Rating: 
Summary: no illusion
Review: Although I read this book a while ago, I distinctly the pleasure I felt while reading it. I stayed up several hours one night, and finished it at work during my lunch break. For me it was a quick read because it's insanely interesting. He has a writing style that made me think about the book and yearn to read it while we were apart. Some books I could care less for, but this one had my constant attention. Because it consists of several short stories instead of one long one, you don't need to worry that you'll forget certain plot elements because the longest you'll probably spend on one story is half an hour. This book is a great buy. I'm looking forward to reading Good Omens and Neverwhere, and definitely Smoke and Mirrors again.
Rating:
Summary: Gaiman is a great story-teller
Review: Regardless of whether you've read his other works, especially the Sandman series, Smoke and Mirrors is a great read. Timeless storytelling at its best.
Rating: 
Summary: Not great
Review: The stories in this collection are disappointing more often than not. The first story is terrific, and so are a few of the others, but not enough to make me glad I bought the book! This surprised me because I thought Neverwhere was fantastic.
Rating: 
Summary: Gaiman does it again!
Review: I do believe "Murder Mysteries" is one of the most disturbingly haunting stories I have ever read. I can't seem to stop thinking about it, even though I read it a week ago. Very powerful. Worth five stars on its own, four with the rest thrown in. Other standouts for me were "One Life, furnished in Early Moorcock," "Snow, Glass, Apples," "The Dream Sweeper," "Troll Bridge," "Chivalry," and "We can get them for you Wholesale."
Rating:
Summary: A few gems
Review: After reading Neverwhere, which I enjoyed emmensely, I was excited about reading this book. After I was finished, however, I was rather disappointed. I would have given this book a rating of two stars until I read 'Murder Mysteries'. This great story, by itself, brought the rating up to three stars.In conclusion, borrow this book and just read 'Murder Mysteries' (with 'Babycakes' as an appetizer.)
Rating:
Summary: Savory melange of style and substance
Review: I should point out first that (a) I've been Neil's friend for many years, and therefore not without bias, and (b) some of these stories I've read several times before. However, due to various health problems, I have been spending a lot of time in a series of doctor's waiting rooms for months now, and Smoke and Mirrors has been my book of choice for resisting lure of six month old issues of Field and Stream. I have read it from start to finish, resisting the strong temptation to flip forward to the stories I hadn't read, savoring each offering as I would a course in a lavish meal (and considering I'm on a diabetic's diet that's more savoring than I'm allowed in the traditional sense). It's been an unalloyed pleasure. And yesterday, while waiting for my endcrinologist to check me over, I finished the last story. I rationed myself on this book, but you don't have to. If you only know Gaiman from Neverwhere or his Sandman comics, this is a chance to see the full range of his writing chops, which are formidable. I defy anyone to find me a better story this side of Nathaniel West about the mythical land of Hollywood than "The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories." I cannot think of a more bizarre marriage than the melding of epic poetry and bikini bimbos that is Baywolf. I heard the ghost of Peter Cook at my ear in "Shoggoth's Old Peculiar." I took inordinate pleasure in reading "Snow, Glass, Apples" aloud to a group of my son's friends, and watching them laugh uneasily. There is a wealth of fine storytelling here, a veritable trove of style and substance, passion and pastiche, wit and bite and vision and venom. The art of the short story is in excellent hands.
Rating: 
Summary: not very entertaining
Review: I could not find any story that made me think or remember why i should read this book. I think i laughed once . Maybe it was the "Three Billy Goats Gruff" rewrite that left my boredom temporarily. Do not read this book if your expecting extreme or fascinating stories.
Rating:
Summary: Ohmygod GOOD short stories
Review: Like good conversations, good short stories (especially in the sci-fi/fantasy realms) are increasingly hard to find. It also seems more and more that good ones are buried in theme collections about Martian Vampires in New Orleans or something. Thankfully this is not the case with Mr. Gaiman's work, mostly short and sweet, his stories fascinate, horrify and elate. Usually on the same page. Nicholas was... is a perfect example. Read it.
Rating:
Summary: Ehh
Review: The stories in this collection were lukewarm. None were original or frightening whatsoever. I give it three stars because two or three of the stories were pretty good.
Rating:
Summary: Man oh man, do I love pie!
Review: Hooray for books. Especially this one. Not being one to try and make up people's minds for them, I will instead offer mere suggestions of my favorites. I loved "Babycakes" (it's probably my favorite short story of all time). It's tough to find a better story than "We Can Get Them For You Wholesale," and "Looking for the Girl" is top notch. As for the stories that weren't in Angels and Visitations, "The Price" is great, "Changes" is excellent, and "The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories" seems like the type of story I'd read in an English class (which is a good thing). So read the book. Anyone who doesn't like this book should stick with Michael Crichton or someone who writes mindless poop directed at third graders.
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