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Enter the Sandman

I had heard of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman from a friend of mine, a long time ago, but I never sat down to read it until Evan e-mailed me and asked me if I wanted to be a part of his book club. I figured that this was the perfect incentive. We were to read the entire series, for the entire year, one volume a month. The wait would be devastating, though, because I finished the book rather quickly and would have to wait awhile to read the second volume :)

The Sandman begins with an ancient magic society trying to capture Death, but instead receives the Sandman (called many different names and titles throughout the book). They decide to trap him anyway, trying to bargain with him, stealing his tools and clothing. However, for the duration of his imprisonment, he witnesses two generations of human lives pass, and is finally free–but, not without dire consequences. People all over the world have suffered from a sleeping sickness, in which they are unable to wake up. Full lifetimes have passed for some, who are only awake for a few dazed moments, before falling back asleep. Additionally, his kingdom has fallen apart. The King sets on a quest to find the three tools he needs in order to restore his power, and consequently, the world.

We meet all sorts of characters, and witness all sorts of horrors, as other Vertigo characters make their cameos. It’s a dark series, yet there is still a sense of hope in humanity. Gaiman has somehow sculpted the perfect character for The King of Dreams. He is an incredibly likable character.

Anyway, this is only Preludes & Nocturnes. I highly recommend it, though, and will continue to read the series!

Written on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 @ 11:03PM | Filed in Books |

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