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The Sandman
The Sandman: Book of Dreams
An entrancing collection of stories based on the World Fantasy Award-winning Sandman comic book series by Neil Gaiman—the basis for the highly anticipated Netflix series and hailed by the Los Angeles Times Magazine as “the greatest epic in the history of comic books”—including contributions from Tori Amos, Clive Barker, Susanna Clarke, Tad Williams, and Gene Wolfe, among other celebrated names in fantasy and horror There is a dark king who rules our dreams from a place of shadows and fantastic things. He is Morpheus, the lord of story. Older than humankind itself, he inhabits -- along with Destiny, Death, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium, his Endless sisters and brothers -- the realm of human consciousness. His powers are myth and nightmare -- inspirations, pleasures, and punishments manifested beneath the blanketing mist of sleep. Surrender to him now. The Book of Dreams is a stunning collection of visions, wonders, horrors, hallucinations, and revelations from twenty-one incomparable dreamers – inspired by the groundbreaking, bestselling graphic novel phenomenon by Neil Gaiman.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
November 3, 2022
I recently grabbed this book off my shelf, intending to just reread my favorite story "An Extra Smidge of Eternity" by Robert Rodi. And somehow ending up rereading the whole thing. I'm AMAZED at how much I'd forgotten from the last time I read it, because they're certainly not forgettable. I think I had as much fun reading this as I did the very first time I read it.
"Splatter" by Will Shetterly is pretty disturbing, but it's wonderful for all of us who wanted to hear just a teeny bit more about the "Cereal Convention" from "A Doll's House." (The answer to the question "Do cereal collectors eat their collection?" has got to be my favorite line in the whole story.) "Masquerade and High Water" is wonderfully sweet, "Each Damp Thing" is great for getting your heart racing, "The Mender of Broken Dreams" gives you a great look at how the Dreaming works (love the little details about fixing the dream of a tapestry) and Stopp't Clock Yard is just amazing in its style and quirky humor. Every single author in this book did an AMAZING job, and how many anthologies have you read where you can say that?
"Splatter" by Will Shetterly is pretty disturbing, but it's wonderful for all of us who wanted to hear just a teeny bit more about the "Cereal Convention" from "A Doll's House." (The answer to the question "Do cereal collectors eat their collection?" has got to be my favorite line in the whole story.) "Masquerade and High Water" is wonderfully sweet, "Each Damp Thing" is great for getting your heart racing, "The Mender of Broken Dreams" gives you a great look at how the Dreaming works (love the little details about fixing the dream of a tapestry) and Stopp't Clock Yard is just amazing in its style and quirky humor. Every single author in this book did an AMAZING job, and how many anthologies have you read where you can say that?
April 25, 2009
For eight years, Gaiman mined this rich vein, only to stop at the height of the series' popularity, at a point in time when he felt the story he had in mind from the beginning had reached its natural conclusion. Gaiman's creations live on however, in DC's new series "The Dreaming", and in this anthology, written by several mainstream (i.e., non-comic book) writers.
Of Morpheus, from the Preface by Frank McConnell: "He is not a god; he is older than all the gods, and is their cause. He is the human capacity to imagine meaning, to tell stories: an anthropomorphic projection of our thirst for mythology. And as such, he is both greater and less than the humans whose dreams he shapes, but whose thirst, after all, shapes him. As Titania would say, he does not exist; and thus he is all that matters."
Masquerade and High Water - Colin Greenland >> Provide insights into the backstage workings of The Endless, specifically that of the Pavilion of Recurrence.
Chain Home, Low - John M. Ford >> What happened to those affected by Morpheus' disappearance during the time he was held captive in Burgess' basement? I almost skipped this story since it seemed to take forever to read.
Stronger than Desire - Lisa Goldstein >> What is stronger than desire--is it love? What follows is a story about Desire and his/her human lover in so long a time, and of a wager between them. Included is a possible explanation of the origin of courtly love.
Each Damp Thing - Barbara Hambly >> A scary piece featuring Cain and Abel. Cain unearths a mirror that Morpheus had hidden away for a pretty good reason.
The Birth Day - B. W. Clough >> Wherein Morpheus visits a storyteller (the New Meeter of the band) who may just be too clever for her own good.
Splatter - Will Shetterly >> A horror writer probably would have preferred to be guest of honor somewhere other than the Cereal Convention. Set at the infamous Serial Killers Convention as seen in "The Doll's House". "The world always made promises. Maybe he should see what the world delivered.".
Seven Nights in Slumberland - George Alec Effinger >> A delightful tribute to both The Sandman and Little Nemo .
Escape Artist - Caitlín R. Kiernan >> A take on the childhood days of Wanda, nee Alvin, Mann, whose first appearance was in the story arc "A Game of You". Having parents who exemplifies religious guilt is one of the worst ways to find out about who you truly are.
