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He's definitely a good writer but not a personal favorite Isaac Send a noteboard - 27/07/2013 02:24:25 AM

View original postI have never read anything from Neil Gaiman, but I obviously see him talked about here quite a bit, including the review below. So, as someone thinking about giving him a try, I have a few questions:


View original post1. Please describe his style.

Hard to really say, he likes to but a somewhat fantastic and surreal spin on existing concepts in a way that always reminds me of the late Roger Zelazny, who is one of my favorite writers. Frequently, like Zelazny, he'll pick a mythology and adapt it to make a modern story.


View original post2. What does he typically write about?

As mentioned above, but he's fairly broad spectrum. He's most famous for the Sandman comics, the book American Gods, and the TV/radio shows Neverwhere and a host of others. He does a lot of literary allusion, not just mythology stuff.



View original post3. What makes his books "fantasy/magical".....which I assume they are?

They often have magic in them or take place in fantasy settings?


View original post4. What book should a newb start with? Why?

He's not exactly got a giant quantity of novels out there to read, he does have some but he's done more work in other mediums. Besides his new ones, and the ones mentioned, Stardust is the only other I can think of and I've never read it. My first exposure was to the Neverwhere mini-series, book-wise it was American Gods, or rather its sequel the Anansi Boys, read them out of sequence.

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein

King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
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Thoughts about Neil Gaiman - For a possible new reader - 16/07/2013 06:11:40 PM 1126 Views
I do have thoughts about Neil Gaiman. - 16/07/2013 06:46:19 PM 973 Views
Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things show off his multimedialism... - 18/07/2013 09:24:52 PM 941 Views
Hm. OK, I'll give this a shot. - 17/07/2013 12:11:19 AM 1100 Views
Nate did a great job, so I'll just add to what he said. - 17/07/2013 12:42:44 PM 998 Views
MY experience was his novel Neverwhere... - 18/07/2013 02:34:22 AM 873 Views
Neverwhere is quite easily his worst novel. - 18/07/2013 10:50:25 AM 861 Views
Just to test a pet theory of mine... - 18/07/2013 06:33:51 PM 796 Views
I haven't read Lions of al-Rassan. *NM* - 19/07/2013 12:06:25 PM 344 Views
I want to learn about your theory! - 20/07/2013 10:15:51 AM 801 Views
Oh good. *chalks up another data point for the theory* (spoilers for Lions of al-Rassan) - 20/07/2013 12:18:32 PM 791 Views
I read Tigana first, but much prefer Lions. - 20/07/2013 12:49:10 PM 859 Views
I read Lions after Tigana. - 27/07/2013 02:59:47 AM 825 Views
I read Lions first - 07/08/2013 04:54:13 AM 742 Views
Re: Neverwhere is quite easily his worst novel. - 19/07/2013 03:49:04 AM 1025 Views
Yeah, Neverwhere isn't too great. - 18/07/2013 07:14:06 PM 757 Views
I love Neverwhere. - 20/07/2013 12:50:10 PM 738 Views
Just read Neverwhere already! - 20/07/2013 04:50:09 AM 843 Views
I have only read American Gods and as the risk of being tarred and feathered I though it was just OK - 25/07/2013 02:22:39 AM 792 Views
I'm with you on that. - 27/07/2013 03:03:53 AM 781 Views
Actually, I do agree that it's a bit overrated. - 27/07/2013 05:30:41 PM 909 Views
I never really liked 1602 - 28/07/2013 02:12:54 PM 802 Views
It was probably the novelty that I liked. - 04/08/2013 05:18:58 AM 732 Views
He's definitely a good writer but not a personal favorite - 27/07/2013 02:24:25 AM 837 Views
I just started rereading Sandman, the first two volumes so far... - 27/07/2013 05:58:12 PM 717 Views

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