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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
Sandman made up a majority of my exposure to graphic novels in my high school years, and I've met many wonderful people who became my friends through our mutual love for this series. Having started watching a few episodes of the TV series last year, I felt nostalgic for those books... but I also realized I never got around to reading Endless Nights.
Each chapter is dedicated to the Endless and the kinds of stories that spawn from their influence. The art styles of each chapter reflect perfectly to whom each story is dedicated to:
Death is poetic and melancholic, Desire is erotic and voyeuristic, Dream is fantastical and mythical, Despair drowns in misery, Delirium tells a simple story in the most chaotic way imaginable, Destruction carries a mystery that ends with a bang, and Destiny wraps everything up in a reflective manner.
This was honestly the best way for an old fan to jump back into this amazing world. If you're like me, and you want to get back into reading this series, this is a great way to jump back in. Newer readers might also like this series, although I strongly feel that Preludes & Nocturnes is still the best entry point in the series.
Each chapter is dedicated to the Endless and the kinds of stories that spawn from their influence. The art styles of each chapter reflect perfectly to whom each story is dedicated to:
Death is poetic and melancholic, Desire is erotic and voyeuristic, Dream is fantastical and mythical, Despair drowns in misery, Delirium tells a simple story in the most chaotic way imaginable, Destruction carries a mystery that ends with a bang, and Destiny wraps everything up in a reflective manner.
This was honestly the best way for an old fan to jump back into this amazing world. If you're like me, and you want to get back into reading this series, this is a great way to jump back in. Newer readers might also like this series, although I strongly feel that Preludes & Nocturnes is still the best entry point in the series.
A reread.
A lot of this is pretty-but-confusing, or "gratuitous appearances by..." The Desire story was my favorite.
A lot of this is pretty-but-confusing, or "gratuitous appearances by..." The Desire story was my favorite.
Don't bother. Seemed more of a money-grab book than like Neil had a whole lot to say about these foundational characters.
I thought Desire's story, "What I've Tasted of Desire," had the most to offer in the way of new storytelling, and that's despite the fact it was populated fully by a veritable tribe of sex dolls and soldiers. Delirium's story, "Going Inside," was interesting but half-baked, even for Delirium. Even Dream's story, "The Heart of a Star" was territory so well-trod as to render it fairly forgettable. On the whole, Endless Nights was just supremely underwhelming.
If you want good storytelling, go for Coraline, Neverwhere, the excellent Stardust (graphic novel version illustrated superbly by Charles Vess), or stick with the main Sandman series, not this codswallop. It's an ending, but ultimately I preferred even the meh-ness of The Wake.
I thought Desire's story, "What I've Tasted of Desire," had the most to offer in the way of new storytelling, and that's despite the fact it was populated fully by a veritable tribe of sex dolls and soldiers. Delirium's story, "Going Inside," was interesting but half-baked, even for Delirium. Even Dream's story, "The Heart of a Star" was territory so well-trod as to render it fairly forgettable. On the whole, Endless Nights was just supremely underwhelming.
If you want good storytelling, go for Coraline, Neverwhere, the excellent Stardust (graphic novel version illustrated superbly by Charles Vess), or stick with the main Sandman series, not this codswallop. It's an ending, but ultimately I preferred even the meh-ness of The Wake.
Mostly very good, slightly let down by one not very good story.
Endless Nights is a collection of seven short stories each featuring one of the Endless from the Sandman comic series. The Endless are seven immortal brothers and sisters that personify an abstract concept like Death, Despair, Dream (aka The Sandman), etc. You don't need to know any of the previous Sandman installments in order to enjoy this work. Gaiman continues his reputation as a master storyteller with haunting, bittersweet, and nightmarish tales. If you like this book, check out Gaiman's Sandman series. You won't be dissapointed! -Louis
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
It breaks my heart to write this because I so loved each and every volume of The Sandman so far but I really only understood half of the stories in this volume. Maybe I'm not smart enough. I was really looking forward to this one too because I thought I would learn more about the Endless as each story was about them. I didn't learn anything more. And Lucien doesn't even make an appearance.
The first story was about Death and Venice and I loved it. She is my favourite character and this story did not disappoint. The artwork was beautiful. But really, Neil Gaiman had me at Death and Venice. The next story was about Desire and I also loved it. The artwork was absolutely stunning.
It kinda went downhill from there.
The next story was about a young Dream and the other Endless. I really loved the sibling dynamic between Dream and Desire and it was very cool to see a young Delight. But, I only understood the story on the surface. I didn't really get very deep meaning from it. I know I was supposed to but, again, feeling sorta dumb. Artwork beyond gorgeous in this story!
Despair's portraits were just too deep? too esoteric? too intellectual? too dark? I'm still unsure. I didn't even know what I was looking at most of the time. Portrait #2 was probably the best I could get at. It made me feel despair. The whole story did. I guess that was the point?
Delirium's story was another one that I understood only on the surface. I love that character. Not gonna lie, disappointed. The Destruction story was again, difficult for me to understand. This is where I really started to question my intelligence. Was it the wine? Was I too tired? Destiny's story was the shortest of the lot. I did like that one and the artwork was lovely.
So, how do I, a mere mortal, rate this volume? I feel very unworthy as it is beautiful, confusing, has loads of feels, half the stories are the bomb, but half I just don't understand. Maybe that is the mark of a genius? Neil Gaiman is a favourite of mine and I am looking forward to continuing my Endless journey.
The first story was about Death and Venice and I loved it. She is my favourite character and this story did not disappoint. The artwork was beautiful. But really, Neil Gaiman had me at Death and Venice. The next story was about Desire and I also loved it. The artwork was absolutely stunning.
It kinda went downhill from there.
The next story was about a young Dream and the other Endless. I really loved the sibling dynamic between Dream and Desire and it was very cool to see a young Delight. But, I only understood the story on the surface. I didn't really get very deep meaning from it. I know I was supposed to but, again, feeling sorta dumb. Artwork beyond gorgeous in this story!
Despair's portraits were just too deep? too esoteric? too intellectual? too dark? I'm still unsure. I didn't even know what I was looking at most of the time. Portrait #2 was probably the best I could get at. It made me feel despair. The whole story did. I guess that was the point?
Delirium's story was another one that I understood only on the surface. I love that character. Not gonna lie, disappointed. The Destruction story was again, difficult for me to understand. This is where I really started to question my intelligence. Was it the wine? Was I too tired? Destiny's story was the shortest of the lot. I did like that one and the artwork was lovely.
So, how do I, a mere mortal, rate this volume? I feel very unworthy as it is beautiful, confusing, has loads of feels, half the stories are the bomb, but half I just don't understand. Maybe that is the mark of a genius? Neil Gaiman is a favourite of mine and I am looking forward to continuing my Endless journey.
Very uneven. If it weren't Gaiman, I'd call it a Spider Man 3 money grab.
It was really nice to spend some time with the other Endless. The inconsistency in art styles admittedly bothered me in some of the proper Sandman works, but all the art worked so very well in this collection, the different styles truly fitting its assigned Endless.