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bluestjuice's review against another edition
3.0
A short collection of comics set in and tied to the Sandman universe, by other authors. So none of this is Neil Gaiman's work, but many of the characters are his. It's kind of uneven, and the volume contains several different components, so I'll speak briefly to each of them.
Merv Pumpkinhead, Agent of D.R.E.A.M. - the conceit of Merv Pumpkinseed as a 007-style special agent is slightly amusing, but not really my style, so this particular story didn't do much for me. I do like Merv as a character and his perpetual use of pumpkin-and-squash-related-jokes kept me moving through what otherwise might have been a kind of dull jaunt.
The Further Adventures of Danny Nod, Heroic Library Assistant - a short one-off comic about a kid who works in Dream's library and takes his job very seriously. He wanders through a lot of classic fantasy literature gathering up errant books, and it's referential and easygoing and charming, if not super deep. I liked it.
The Thessaliad - told in four parts, this story comprises the bulk of this volume, and conveys a tale of attempted assassination and methodical vengeance. The main characters are Thessaly, who we have seen in other Sandman volumes, who is the last of the Thessalonian witches and a serious badass navigator of lore and power, together with an unspecified ghost assassin who acts as her companion as she hunts down the waning gods who are seeking her death as an energy source. It's a pretty well-woven story and well worth the amount of space it takes up in this volume.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Dreams... But Were Afraid to Ask - A short compilation of various vignettes answering FAQs about the dreaming. I didn't find much here to interest me.
Merv Pumpkinhead, Agent of D.R.E.A.M. - the conceit of Merv Pumpkinseed as a 007-style special agent is slightly amusing, but not really my style, so this particular story didn't do much for me. I do like Merv as a character and his perpetual use of pumpkin-and-squash-related-jokes kept me moving through what otherwise might have been a kind of dull jaunt.
The Further Adventures of Danny Nod, Heroic Library Assistant - a short one-off comic about a kid who works in Dream's library and takes his job very seriously. He wanders through a lot of classic fantasy literature gathering up errant books, and it's referential and easygoing and charming, if not super deep. I liked it.
The Thessaliad - told in four parts, this story comprises the bulk of this volume, and conveys a tale of attempted assassination and methodical vengeance. The main characters are Thessaly, who we have seen in other Sandman volumes, who is the last of the Thessalonian witches and a serious badass navigator of lore and power, together with an unspecified ghost assassin who acts as her companion as she hunts down the waning gods who are seeking her death as an energy source. It's a pretty well-woven story and well worth the amount of space it takes up in this volume.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Dreams... But Were Afraid to Ask - A short compilation of various vignettes answering FAQs about the dreaming. I didn't find much here to interest me.
dolcezzina21's review
4.0
It was so much fun to immerse myself in The Dreaming with some of the quirky unique characters and see what they are up to! Bill stayed true to the Sandman Universe.
cjbeaupa's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
abetterbradley's review against another edition
4.0
If you've read and fallen in love with Neil Gaiman's Sandman series then pick up a copy of this book.
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