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Preludes & Nocturnes
(The Sandman #1)
by
, , , ,
New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman's transcendent series SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.
In PRELUDES ...more
In PRELUDES ...more
Hardcover, 233 pages
Published
December 1st 1998
by Vertigo
(first published 1989)
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Showing 1-30
So here's the thing...
I wrote the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition of The Sandman.
How absolutely *stupid* is that?
It's been half a year since I got the invitation, and months since I actually finished writing the introduction, but I still can't believe it.
To celebrate, I thought I'd write a review here. But rather than just my usual messy gush about how I love some story, I got permission from the publisher to re-print part of my introduction I wrote.
Share and enjoy...
**(What follows ...more
I wrote the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition of The Sandman.
How absolutely *stupid* is that?
It's been half a year since I got the invitation, and months since I actually finished writing the introduction, but I still can't believe it.
To celebrate, I thought I'd write a review here. But rather than just my usual messy gush about how I love some story, I got permission from the publisher to re-print part of my introduction I wrote.
Share and enjoy...
**(What follows ...more
First off, let's be clear, I'm a big soppy fan of Gaiman's Work.
Secondly, I've read the Sandman series several times before. So this is more a record of my fond re-reading and musing about this story rather than some sort of objective review.
But if you've read any of my other reviews, that won't come as a surprise.
I think it's been a full ten years since the last time I've read this series. And, given that my memory is, well... to put it plainly quite shit, I get to experience the series with ...more
Secondly, I've read the Sandman series several times before. So this is more a record of my fond re-reading and musing about this story rather than some sort of objective review.
But if you've read any of my other reviews, that won't come as a surprise.
I think it's been a full ten years since the last time I've read this series. And, given that my memory is, well... to put it plainly quite shit, I get to experience the series with ...more
I thought it was time I added The Sandman. It fits precisely into my systematic program of reading. “Hold on!” I can hear all you folks out there saying. “ Your 'systematic program of reading'? Why you're one of the most eclectic readers I know!”
I can understand why you might feel that way, but there is a little method to my madness. Although it is true that some of the books I read (progressive political analyzes, slim 20th century verse collections, cat books, classic spiritual treatises, or t ...more
Mr Gaiman, thank you for the dream.
See what I did there? But in all fairness this is a dream. This comic is just everything I want a comic to be. It’s dark and brutal; it’s profound and sophisticated: it’s imaginative and creative. I just love everything about it. It’s superb. Let’s begin with the characters:
Dream
So the protagonist is a god, a very old god. And he represents one of the key elements of life itself: hope. He is everything the mind longs for. He is the reason to carry on living ...more
See what I did there? But in all fairness this is a dream. This comic is just everything I want a comic to be. It’s dark and brutal; it’s profound and sophisticated: it’s imaginative and creative. I just love everything about it. It’s superb. Let’s begin with the characters:
Dream
So the protagonist is a god, a very old god. And he represents one of the key elements of life itself: hope. He is everything the mind longs for. He is the reason to carry on living ...more
FanTABulous preluDe!
Creative Team:
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Illustrators: Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg & Malcolm Jones III
Covers: Dave McKean
Letterer: Todd Klein
A PRELUdE TO dREAM
It is NEVER “only a dream”, John Constantine.
Definitely there is stuff that if you read again, you’ll get it differently, but even so, you’ll get it differently if you re-read it again in a different order.
I am re-reading again the first four TPBs of The Sandman since I was able to buy the rest of TPBs of the series, ...more
Creative Team:
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Illustrators: Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg & Malcolm Jones III
Covers: Dave McKean
Letterer: Todd Klein
A PRELUdE TO dREAM
It is NEVER “only a dream”, John Constantine.
Definitely there is stuff that if you read again, you’ll get it differently, but even so, you’ll get it differently if you re-read it again in a different order.
I am re-reading again the first four TPBs of The Sandman since I was able to buy the rest of TPBs of the series, ...more
I need to admit something. I've never "gotten" Neil Gaiman's books. They confuse the hell out of me. I really never know where he is going with a story. *gasp*
This one was some freaky ass shit. Some old guy wants to perform a ceremony to capture "Death". Yeah..okay.
Anyways, he ends up capturing our guy Dream.
Dream bides his time. Then he wants his domain back. Then some more freaky ass shit goes down.
I see a whole lot of fangirls and boys on these books. Don't kill me yet. I have another on ...more
Neil Gaiman is a bit of an black sheep to me.
What I mean by that is that I absolutely adore his ass off. He is one of those authors that writes so beautifully, vividly, creatively that it is almost impossible not to be sucked inside the fantasy worlds he somehow manages to share to us mere mortals. All this despite of the fact that his most popular works are in general the kinds I have no interest, no passion, no need to have on my reading list.
But he is Neil Gaiman. He is my black sheep. He is ...more
What I mean by that is that I absolutely adore his ass off. He is one of those authors that writes so beautifully, vividly, creatively that it is almost impossible not to be sucked inside the fantasy worlds he somehow manages to share to us mere mortals. All this despite of the fact that his most popular works are in general the kinds I have no interest, no passion, no need to have on my reading list.
But he is Neil Gaiman. He is my black sheep. He is ...more
One of those graphic novels that are so famous and hyped up that it makes you want to read them. The consequence though would be that expectations tend to rocket up. I am more disappointed than entertained.
I've read 2 novels of Neil Gaiman. I hated Stardust, while Ocean was a mediocre read for me. I DNF(did-not-finish) American Gods and Graveyard Book because I got bored. The Sandman was not that great for me. I think I have to conclude soon enough that I honestly don't see what's so good about ...more
I've read 2 novels of Neil Gaiman. I hated Stardust, while Ocean was a mediocre read for me. I DNF(did-not-finish) American Gods and Graveyard Book because I got bored. The Sandman was not that great for me. I think I have to conclude soon enough that I honestly don't see what's so good about ...more
Since joining goodreads, I’ve been baffled by the Neil Gaiman love fest. American Gods, Neverwhere, Stardust, The Graveyard Book, they appear to be universally loved, and I’ve been skeptical of this emotion that borders on worship. These books are good and all, and I recognize their general accessibility, but I don’t personally find any of them mind blowing literature. Gaiman’s prose is no match for China Mieville’s or Iain M. Banks’ or Ursula LeGuin’s (and countless others who write speculative
...more
"I am anti-life, the beast of judgement. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, Gods, worlds... of everything. And what will you be then, Dreamlord?"
"I am hope."
This is my favourite quote from this book, and one of my favourite quotes in general. It's beautiful. And true, thank god, so true.
I really liked this book. I've wanted to read The Sandman for a long time, and after this I'm beginning to grasp why it's become so popular.
You can tell that this is a prelude to the ...more
"I am hope."
This is my favourite quote from this book, and one of my favourite quotes in general. It's beautiful. And true, thank god, so true.
I really liked this book. I've wanted to read The Sandman for a long time, and after this I'm beginning to grasp why it's become so popular.
You can tell that this is a prelude to the ...more
Aug 23, 2014
Antonio
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fantasy lovers, Comic Lovers
Esta es la primera novela gráfica de estilo occidental que leí y también es el primer comic que leí,
Antes de empezar a leerlo
Como la historia está dividida en siete Capítulos, mi reseña la dividiré en siete
1. El sueño de los justos Al principio estaba bastante perdido, no se explica casi nada, solo son cosas sucediendo, cosas algo tenebrosas, pero bastante confusas, lo que ...more
“I am hope.”
A man named Roderick Burgress wants to prevent death in the world by summoning and capturing Death – but what he ends up with is Dream instead. Dream is imprisoned for 70 years and loses his tools that give him his power. Upon Dream’s release he must embark on a journey to retrieve his tools before the world falls into turmoil.
I’ve been so psyched to read the Sandman series since I first heard about it on bookstagram. It’s considered by many to be the pinnacle of graphic novels - an ...more
A man named Roderick Burgress wants to prevent death in the world by summoning and capturing Death – but what he ends up with is Dream instead. Dream is imprisoned for 70 years and loses his tools that give him his power. Upon Dream’s release he must embark on a journey to retrieve his tools before the world falls into turmoil.
I’ve been so psyched to read the Sandman series since I first heard about it on bookstagram. It’s considered by many to be the pinnacle of graphic novels - an ...more
I first read this a couple of years ago, and it was one of the first graphic novels I read. Even though I love me some Gaiman, I have to admit that I didn’t love this. It seemed so incredibly dark when I first read it. Since that time, I’ve read many more graphic novels, most of which have been dark. I decided to revisit this series to see if I still found as dark as I did originally.
Yes. Yes, I do.
The plot of the first few issues didn’t bother me. Dream’s story and search were compelling. Wher ...more
Yes. Yes, I do.