An Extra Smidgen of Eternity - Robert Rodi >> "Stories are important. They're all we've got, really. Stories are hope. They take you out of yourself for a bit, and when you get dropped back in, you're different--you're stronger, you've seen more, you've felt more. Stories are like spiritual currency."
Endless Sestina - Lawrence Schimel >> For the sheer accomplishment of it. (Note: A sestina is a classical verse form, six verses of six lines each, in which the final words recombine according to an obvious formula from stanza to stanza.)
The Writer's Child - Tad Williams >> Is a finely crafted story about loyalty and the value of innocence set against the backdrop of Dream or the Player King recognizing it. It reminds me of Lyta Hall--of the dreamstuff invading the waking world.
The Gate of Gold - Mark Kreighbaum >> "Even the Endless must dream." A story of a doll's courage to save his charge from the nightmares that plagues her every night, as a manifestation of her ugly family life.
A Bone Dry Place - Karen Haber >> An appearance of Despair, "She is one of the Endless, sworn to duty here until the universe ends or her elder sister takes over."
The Witch's Heart - Delia Sherman >> Featuring a she-wolf with a human shadow, a Eitch and a Lady (Desire playing yet again one of his/her games) for the quest to retrieve the witch's heart.
The Mender of Broken Dreams - Nancy A. Collins >> One of the denizens of The Dreaming is The Mender, one repairs and restores dreams so they can be re-used from one dreamer to the next. Morpheus speaks of The Dreaming as such:"Every human born has the keys to my kingdom within them. For many the Dreaming is simply a place to escap[e the pressures of being mortal. For a handful of poets and madmen it is the land of portents, signs, and inspiration. But for others, it is the one place where true happiness can be found; where beggars ride as kings, the spurned find love, the hungry feast."
Ain't You 'Most Done? - Gene Wolfe >> What if you were born but you simply have never dreamed? How would it be like for a person to never experience the wonders and horrors of dreaming and nightmares?
Valóság and Élet - Steven Brust >> This one reads very much a leaf from "Brothers Grimm Fairytales" but is no less wonderful. How do you trap the powers of Death & Dream?
Stopp't-Clock Yard - Susanna Clarke >> A tale that could easily have been part of the "World's End" story arc from the original series. (Gaiman himself comments "I wish I had written this story.") Clarke tells the amusing tale of magician Isaac Trismegistus and rogue John Paramore, a pair who invade Morpheus' realm to bring the deceased back to their loved ones. Morpheus is rendered perfectly, a distracted deity, swift to anger, but patient in the extreme. Dream waits out his tormentors, only to have his revenge stolen away by one of his siblings.
Afterword: Death - Tori Amos >> A lyrical meditation on Death by songwriter Tori Amos close the anthology on a strong note (incidentally, this is also the introduction she wrote for "Death: The High Cost of Living"). On describing Death:"She keeps reminding me there is change in the 'what is' but change cannot be made till you accept the 'what is'."
Although the stories are uniformly well crafted, they fail to break any new ground or provide novel insights into the rich cast of familiar characters. Most of the writers here seem content pursuing themes Gaiman has already visited rather than developing their own.
Book Details:
Title The Sandman: Book of Dreams (Signed)
Author Edited by Neil Gaiman & Ed Kramer
Reviewed By Purplycookie
Of Morpheus, from the Preface by Frank McConnell: "He is not a god; he is older than all the gods, and is their cause. He is the human capacity to imagine meaning, to tell stories: an anthropomorphic projection of our thirst for mythology. And as such, he is both greater and less than the humans whose dreams he shapes, but whose thirst, after all, shapes him. As Titania would say, he does not exist; and thus he is all that matters."
Masquerade and High Water - Colin Greenland >> Provide insights into the backstage workings of The Endless, specifically that of the Pavilion of Recurrence.
Chain Home, Low - John M. Ford >> What happened to those affected by Morpheus' disappearance during the time he was held captive in Burgess' basement? I almost skipped this story since it seemed to take forever to read.
Stronger than Desire - Lisa Goldstein >> What is stronger than desire--is it love? What follows is a story about Desire and his/her human lover in so long a time, and of a wager between them. Included is a possible explanation of the origin of courtly love.
Each Damp Thing - Barbara Hambly >> A scary piece featuring Cain and Abel. Cain unearths a mirror that Morpheus had hidden away for a pretty good reason.
The Birth Day - B. W. Clough >> Wherein Morpheus visits a storyteller (the New Meeter of the band) who may just be too clever for her own good.
Splatter - Will Shetterly >> A horror writer probably would have preferred to be guest of honor somewhere other than the Cereal Convention. Set at the infamous Serial Killers Convention as seen in "The Doll's House". "The world always made promises. Maybe he should see what the world delivered.".
Seven Nights in Slumberland - George Alec Effinger >> A delightful tribute to both The Sandman and Little Nemo .
