Rating: 
Summary: Morpheus who?
Review: Before he broke out full time into the world of novel writing Gaiman's reputation mostly rested on a relative handful number of comic books he had written, most notably (though not his best stuff) The Sandman series which showed his ability to toy with fantasy and myth to a near demented degree previously not expected for comic books. At best it was flat out amazing, at worst it was merely pleasant. Name recognition alone probably drove a lot of Gaiman starved Sandman fans to this book but fortunately it has much broader appeal as a contemporary fantasy. In this tale normal guy Richard Mayhew helps a stranger and winds up falling through the cracks into "London Below" a quasi-mystical world that coexists and yet can't be seen by "London Above". Now Richard, with a bizarre cast of comrades has to help the lady Door figure out how killed her family and what it all means, while dodging all sorts of unpleasantness that keeps popping up. The idea of a fantastic dark London overlapping the normal London isn't anything new (DC Comics' Hellblazer went over that concept all the time and "Midnight Nation" applies it to the entire US) but the key to a story like this is imagination which Gaiman has in spades. Every texture of the London Below feels real, and almost every page has some bizarre occurance or some off kilter social commentary disguised as fantasy coming from all sides. He has more good ideas than any man should possibly have and these ideas and his brilliant descriptions are what carry the novel, for the most part, you can read the whole thing like a travelogue and just become immersed in this strange and amazing world. The plot doesn't hold up so well and at times requires some dubious leaps of logic to connect two points together and for some reason, even though the whole story is executed brilliantly, the emotional center feels a bit hollow, most of the characters are painted with broad strokes and while I was incredibly interested in their plights, I didn't really care as deeply as I should have. Gaiman succeeds best when he's trying to darkly whimsical (most of the story), creepy (the scenes with Vandermar and Croup are sporadically effective, though the "ruthless killers who talk like Oxford graduates" has been done by everyone from Hannibal Lecter on down) or sentimental, which for the most part were the same problems with dogged the weaker Sandman stories. But his boundless imagination carries everything even through the slower moments when it just seems like one of those useless fantasy "Point A to Point B" quests and the ending is absolutely pitch-perfect, even though you suspect it's coming, watching him pull it off is definitely watching a genius at work. Gaiman fans will find this the greatest novel of all time of course (sorry, best fantasy novel is still "Little, Big", folks) others not exposed to him will find this an absolutely pleasant and quick read that immerses them in a world that if not for the danger (and hey even then) most of us wouldn't mind living in. Or at least visiting.
Rating: 
Summary: Clever plot-disappointing characters
Review: I read this book while on maternity driven bed rest so my hormones may have tainted my view of the book. I loved GOOD OMENS and was taken aback by the shallow characters and gruesome descriptions found in NEVERWHERE.
Richard Mayhew finds himself sucked into an alternate world below London where magic and monsters are very very real. This is no fairy tale world of good knights and evil wizards. No one is what they appear to be. In fact after meeting Door, a beautiful girl on the run from the bad guys, Richard isn't what he appears to be anymore either. His identity starts to fade and people don't seem to remember him at all. Including his girlfriend! Richard correctly assumes that his problems are a direct result of his meeting the curious runaway who has now disappeared. In his search for the girl he is drawn into a dark, nasty world of evil and deception.
Although the plot was cleverly conceived I found the characters a bit flat. You wanted more. You wanted to know more and feel more about these people trapped in this hellish alternate reality, but you were denied. The visual descriptions of the underworld were quite vivid but they didn't make up for the shallow people walking around in it. (some of the vivid descriptions would have been better not quite so vivid...yuck) Over all I found the storyline made the read worthwhile but it's not something I'd recommend to anyone but hardcore fans of Gaiman or those who don't find characterization that important to their fiction.
Rating:
Summary: No deed goes unnoticed
Review: Wow. When I first heard of Neverwhere, I didn't expect it to be so well written. Gaiman has done more than written a modernized version of Alice in Wonderland, he has created an entire world that is both fascinating and horrifying at the same time, both amusing and deadly at the same time. His wonderful tie-ins with the real Underground ("Mind the Gap!" and "The Earl's Court") make the book even greater. The ending was not quite what I expected, but it leaves the reader with a sense of closure anyway. A definitely good read.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite escape novel
Review: I'm a big fan of Neil Gaiman, and I bought this book as soon as it came out. It became one of my favorite novels to read, and when I was depressed I'd hide in my room and read it for escape and pretend I was in London Below. Neverwhere is one of those books that is so easy to slip into and feel like you fit right in. The characterizations of Richard, Door, Hunter, Anaesthasia, Marquis Carabas, and the very evil, very creepy villains, Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, are extremely well-done! They feel real and whole and you do care about them. The story itself is exciting and surreal and makes me proud of being a Neil fan. His writing and imagination is top-notch here, bringing up some disturbing images while also being very funny. Highly recommended to fantasy and sci-fi fans, or just people who love books.
Rating:
Summary: Alice in Wonderland takes the C train..........
Review: I sat in the sun for 4 hours getting sunburnt before I noticed anything was amiss! This is a fabulously dark tale that takes you down the rabbit hole leaving you wanting to remain there. It leaves no room for a sequel of any value. The entire story is here and completely self contained. The characters are unpretentious, and frankly unremarkable. The ending is entirely predictable. And, who cares? This book has the making of good fiction, good film and good television. There is nothing more appealing to me in literature than characters who are well developed and not too much larger than life. It's easy to relate to Mayhew. He's not perfect. His good intentions do not always lead to good results. There is nothing glib about this story. It's dark. So, if you want cotton-candy fluff reading, this isn't it. Pick up a copy of Gaiman and Pratchett's "Good Omens" for that. That's an equally delightful read, for entirely different reasons. Risk a sun burn for this one.
Rating:
Summary: I love this book.
Review: I have loved this book for so long now. I would almost beg for a sequel. The characters perhaps the best developed of any Gaiman has done keep this story fresh even years after the publication. I recommend the story highly. A true orginal.
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't care for it
Review: I loved Good Omens so I gave this book a try. That got me to read Terry Pratchett - I figured HE must be the good one. I found this book boring and trite and just plain stupid.
Rating: 
Summary: Beneath London lies a whole other world...
Review: Richard Mayhew is a normal guy. His girlfriend's a bit obsessive, and his career seems to be going nowhere. But then he meets Door--a young girl he finds on the street, bleeding. Richard takes Door back to his apartment, where he lets her rest and get better. Before long, a couple "men" come looking for her. They are Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar--two wisecracking, charming, thoroughly sadist and bloodthirsty individuals. They promise to tear out Richard's liver and feed it to him...and they mean to keep it. In an effort to protect himself, and to find out why he seems to be disappearing from the normal world, Richard tracks down Door...and finds something he never suspected: London Below, a world BELOW the city of London, where the phrase "Mind the gap" at rail stations means something entirely different...where a beast stalks a huge labyrinth...and a fallen angel plots a dastardly scheme... Neil Gaiman is a thrilling, imaginative author. "Neverwhere" will hold you rivited to your seat with its action, suspense, and the perils of Richard Mayhew and his naivity. It's a must for fans of sci-fi, fantasy, and good old adventures.
Rating:
Summary: Comments from a Lucrative Citizen of London Below
Review: Neil Gaiman has discovered a hook, line, and sinker theory with Neverwhere. The thought of "Where do forgotten things go?", answered in detail with the theory that they go to a bits-and-pieces city underground, is so captivating, that even if this novel was undescriptive and boring (which it isn't), it would keep you reading even if it was 700 pages long, just to find out more about the concept of a city that is entirely unknown to us, that exists right beneath us, and consists of all the riffraff and the people who have, as Gaiman so cleverly states it, "fallen through the cracks". The character quirks that Gaiman manages to think of are so ludicrous, and, indeniably, real, that it gives the characters a whole new dimension. Gaiman invents characters that often seem to be just for the humor at first, and manages to shape them into vital parts of the story, that either teach a valuable lesson to the protagonist and hero, Richard Mayhew, or provide a much needed "favor" (a special currency of London Below). This book is, no-questions-asked, a winner. Your Lord and Master,
Wade Redfearn
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere is a highly imaginative, chilling tale of a normal man who's life is changed forever when he helps Door, and he is sent into the London Below. This book is an awesome representation of London, showing the poor and forgotten people and slums in an interesting way (as the London Below). Very entertaining and impossible to put down! 5 stars all the way! :)
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