Angels and Visitations: A Miscellany

Rating:
Summary: Neil's the best
Review: As the title says, a miscellany. There are many great stories in here: "Chivalry" gives us an imperturbable old woman who buys the Holy Grail at a thrift shop; "Looking For The Girl" explores obsession and the power of photography; "Troll-Bridge" is a sad update of the classic fairy tale; "We Can Get Them For You Wholesale" suggests what it might be like if assassins advertised in the yellow pages. There are even two mysteries, one about a murder in heaven and the other a hard-boiled (pun intended - you'll understand when you read the story) detective story that takes place in Nurseryland.

Then there's poetry. I'm the kind of person for whom poetry doesn't often do a whole lot, with few exceptions. I thought "Cold Colours" was fabulous, though you really should hear Neil read it himself on his CD, "Warning: Contains Language."

The nonfiction and book introductions (the ones he wrote for other people's books, not the ones he wrote for his own work here), however, are strictly for completists. Some of it is mildly entertaining, but what's the point of reading an introduction to Mary Gentle's 'Scholars and Soldiers' when few of us (at least in the U.S., sadly) will ever have a chance to read the actual book?

That said, I'd still recommend the collection overall. My grade of 7 comes from averaging out the good stuff with the filler, so it still comes out on top. Oh, there are some nice pictures, too..

Rating:
Summary: A mixed bag.
Review: As the title says, a miscellany. There are many great stories in here: "Chivalry" gives us an imperturbable old woman who buys the Holy Grail at a thrift shop; "Looking For The Girl" explores obsession and the power of photography; "Troll-Bridge" is a sad update of the classic fairy tale; "We Can Get Them For You Wholesale" suggests what it might be like if assassins advertised in the yellow pages. There are even two mysteries, one about a murder in heaven and the other a hard-boiled (pun intended - you'll understand when you read the story) detective story that takes place in Nurseryland.

Then there's poetry. I'm the kind of person for whom poetry doesn't often do a whole lot, with few exceptions. I thought "Cold Colours" was fabulous, though you really should hear Neil read it himself on his CD, "Warning: Contains Language."

The nonfiction and book introductions (the ones he wrote for other people's books, not the ones he wrote for his own work here), however, are strictly for completists. Some of it is mildly entertaining, but what's the point of reading an introduction to Mary Gentle's 'Scholars and Soldiers' when few of us (at least in the U.S., sadly) will ever have a chance to read the actual book?

That said, I'd still recommend the collection overall. My grade of 7 comes from averaging out the good stuff with the filler, so it still comes out on top. Oh, there are some nice pictures, too..

Rating:
Summary: For that you gotta read the book....
Review: Judge this book by its cover. The cover art by Dave McKean is both whimsical and mysterious, presaging Neil Gaiman's charming works on the printed pages within. Just in case you don't know anything about Neil, here's a bit of info. Neil is best known for his award-winning comic series Sandman. Yes, he writes comic books, and he is damned good at it.

However, Neil is also damned good at the more traditional types of writing. He co-wrote the amazingly funny Good Omens with Terry Pratchett, and he also wrote the equally funny biography Don't Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy . His writing has appeared in anthologies. "Troll-Bridge" appeared in the adult fairy-tale compilation Snow White, Blood Red. "Murder Mysteries" (set in the Sandman universe, I do believe) was in the magazine and horror compilation Midnight Graffiti.

Angels and Visitations shows what else he can do. A miscellany of fiction, humour, non-fiction, poetry, and artwork, Angels and Visitations journeys from science fiction and fantasy shorts to detective stories and meticulously-researched literary works. There is a story about a worldwide shortage of animals--it reads like a cross between C. S. Lewis's "On Vivisection" and Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." There is a postcard story about the fiendish enforced slavery of a certain well-loved mythical figure. There's a prologue to someone else's book, and an odd and timely story on venereal disease. There's a poem about a computerized hell that reads like a cross between William Gibson's Neuromancer and Kit Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. There's a disquieting allegory called "Mouse." There's a whole lot more, and it's all poignant, bitter-sweet, or rollickingly funny. It's all good. But are you going to get something out of Angels and Visitations? To quote "Prologue," "For that you gotta read the book."

