the End of the Lane at all, after reading The Graveyard Book which I'd have as mind-blowing. This does remind me to try American Gods soon, thanks!
One has to read the whole of Sandman to really judge the story and actually, when recommending it, I always tell people not to read the first 7 volumes, you can start from the 8th or 9th. Those first volumes are really not the kind of story that Sandman really is about, they were just Neil testing how to write a story for DC, not finding yet his place in that Universe. You can always read them later, after finishing the story, as a prequel
I really wanted to read more Gaiman last year but never got around to it. I was think about what to read next and this video decided it must be American Gods! If you liked the concept and story of Sandman you might like the audio drama. Neil is the narrator and the cast is great, James McAvoy plays Morpheus and kills it.
The setup in the motel near the start of American God's got me thinking. I find the mythology too metaphysical in order to let it blow my mind. He wrote an issue of Hellblazer that is worth reading. However, judging from your BookTube friend's warning about skipping Arya's scene, I do not suggest you read anything from Hellblazer other than that issue. Also, this is BookTube not BambiTube.
@@Bookborn It is a Disney reference. I think it is ok to mention that McKean's art isn't what you want in a children's book. Your not thumper, and you do not need to pay attention to the advice of 'If you do not have anything nice to say, do not say anything at all.' (I would have used scare quotes, but I was not sure if I got it literally correct). The link below is confirmation of that. Keep in mind a picture is worth a thousand words. I can add some more cliches, but this may be getting tired at this point. th-cam.com/video/9fYngTUZeUQ/w-d-xo.html
I read the first two years ago! So I loved the first book and then hated the second 🙈 so I never read the third and instead just looked up what happened lol
It's very hard for me to get past putting Sandman as "meh", cause, and I'm not exaggerating, basically shape up my life. And it's such a pivotal moment in comic books. However, I think - since you are not a big comic book reader - you might give it another chance with the audiobook OR read the standalone stories like Calliope or A Midsummer Night's Dream to appreciate it more. Reading 16 issues of a 80ish run will make you feel meh about it.
Neil Gaiman does this, right? You can’t build a tier list that is the same, but one thing is certain… he is the goat. 😁 I’m not a comic guy either but for a few I set myself to read them and one was Sandman. It has a story that highly hits the level of any epic fantasy series. And we are talking about a DC comic. I read into a few just to try them back then (like 20 years ago or more) and I couldn’t get myself into the comic fan thing. Sandman and the few I read was because the fantasy books. I would put on the level of American Gods and if you mentioned Hugo awards not once but twice he got awards for it and it’s a record in comics history. Coroline has a Hugo award too…
Graphicness doesn't fit the fairytale vibe? Fairy Tales are basically the OG grimdark, though(at least, if discounting Disney's extremely sanitized retellings).😅😅🤭 Lol I dunno, there are a lot of things that were for kids in the 1990s or earlier that going back and rewatching or rereading them now it honestly kind of surprises me in hindsight were actually for kids. It's kinda funny how things change. Sometimes, it's a good thing; but other times, I wonder if it's a bit like keeping a kid so sheltered their immune system never gets the chance to build itself up and get as strong as it should. 🤔👀 idk.
I'm not a big fan of Good Omens, it was the first novel Neil published and to me at that point he hadn't yet found his best prose style. I find it messy and unfocused, and it takes a long time to really understand what's going on. It's funny in the end, but you have to stick with it. It might be because of Pratchett, but we will never know. I agree with most of the rest (except for Sandman and Neverwhere, which is really his first novel, the one that looks like it was written by him, in a style that suits him. I really like it). I also really like Stardust, but I never read the graphic novel, just the prose one.
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For people who like Audiobooks, but don't really like comics I would highly recommend the Audible Originals version of The Sandman. It has an amazing Voice Cast with James McAvoy as Dream and Neil Gaiman as the Narrator in the most prominent roles
Ok this is sooo interesting because I view the sandman as a visual media, but you’re saying it’s still good without the images… may have to give it a try 🤔
@@Bookborn I haven't read the Sandman comic because when I read Comics/Graphic Novels/Manga I read them like a normal book and completely ignore the art
I have heard from people who have read/listened to both versions that it is a really good adaptation that looses very little in the Audiobook format.
Oh yes. That production is SOOO GOOD!