Escape Artist - Caitlín R. Kiernan >> A take on the childhood days of Wanda, nee Alvin, Mann, whose first appearance was in the story arc "A Game of You". Having parents who exemplifies religious guilt is one of the worst ways to find out about who you truly are.
An Extra Smidgen of Eternity - Robert Rodi >> "Stories are important. They're all we've got, really. Stories are hope. They take you out of yourself for a bit, and when you get dropped back in, you're different--you're stronger, you've seen more, you've felt more. Stories are like spiritual currency."
Endless Sestina - Lawrence Schimel >> For the sheer accomplishment of it. (Note: A sestina is a classical verse form, six verses of six lines each, in which the final words recombine according to an obvious formula from stanza to stanza.)
The Writer's Child - Tad Williams >> Is a finely crafted story about loyalty and the value of innocence set against the backdrop of Dream or the Player King recognizing it. It reminds me of Lyta Hall--of the dreamstuff invading the waking world.
The Gate of Gold - Mark Kreighbaum >> "Even the Endless must dream." A story of a doll's courage to save his charge from the nightmares that plagues her every night, as a manifestation of her ugly family life.
A Bone Dry Place - Karen Haber >> An appearance of Despair, "She is one of the Endless, sworn to duty here until the universe ends or her elder sister takes over."
The Witch's Heart - Delia Sherman >> Featuring a she-wolf with a human shadow, a Eitch and a Lady (Desire playing yet again one of his/her games) for the quest to retrieve the witch's heart.
The Mender of Broken Dreams - Nancy A. Collins >> One of the denizens of The Dreaming is The Mender, one repairs and restores dreams so they can be re-used from one dreamer to the next. Morpheus speaks of The Dreaming as such:"Every human born has the keys to my kingdom within them. For many the Dreaming is simply a place to escap[e the pressures of being mortal. For a handful of poets and madmen it is the land of portents, signs, and inspiration. But for others, it is the one place where true happiness can be found; where beggars ride as kings, the spurned find love, the hungry feast."
Ain't You 'Most Done? - Gene Wolfe >> What if you were born but you simply have never dreamed? How would it be like for a person to never experience the wonders and horrors of dreaming and nightmares?
Valóság and Élet - Steven Brust >> This one reads very much a leaf from "Brothers Grimm Fairytales" but is no less wonderful. How do you trap the powers of Death & Dream?
Stopp't-Clock Yard - Susanna Clarke >> A tale that could easily have been part of the "World's End" story arc from the original series. (Gaiman himself comments "I wish I had written this story.") Clarke tells the amusing tale of magician Isaac Trismegistus and rogue John Paramore, a pair who invade Morpheus' realm to bring the deceased back to their loved ones. Morpheus is rendered perfectly, a distracted deity, swift to anger, but patient in the extreme. Dream waits out his tormentors, only to have his revenge stolen away by one of his siblings.
Afterword: Death - Tori Amos >> A lyrical meditation on Death by songwriter Tori Amos close the anthology on a strong note (incidentally, this is also the introduction she wrote for "Death: The High Cost of Living"). On describing Death:"She keeps reminding me there is change in the 'what is' but change cannot be made till you accept the 'what is'."
Although the stories are uniformly well crafted, they fail to break any new ground or provide novel insights into the rich cast of familiar characters. Most of the writers here seem content pursuing themes Gaiman has already visited rather than developing their own.
Book Details:
Title The Sandman: Book of Dreams (Signed)
Author Edited by Neil Gaiman & Ed Kramer
Reviewed By Purplycookie
September 26, 2020
Since finishing the original run of The Sandman there have been countless Sandman stories written by almost as many authors. But before the The Dreaming or Sandman Universe spun tales inspired by Neil Gaiman's Jungian archetype there was
The Sandman: Book of Dreams. It is the first collection of Sandman stories authored by anyone but Gaiman and set the tone for what would be the post-Gaiman Sandman universe that is still expanding 25 years later.
Like any anthology different Book of Dreams authors will appeal to different readers. Some of them are explicitly spinoff from, or fill in parts, of the original series. Other stories are dreams unto themselves; with only foundational reference to Gaiman's tales.
I don't think any reader will give every story 5-stars, but I think that every fan will find a 5-star story, or three, between these covers.
The Sandman: Book of Dreams. It is the first collection of Sandman stories authored by anyone but Gaiman and set the tone for what would be the post-Gaiman Sandman universe that is still expanding 25 years later.
Like any anthology different Book of Dreams authors will appeal to different readers. Some of them are explicitly spinoff from, or fill in parts, of the original series. Other stories are dreams unto themselves; with only foundational reference to Gaiman's tales.
I don't think any reader will give every story 5-stars, but I think that every fan will find a 5-star story, or three, between these covers.
November 14, 2014
-Buen intento, señores, aunque no se logre lo que los lectores esperaban.-
Género. Relatos.
