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Fables & Reflections
(The Sandman #6)
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Fables & Reflections (1993) is the sixth collection of issues in the DC Comics series, The Sandman. It was written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Bryan Talbot, Stan Woch, P. Craig Russell, Shawn McManus, John Watkiss, Jill Thompson, Duncan Eagleson, Kent Williams, Mark Buckingham, Vince Locke and Dick Giordano, coloured by Danny Vozzo and Lovern Kindzierski/Digital Cham
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Hardcover, 263 pages
Published
March 10th 1999
by DC Comics
(first published 1993)
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Start your review of Fables & Reflections (The Sandman, #6)
"Death was a little older than Dream. Things had the potential to die before they had the potential to dream."
The brilliance of this series resides in the fact that it can go anywhere and be almost anything. We all have dreams, and across the ages there has been a huge variety of hopes and wishes and visions of a better world.
And to capture the vastness of dreaming this volume takes on the form of a collection of short stories, each with a different dream and a different idea. Naturally, m ...more
The brilliance of this series resides in the fact that it can go anywhere and be almost anything. We all have dreams, and across the ages there has been a huge variety of hopes and wishes and visions of a better world.
And to capture the vastness of dreaming this volume takes on the form of a collection of short stories, each with a different dream and a different idea. Naturally, m ...more
Nov 20, 2016
Bill Kerwin
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
graphic-novels
The sixth collection—as its title suggests—is a somewhat random grab-bag of tales, only tenuously connected with the Sandman story. Still, there are a couple of themes present here: 1) the fate of empires and emperors, and 2) the ways in which narrative—in dream and song—can sustain hope and foster illusion.
Four of the stories feature historical rulers—Emperor Caesar Augustus, revolutionary leaders Robespierre and St. Just, Caliph Harun al-Rashid, and San Francisco native Joshua Norton (self-pro ...more
A priceless journey through history and folklore!
Creative Team:
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Illustrators: Shawn McManus, P. Graig Russell, Bryan Talbot, Kent Williams, John Watkiss, Jill Thompson, Duncan Eagleson & Stan Woch
Covers: Dave McKean
Letterer: Todd Klein
EMPERORS, CITIES, MONTHS, TEARS & SONGS
In this sixth volume, Fables & Reflections, you will find an illustrated short story right in the beginning of it, even before the introduction, written by Gene Wolfe (which by the way, no offense, bu ...more
Creative Team:
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Illustrators: Shawn McManus, P. Graig Russell, Bryan Talbot, Kent Williams, John Watkiss, Jill Thompson, Duncan Eagleson & Stan Woch
Covers: Dave McKean
Letterer: Todd Klein
EMPERORS, CITIES, MONTHS, TEARS & SONGS
In this sixth volume, Fables & Reflections, you will find an illustrated short story right in the beginning of it, even before the introduction, written by Gene Wolfe (which by the way, no offense, bu ...more
Re-Read: 6/1/20
I still like all the things I've always liked about this volume, but with special emphasis on Fiddler's Green and Marco Polo. That one really got to me this time.
And strangely, The House of Mystery bits. The brothers always did have a special place in my heart, but it was the Rook that really sparked me up. :)
Original Review:
I'm really in the swing of my Sandman re-read and loving every second of it, now.
I love the retelling of Orpheus. Hell, that entire sequence sent chills down ...more
I still like all the things I've always liked about this volume, but with special emphasis on Fiddler's Green and Marco Polo. That one really got to me this time.
And strangely, The House of Mystery bits. The brothers always did have a special place in my heart, but it was the Rook that really sparked me up. :)
Original Review:
I'm really in the swing of my Sandman re-read and loving every second of it, now.
I love the retelling of Orpheus. Hell, that entire sequence sent chills down ...more
My long overdue journey through Sandman continues (I’m not sure which streak lasted longer—my not reading Sandman or my virginity…well, no, that’s not true; we all know which streak lasted longer). Another excellent volume, though the one-off nature of each of the issues contained herein made the flow a bit more uneven than the past couple of volumes. Still, the series as a whole gets better with each volume, and my passion for it has grown considerably since the end of Vol. 2, at which point I
...more
Absolutely LOVED The Song of Orpheus and Fear of Falling. A fun collection but I’m left wondering if the stories are meant to be connected or not? Who knows with Sandman 😂 Full review to come!
