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Selections from Fragile Things #5
Selections from Fragile Things, Volume Five
This collection includes In the End; Goliath; Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky; How to Talk to Girls at Parties; The Day the Saucers Came; Sunbird; and Inventing Aladdin.
- GenresFantasy
500 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2009
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77 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 15, 2011
The SEQUEL to the Fall of Man...THE MATRIX through the unique Gaiman lens...The TERRIFYING truth behind the ARABIAN NIGHTS...and the only true R.A. LAFFERTY story that was NOT written by Lafferty himself...
Neil Gaiman surprises, entertains and deeply impresses in this collection of short story gems!!!
Fragile Things, Comprehensive Review, Part 5: As I mentioned in my reviews of the previous 4 “Selections,” Fragile Things is in my All Time Top 5 for best single author compilation of short fiction. Since the stories are now available in ebook format as multiple selections (each containing up to 9 stories depending on the length), I thought it might be helpful to do a more detailed review for each story which this format makes practical. Otherwise, I would have ended up skipping over stories or doing one ginormous review that may have just been too much. Anyway, hopefully this is helpful***.
***NOTE: Each of the six different "Fragile Things" selections will have their own review but the opening paragraph above will be substantially similar in each. I wanted to try and have each review stand on its own as well as contribute to the overall whole. Therefore, if you are reading this note for the first time and want to read the other 5 reviews, you can skip down to the BEGIN REVIEW for the other installments.
BEGIN REVIEW:
Part Five contains the following stories:
1. In the End,
2. Goliath,
3. Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky,
4. How to Talk to Girls at Parties,
5. The Day the Saucers Came,
6. Sunbird, and
7. Inventing Aladdin.
Overall, I would rate these next 9 pieces at a solid 5.0 stars with EVERY STORY but one being a STANDOUT...that one non-standout being: Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky.
This group of stories starts off with a STANDOUT and one of my three favorite “non-story” short pieces (as I refer to them) in the whole collection. In the End is a one page retelling (or perhaps sequel) of the Genesis story of Adam and Eve but told in reverse. That is all I will say so you can experience it for yourself but I thought it was clever, insightful and quite powerful. 5.0 stars.
Up second is another STANDOUT called Goliath, which is a terrific “Matrix” inspired story that I thought was brilliant. This is one of the few pieces by Neil Gaiman that I think fits comfortably within the category of “science fiction” and it makes me wish he would attempt a novel set within the genre. I don't want to even mention the plot as I think the Matrix reference might already be a bit of spoiler so let me just say that if you like the Matrix, I think you will enjoy this story. Definitely a highlight of the collection. 5.0 stars.
Next is the story with the longest title I have yet come across, Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky. This is another "non-story" short piece written by Gaiman for a Tori Amos album and was the only piece from this group that I did not love. Well-written and with its own sense of charm, but not one that I connected with as I did with so many of the other stories in this collection. Decent, but not great. 2.5 to 3.0 stars.
The Fourth selection is How to Talk to Girls at Parties which is another STANDOUT in the collection. A terrific tale of two teenage boys crashing a very “unusual” party filled with beautiful girls in a uniquely Gaimanesque take on teen shyness and angst. A wonderful story. 5.0 stars.
Up next is another STANDOUT “non-story” short piece. The Day the Saucers Came is a whimsical and yet sad two page poem/story about the danger of allowing oneself to live so much for another that you miss out on the excitement and joy of your own life. On reflection, I found this to be a truly powerful piece. 5.0 to 5.5 stars.
Story 6 is the STANDOUT of STANDOUTS in this phenomenal selection. Sunbird is a story that Neil Gaiman wrote as a present for his daughter’s 18th birthday that in, typical Gaiman fashion, was not ready until she was 19 years old. The wait was worth it as this is as good as it gets. For those of you that have read R.A. Lafferty, you know that his stories are as unique as anything ever written and you can instantly identify them by the prose. Gaiman set out to write a “Lafferty” type story and showed the genius of his talent by succeeding BRILLIANTLY. I could honestly not distinguish this story from the best that I have read from Lafferty and that is saying a lot. The plot itself concerns the members of the Epicurean Club, an eclectic group whose members only common trait is a love of unique and original food, trying to locate and consume the mythological Phoenix Bird (aka the Sunbird). Hilarious, intelligent and truly unique. 6.0 stars.
Finally, this collection ends with another phenomenal short-piece called Inventing Aladdin which puts a grim, terrifying aspect to 1001 tales of the Arabian Nights. Short, deftly written and evocative. I loved it. 5.0 stars.
Well, that does it for this selection. Again, as I have done in my previous reviews for Parts 1-4, I want to point out for those who enjoy audiobooks that all of these stories are available as unabridged readings byNeil Gaiman himself. It is hard to imagine anyone doing a better job reading his stories than he can. He is a tremendous narrator and I would certainly recommend checking it out if you have the chance.
Next up in Volume 6:
The Monarch of the Glen (a sequel to American Gods)
Link to review of Volume 6: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Neil Gaiman surprises, entertains and deeply impresses in this collection of short story gems!!!
Fragile Things, Comprehensive Review, Part 5: As I mentioned in my reviews of the previous 4 “Selections,” Fragile Things is in my All Time Top 5 for best single author compilation of short fiction. Since the stories are now available in ebook format as multiple selections (each containing up to 9 stories depending on the length), I thought it might be helpful to do a more detailed review for each story which this format makes practical. Otherwise, I would have ended up skipping over stories or doing one ginormous review that may have just been too much. Anyway, hopefully this is helpful***.