Lo que nos cuenta. Recopilación de relatos, todos escritos para este volumen, basados en el mundo que Neil Gaiman creó en la serie de comics “The sandman”, con aportación gráfica de Clive Barker, prefacio de Frank McConnell, epílogo de Tori Amos (el mismo texto introductorio a “Muerte: el alto coste de la vida”) y comentarios introductorios a cada relato del propio Gaiman, interesantes en general por los diferentes aspectos de El Sueño y de Sandman que deciden explorar pero definitivamente algo lejos de las cotas tan altas que alcanzó el propio comic.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Relatos.
Lo que nos cuenta. Recopilación de relatos, todos escritos para este volumen, basados en el mundo que Neil Gaiman creó en la serie de comics “The sandman”, con aportación gráfica de Clive Barker, prefacio de Frank McConnell, epílogo de Tori Amos (el mismo texto introductorio a “Muerte: el alto coste de la vida”) y comentarios introductorios a cada relato del propio Gaiman, interesantes en general por los diferentes aspectos de El Sueño y de Sandman que deciden explorar pero definitivamente algo lejos de las cotas tan altas que alcanzó el propio comic.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
February 19, 2012
A mixed bag, to be honest. There were some real winners, like Robert Rodi's "An Extra Smidgen of Eternity" and Delia Sherman's "The Witch's Heart". It was nice to see Susannah Clarke's story as well; I started reading her work because Neil Gaiman had said in an interview that she was an author he enjoyed. I didn't care for Lawrence Schimel's "Endless Sestina", but I don't, as a rule, like a lot of poetry. According to wikipedia, several other authors (including Harlan Ellison, Jane Yolen, Charles de Lint, Martha Soukup, Karawynn Long, and Michael Berry) had originally signed up to contribute to the anthology, but dropped out due to some confusion between the contracts DC Vertigo was giving people, and what the anthology's editors had originally promised them. Pity, I would have loved to have seen what Yolen and de Lint would have done with Morpheus. (This also explains Gaiman's dedication page in the edition I read, apologizing to the above writers.)
April 29, 2024
I won this as a part of a Goodreads giveaway (like eighty years ago) - all opinions are my own.
Imagine my pure excitement when I figured out this is a collection of short stories. As someone who both is dumb and suffers from the worst memory out of all mammals over 50lbs, short stories are amazing for putting down and not worrying that I’ll forget everything immediately. That being said, it’s hard to rate them because they’re all different plots, different voices, different authors. Some were great, some made my head hurt. Such is the way of these collections. 3/5 for overall enjoyment 🫶🏼
Imagine my pure excitement when I figured out this is a collection of short stories. As someone who both is dumb and suffers from the worst memory out of all mammals over 50lbs, short stories are amazing for putting down and not worrying that I’ll forget everything immediately. That being said, it’s hard to rate them because they’re all different plots, different voices, different authors. Some were great, some made my head hurt. Such is the way of these collections. 3/5 for overall enjoyment 🫶🏼
April 8, 2012
Like most anthologies, this is a mixed bag, i.e. some stories are better than others. However, even the best don't measure up to the standards of the Sandman comics, so I don't recommend it; at the very least, it's a book to borrow rather than buy.
My favourite story is "Splatter" (by Will Shetterly), set during The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists. It works well on its own merits, but it doesn't quite fit with the source material.
My favourite story is "Splatter" (by Will Shetterly), set during The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists. It works well on its own merits, but it doesn't quite fit with the source material.
November 26, 2013
This is a collection of 18 stories by various authors (not Gaiman himself) who have written their pieces based on Gaiman's great concept of the Endless and of Morpheus, the Sandman, the King of Dreams. I only found two of them to be compelling--hence the three stars. But the two stories themselves are 5 stars for each. These two were the only ones to really bring the Dreaming World into the tale.
Barbara Hambly uses Gaiman's Cain and Abel to compose a chilling story called "Each Damp Thing", where Morpheus must use all his powers to confront the evil Cain has unleased. He is so angry with Cain that he is poised to obliterate him--but Abel pleads for his brother's life, even though he knows they are doomed to repeat their own story forever.
The best one for me is "The Mender of Broken Dreams" by Nancy A. Collins. When the Mender learns who he really is, that moment is the best in the book imho.
I can't imagine anyone "getting" this book unless they are truly fans of the Sandman graphic novels, which have enchanted and haunted me for years. I suppose one could do the inevitable "googling" and get the background of the Endless--but the story is so much more intricate that that.
Thank you to Hambly and Collins for enriching the Dream King and his castle for me.
Barbara Hambly uses Gaiman's Cain and Abel to compose a chilling story called "Each Damp Thing", where Morpheus must use all his powers to confront the evil Cain has unleased. He is so angry with Cain that he is poised to obliterate him--but Abel pleads for his brother's life, even though he knows they are doomed to repeat their own story forever.
The best one for me is "The Mender of Broken Dreams" by Nancy A. Collins. When the Mender learns who he really is, that moment is the best in the book imho.
I can't imagine anyone "getting" this book unless they are truly fans of the Sandman graphic novels, which have enchanted and haunted me for years. I suppose one could do the inevitable "googling" and get the background of the Endless--but the story is so much more intricate that that.
Thank you to Hambly and Collins for enriching the Dream King and his castle for me.
December 29, 2011
I’ll be blunt—this is perhaps not the best anthology of short stories about Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman graphic novels. They are not on par with the quality of the original series, although that’s not saying this collection is totally unreadable. It's just...dominated with duds. There are some shorts that are so engrossing like “Each Damp Thing,” “Splatter,” (my favorite!) and “Stoppt Clock Yard.” I also liked Tori Amos’ epilogue about Death, although technically it’s more like a personal reflection where she “encounters” the quirky Endless. The others just elicited long yawns from me, or just made me feel like getting through them is a chore. I guess they just don’t have the “popcorn for the hungry mind” feel the epic ten-volume series gives the readers.
June 20, 2022
Scary and sad, sweet and loving, an anthology with a bit of everything from both dreams and nightmares with the Endless watching over it. I cared for some of the stories more than others, but as a whole it was a good collection and I recommend it to both fans of the series and those who know nothing of it. Something will suit you.
July 30, 2017
Excellent. I just took a long time to read because each story was bewitching in it's own way, it just didn't feel right to read one immediately after another. There's some dark entrancing magic to every tale. Really a great selection.
January 20, 2014
Some of the stories were amazing, other fell a little flat. I enjoyed the stories that had the Endless in them more prominently more so. Glad to have an extra taste of the Sandman universe, though.
January 21, 2020
I'm not usually into fan fiction but seeing as these stories were endorsed and I think hand selected by Neil Gaiman I figured I'd give it a try. Enjoyed some of the stories more than others. My favorites were "Stronger Than Desire", "Splatter" (this was my fave), "Escape Artist" "An Extra Smidgen of Eternity", "The Writer's Child" (actually maybe this was my fave. Suuuuuper creepy.), "The Witches Heart",
January 28, 2009
I really couldn't get into this book. I realize all the characters were symbolic of different things in life and I realize each story had a theme. Most of the stories, I would get half way through and just give up. I couldn't develop a connection with any of the stories which is a shame because by reading the description of the book, this should be right up my alley.
June 29, 2011
Didn't finish this one; am not counting this as being read this year for that reason.
I like the Sandman universe very well, I just wasn't feeling it too powerfully under other people's direction. Might be my problem, rather than a problem with the stories directly as I didn't read them all.
Oh well, at least there are some graphic novels I haven't read in the series.
I like the Sandman universe very well, I just wasn't feeling it too powerfully under other people's direction. Might be my problem, rather than a problem with the stories directly as I didn't read them all.
Oh well, at least there are some graphic novels I haven't read in the series.
November 4, 2007
This is basically fan fiction. I stopped reading as soon as I had another book in my hand. I love the Endless, but stories about the Endless are best in graphic novel form, and written by Neil Gaiman.
August 26, 2007
The best thing I can say about this collection of stories is that it makes the source material that much better in comparison.
November 22, 2023
"'I am not at all surprised at what your Majestie tells me," cried the King of England. "My subjects are the most unruly that ever poor prince was burdened with, and the men of London are the very worst. For years they rent my realm in pieces with bloody civil wars, wicked rebellions and the impudent government of Oliver Cromwell, and when their republican humor was spent they sent me a letter, begging my pardon for cutting off my father's head and asking me to be their king again...'
(The tall, pale king seemed about to speak, to the King of England hurried on.) '... It is their damp, island climate which is chiefly to blame. The cold and the rain chills the guts and the brain and makes men first melancholy and then mad and then ungovernable. Madness is, as everybody knows, the English malady. But I have colonies, you know. A great many in the Indies and the Americas, and I have hopes that, in time, when all the philosophers and preachers and mad rogues have gone there, then nothing but good, obedient subjects will remain. Does your Majestie have colonies?'
No, said the tall, pale king, he had none.
'Then your Majestie should get some. Straightaway.' The King of England leaned over and patted the king's hand. He was rewarded for this by a very small, very chilly smile.
The pale king asked if it was difficult to make the troublesome subjects go there.
'Oh, no,' said the King of England, 'they go of their own accord. That is the excellent thing about colonies.'"
-- from "Stopp't-Clock Yard" by Susanna Clarke
I'm not saying that I read through the entirety of The Sandman -- all ten original volumes plus various ancillary material -- just so I could read the one story by Susanna Clarke I had not yet read. But I'm not NOT saying that either.