@@Bookborn they’re 100% correct, the full cast Sandman audio dramas on Audible are absolutely incredible. I highly recommend them!
@@Bookborn I don't have any idea how to engage with comics as a medium, but looking at the art while listening to the audiobook was definitely helpful in getting into it because it could tell me what I was supposed to be getting from the art. But, also, the audio dramas are just really well acted.
Great video! Neverwhere is my favorite Gaiman book that I’ve read so far. I enjoy the struggle that the main character has while toeing the line between the “normal” world and the underworld. But I can understand why some people might not enjoy it.
To me The Sandman in its whole is one of the best pieces of storytelling in any medium. I am on my third reread. That is where my love for Gaiman actually came from. And I really liked Neverwhere 😅But he has something for almost everyone and that is great. Thank you for your insights
Sandman is god tier for people who get sandman
that's why I don't recommend it to people unless I'm sure they will enjoy it
I loved Neverwhere. I just felt so connected to the world and characters in that story. It wasn't my first Gaiman novel though, that was American Gods, which I also loved. Loved the rankings regardless of the Neverwhere rating 😅
What's wild is that you could do a video like this JUST for the original 75 issue Sandman run. Some great one-shots, some amazing story arcs (sometimes the one-shots are dropped in the middle of a crucial story arc), and some story arcs that, because of the artist, don't land as well (The Kindly Ones, for me anyway).
What I love most about Gaiman, though, is his ability, in whatever medium, to create stories within stories.
Agreed! My favorite one-shot by far is Ramadan, I would even recommend it to anyone as a Sandman introduction.
I didn't love the Kindly Ones art style at first but it grew on me. The weird angles and rough strokes lent a sense of unreality that I can appreciate, especially for the dreamier scenes.
Awe, she's adorable! I appreciate both of your insights. I have a soon to be 5 year old, and he loves to read (he can recite the entire "Creepy Pair of Underwear" and "Creepy Carrots" books from memory) so getting him good books to keep that going is huge for me.
Ok ngl at first I thought you were talking about me and I was offended ☠️☠️ if he likes creepy books (we loved creepy pair of underwear over here too) then def do wolves in the walls!
@@BookbornLol, probably should have put the timestamp on there 😂 I'll definitely check out Wolves in the Walls!
Thank you for this video, I'm just about to read the Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I can't wait to read more of his books in the future.
Fortunately the Milk is fantastic. I love that you reviewed all his kids books as well. Sandman can be a bit patchy and awful in parts but I can absolutely recommend Volume 8 At World’s End which can probably be read standalone because they’re short stories almost unrelated to Morpheus and there’s a brilliant stories within stories thing going on
I've still only read Sandman and Stardust. I liked both! But this gives me an idea of which to plan next (American Gods) :)
I think you'll really like American Gods....tell me when you read it lol
I would highly recommend watching the movie Stardust. I had heard of Gaiman before, but the movie put Gaiman on the map as someone to check out his other works for me.
I wouldn't watch it with kids, though, not because it has scary moments, they are not scary at all, but because some of the late scenes are a bit intense for younger minds, imho.
I respect not continuing with Sandman if it didn't speak to you, but as a huge lover of Sandman, it's one of those pieces of fiction that truly shines in its entire length. The story opens up in the back half in a way that I never would have anticipated based on the first sections. You also would have missed some of the best one-shot stories if you only read the first 16. loved the video though!
I just read Stardust as my second Gaiman and felt much the same as you. This video came just at the right time because I've been trying to figure out Gaiman's bibliography lists and they're so hard to navigate :DD
Love that you did a kid ranking too! Totally agree that a good kids book will appeal to both kids and adults, ideally.
I’ve only read graveyard book, ocean at the end of the lane, and Coraline. For some reason I loved the sandman adaptation, the stardust movie, and the Coraline movie. Which idk if I just prefer his screen writing skills over his authorial voice or what? I’ll have to read and watch good omens to see how I feel about each individually.
I love Neil Gaiman. Startet with neverwhere and really liked it. American Gods used to be my favorite book for many years. In my opinion nothing is below good.
When i finished the Graphic novels "the high cost of living" and "the books of magic" i got really emotional.
When I used to work as a teacher I would read Neil Gaiman to every class I had.
Have not read views from the cheap seat. Will get to that soon.
