The Sandman Vol. 8: Worlds' End
by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads author!), Stephen King
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 4220)
Read in March, 2008
When I first started reading it, this collection of short stories seemed to be a somewhat random installment in the Sandman series. The stories were excellent, though. Stranded at the World’s End Inn – a tavern for travelers caught in various “reality” storm – each stranded wayfarer shares a story of their choosing. One of the faery folk from past stories is stranded there, and he tells his tale, which allows us to see Dream. Although each tale is separate, they all incorporate charact...more
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Read in April, 2008
Wow. Just... gosh.
I don't know what to make of this yet. I didn't realize it was number 8 of a series, and I am almost heartbroken to learn that, although it makes a huge amount of sense. I am going to process this for a while.
I first stumbled upon Gaiman with American Gods, which was a book club book that didn't make the cut. I saw it on the library's audiobook shelf and brought it on a road trip to Yosemite several years ago. It was the absolute perfect thing to have on that trip an...more
I don't know what to make of this yet. I didn't realize it was number 8 of a series, and I am almost heartbroken to learn that, although it makes a huge amount of sense. I am going to process this for a while.
I first stumbled upon Gaiman with American Gods, which was a book club book that didn't make the cut. I saw it on the library's audiobook shelf and brought it on a road trip to Yosemite several years ago. It was the absolute perfect thing to have on that trip an...more
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Read in January, 1995
recommends it for:
fantasy fans
One of the best Sandman collections. This takes place during the overall story, but it's filled with individual stories and it's not important for the reader to know where this falls in the timeline; one can simply pick it up and enjoy it.
There is a reality storm affecting all the worlds, trapping a bunch of travellers at the World's End Inn (one of 4 free houses that apparently exists between dimensions). The price for staying is that each patron must tell a story.
First we follow Bra...more
There is a reality storm affecting all the worlds, trapping a bunch of travellers at the World's End Inn (one of 4 free houses that apparently exists between dimensions). The price for staying is that each patron must tell a story.
First we follow Bra...more
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Read in January, 2004
recommends it for:
Everyone
I used to stubbornly think that graphic novels had no intellectual merits other than for amateur entertainment (I know, pedestal). This series not only blew me away visually, but caused me to see graphic novels in a new light. Everyone should read this series.
Here's what i want to say, but someone else said it first and better than i could:
"Erudite, allusive, complex and ambitious, SANDMAN is undoubtedly the finest writing the mainstream comic book industry has ever seen. It dares to ...more
Here's what i want to say, but someone else said it first and better than i could:
"Erudite, allusive, complex and ambitious, SANDMAN is undoubtedly the finest writing the mainstream comic book industry has ever seen. It dares to ...more
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Read in February, 2008
Although this is a fine book, with a great preface by Stephen King, of all the Sandman volumes I have read so far, I like this one the least. Although the ending is very allegorical and foreshadows some strange things to come, I was less interested than usual, probably because we did not get to see the Endless -- most particularly Dream, nor any of this brothers/sisters for that matter -- all that much. In this volume, travelers from all times and realities get stranded in an inn, while a storm ...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Fans of Sandman, Neil Gaiman, and Modern Mythic fiction
I liked this Sandman. It was yet again a great addition to the world of Sandman. My only real complaint about any Sandman book is often when the story strays from the titular character and his siblings. Still, the almost anthology-esque style of this narrative is fun. We really get a sense of just how multi-dimensional this worl is, going from alternate realities of earth, all the way to worlds from with in fiction. My only other complaint is a sense of being lost at the point I read this b...more
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to Brenna by:
Christopher
I liked the Necropolis and Faerie worlds, and the image of the Endless in the sky... this reminds me of the third book in the series, with fairly unconnected stories, only these make a little more sense with each other. That, or I just got used to expecting randomness from the series.
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Read in May, 2003
I will forever maintain that Sandman is the best comic ever written. Gaiman was originally given the task of resurrecting a not particularly interesting golden age DC superhero, and instead, managed to change comics forever.
He created the Endless- Destiny, Death, Destruction, Dream, Desire, Despair, and Delirium (who used to be delight), created a whole new mythology based on so many sources- Greek/Roman/Egyptian/Norse mythology, fairy tales, fables, DC comic book characters, and of course,...more
He created the Endless- Destiny, Death, Destruction, Dream, Desire, Despair, and Delirium (who used to be delight), created a whole new mythology based on so many sources- Greek/Roman/Egyptian/Norse mythology, fairy tales, fables, DC comic book characters, and of course,...more
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I've got one story left, but this is definitely the weakest of the books. It's more or less a book of shorts, with a framework of strange travelers telling tales at the World's End Inn.