It's no surprise she has pride of place as the very end of the volume and seems to be the one untried writer in the bunch at time of publication in the mid 90s. Almost 30 years later she's one of our great living authors. "Stopp't-Clock Yard" works perfectly as a Sandman tale, weaving together a little ghostly adventure about people who think they can cheat Dream and Death ("like a mosquito that wish't to prick a continent," to borrow one character's turn of phrase). But it's also perfectly Clarke, and almost a rehearsal for Jonathan Strange: arrogant magicians and arcane magic; characters unnaturally called back to life from death; pitch-perfect period prose that is believably antiquated but never twee.
There are several other highlights in this collection, some of my favorites including entries by John M. Ford, Lisa Goldstein, Will Shetterly, Tad Williams, and Gene Wolfe. But I have to be honest, I can't see anyone else when Susanna is in the room.
(The tall, pale king seemed about to speak, to the King of England hurried on.) '... It is their damp, island climate which is chiefly to blame. The cold and the rain chills the guts and the brain and makes men first melancholy and then mad and then ungovernable. Madness is, as everybody knows, the English malady. But I have colonies, you know. A great many in the Indies and the Americas, and I have hopes that, in time, when all the philosophers and preachers and mad rogues have gone there, then nothing but good, obedient subjects will remain. Does your Majestie have colonies?'
No, said the tall, pale king, he had none.
'Then your Majestie should get some. Straightaway.' The King of England leaned over and patted the king's hand. He was rewarded for this by a very small, very chilly smile.
The pale king asked if it was difficult to make the troublesome subjects go there.
'Oh, no,' said the King of England, 'they go of their own accord. That is the excellent thing about colonies.'"
-- from "Stopp't-Clock Yard" by Susanna Clarke
I'm not saying that I read through the entirety of The Sandman -- all ten original volumes plus various ancillary material -- just so I could read the one story by Susanna Clarke I had not yet read. But I'm not NOT saying that either.
It's no surprise she has pride of place as the very end of the volume and seems to be the one untried writer in the bunch at time of publication in the mid 90s. Almost 30 years later she's one of our great living authors. "Stopp't-Clock Yard" works perfectly as a Sandman tale, weaving together a little ghostly adventure about people who think they can cheat Dream and Death ("like a mosquito that wish't to prick a continent," to borrow one character's turn of phrase). But it's also perfectly Clarke, and almost a rehearsal for Jonathan Strange: arrogant magicians and arcane magic; characters unnaturally called back to life from death; pitch-perfect period prose that is believably antiquated but never twee.
There are several other highlights in this collection, some of my favorites including entries by John M. Ford, Lisa Goldstein, Will Shetterly, Tad Williams, and Gene Wolfe. But I have to be honest, I can't see anyone else when Susanna is in the room.
April 16, 2023
Pro mě to bylo velmi příjemné překvapení. Já totiž komiksy vůbec nečtu (opravdu vůbec nikdy) a neznám ani jeden příběh Sandmana. Moc jsem nevěděl, co od téhle sbírky čekat, ale protože mám moc rád Gaimanovy knížky, věřil jsem, že ten svět bude stát za to.
Znamenalo to ale, že jsem se musel do Sandmanova světa napřed tak nějak pročíst, což mi trvalo tak 2-3 úvodní povídky. Pak už mě to ale chytilo a užíval jsem si to až do konce. Nemůžu říct, že bych našel něco nějak slabého, a vypíchnout musím povídku Susanny Clarkové, která byla už v polovině devadesátých let zatraceně dobrá.
Hergot, že bych nějaký ten Sandmanův komiks přece jenom zkusil...
Znamenalo to ale, že jsem se musel do Sandmanova světa napřed tak nějak pročíst, což mi trvalo tak 2-3 úvodní povídky. Pak už mě to ale chytilo a užíval jsem si to až do konce. Nemůžu říct, že bych našel něco nějak slabého, a vypíchnout musím povídku Susanny Clarkové, která byla už v polovině devadesátých let zatraceně dobrá.
Hergot, že bych nějaký ten Sandmanův komiks přece jenom zkusil...
January 27, 2018
I shelved this as fandom because it's basically high-end Sandman fanfic. Fortunately, most of it is very very good. A few are wrenching; only one was too dull to finish. I enjoyed recognizing names that would become more well known later - Susanna Clarke, for example, makes an excellent contribution.
Overall an excellent re-visit to the world of Gaiman's Sandman.
Overall an excellent re-visit to the world of Gaiman's Sandman.
October 4, 2022
I won this book of a goodreads giveaway, thank you HarperCollins.
Not much familiar with the whole Sandman story line, so maybe that is the problem. This was not good. There is one story Splatter which was great, and the reason there is a 3-star instead of a 2. I'm sure that if a person is familiar with the Sandman graphic novels and story line, this may be great.
