Dream Country (Sandman, Book 3)

Rating:
Summary: Uneven, but worth it for the last two
Review: "Dream Country" contains 4 unrelated stories about Dream and Death. The first story, "Dream of a Thousand Cats" is an amusing tale, but it does not deserve an entire issue to tell. It could have easily been one of the stories told to Rose by the old women in "Kindly Ones" and taken up only a few pages.

The second tale "Calliope" is much better, but is still missing that Gaiman magic. It does however, introduce us to one of Sandman's great loves and mother of his only child. It's a good story, but it's unoriginal.

The third tale is the real treat. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" takes off from a chapter in "Doll's House" where Dream tells William Shakespeare to write 2 plays for him. Shakespeare and his troop of actors perform Midsummer Night's Dream on a grassy hill in the English Countryside for the actual fairies that are represented in the play. It's a wonderful story and the art is just breathtaking.

The last one, "Facade", doesn't include Dream. Instead it focuses on an obscure super-heroine of the 60's and how she longs for a normal life which is granted by Death. It's a moving story, the kind of super-hero tale that only Neil could write. Super powers may be great, but being a normal person would be much more appealing sometimes.

All in all, Dream Country is not the best collection of Sandman stories, but "Midsummer Night's Dream" is the single best Sandman issue and actually won a slew of awards. It's worth checking out for that tale alone.

Rating:
Summary: Art beyond art
Review:

This book goes beyond art. It goes beyond mere imitation of life. It has a life all its own. The stories contained within this graphic novel will make you think. If you're satisfied with life and don't want your happy little world order upset, don't read this. This book is for the dreamer in all of us, the part of us that longs for the fantastic. My favorite Sandman issue, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," is contained within these pages. Shakespeare performing his play for the actual denizens of Fairie - what could be better? Gaiman's Puck is unbelievable, a creature of horror and humor. The creatures of fairie are vibrant, real people, despite their fantastic nature. Gaiman, however, does not leave the humans dully on the sidelines. Oh no, we also have a story of Shakespeare's son and his view of his famous father. This story is not about any one thing. It's about dreams and relationships, the nature of truth and the passing away of an older age. But this story is not all seriousness; it also has some wonderfully funny moments, such as a mortal actor's reaction to an audience straight out Fairie. This is the comic story that was so good it won a World Fantasy Award. This is the story that scared the comittee so much that they changed the rules so a comic could never win again. It is that good.

This was also my introduction to the art of Charles Vess, one of the best artists living, in my estimation. He is the consummate fairy tale artist. His delicate, elfin faces and wonderful depictions of facial expressions bring the world of Fairie to life, along with the mortal players in this drama. He handles both the uproarious humor and the sensitive moments of Gaiman's script superbly.

And that's only one of the four stories contained in this graphic novel. Read it. It'll open your heart and touch something deep inside your soul. You'll never be the same.

Rating:
Summary: Time to take a breather...
Review: Dream Country is a great little book. It feels good to take a break after surviving The Doll's House. If you are planning on reading the Sandman through and through, you should definately catch up on this volume before entering Season of Mists. None of the stories are essential--although some of them will heighten your enjoyment of future volumes if you have read them first.

All in all, a little book with big meaning, that is both engrossing and greatly enjoyable. Not to be skipped.

Rating:
Summary: Great introduction to the series...
Review: Yeah, I know it's not the first volume in the series. But I don't think Neil Gaiman really hit his stride until Dream Country. As this collection is a bunch of stand alone short stories, I think it makes an excellent book get people hooked on the Sandman.

There's Calliope, a one-hit novelist's muse really is one of the muses. He rapes and abuses his muse -- bad news when her ex comes to the rescue. Creepy, creepy story. Best of all, the collection includes the script to this story.

A Dream of A Thousand Cats... A charming tale that shows what cats dream of, and why those dreams will never be reality.

A Midsummer Night's Dream .. The real Oberon, Titania and Puck (and other fairies) attend the first performance of Shakespeare's classic play. Simply magical with superb art by Charles Vess.

Facades ... The life of a has-been superheroine. It takes a silly and forgotten character and makes her painfully human.

All of these stories are must-reads -- each told with different styles. What a wonderful way to sample what comics can be.