Rating:
Summary: Gaiman at his best
Review: Neil Gaiman is ,simply, one of the best writers in any medium. This far-ranging collection is a great introduction to his work. He is as adept at making us shudder, as he is at making us laugh, cry or dream. Buy this book; you will not regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable stories
Review: Some years ago I bought an anthology called Midnight Graffiti, now out of print (deservedly, unlike the book we are discussing). Although the authors were well-known, the general level of the stories was a) just average; b) bad; c) very bad; d) unspeakable, and so forth. The only story that stood out was "Murder Mysteries," by Neil Gaiman. This melancholy and powerful story stuck to my mind, and I could never forget it. So, I bought this book because it had this story in it (and so to get rid of Midnight Graffiti without qualms). This book is a treasure trove. Gaiman is a rarity, as fantasy authors go. He is satisfying in general, but he is simply superb when writing about absolutely ordinary people and their relationship with magic (mostly, their refusal to let magic into their lives), as in Chivalry, Vampire Sestina, Troll Bridge, the abovementioned Murder Mysteries and one about a veneral disease whose title has escaped me. (Just the title, I remember the story perfectly well.)

For those who did not get this great book, you can still enjoy Mr. Gaiman's unique talent in Smoke and Mirrors; it does not have the illustrations and essays, but it brings a lot of new stories. And unlike this one, it is in print.

Rating:
Summary: Neil Gaiman stretches beyond "Sandman", & quite beautifully
Review: Unbeknownst to much of the population who read for pleasure with any regularity, Neil Gaiman is one of our greatest living writers. "Sandman" is an epic saga that blends mythology, history, religion and pop culture into a masterwork medley. "Angels and Visitations" is an equally masterful collection of stories that show what Mr. Gaiman can do when he lets his extraordinary imagination loose.

"Murder Mysteries", a nimble tale about an inchoate Heaven and the constructive angels who populate it, is by far the best of the lot. Here Gaiman does what a great mystery writer should--let the details about the characters and their surroundings emerge and become increasingly richer as the story draws to a close. The hilarious "The Case of Four And Twenty Blackbirds" is a different kind of mystery; one which turns the tale of Humpty Dumpty on its ear. "Troll-Bridge" is another modernization of a children's tale--in this case, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"--which is written for a very different effect. It is a bittersweet story about the loss of innocence and how, as adults, we embrace the monsters that once frightened us. "Mouse" is, as another reviewer notes, an allegory that makes gentle, yet effective use of irony. "Chivalry" is an entertainingly comic tale about finding the Holy Grail. Finally, there's "Luther's Villanelle", a poem which conjures up gothic images that keep the reader's imagination going long after he or she has finished reading it.

These works have remained fresh in my mind, although I finished reading this book more than three years ago. The mere fact that so many have remained in my memory speaks much more about Gaiman's ability to write than my ability to remember. A good writer can keep you interested in what you're reading. A great one is one whose storytelling stays with you for a long time.

Rating:
Summary: Neil Gaiman stretches beyond "Sandman", & quite beautifully
Review: Unbeknownst to much of the population who read for pleasure with any regularity, Neil Gaiman is one of our greatest living writers. "Sandman" is an epic saga that blends mythology, history, religion and pop culture into a masterwork medley. "Angels and Visitations" is an equally masterful collection of stories that show what Mr. Gaiman can do when he lets his extraordinary imagination loose.

"Murder Mysteries", a nimble tale about an inchoate Heaven and the constructive angels who populate it, is by far the best of the lot. Here Gaiman does what a great mystery writer should--let the details about the characters and their surroundings emerge and become increasingly richer as the story draws to a close. The hilarious "The Case of Four And Twenty Blackbirds" is a different kind of mystery; one which turns the tale of Humpty Dumpty on its ear. "Troll-Bridge" is another modernization of a children's tale--in this case, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"--which is written for a very different effect. It is a bittersweet story about the loss of innocence and how, as adults, we embrace the monsters that once frightened us. "Mouse" is, as another reviewer notes, an allegory that makes gentle, yet effective use of irony. "Chivalry" is an entertainingly comic tale about finding the Holy Grail. Finally, there's "Luther's Villanelle", a poem which conjures up gothic images that keep the reader's imagination going long after he or she has finished reading it.

These works have remained fresh in my mind, although I finished reading this book more than three years ago. The mere fact that so many have remained in my memory speaks much more about Gaiman's ability to write than my ability to remember. A good writer can keep you interested in what you're reading. A great one is one whose storytelling stays with you for a long time.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect.
Review: What can i say, this is one of my favorite books. i usually don't like books of short stories and such, but this one is dead on.