We Can Get Them For You Wholesale is one of my favorite short stories of his, and the wedding present.
I have only read American Gods and Norse Mythology but I love his style! Really looking forward to reading Good Omens.
I haven't read Stardust yet, but i loved the movie. Was shocked to see the book so low. Definitely recommend checking out the movie when you get a chance.
This was great! I haven't read much from Neil Gaiman (love Sandman to pieces), so I'm excited about your recs! ❤
If I am remembering correctly, Blueberry girl was written for a friend of his who was undergoing a difficult pregnancy. So in a sense you are correct, the intended audience was an adult woman worrying about her baby's future, it's not really a children's book at all.
Great guide! I keep buying Gaiman’s books, but for some reason I’ve only read The Ocean at The End of The Lane. I’ll have to read American Gods soon!
I also loved Rick Riordan's Magus Chase a (Roman mythology) book series, growing up.
Your daughter is so adorable 😊
Great video! It’s nice to see how diverse Gaiman is as an author since I’ve only read like two of his books and wasn’t sure which ones of his would be for me.
You should give Sandman #19, A Midsummer’s Night Dream from his Dream Country collection, a chance. It’s usually considered one of the best single comic issues of all time.
I've been a Gaiman book fan (almost) since the beginning. The first I read was Neverwhere, and I loved it. I'm not English, but I've spent a lot of time in London and know most of the locations where it takes place quite well. Perhaps it doesn't make the same impression if you don't, if it's just some random place names? The second I read was Stardust. I really liked it, but I agree, it's a bit weird tonally. A strange mix of a whimsical fairy tale and dark fantasy, but I actually think that it was deliberate on Gaiman's part. And then American Gods of course, and yes, it's great.
I'm a big Gaiman fan. I started with Sandman in 1990 and think its the greatest comic book series ever written! I'm not going to try and convince you to read all of Sandman, but do have a suggestion. Sandman is divided into long stories (multiple comic book issues = one story) and short stories (one comic book issue = one standalone story). I would recommend that you read the collection titled "Fables and Reflections". It's a collection of several Sandman short stories and contains some of my favourites (e.g. "Three Septembers and a January" and "Ramadan"). Please hunt that book down and give it a chance :)
I have 3 kids and they all grew up having Gaiman books read to them before they moved on to reading Coraline and The Graveyard Book.
I just downloaded the Norse Mythology audiobook last week! I can't wait to start it.
Ill check these out. Tbh, Sandman just didnt grab me..even though Gaiman narrated the audiobook. Even the show was underwhelming in the last half, with a complete shift in the tone of the series.
I loved Gwendoline Christine's sublime portrayal of Lucifer though..
I’ve only just begun reading American Gods and was mostly ok with it thus far, that is until I finished the Essie Tregowan portion of chapter 4. I was completely blown away. What a beautiful and full story in the midst of the larger narrative going on. I’m all in now on wherever this book is taking me
I love this video and I think you've convinced me to read Gaiman! I'll be honest, I started reading American Gods and the intro scene hit me a little hard and I ended up putting the book down and not picking it up again. But all the stuff you said have convinced me to try him again! As always, thank you for these awesome videos!
Honestly the opening scene is the most graphic in the book. Keep going you will not regret it ❤
@@angelak1339 That's really helpful, thank you!!
I recommend hunting down a specific comic issue that is worth the effort which is Hellblazer# 27 "Hold Me".. One of the best one shots ever
He is one of my favorite authors. I purchased his non-fiction book, The View From the Cheap Seats after reading the first chapter.
The first Neil Gaiman book I ever read was Coroline! It’s probably the first “horror” or scary book that I ever read as a kid and I reread it every couple of years!
I’m impressed by the fortitude required to get through everything he’s written holy. I’ve only read a handful of his books and especially loved Anansi Boys and American Gods
I agree with Neil Himself about the Stardust movie - it’s one of my favourites of all time, but I didn’t really like the book when I tried to read it after loving the movie…
The Audiobook for American Gods is the best I've ever heard. It is fantastic.
I'm glad you kept the books falling in the video. That was an adorable goof. Lol!
Thank you for this great video. I love Gaiman.
Just read neverwhere and like you I didn’t love it too BUT did not understand how I wanted to read more of neil gaiman because of that, then later i realized I wanted more of neverwhere and think that it should have been more of a thicker book.