The plot of the first few issues didn’t bother me. Dream’s story and search were compelling. Wher ...more
Aug 29, 2014
Hershey
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2015-reads,
complex,
fantasy,
fun-fun-fun,
favourites,
graphic-novels,
heights-of-awesomeness
Once I was all done with this book, my very first thought was "This book is really weird."
Neil Gaiman, as all of you know, is a God at creating the most intricate and best of all story worlds. Honestly, every time I pick up his books, I never have a single clue with where he's going to take the readers with his story lines. Reading the blurb seriously does not help. Gaiman's works always have depth and much more stuff going on than what the blurb normally says.
So, I finally have gotten around to ...more
Neil Gaiman, as all of you know, is a God at creating the most intricate and best of all story worlds. Honestly, every time I pick up his books, I never have a single clue with where he's going to take the readers with his story lines. Reading the blurb seriously does not help. Gaiman's works always have depth and much more stuff going on than what the blurb normally says.
So, I finally have gotten around to ...more
In the foreword and the afterword, both the editor and Gaiman indicated that this isn't the strongest volume in the Sandman series; Gaiman was still finding his vision for the series, it's essentially a fetch quest, etc. I'm inclined to agree with them, although it was still enjoyable (as any video game fan will tell you, a fetch quest can still be fun, but it's not the strongest narrative device). I'm halfway through Volume 2: The Doll's House and I'm already finding the story much more interes
...more
Decided to re-read this since my library had it. I haven't read this since the 90s. I don't remember anything about it so far. It's kind of like all brand new and sparkly. And creepy. Yes, definitely creepy, in a good way.
And now here's a random Bowie gif that reminded me of this for some reason:
I'm keeping my original rating. This was fantastic. I like how he worked a few superheroes into it and (view spoiler) This is adult comics at its bes ...more
And now here's a random Bowie gif that reminded me of this for some reason:
I'm keeping my original rating. This was fantastic. I like how he worked a few superheroes into it and (view spoiler) This is adult comics at its bes ...more
Ok, this is cool. (do people still say cool?) Preludes & Nocturnes is the first of twelve in THE SANDMAN series that I have put off reading far too long.....
It begins June 6, 1916 in Wych Cross, England.....
In an attempt to capture and bind DEATH to achieve immortality, the creepy looking and evil Daemon King, Roderick Burgess mistakenly apprehends her brother DREAM instead.....
DREAM (Morpheus) is robbed of his powers, but will not talk....."Confined in a glass box for three score years and
...more
I liked the beginning, when Dream was captured. The mystical elements held my attention. However, the middle of it kind of grossed me out. Especially the part in with Dee in the diner. EWWWW. The end of Preludes and Nocturnes totally made up for it, though. I loved Death! How cool is she?! Whoever came up with the idea to make Death a peppy little goth girl was a genius!
3 – 3.5 stars
Ok, so, The Sandman. Ground breaking comic series from the early days of DC’s innovative Vertigo line. One of the many comics of the era that was trying to do new (or at least different) things with the medium and even went so far as to not only NOT be primarily a superhero book, but one that had elements that hearkened back to the old days of anthology comics in addition to telling the serialized life story of the ‘hero’. I know I’m in the minority here, and I will admit that my op ...more
Ok, so, The Sandman. Ground breaking comic series from the early days of DC’s innovative Vertigo line. One of the many comics of the era that was trying to do new (or at least different) things with the medium and even went so far as to not only NOT be primarily a superhero book, but one that had elements that hearkened back to the old days of anthology comics in addition to telling the serialized life story of the ‘hero’. I know I’m in the minority here, and I will admit that my op ...more
I have to say I enjoyed this much better the second time around.
Both times I really got a kick out of the Crowley sidestory, and I still have no idea who or what the original sandman comic was all about, nor do I particularly care, but this reimagining is a real work of art.
It's not even the art, per-se, although I did enjoy seeing Bowie as Satan. It fits him so well. It was the story. It seemed to stumble about for a short while as 70 years of imprisonment turned a very old god into a shadow, ...more
Both times I really got a kick out of the Crowley sidestory, and I still have no idea who or what the original sandman comic was all about, nor do I particularly care, but this reimagining is a real work of art.