Dreams are composed of many things, my son. Of images and hopes, of fears and memories. Memories of the past, and memories of the future...
Volume six is a collection of shorter stories, one-shot issues that may or may not be related to the main story arc, but they offer the author the chance to explore different aspects of the way Dreams shape our world and define our personalities. I actually believe Gaiman is better in this form than in the longer sequences, as he has more creative liberty a ...more
I feel bad every time I don't love a Neil Gaiman book (which seems to be a lot). He's a genius, if you didn't know. So I know my cool factor is pretty low, but especially when I rate one of his books poorly. So I'm sure it's just me. I am unable to see the brilliance. I know.
This was a longer volume, and there were a few stories I liked. However, I admit, I skimmed most of it because I can never get into the stories based in different time periods. They just seem to ramble on. Sometimes I reall ...more
Sep 15, 2012
Rowena
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
own,
graphic-novels
I read a lot of graphic novels (Asterix, Tintin etc) as a child but this was probably my first adult graphic novel.I was seriously impressed. Despite the fact that it was a comic book, and I generally expect to see simple writing in those, the calibre of the writing was very high and the stories were quite intellectual and thought-provoking. The graphics were great too. And, as a history lover, seeing all the famous historical characters in this book was really quite cool.
Just one teensy little ...more
Just one teensy little ...more
This is my least favorite volume so far, most stories bored me and I couldn’t care about the characters and the conclusion of the story especially since they aren’t connected.
Issues 29-31: 2 stars
The Hunt (#38): 4 stars
Soft Places (#39): 2 stars
The Parliement of Rooks(#40): 3 stars
Ramadan (#50): 3 stars
Issues 29-31: 2 stars
The Hunt (#38): 4 stars
Soft Places (#39): 2 stars
The Parliement of Rooks(#40): 3 stars
Ramadan (#50): 3 stars
This 6th volume is, as the title suggests, a collection of fables and reflections. People remembering and reflecting upon certain events in their past; fables from all around the world that have to do with morpheus, the Lord of Dreams.
The individual tales are about:
1. the French Revolution => Orpheus’ (Morpheus’ sons’) head returned to Greece by one of Constantine’s ancestors
2. Augustus Octavius Caesar and his dreams/nightmares about the future of Rome that tie into the deeds of his long-dead u ...more
The individual tales are about:
1. the French Revolution => Orpheus’ (Morpheus’ sons’) head returned to Greece by one of Constantine’s ancestors
2. Augustus Octavius Caesar and his dreams/nightmares about the future of Rome that tie into the deeds of his long-dead u ...more
THE SERIES
When introducing people to graphic novels (especially those who think they're just comic strip superheroes for kids with no depth) I point them in the direction of this beloved series. It chronicles the trials and tribulations of Dream, an Endless being who is something like an Old God who is superior to most known godly beings. He operates in many worlds most specifically Earth.
The Sandman was one of Vertigo's flagship titles, and is available as a series of ten trade paperbacks. It ...more
When introducing people to graphic novels (especially those who think they're just comic strip superheroes for kids with no depth) I point them in the direction of this beloved series. It chronicles the trials and tribulations of Dream, an Endless being who is something like an Old God who is superior to most known godly beings. He operates in many worlds most specifically Earth.
The Sandman was one of Vertigo's flagship titles, and is available as a series of ten trade paperbacks. It ...more
Fables & Reflections was probably my least favorite Sandman volume so far. While I delighted in the single-issue stories in Dream Country, the ones contained in this one didn't thrill me as much. I lost my focus a few times and wished there weren't so many grouped together without a common theme. Dream Country, on the other hand, was the perfect taste of outside-the-plot mini tales.
The stories about Orpheus were the most interesting, being the most relevant to Dream, and I found myself wishing m ...more
The stories about Orpheus were the most interesting, being the most relevant to Dream, and I found myself wishing m ...more
Apr 27, 2019
Madeline O'Rourke
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
graphic-novels,
library-reads
Like Dream Country, Fables & Reflections is a collection of unconnected stories of dreamers throughout history. I really liked that a number of these stories included real historical figures and connected their lives to an interaction with the Sandman. Beyond just showing a different idea of history, they reveal an interesting side of Morpheus. I feel like I tend to think of him as a neutral figure—one who doesn't intefere and make dreams come true. I'm wrong to think this, because it is repeate
...more
Being the sixth volume in the Sandman series, "Reflections and Fables" takes a different twist than readers are accustomed to - a volume entirely of the past. There are nine stories in the volume, each relating to the Sandman universe in its own way, yet each remarkably different and unique in their own way (minus the Orpheus volumes).
The opening chapter, Fear of Falling, really a prologue, is in itself wonderfully written and in only a few pages it packs a powerful message. Other notable chapte ...more
The opening chapter, Fear of Falling, really a prologue, is in itself wonderfully written and in only a few pages it packs a powerful message. Other notable chapte ...more
Sep 28, 2013
Beth
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
public-library,
short-stories,
have-reread,
favorites,
20th-century,
fantasy,
1990s,
read-in-2011,
comics,
series
1/9/2017 - This is my 3rd time reading this collection. I decided to add to the previous review I did last year, since writing an entirely new review for each of the stories seemed like too much work. (Also, I've edited this review so the only spoiler tags are for later volumes; I haven't said anything about major twists in these stories.)
I think this is my favorite of the short story collections, especially for the stories "Thermidor," "Orpheus," and "Ramadan." The 9 stories in this volume all ...more
I think this is my favorite of the short story collections, especially for the stories "Thermidor," "Orpheus," and "Ramadan." The 9 stories in this volume all ...more
Sandman, Vol. 6: Fables and Reflections: Luminous tales of rulers, adventurers, dreamers
After Vol 5: A Game of You, my least favorite Sandman volume so far, I’m happy to report a resounding return to form in Vol 6: Fables and Reflections, a collection of stand-alone stories centered on various prominent figures in different periods of history, including the Emperor of the United States in 19th century San Francisco (“Three Septembers and a January”), Robespierre in early 18th century revolutiona ...more
After Vol 5: A Game of You, my least favorite Sandman volume so far, I’m happy to report a resounding return to form in Vol 6: Fables and Reflections, a collection of stand-alone stories centered on various prominent figures in different periods of history, including the Emperor of the United States in 19th century San Francisco (“Three Septembers and a January”), Robespierre in early 18th century revolutiona ...more
Though the first seems more like a preface than a fully realized story, I was impressed by every one of the nine short stories in this volume, thus the 5 stars. While it's true that each is a standalone, some contain themes that seem to comment (reflect?) on each other; or include recurring characters, such as Orpheus, or even characters from the main storyline, such as Lyta and Johanna Constantine. I discovered another "comment/reflection" as I was, fittingly enough, falling asleep.
I was amused ...more
I was amused ...more
4 - 4.5 Stars
I loved almost all of the fables, except one; but who cares?? This is the Sandman series, and it's all good.
I loved almost all of the fables, except one; but who cares?? This is the Sandman series, and it's all good.
A wonderful pallet cleaner of little tales that build the world.
World: The art is just as beautiful as the rest of the series, so good. The world building here is great, after the huge arcs we've had it's a great little change to have small little intimate character stories that build on the world as a whole. I like the characters we meet and Dream showing up and the interactions are just brilliant, then we get the son and the Greek myths and it's fun. Fantastic.
Story: Little tales that were cha ...more
World: The art is just as beautiful as the rest of the series, so good. The world building here is great, after the huge arcs we've had it's a great little change to have small little intimate character stories that build on the world as a whole. I like the characters we meet and Dream showing up and the interactions are just brilliant, then we get the son and the Greek myths and it's fun. Fantastic.