Mirrormask was a movie by Neil's long time artistic partner, Dave McKean, who did all of the covers for Sandman. Dave wasn't interested in storytelling so much as showing off his artistic set pieces. He asked Neil to write the story, but things had to happen in Dave's art pieces, so Neil was handcuffed somewhat.
I read Neverwhere a long time ago. I never understood the hype. My unread copy of American Gods had been collecting dust for years and years. Thank you.
Thank you for dedicating a video and sharing your opinion on Neil Gaiman. IMO he is a diverse talent, and I love what comes out of his imagination. I was able to see him live in Chicago and he can create a story out of the air and make it sound thoughtful and elegant. I'll stop gushing now... maybe....we'll see. ☺
Sandman's audio version on Audible is pretty darn amazing.
I kinda ended up liking Neverwhere even though I couldn't really get into the TV series, and never finished it. Some people seem to prefer the TV series though.
(I think the series came first, and Gaiman added stuff to the book that was cut from the series and he liked)
My first Gaiman was American Gods and it went right over my head - that was 2009... I was lost the entire time, but I had just undergone a huge upheaval in life and I am wondering if it was just the wrong vibe for me... I will have to revisit :) I didn't pick up another Gaiman until 2020 with Ocean and I was like - Wah? How is this the same author!? I loved it. I have mad respect for him though and you've def inspired me to try more!
i have not read a lot of Gaiman,my favorite is Anansi Boys.it's really fun and it's got just the right amount of characters for a novel. i enjoyed Anansi Boys just a tad better than American Gods because there was some many characters running around seemingly everywhere.i do think i will give Trigger Warning and The Graveyard Book a try.nice video
I am just going to say wow! That is dedication :-). Thank you for sharing this!! I have never touched on Gaiman
I’ve been a huge Gaiman fan my whole life starting with The Sandman when I was 15 and hearing that you didn’t like The Sandman or weren’t a fan of Dave McKean literally hurt my soul 😂
You could do an entire series on The Sandman and its impact on the comic book industry and McKean is one of the most famous comic book artists ever.
I wasn’t prepared to have my heart eviscerated with your reviews of Stardust, Neverwhere, and Sandman!! 😂
However, one of the things I love about Neil Gaiman is how pro-adaptation he is. So if the original format didn’t work for you, you can watch the Stardust movie (as you mention), the Neverwhere miniseries (I once saw it as a stage play and it was fantastic!), or the Sandman tv series (pretty faithful adaptation).
I also resent Neil’s pro-adaptation stance because I’d like new material from him but he’s got his hands in so many projects!!
I have not read any of his books , but I'm definitely intrigued by some of your top level ones. Looking for something to break up my Malazan journey, so I might try one of these.
Agree and disagree, same as much of your review and commentary work. BUT ... I really respect how you respect your children. Well done. Parents are responsible for children, not owners of children.
I'm pretty close to agreeing with your lists. Just small adjustments for my lists to move a couple things further up the list. I would encourage you to give at least the next collection of Sandman a try. This comic was really the setting in which Gaiman developed his later writing style. You can see the themes he continues to explore in all of his writings come into focus as the series goes along. Also, issue 18, "A Dream of a Thousand Cats" is absolutely brilliant. Must read. Oh, and one other comic to try might be "The Books of Magic." It's about a young English boy with scruffy dark hair, round glasses, and a pet owl who learns that he's an exceptional wizard. The series started coming out in the early 90's. Sound familiar?
I think that's probably every short story collection I've ever read though, some hit and some don't lol. (which is probably why short story collections don't do as well).
Think of the Mirrormask book as a picture book movie tie-in to a film like Labyrinth. I'm surprised you were able to appreciate it at all without the movie.
Blueberry Girl was written for Tori Amos, who is good friends with Gaiman. The Wolves in the Walls was my kids favorite, read over and over at our house.
Haha see I read Tori and just assumed it must be his wife’s name 🤣
I loved The Graveyard Book and then read Ocean at the End of the Lane and hated it. I've been told I'd love American God's and Good Omens but I'm afraid to start!
I’d try another of his books for sure, they are all so different and if you loved graveyard there are others out there. What did you hate about ocean? Maybe I can help think of a good one depending on what you disliked about it
@@Bookborn I just didn't connect with any of the characters. I liked the ideas but not the execution.