Not much familiar with the whole Sandman story line, so maybe that is the problem. This was not good. There is one story Splatter which was great, and the reason there is a 3-star instead of a 2. I'm sure that if a person is familiar with the Sandman graphic novels and story line, this may be great.
May 23, 2024
Algunas historias con mejores que otras, o más bien, más fáciles de entender, pero en general, me encantó la variedad de personajes, es como expandir el mundo del cómic. Mi favorita es The Gate of Gold, porque siempre creí que mis muñecos tenían vida entonces estoy traumada.
November 2, 2022
A chilling (but sometimes hopeful) view of The Sandman world as through the eyes of other writers.
June 22, 2023
I wished to live in Gaiman’s mind after reading this book.
December 1, 2025
This is a solid collection of spin-off/inspired/fanfiction stories set in the Sandman universe. Some are better than other, but overall a really good read.
October 20, 2022
Some of the stories have that real Sandman magic, some less so, but all are worth the read.
July 22, 2022
This was one of my favorite reads of 2022 so far! You never know what you're going to get with a short-story collection but the ones that work are magic. This was sublime from with very few weak points. I love The Sandman and the writers here (most of whom I've never read before) did an excellent job capturing the feel of Gaiman's creation. I didn't feel like anyone pushed the story in a totally new direction but that's hard to do since The Sandman is so expansive already. It was enough that the stories either provided additional depth and background color to the established Sandman chronology, or created stories that felt like they could have taken place in the comics.
I found something to enjoy about every story, but the ones listed below were my favorites and made an especially deep impression:
1. "Chain Home, Low" by John M. Ford: A fascinating take on the years of the "sleeping sickness" when Dream was trapped by Roderick Burgess. The narrative meanders a bit, but still feels like authentic Sandman lore.
2. "Splatter" by Will Shetterley: A truly terrifying story that takes place at the "Cereal Convention". The tone was spot on, I really felt like I was reading a long lost Sandman comic.
3. "The Gate of Gold" by Mark Kreighbaum: A meditation on the purpose of dreams and nightmares that will tug on your heartstrings.
4. "A Bone Dry Place" by Karen Haber: This story fleshes out the connection between a crisis hotline and impending doom. Like the Sandman comics, it takes a tragedy you'd want to look away from and forces you to look at the humanity, and beyond it to hope.
5. "The Mender of Broken Dreams" by Karen A. Haber: A peek behind the curtain at the workings of Dream's domain. Sincere and impactful.
6. "Stopp't Clock Yard" by Susanna Clarke: Possibly my favorite story of the collection overall. It doesn't involve Shakespeare but is close to him in time and place, and fits right in with those stories from the comics.
Nothing can top the original but these stories provide fantastic bonus material. Highly recommend! And if you've never read the Sandman comics, these are close enough to the real thing to give you an idea of if you'd enjoy the comics or not.
I found something to enjoy about every story, but the ones listed below were my favorites and made an especially deep impression:
1. "Chain Home, Low" by John M. Ford: A fascinating take on the years of the "sleeping sickness" when Dream was trapped by Roderick Burgess. The narrative meanders a bit, but still feels like authentic Sandman lore.
2. "Splatter" by Will Shetterley: A truly terrifying story that takes place at the "Cereal Convention". The tone was spot on, I really felt like I was reading a long lost Sandman comic.
3. "The Gate of Gold" by Mark Kreighbaum: A meditation on the purpose of dreams and nightmares that will tug on your heartstrings.
4. "A Bone Dry Place" by Karen Haber: This story fleshes out the connection between a crisis hotline and impending doom. Like the Sandman comics, it takes a tragedy you'd want to look away from and forces you to look at the humanity, and beyond it to hope.
5. "The Mender of Broken Dreams" by Karen A. Haber: A peek behind the curtain at the workings of Dream's domain. Sincere and impactful.
6. "Stopp't Clock Yard" by Susanna Clarke: Possibly my favorite story of the collection overall. It doesn't involve Shakespeare but is close to him in time and place, and fits right in with those stories from the comics.
Nothing can top the original but these stories provide fantastic bonus material. Highly recommend! And if you've never read the Sandman comics, these are close enough to the real thing to give you an idea of if you'd enjoy the comics or not.
September 4, 2022
Mixed quality of stories (many had similar themes) but Susanna Clarke's story was magical and pretty much entirely makes up all the stars I've given
September 14, 2022
My opinion on this, Anything this man writes will always be a 5 star in my book. He can do no wrong in my eyes. I am grateful to have won an ARC. Especially short stories format. If you ever want to read something that has to do with quirkiness or weirdness or just want a really good read!! Get a great icon author and just pick up one of his books.
March 30, 2023
this averaged out to Not Good. There are 19 short stories, and this was published in 1996 so maybe I should've lowered my standards. However I've enjoyed enough books from before 2000. So here's my review, speedrun style.
