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Emir Never's Reviews > Smoke and Mirrors
Smoke and Mirrors
by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author)
by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author)
I've been hearing much about Neil Gaiman from friends and I've been wanting to read his books for years now and finally someone shared her Smoke and Mirrors to me.
In this collection of fiction in prose and poetry, Gaiman exhibits his immense writing talent, which reminds me of Stephen King (specifically in Night Shift) in finding a story in an otherwise common things, ideas, and events. But while King's fecundity is particularly manifest in the fearsome and horrifying, Gaiman's magic is more like the proverbial scattered seeds, springing in different places, indiscriminate. My favorite is Shoggoth's Old Peculiar wherein Gaiman twitted H.P. Lovecraft (another author I have yet to read!) and pulled off an amusing bizarre tale.
After reading Smoke and Mirrors, I'll say Gaiman deserves all the raves he's been getting from my friends and readers worldwide. I will not hesitate buying one of his novels when I visit a bookstore one of these days.
In this collection of fiction in prose and poetry, Gaiman exhibits his immense writing talent, which reminds me of Stephen King (specifically in Night Shift) in finding a story in an otherwise common things, ideas, and events. But while King's fecundity is particularly manifest in the fearsome and horrifying, Gaiman's magic is more like the proverbial scattered seeds, springing in different places, indiscriminate. My favorite is Shoggoth's Old Peculiar wherein Gaiman twitted H.P. Lovecraft (another author I have yet to read!) and pulled off an amusing bizarre tale.
After reading Smoke and Mirrors, I'll say Gaiman deserves all the raves he's been getting from my friends and readers worldwide. I will not hesitate buying one of his novels when I visit a bookstore one of these days.
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Mina
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Sep 15, 2010 09:00am
Loved Snow, Glass, Apples here. (It was the page I asked Neil to sign when he first visited!) Also Murder Mysteries.
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Thanks for this review, Emir. I only read American Gods and I liked it. But not to the point of reading another one of his works. But this review of yours, I think that will not be a bad idea.
Mina, Murder Mysteries and Snow, Glass, Apples are great, too! And One Life, Furnished in Early Moorcock I can relate to in some ways. :)K.D., I just admire and envy Gaiman's imagination. Ang galing. I don't know about you but I always wish I can write when I encounter good writing. And maybe American Gods would be a good follow-up to this, yes?
Hmmm. It's long and could be dragging for you. Do you like fantasy? If yes, why not try it. Two of my officemates tried it and gave up in the middle.
I like speculative fiction (for me that includes, fantasy, science fiction and those hard to categorize pieces). Harlan Ellison-edited Dangerous Minds caught my interest, then some short stories by Bradbury, Asimov and some other authors.
The only Gaiman I read is Stardust. That's one of my favorite books, too. :) My editor recommended The Graveyard Book to me, and my friend strongly recommended Neverwhere, too. Of course if I could only get around to getting copies...heh. :) But Stardust! If you haven't read it yet, that's a good modified fairy tale-like novel. :)
Tina, thank you for the recommendation. I had to finish some books I borrowed (this one included) and I think I can buy books again--may space na ulit, yey! Will look out for Stardust.
I have Stardust gathering dusts on my shelf. I've started the first few chapters but got bored and stopped. I don't have any plans to continue reading it any time soon. I can give you my copy if you want.
Aaron Vincent wrote: "I have Stardust gathering dusts on my shelf. I've started the first few chapters but got bored and stopped. I don't have any plans to continue reading it any time soon. I can give you my copy if yo..."Wow, thanks, Aaron. Naliteral yung Stardust mo, haha. Sige, bigay mo saakin at babasahin ko.
You've got two book pledges now Emir! That really is productive! Sarap sa Goodreads! Di ka na bibili ha ha! Maging friendly ka lang.