Side note: I started Dandelion Dynasty on your recommendation and I adore it, so thank you!
@@xeragreensea5611I also enjoyed the graveyard book! I'd recommend Good Omens over American Gods, as American Gods is pretty long and I think a lot more graphic.
As much as I love Stardust, I have to agree that the sex stuff doesn't quite mesh with the rest of the book. Despite that, however, I still really like the book. There are some aspects of the book I like more than the movie (the bittersweet ending), while some of the movie parts are definitely better (like Captain Shakespeare and the crew. De Niro is perfection in this role!)
Good Omens the show didn't land for me. I stopped watching halfway through. I really ought to give the book a shot, because in concept it seems right up my alley.
You're a much bigger Gaiman fan than I am. However, I've found that he has such a wide readership that just about anywhere I go, I can strike up a conversation with someone about at least one of his books. Also, I do sometimes teach The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and my students usually have positive reactions to it.
I have not read a single one of his books yet, I do however have 2 at home, which are American Gods and Neverwhere and even though you rated it lower I will still start with it...but that will probably not be soon since I have so many books on my TBR that have a higher priority for now.
Not me putting on this video then getting my LitJoy special edition of Stardust in the mail while watching. 😂 I love Stardust.
I did not like Neverwhere on the first read but on a re-read it’s one of my favorites of his. I also didn’t like American Gods, but loved it on a re-read.
Why I kept reading and re-reading Gaiman when I didn’t like him, I can’t tell you, but I couldn’t get him out of my brain and I’m happy for it. Just takes me a little longer to get some of his stuff.
I’m reading Nevermore. My first Neil Gaiman. So far, so good.
I own 6 of the 12 kids books... me, I own them. My daughter gets to read them 🤣 I just ordered View from the Cheap Seats because I forgot it existed, so thanks!
Read American Gods and Good Omens last year. Really enjoyed AG but GO probably just good for me.
Will definitely check out Ocean at the End of the Land and a few Anansi boys at some point
Gaiman is a chameleon. His books are so different. I haven’t read an author who has the range he does in terms of writing completely unique books. The uniqueness of his books is why I think he’s a hit-or-miss author for most people, myself included. But he has more hits than misses for me. My favorite is also American Gods.
I have found on two occasions that adult newcomers to Gaiman's work will accidentally start one of his younger age books (like Neverwhere) first, not enjoy it, and move on to other authors. If I am able to intervene before that first reading, I will recommend Good Omens (granting said person has the barest appreciation for dry British humor and would not be offended by the religious aspects) first. if they enjoy that, I say to jump into the deepest end with American Gods. And for a fan that is on their second or third reading, I would recommend The Annotated American Gods by Gaiman and Leslie S. Klinger. It is a WEALTH of back story information and a real deep dive into the text. It also makes clear the differences between the original published text and the 10th anniversary edition text.
As far as Sandman goes, well, I am biased. I have been a fan of comics in general for over 50 years, and I put Sandman "up there" among the best and most "important". I would urge you to continue your reading, but fully understand if you just don't enjoy the medium. When all is said and done, all of the original Gaiman penned issues really DO amount to a fully formed story. So, by stopping after book 1, you are actually DNF-ing the story. For shame. LOL. I've got my magical "persuasion hat" on now.
Glad I just found you, Bookborn. Love the video. Subscribed.
THAT OUTRO IS SO GOOD 🥹🥹🥹
I love the concept of Stardust, and watched the movie before reading the book. Although the book was very fun, I have to agree with the man himself - the movie was a better execution. Probably one of the only times that’s happened lol
Our top tier is the same. I approve. 😂
We are objectively correct 💁♀️
Sandman is my jam
Is this going to shatter our friendship…
I don’t *think* so… I feel we liked all the same ones… my coraline placement may put our friendship on the rocks but otherwise safe ☠️
@@Bookbornwell you did change the category FOR Coraline so that helps 😅
Also agree that Anansi Boys is underrated! I love the audiobook with Lenny He etc as the narrator - perfection 👌🏽
*Lenny Henry
I do love to hear your opinions and thoughts on books. And now here's why you are wrong... ;-) Actually, I agree with most of your choices, except the obvious. Sandman was started by a nervous young writer just finding his feet, and finished by an accomplished professional. You can see the evolution of the writer throughout the series. You stopped just as it started to get good! If you want to give it another try, 'A Game of You' is a (mostly) stand alone novel. 'Fables and Reflections' is a collection of short stories, including my favourite, 'Three Septembers and a January', a true story about the first and only Emperor of the United States. You have encouraged me to go out and get a copy of The View from the Cheap Seats, so thank you for that 🙂
The best of Sandman IMO would be in Deluxe book 2, it follows up the setup with Lucifer & Hell.