1. Masquerade and High Water- Colin Greenland. I mean it was fine. It's simple it's short and sweet.
2. Chain Home, Low -John M. Ford. What kind of world war 2 & american football obsessed bullshit was that.
3. Stronger than Desire- Lisa Goldstein. Love me a plot where someone attempts to make a deal with a deity out of love.
4. Each Damp Thing- Barbara Hambly. Why would you do people with a stutter like this + this was viscerally disgusting description wise.
5. The Birth Day- B. W. Clough. Don't do disabled people like that, and don't do women like that.
6. Splatter- Will Shetterly. Get Therapy.
7. Seven Nights in Slumberland- George Alec Effinger. Once I got over the child being named Nemo it's fun.
8. Escape Artist- Caítlin Kiernan. Trans grief but not in the death way in the trauma way.
9. An Extra Smidgen of Eternity- Robert Rodi. Trans rights. Bittersweet, a little story before you go.
10. The Writer's Child- Tad Williams. Disgusting. I don't care that it's a tale to learn something from. We already know men are capable of true horrors.
11. Endless Sestina- Lawrence Shimel. It's a poem, it's fine. No sins committed.
12. The Gate of Gold- Mark Kreighbaum. A shorter, slightly less horrifying version of 10. If a child's doll or teddy bear has to save them/their mother from their father by asking Morpheus for help I'm no longer into it. I have seen the sins of man, stop showing them to me.
13. A Bone Dry Place- Karen Haber. Yes. Involves Delirium, Despair, and Morpheus. I had a great time.
4. The Witch's Heart- Delia Sherman. I know having a happy ending probably didn't fit but man if it had a happy ending you'd be ranked so much higher. Gay rights.
15. The Mender of Broken Dreams- Nancy A. Collins. Why'd you do autistics like that. No, you could've been great. Nice job tanking it.
16. Ain't You 'most Done? -Gene Wolfe. What kind of sad CEO last moments shit was that. No. It's giving narcissism.
17. Valóság and Élet- Steven Brust. My fave, I always want a tale of children tricking deities. Short, good, and I actually loved it.
18. Stopp't Clock Yard- Susanna Clarke. Felt weird. Ringing alarm bells I haven't labelled yet.
19. Afterword: Death- Tori Amos. Simply nice. It's nice.
In conclusion I didn't love this. I suffered too much. Didn't wanna go on a rollercoaster ride in terms of quality but here we are. I made a chart. Don't read this.
1. Masquerade and High Water- Colin Greenland. I mean it was fine. It's simple it's short and sweet.
2. Chain Home, Low -John M. Ford. What kind of world war 2 & american football obsessed bullshit was that.
3. Stronger than Desire- Lisa Goldstein. Love me a plot where someone attempts to make a deal with a deity out of love.
4. Each Damp Thing- Barbara Hambly. Why would you do people with a stutter like this + this was viscerally disgusting description wise.
5. The Birth Day- B. W. Clough. Don't do disabled people like that, and don't do women like that.
6. Splatter- Will Shetterly. Get Therapy.
7. Seven Nights in Slumberland- George Alec Effinger. Once I got over the child being named Nemo it's fun.
8. Escape Artist- Caítlin Kiernan. Trans grief but not in the death way in the trauma way.
9. An Extra Smidgen of Eternity- Robert Rodi. Trans rights. Bittersweet, a little story before you go.
10. The Writer's Child- Tad Williams. Disgusting. I don't care that it's a tale to learn something from. We already know men are capable of true horrors.
11. Endless Sestina- Lawrence Shimel. It's a poem, it's fine. No sins committed.
12. The Gate of Gold- Mark Kreighbaum. A shorter, slightly less horrifying version of 10. If a child's doll or teddy bear has to save them/their mother from their father by asking Morpheus for help I'm no longer into it. I have seen the sins of man, stop showing them to me.
13. A Bone Dry Place- Karen Haber. Yes. Involves Delirium, Despair, and Morpheus. I had a great time.
4. The Witch's Heart- Delia Sherman. I know having a happy ending probably didn't fit but man if it had a happy ending you'd be ranked so much higher. Gay rights.
15. The Mender of Broken Dreams- Nancy A. Collins. Why'd you do autistics like that. No, you could've been great. Nice job tanking it.
16. Ain't You 'most Done? -Gene Wolfe. What kind of sad CEO last moments shit was that. No. It's giving narcissism.
17. Valóság and Élet- Steven Brust. My fave, I always want a tale of children tricking deities. Short, good, and I actually loved it.
18. Stopp't Clock Yard- Susanna Clarke. Felt weird. Ringing alarm bells I haven't labelled yet.
19. Afterword: Death- Tori Amos. Simply nice. It's nice.
In conclusion I didn't love this. I suffered too much. Didn't wanna go on a rollercoaster ride in terms of quality but here we are. I made a chart. Don't read this.
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