Story: Little tales that were cha ...more
"It is sometimes a mistake to climb; it is always a mistake never even to make the attempt. If you do not climb you will not fall. This is true. But is it that bad to fail, that hard to fall? (...) Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly."
After Dream Country , this is another collection of short one-issue stories. The ones collected in Fables & Reflections were originally published over a period of three years, and similarly to Volume Three, the stories don't d ...more
After reading the fifth volume in Neil Gaiman’s fantastic “Sandman” series, “A Game of You,” I just had to read the sixth volume of the “Sandman” series called “Fables and Reflections.” In this volume, we are introduced to more miscellaneous stories that involve Morpheus and his siblings’ involvement with various characters’ dreams.
Just like the third volume of the “Sandman” series “Dream Country, “ “Fables and Reflections” is mainly a collection of different tales that detail the adventures tha ...more
Just like the third volume of the “Sandman” series “Dream Country, “ “Fables and Reflections” is mainly a collection of different tales that detail the adventures tha ...more
Like the earlier Sandman collection Dream Country , this one is a grab bag of standalone stories only tenuously connected to one another. Unlike that collection, Fables has nine tales instead of four, all of them originally published in between other story arcs or in one-off specialty issues.
Given these stories' disparate nature (and the fact that I read them in their original publication order, rather than all lumped together), it's hard to give a unified review of the whole thing. Even the ...more
In this sixth book of the Sandman series, Gaiman takes a brief pause from the main storyline. There are nine of new stories in here, some short, others longer, with characters from earlier stories and a host of new ones.
Compared to earlier books, this is not as dark or bleak, and Gaiman has dusted the stories within with a touch of whimsy, but they still have depth and the ability to make you think. Some are based in America, but he travels time and the world in the tales, with Morpheus appear ...more
Compared to earlier books, this is not as dark or bleak, and Gaiman has dusted the stories within with a touch of whimsy, but they still have depth and the ability to make you think. Some are based in America, but he travels time and the world in the tales, with Morpheus appear ...more
Like volume 3 this part also consists of short stories from several different authors where Sandman himself is more or less secondary character.
Stories in this collection where lot better than those in volume 3, which I thought was low point of the series.
It's definitively not as good as volume 2 or 4 but still worthy read for fans of series.
Stories in this collection where lot better than those in volume 3, which I thought was low point of the series.
It's definitively not as good as volume 2 or 4 but still worthy read for fans of series.
Sep 18, 2009
Nicolo Yu
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
collected-comics
The last chapter, "Ramadan." Gets 5 stars though. A nice stand alone tale with great art and design by P. Craig Russell.
The Ramadan arc was wow, just wow. Still, not enough Morpheus in this volume. 4.95.
Fables and Reflections was a collection of short stories (most of which were, obviously, single issues). Many of them I'd read before, but in the continuity of this series I didn't mind reading them again. They are universally good. They are as follows:
"Thermidor", "August", "Three Septembers and a January" and "Ramadan" are all stories I've read and reviewed individually. They are all excellent and weird. This volume doesn't have much to do with the "normal" arc, but rather are stories that hel ...more
"Thermidor", "August", "Three Septembers and a January" and "Ramadan" are all stories I've read and reviewed individually. They are all excellent and weird. This volume doesn't have much to do with the "normal" arc, but rather are stories that hel ...more
I kind of almost want to give this one five stars. And it was all short stories!
I've been slowly making my way through Sandman since last year, but this is really the first time I feel like I've really gotten what this series was about. It was just great from beginning to end. Each of the nine stories were great in their own way, and they tied together thematically as well, but in that great subtle way that sneaks up on you slowly. Normally, there's at least one dud in a short story collection, ...more
I've been slowly making my way through Sandman since last year, but this is really the first time I feel like I've really gotten what this series was about. It was just great from beginning to end. Each of the nine stories were great in their own way, and they tied together thematically as well, but in that great subtle way that sneaks up on you slowly. Normally, there's at least one dud in a short story collection, ...more
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—
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