With a lot of Gaiman's writing, it seems like he just writes a thing, and then other people come in after and fit it into a marketable bracket and sell it, so if it doesn't quite fit into a category of bookshelf in your opinion that makes perfect sense to me.
American Gods was the last book of his that I read, and it was definitely my least favourite, not counting some of his short stories. I’m a huge Neil Gaiman fan so I was surprised that his most renowned book was so meh for me. Although, I’ve heard that the graphic novel version fits the story better so I might try that. I think the reason it didn’t work for me was that I love his narrative voice, and it didn’t have that same distinct voice. It only really came out in the sections narrated by Mr. Ibis, which I loved.
Kudos on the vid. Well-argued and earnest. 😊
I always recommend The Graveyard Book for those who have never read Gaiman.
I'm curious to find out how you would rank two (2) books of his for adults that you missed: (i) A Walking Tour of the Shambles, which he co-wrote with Gene Wolfe; and (ii) Mr Punch, a graphic novel with long-time collaborator Dave McKean. I find the first fun, and the second so profoundly sad.
I was surprised that you didn't like Stardust, more so since I think you read the illustrated version, which I adore. (Charles Vess is my favorite of his collaborators.) Caveat: I belong to the "target" readership of Stardust. I read it at the tail-end of a Victorian
to early 20th Century mythopoeic fiction phase in my final year of college. I devoured William Morris, George McDonald, Lord Dunsany, Hope Mirrlees, Mervyn Peake, the fairy and ghost tales of Kipling, James Branch Cabell, etc. -- and Stardust was such a brilliant, loving pastiche of that fantasy tradition (which continues on in the works of John Crowley, Susanna Clarke, Sofia Samatar, Catherynne Valente, etc.)
I have never recommended Preludes & Noctunes or The Doll's House to those curious about starting on The Sandman. Dream Country and Fables & Reflections, both collections of stand-alone stories, should redeem the series for you. If you're remotely curious, read the haunting "Ramadan" in the latter volume, which showcases Gaiman at the height of his powers, comic book-wise. Crossing-fingers.
You know you said every Neil Gaiman book is different? Every issue of The Sandman is different. You've only ready 2 out of 12. I'd recommend you continue...there are gods later ;-)
I have a sales pitch for Neil Gaiman's early comics!
His early work is very interesting and artsy and experimental. Now here's the bad news for you personally, they are with Dave McKean. Good News again, This is a very different Dave McKean than you have been exposed to so far in those kids books, his Art changes wildly over the years, he is very experimental and constantly evolves his style and medium, much like Gaiman's writing, if you don't like one piece of Dave's art, try another, you might like the next. I personally really enjoy his work in these early comics.
I would recommend _Violent Cases_ and _Mr.Punch_ if you want to read weird, semi, kinda sort of not really auto biographical fiction of Neil Gaiman. He's talked about it before in interviews that he puts more personal things in comics and short stories, and that some of the early comics are surprisingly true, hidden in amongst all the lies. So a meta enjoyment while reading these two comics is trying to parse the truth from the fiction due to so much of Neil's life and personality being known, which is of course impossible! (But still fun!) And they are also just very good stories in and of themselves, no meta analysis needed.
_Black Orchid_ has gorgeous art and is a cool story with a female protagonist and a solid ecological message that is good but doesn't hit you over the head with a baseball bat lol. And also a Batman cameo!
Signal to Noise is probably my least favorite of the four, but I did enjoy it and the art is very good.
Gaiman is so hit and miss for me! I loved Neverwhere, hated American Gods. Loved Norse Mythology, hated Stardust. But his hits are so good, I will never stop reading him. Also the Mirrormask movie is one of my favourites, even though nobody knows about it.
I’m so convinced that Gaiman fans either like American gods or Neverwhere and never both 🤣
I would put The Graveyard Book in mind-blowing. It is my favourite book of his. I got it for my nephew when he turned 10, but it gave him nightmares. It is pretty damn scary for a 10-year-old, especially a sensitive one like him. I was a sensitive kid too, but I loved supernatural and spooky stuff and it would not have bothered me. Oh well. Sorry Caden!
And Neverwhere...yeah...I would put it at Excellent. How dare you.
My first Gaiman was American Gods and I’ve never looked back but I know it’s not the best entry point so I’m always trying to have recs
I understand why you stopped reading Sandman, but you did stop basically right before one of the best arcs lol. You just got through a young writer still finding his footing and figuring out what he was doing with his first long running monthly comic (and I think like 5th or 6th ever comic? He really hadn't done that many comics before, it's kind of insane to think about). Anyway, I would really recommend at least reading through Dream Country and Season of Mists (which is a fan favorite) and if you STILL don't like it, then sure, it's probably just not for you.
(Though there are still other stories that are amazing like Ramadan or Dream Hunters, that could perhaps win you over as well.) 😊
i don’t think i ever really realized how much he has actually written… 😅 -mo
I love american gods! One if my fav books! So much to appreciate and enjoy about that story! Wish the show adaption worked out.. first season was great, second season was pretty good, and the third was terrible.. 20:49
I thought "Neverwhere" was great. One of my favourite books by Gaiman. "Coraline" was also great, I think if I had read it as a kid I would have liked even more. My other favourites include "The Ocean at the End of the Lane", "The Graveyard Book" and "InterWorld", which is missing from your ranking and was co-authored by Michael Reaves (along with it's two sequels "The Silver Dream" and "Eternity's Wheel", which were co-authored by Gaiman, Michael Reaves and Mallory Reaves) and are excellent teenage sci-fi.
"Fortunately, the Milk", "Odd and the Frost Giants" and "The Sleeper and the Spindle" were also excellent in no small part due to the amazing artwork by Chris Riddell, who has also illustrated editions of Gaiman's "Coraline", "The Graveyard Book" and "Pirate Stew" along with enormous amount of works by other authors from classics to contemporary.
"Good Omens" is also great, but I also see more Terry Pratchett in it than Neil Gaiman.
"The View from the Cheap Seats" was alright, but I prefer a somewhat similar collection of Terry Pratchett's non-fiction works - "A Slip of the Keyboard" to Gaiman's book. However, a couple of essays from "The View" published in a book called "Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change the World" illustrated by Chris Riddell is a worthy addition to your library if you love beautifully illustrated books.
"Norse Mythology" was pretty average, as I had already read better adaptations/retellings of Norse myths. "Stardust" was also disappointingly average.
The three Chu books were pretty meh, but that is probably because I listened to them as an as adult and did not see the artwork, which matters just as much as the text in children's picture books.
I've read the first chapter of "American Gods" and watched the first episode of the Starz adaptation, but neither clicked with me, so I left the book/show to continue reading/watching at some indefinite time in the future. "The Sandman" also did not click with me, so I put the comics aside for future reading. Haven't watched the Netflix series either.
From other Gaiman's works not mentioned in the video I can strongly recommend the short story/novelette "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains". People that liked "Neverwhere" as much as me would also probably enjoy "How the Marquis Got His Coat Back" a short story/novelette set in the same world. I also recommend "Snow, Glass, Apples" a comic adaptation/retailing of the classic German fairy tale "Snow White" beautifully illustrated by Colleen Doran. Note that although this is a comic retailing of a fairy tale, the book is suitable only for mature readers as it contains some very dark themes/visuals not appropriate for young children or even teenagers.
Wow, if Neverwhere is only "meh", I need to read all of his work.. I absolutely loved that book.. Oh well, time for a Neil Gaiman binge
I did not like Ocean at the End of the Lane at all, after reading The Graveyard Book which I'd have as mind-blowing. This does remind me to try American Gods soon, thanks!
If you only ever listen to one more audiobook ever, you have to let Harry Lloyd read A Knight of Seven Kings to you. 10 out of 5.... So freaking good.
I love the Stardust movie. It's a little bit odd, but i guess the movie's more appropriate to me than the book.