***NOTE: Each of the six different "Fragile Things" selections will have their own review but the opening paragraph above will be substantially similar in each. I wanted to try and have each review stand on its own as well as contribute to the overall whole. Therefore, if you are reading this note for the first time and want to read the other 5 reviews, you can skip down to the BEGIN REVIEW for the other installments.
BEGIN REVIEW:
Part Five contains the following stories:
1. In the End,
2. Goliath,
3. Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky,
4. How to Talk to Girls at Parties,
5. The Day the Saucers Came,
6. Sunbird, and
7. Inventing Aladdin.
Overall, I would rate these next 9 pieces at a solid 5.0 stars with EVERY STORY but one being a STANDOUT...that one non-standout being: Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky.
This group of stories starts off with a STANDOUT and one of my three favorite “non-story” short pieces (as I refer to them) in the whole collection. In the End is a one page retelling (or perhaps sequel) of the Genesis story of Adam and Eve but told in reverse. That is all I will say so you can experience it for yourself but I thought it was clever, insightful and quite powerful. 5.0 stars.
Up second is another STANDOUT called Goliath, which is a terrific “Matrix” inspired story that I thought was brilliant. This is one of the few pieces by Neil Gaiman that I think fits comfortably within the category of “science fiction” and it makes me wish he would attempt a novel set within the genre. I don't want to even mention the plot as I think the Matrix reference might already be a bit of spoiler so let me just say that if you like the Matrix, I think you will enjoy this story. Definitely a highlight of the collection. 5.0 stars.
Next is the story with the longest title I have yet come across, Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky. This is another "non-story" short piece written by Gaiman for a Tori Amos album and was the only piece from this group that I did not love. Well-written and with its own sense of charm, but not one that I connected with as I did with so many of the other stories in this collection. Decent, but not great. 2.5 to 3.0 stars.
The Fourth selection is How to Talk to Girls at Parties which is another STANDOUT in the collection. A terrific tale of two teenage boys crashing a very “unusual” party filled with beautiful girls in a uniquely Gaimanesque take on teen shyness and angst. A wonderful story. 5.0 stars.
Up next is another STANDOUT “non-story” short piece. The Day the Saucers Came is a whimsical and yet sad two page poem/story about the danger of allowing oneself to live so much for another that you miss out on the excitement and joy of your own life. On reflection, I found this to be a truly powerful piece. 5.0 to 5.5 stars.
Story 6 is the STANDOUT of STANDOUTS in this phenomenal selection. Sunbird is a story that Neil Gaiman wrote as a present for his daughter’s 18th birthday that in, typical Gaiman fashion, was not ready until she was 19 years old. The wait was worth it as this is as good as it gets. For those of you that have read R.A. Lafferty, you know that his stories are as unique as anything ever written and you can instantly identify them by the prose. Gaiman set out to write a “Lafferty” type story and showed the genius of his talent by succeeding BRILLIANTLY. I could honestly not distinguish this story from the best that I have read from Lafferty and that is saying a lot. The plot itself concerns the members of the Epicurean Club, an eclectic group whose members only common trait is a love of unique and original food, trying to locate and consume the mythological Phoenix Bird (aka the Sunbird). Hilarious, intelligent and truly unique. 6.0 stars.
Finally, this collection ends with another phenomenal short-piece called Inventing Aladdin which puts a grim, terrifying aspect to 1001 tales of the Arabian Nights. Short, deftly written and evocative. I loved it. 5.0 stars.
Well, that does it for this selection. Again, as I have done in my previous reviews for Parts 1-4, I want to point out for those who enjoy audiobooks that all of these stories are available as unabridged readings byNeil Gaiman himself. It is hard to imagine anyone doing a better job reading his stories than he can. He is a tremendous narrator and I would certainly recommend checking it out if you have the chance.
Next up in Volume 6:
The Monarch of the Glen (a sequel to American Gods)
Link to review of Volume 6: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
September 30, 2021
This second compilation of Gaiman's short stories from Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders and poems contains some entries that have occurred in other collections, including the following:-
■ In The End - 3⭐ - Alternative take on the Biblical version of the beginning of the end.
■ Goliath - 4⭐ - Surprisingly wonderful short story set in the world of The Matrix.
■ Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky - 1⭐ - Meandering journal notes based on a Tori Amos song.
■ How to Talk to Girls at Parties - 4⭐ - To teenage boys, girls might as well come from another planet.
■ The Day The Saucers Came - 3⭐ - Short free poem about the end of the world, with a surprisingly sad last line.
■ Sunbird - 4⭐ - Tribute to R.A. Lafferty, a captivating Epicurean tale about gastronomical excess.
■ Inventing Aladdin - 3⭐ - A poem about how Scherazade invents the story of Aladdin, with nice, rhyming meter.
■ In The End - 3⭐ - Alternative take on the Biblical version of the beginning of the end.
■ Goliath - 4⭐ - Surprisingly wonderful short story set in the world of The Matrix.
■ Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky - 1⭐ - Meandering journal notes based on a Tori Amos song.
■ How to Talk to Girls at Parties - 4⭐ - To teenage boys, girls might as well come from another planet.
■ The Day The Saucers Came - 3⭐ - Short free poem about the end of the world, with a surprisingly sad last line.
■ Sunbird - 4⭐ - Tribute to R.A. Lafferty, a captivating Epicurean tale about gastronomical excess.
■ Inventing Aladdin - 3⭐ - A poem about how Scherazade invents the story of Aladdin, with nice, rhyming meter.
January 5, 2013
Excellent.
January 15, 2013
Magnificent, as any Gaiman.
November 28, 2013
listen to neil read along while you read the book.
such fun.
he sounds like alan rickman.. or is it just me
such fun.
he sounds like alan rickman.. or is it just me
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews