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Fables and Reflections (Sandman, Book 6)

Fables and Reflections (Sandman, Book 6)

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Follow the Lord of Dreams around for a day ...
Review: This is a collection of stories by the gifted author, Neil Gaiman. They are stories that inspire the reader. They use the metaphor of the Sandman, and his six brothers and sisters, The Endless, to show how humans can overcome the most adverse circumstances by simply believing in themselves, and keeping faith in their dreams. Again, the story of Emporer Norton is truly unique, an incredible story. This is not your average spandex-and-muscles superhero, as it says on the back, "the sandman is not an actor in the stories, he is an observer..."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best in the series!
Review: This is another collection of independent stories (of the rest of the series). The involve Dream in some way, but not always directly or in any substantial way. The whole book was solid gold, but I especailly like "soft places" about Marco Polo, and "Ramadan". The latter is a highly stylized story (both in the art and the writing) which has a strong "Arabian Nights" feel to it. Gaiman really shows his abilities at different writing styles, from a journal entry to an arabian nights-style reading. If you have to buy only one from the series, this is it (though after you read this one you will want to buy others, just don't buy _A Game of You_).

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Absorbing and Enthralling...an extraordinary collection
Review: This is definitely a good one to read if you are new to the Sandman series, because there is a little bit of everyone and everything in this book. It rotates among many unique illustrators and every story is a different time, different characters, and a different bizarre and entrancing mood. The first story is titled "Fear Of Falling", and is the shortest story in the book, which simply includes a man having a dream in which Morpheus gives him a bit of advice that gives him a better perspective of things upon waking up. After the introduction is "Three Septembers and a January". In this story, Dream finds himself involved in a little game between Delirium, Despair, and Desire, in which they are all competing to "win" a certain man who is having a problem. In the end... a lesson is learned by both him/her and the reader. After that is "Thermidor", a story involving a whitty heroin who braves the law to save-our favorite talking head- Orpheus, and in the end turns out to be very haunting. Next, "The Hunt", a story told by a man to his grand-daughter, about a young man who encounters Dream during his search for something which, he learns in the end, is not quite what it seems. The next story,"August," is an unusual day in the life of a ruler whose intentions are not revealed until the end of the story, with a surprising conclusion. "Soft Places", one of my favorites, deals with Marco Polo crossing the Desert of Lop, tragically losing his way, and only by a merciful encounter with the Dream King, being able to find his way back. "[The Song Of] Orpheus" tells the sad story of Orpheus, revealing more than we might have allready known. "The Parliament of Rooks" is a very chilling story involving a young infant's dream, which reveals interesting information about Eve, Cain, and Abel. The final story, Ramadan, has beautiful illustrating, and a powerful unforgettable message behind it. Though some of the stories prove to be a little dissapointing, the ones that don't are worth ten times the money of this book.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: More views, and different views
Review: What I like about the Sandman is the way it has room for so many different stories to open up. This volume is about the Sandman myth, of course, but connects to other myths from the Arabian, Greek, and Old Testament worlds.

The art is varied and enjoyable - P. Craig Russell is reliable as an artist and a visual storyteller. The other artwork complements and contrasts with his delicate style. Some is stark, almost geometric; use of color ranges from subtle to shattering.

It's good, varied material. I like the stories, I like the art, and that's enough for me. I'm relatively new to the Sandman, but I'll keep coming back for more.


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