One has to read the whole of Sandman to really judge the story and actually, when recommending it, I always tell people not to read the first 7 volumes, you can start from the 8th or 9th. Those first volumes are really not the kind of story that Sandman really is about, they were just Neil testing how to write a story for DC, not finding yet his place in that Universe. You can always read them later, after finishing the story, as a prequel
I really wanted to read more Gaiman last year but never got around to it. I was think about what to read next and this video decided it must be American Gods! If you liked the concept and story of Sandman you might like the audio drama. Neil is the narrator and the cast is great, James McAvoy plays Morpheus and kills it.
The setup in the motel near the start of American God's got me thinking. I find the mythology too metaphysical in order to let it blow my mind. He wrote an issue of Hellblazer that is worth reading. However, judging from your BookTube friend's warning about skipping Arya's scene, I do not suggest you read anything from Hellblazer other than that issue. Also, this is BookTube not BambiTube.
What does Bambitube mean
@@Bookborn It is a Disney reference. I think it is ok to mention that McKean's art isn't what you want in a children's book. Your not thumper, and you do not need to pay attention to the advice of 'If you do not have anything nice to say, do not say anything at all.' (I would have used scare quotes, but I was not sure if I got it literally correct). The link below is confirmation of that. Keep in mind a picture is worth a thousand words. I can add some more cliches, but this may be getting tired at this point. th-cam.com/video/9fYngTUZeUQ/w-d-xo.html
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan, could both of these books be connected???
I really enjoyed Neverwhere but I read it years after watching the tv show, which I really, really enjoyed.
We are pretty similiar but Ocean needs to be higher 😜💪
This is great! Have you tried the Silo trilogy by Hugh Howey? Highly recommend.
I read the first two years ago! So I loved the first book and then hated the second 🙈 so I never read the third and instead just looked up what happened lol
@@Bookbornyou should watch the TV show tho. It’s excellent. Some would say better than the books. And yes, they worked with the author.
@@Bookborn😂 while I don’t feel the same way about that book that is 10000% something I would do/have done. Bookborn, just like us!
Have you read any of Lovecraft's works ? Im about to finish "At the mountain of Madness". Its spooky in places and begins really strong.
Sincere thanks to @Bookborn for the 'Guards Guards!' recommendation! It was truly one of best books I have read in a long time!
It's very hard for me to get past putting Sandman as "meh", cause, and I'm not exaggerating, basically shape up my life. And it's such a pivotal moment in comic books. However, I think - since you are not a big comic book reader - you might give it another chance with the audiobook OR read the standalone stories like Calliope or A Midsummer Night's Dream to appreciate it more. Reading 16 issues of a 80ish run will make you feel meh about it.
Neil Gaiman does this, right? You can’t build a tier list that is the same, but one thing is certain… he is the goat. 😁 I’m not a comic guy either but for a few I set myself to read them and one was Sandman. It has a story that highly hits the level of any epic fantasy series. And we are talking about a DC comic. I read into a few just to try them back then (like 20 years ago or more) and I couldn’t get myself into the comic fan thing. Sandman and the few I read was because the fantasy books. I would put on the level of American Gods and if you mentioned Hugo awards not once but twice he got awards for it and it’s a record in comics history. Coroline has a Hugo award too…
Graphicness doesn't fit the fairytale vibe? Fairy Tales are basically the OG grimdark, though(at least, if discounting Disney's extremely sanitized retellings).😅😅🤭 Lol
I dunno, there are a lot of things that were for kids in the 1990s or earlier that going back and rewatching or rereading them now it honestly kind of surprises me in hindsight were actually for kids. It's kinda funny how things change. Sometimes, it's a good thing; but other times, I wonder if it's a bit like keeping a kid so sheltered their immune system never gets the chance to build itself up and get as strong as it should. 🤔👀 idk.
I'm not a big fan of Good Omens, it was the first novel Neil published and to me at that point he hadn't yet found his best prose style. I find it messy and unfocused, and it takes a long time to really understand what's going on. It's funny in the end, but you have to stick with it. It might be because of Pratchett, but we will never know. I agree with most of the rest (except for Sandman and Neverwhere, which is really his first novel, the one that looks like it was written by him, in a style that suits him. I really like it). I also really like Stardust, but I never read the graphic novel, just the prose one.