The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman

Image source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/298317.The_Sandman_Vol_1

It's probably obvious by now that I'm a pretty big Gaiman fan. I own and have read a good majority of his work and my collection includes a dog eared signed copy of American Gods and a hard cover signed Graveyard Book. He's the only (living) famous person I've ever cared about enough to try to meet.

*insert fangirl gushing here*

I therefore decided, in the interest of fairness and variety, to limit myself to one of his works. (Yes, I realize I did include a children's book by Gaiman... But who's counting...)

I decided on Sandman because it is, in many ways, one of his best works. It encompasses much of what makes his writing great, it is one of his earliest works and you should really read it now since there are films in the works.

The Sandman is a comic book series that follows the character of Dream after he breaks free from a long imprisonment by a power hungry mortal.

Dream is one of the Endless - beings beyond gods that influence all living beings throughout space, time and planes of existence. His siblings include Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium (once called Delight), Destiny and Destruction. 

The stories that make up the series are rich with culture, history and mythology. They take place in dreams, in the past, in the present, in heaven, in hell and everywhere in between. They are stories of gods and immortals and of fragile human beings, though they are often not so different. They are stories of heart break and hope, of futility and creativity. They are gritty and emotionally raw.

If you love fairy tales, mythology, literature and history you should read Sandman. If you love contemporary fantasy, weirdness and dreams, you need to read Sandman. For those who already enjoy it, make sure you check out his spin off comics and the short story collection.

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