It's not even the art, per-se, although I did enjoy seeing Bowie as Satan. It fits him so well. It was the story. It seemed to stumble about for a short while as 70 years of imprisonment turned a very old god into a shadow, ...more
Onu hepimiz tanıyoruz. Kumlarını insanların gözlerine serpiştiren bir uyku tanrısı o. Yunan mitolojisinde Morpheus, Afrika’da Kai’ckul… Kardeşleri olan Sonsuzlar arasında ise Rüya onun adı. Pek çok şarkı ve mitteyse Sandman…
Sandman, Neil Gaiman’ın magnum opusu olduğu kadar, DC’nin bugün efsaneleşmiş pek çok eserini bastığı Vertigo markasının kuruluşunda da bir kırılma noktası. Evet evet, hepiniz biliyorsunuz ki o bir efsane. Belki de bunu duymaktan bıktınız. Ama emin olun, bunun için geçerli ned ...more
Sandman, Neil Gaiman’ın magnum opusu olduğu kadar, DC’nin bugün efsaneleşmiş pek çok eserini bastığı Vertigo markasının kuruluşunda da bir kırılma noktası. Evet evet, hepiniz biliyorsunuz ki o bir efsane. Belki de bunu duymaktan bıktınız. Ama emin olun, bunun için geçerli ned ...more
I really enjoyed this one, although some parts were pretty grotesque and hard to take. The story was very interesting, philosophical at times, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I found it quite funny that the Dream Lord resembles Neil Gaiman so much!
POPSugar Reading Challenge: #39. The first book in a series I haven't read before
The air is musty, tired, old, it smells of lost dreams and rotten fabric.
I would have to sell my kidney and part of my liver to acquire this. Fortunately, I have a friend who has a copy, so my organs are safe. Now, whether or not he sold his organs to buy this is unknown to me, but I am glad he has the book.
Now, I am no longer a Gaiman virgin; I've read a fair few of his riveting stories. And yet, his knowledge, ...more
The air is musty, tired, old, it smells of lost dreams and rotten fabric.
I would have to sell my kidney and part of my liver to acquire this. Fortunately, I have a friend who has a copy, so my organs are safe. Now, whether or not he sold his organs to buy this is unknown to me, but I am glad he has the book.
Now, I am no longer a Gaiman virgin; I've read a fair few of his riveting stories. And yet, his knowledge, ...more
Γενικά δεν διαβάζω κόμικ.....και είναι κάτι το οποίο κάποια στιγμή ήθελα να αλλάξει αλλά ποτέ μέχρι τώρα δεν βρήκα κάτι που να με κάνει να θέλω να το διαβάσω. Μέχρι που, εντελώς χρονοκαθυστερημένα ανακάλυψα το Sandman. Λίγο τα διθυραμβικά σχόλια, λίγο η θεματική του (οτιδήποτε έχει να κάνει με όνειρα για κάποιο λόγο με εξιτάρει) και λίγο περισσότερο το ότι το έχει γράψει ο Neil Gaiman με έκαναν να το αναζητήσω και τελικά να το διαβάσω (φυσικά η μετάβαση από το ένα στάδιο στο άλλο πήρε καιρό). Απ
...more
I read this one some 10 years or so ago when I was slowly returning to comics and, having re-read it now, I still maintain that Preludes and Nocturnes is a poor place to start with this series - though it’s a decent book.
My first time around, I read Sandman totally out of sequence starting with Vol 3, then Vol 5, then a couple more volumes (I was just grabbing whatever was on the shelves that week!) and I read Vol 1 towards the end thinking what an unimpressive first volume it was.
I’d recommen ...more
My first time around, I read Sandman totally out of sequence starting with Vol 3, then Vol 5, then a couple more volumes (I was just grabbing whatever was on the shelves that week!) and I read Vol 1 towards the end thinking what an unimpressive first volume it was.
I’d recommen ...more
Sencillamente espectacular!!!! Deseando empezar el volumen 2
Harika çeviri, harika baskı, harika kurgu.
Neil Gaiman bize Sandman’i sunarken peşi sıra bir o kadar da birikim getirmiş. Çünkü Sandman’in bu ilk cildinde Homeros’un Odysseia’sından İncil’e; John Milton’ın Kayıp Cenneti’nden Shakespeare’in Julius Caeser ve Macbeth oyunlarına; Dante’nin Cehennem’inden (Inferno) Mary Poppins’e kadar uzun bir yol var.
Edebi olduğu kadar "ebedi" de bir eser. İyi ki Elif Ersavcı çevirmiş de repliklerin şiirselliğini yitirmemişiz. Kendisine tekrar hayran kaldım.