None of the stories are bad exactly, they just aren't on the same level as the rest of the books. I didn't particularly care about what was happening, though I was being entertained by it.
None of the stories are bad exactly, they just aren't on the same level as the rest of the books. I didn't particularly care about what was happening, though I was being entertained by it.
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There's a storm brewing and at the Inn where worlds overlap a group of assorted stranded travelers sit around, having a drink and telling their stories.
I love these kind of stories and Neil presents a nice mix of fantasy tales from a dark one about cities, to a boy's own adventure on a sailing ship, to a planet of undertakers, to the return of Prez.
I've enjoyed some of the big epics that came from Sandman, but generally had more fun when Neil did one of these collections of shorter pieces ...more
I love these kind of stories and Neil presents a nice mix of fantasy tales from a dark one about cities, to a boy's own adventure on a sailing ship, to a planet of undertakers, to the return of Prez.
I've enjoyed some of the big epics that came from Sandman, but generally had more fun when Neil did one of these collections of shorter pieces ...more
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Read in February, 2005
Hmm. I did not like this one quite so much. A filler volume in some ways, like Fables and Reflections, but one which I just didn't find as engaging. Cluracan is perhaps my favourite character in it; he may be a fairy, but he's definitely an Irish fairy. Gaiman's obviously either spent quite a bit of time in Ireland, or he's studied the speech patterns of someone Irish a bit, but despite the occasional twee, I think he captured us pretty well (I know a couple of real life versions of Cluracan, ye...more
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Read in October, 2008
It's funny that my two favorite volumes (thus far) in this second round of Sandman are polar opposites -- one is tales that have little to do with Dream, the other is his story, page by page.
I LOVED the webs spun over drinks at the inn. Talk about wanting to be a fly on the wall. These would stand alone as short stories in any genre.
I LOVED the webs spun over drinks at the inn. Talk about wanting to be a fly on the wall. These would stand alone as short stories in any genre.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
I think this is my favorite volume of the whole series. A random assortment of people from various dimensions are thrown together in an inn at the World’s End during a "reality storm." A round of fantastical storytelling ensues, a la Chaucer, which was a great pleasure to read.
Unlike Brief Lives, which was a somewhat pointless story that felt like it was contrived in order to get certain plot points out there, World’s End seems to concern itself not so much with pushing thi...more
Unlike Brief Lives, which was a somewhat pointless story that felt like it was contrived in order to get certain plot points out there, World’s End seems to concern itself not so much with pushing thi...more
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Read in November, 2008
recommended to Isaac by:
Jimmy
This one of the first of the Sandman Series I've read, its a story about stories, what else can I say besides it's well worth reading.
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Oddly enough, this is one of my favorite Sandman volumes. The stories, the setting and the resolution made it, for me, one of the most moving. However, had I not already fallen in love with Morpheus, I'm not sure that I would have been so moved.
What is odd about the whole thing is just how little a role Morpheus plays in this volume when compared to others, yet one of the most moving scenes (for me) concerning Morpheus is contained here.
There's little more that can be said without givi...more
What is odd about the whole thing is just how little a role Morpheus plays in this volume when compared to others, yet one of the most moving scenes (for me) concerning Morpheus is contained here.
There's little more that can be said without givi...more
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Read in May, 2008
another short story book. in a way. it does make a short tie-in to the storyline, but it's very brief.
this is the most obvious of short story collections. it tells the tale of a group of travelers stuck at the inn at World's End, and they're all telling their stories. and in keeping with tradition, it has different artists drawing for every episode.
to me, i think this is one of the weakest in the series. i'm kind of glad that it was the shortest of the sandman novels, because this wasnt...more
this is the most obvious of short story collections. it tells the tale of a group of travelers stuck at the inn at World's End, and they're all telling their stories. and in keeping with tradition, it has different artists drawing for every episode.
to me, i think this is one of the weakest in the series. i'm kind of glad that it was the shortest of the sandman novels, because this wasnt...more
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Read in January, 2006
I may eventually review all of the Sandman volumes, but I'm doing this one first because it's probably my favorite.
I'm fascinated by mythology, religion, and death. The Sandman is a comic book which ran for (I believe) ninety-some issues, and these are some of the focal subjects it dealt with. I can't emphasize this enough: there's truly nothing else like the Sandman. But, it didn't really start focusing until book 2, so I wouldn't recommend starting with #1. Start with one of the midd...more
I'm fascinated by mythology, religion, and death. The Sandman is a comic book which ran for (I believe) ninety-some issues, and these are some of the focal subjects it dealt with. I can't emphasize this enough: there's truly nothing else like the Sandman. But, it didn't really start focusing until book 2, so I wouldn't recommend starting with #1. Start with one of the midd...more
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