Neil Gaiman bize Sandman’i sunarken peşi sıra bir o kadar da birikim getirmiş. Çünkü Sandman’in bu ilk cildinde Homeros’un Odysseia’sından İncil’e; John Milton’ın Kayıp Cenneti’nden Shakespeare’in Julius Caeser ve Macbeth oyunlarına; Dante’nin Cehennem’inden (Inferno) Mary Poppins’e kadar uzun bir yol var.
Edebi olduğu kadar "ebedi" de bir eser. İyi ki Elif Ersavcı çevirmiş de repliklerin şiirselliğini yitirmemişiz. Kendisine tekrar hayran kaldım.
There really is not much to say besides how much I loved this graphic novel from beginning to end. I am glad that I just went and bought the first three novels. My library didn't have this copy, but also the one I read (volume 2) was much older and with these new editions I bought, I can see a lot easier while reading.
In "Preludes and Nocturnes" I get to see how Dream got locked away and how that impacted the world. I wish now that I had read this volume before volume 2 since now certain things ...more
In "Preludes and Nocturnes" I get to see how Dream got locked away and how that impacted the world. I wish now that I had read this volume before volume 2 since now certain things ...more
At first I wasn't sure if this was going to be for me. It starts off slow, weird, lots of words but very little meaning connecting for me. Then...after issue 2, we get into the goods.
So what's Sandman? Well besides being one of the most talked about and beloved series it's about the king of dreams. You know death right? You know Lucifer right? Well let me tell you, there's also DREAM and he's pretty much just as scary.
So after years of being imprisoned Dream escapes his shackles. Once doing so ...more
So what's Sandman? Well besides being one of the most talked about and beloved series it's about the king of dreams. You know death right? You know Lucifer right? Well let me tell you, there's also DREAM and he's pretty much just as scary.
So after years of being imprisoned Dream escapes his shackles. Once doing so ...more
Sandman has been on my radar for years. In a way I'm glad I've waited, because now that I've read 4 or 5 of the author's other books, I have a better idea of his style and thematic preferences and I can appreciate better how innovative and original his approach to the sequential art medium is. Urban fantasy that doesn't limits itself to crime investigations and vampires versus werewolves, superheroes that are fallible and make mistakes, adult content that doesn't drown you in bad language, nudi
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lit Chicks Podcast: Preludes & Nocturnes | 1 | 3 | May 30, 2018 05:37AM | |
| Why did morpheus wait for 70 years before trying the "I'm dead!" trick? | 13 | 216 | Apr 17, 2018 10:25PM |
Other books in the series
The Sandman
(10 books)
12 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“You get what anybody gets - you get a lifetime.”
—
2347 likes
“CHORONZON: I am a dire wolf, prey-stalking, lethal prowler.
MORPHEUS: I am a hunter, horse-mounted, wolf-stabbing.
CHORONZON: I am a horsefly, horse-stinging, hunter-throwing.
MORPHEUS: I am a spider, fly-consuming, eight legged.
CHORONZON: I am a snake, spider-devouring, posion-toothed.
MORPHEUS: I am an ox, snake-crushing, heavy-footed.
CHORONZON: I am an anthrax, butcher bacterium, warm-life destroying.
MORPHEUS: I am a world, space-floating, life-nurturing.
CHORONZON: I am a nova, all-exploding... planet-cremating.
MORPHEUS: I am the Universe -- all things encompassing, all life embracing.
CHORONZON: I am Anti-Life, the Beast of Judgment. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, gods, worlds... of everything. Sss. And what will you be then, Dreamlord?
MORPHEUS: I am hope.”
—
679 likes
More quotes…
MORPHEUS: I am a hunter, horse-mounted, wolf-stabbing.
CHORONZON: I am a horsefly, horse-stinging, hunter-throwing.
MORPHEUS: I am a spider, fly-consuming, eight legged.
CHORONZON: I am a snake, spider-devouring, posion-toothed.
MORPHEUS: I am an ox, snake-crushing, heavy-footed.
CHORONZON: I am an anthrax, butcher bacterium, warm-life destroying.
MORPHEUS: I am a world, space-floating, life-nurturing.
CHORONZON: I am a nova, all-exploding... planet-cremating.
MORPHEUS: I am the Universe -- all things encompassing, all life embracing.
CHORONZON: I am Anti-Life, the Beast of Judgment. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, gods, worlds... of everything. Sss. And what will you be then, Dreamlord?
MORPHEUS: I am hope.”
