13
Aug
2010
The Sandman: Fables and Reflections by Neil Gaiman
Here we have Fables & Reflections the 6th volume of the Sandman series. This is one of those volumes that doesn’t have an over-arcing storyline, so Imma break it down for you.
First we have a little prelude, where Morpheus give a fledgling director the courage to try. I’m sorta reminded of Arthur Dent learning to fly by trying to hit the ground and missing, but maybe that’s just me. Anyways, nice to see Morpheus give a shit about what anyone does.
Then there’s an introduction an then we get into the volume proper.
In Three Septembers and a January, we see the rise of the Emperor of San Francisco. This was an actual dude, and not someone that Christopher Moore just made up. Nice to see some interaction between Dream and his siblings (btw, do any of them have multiple names like our anti-hero does?). I wish I could’ve had Delirium’s hair as a teenager.
And then we farther back into history, this time during the French Revolution in Thermidor. Also, a real live talking head that Morpheus seems to care an awful lot about. None of this went where I thought it was headed at all. Seriously, I thought that we were going to end up with Robespierre dead in his bathtub. But no, it’s mainly the head that’s important here. Elsewhere in the volume we will find out why.
Then there’s the Hunt, in which a grandfather recalls the story of the People in Russia to his grand-daughter. In his introduction, Gene Wolf says, ” The People–werewolves–are entirely legendary. All evidence to the contrary results from superstition, mass hysteria, or outright falshood. Pay no attention to Neil Gaiman on this, we weren’t within miles of the place and he can’t prove a thing. ’The Hunt’ is pure fiction beginning to end.”
Deeper into history we go, in August. A midget takes a day off with Caesar Augustus to be a beggar and plot the downfall of…ooh, no…spoilers. Let’s just leave it at that.
Soft Places finds Marco Polo in the desert. Mirages abound. Or do they…
Orpheus is very good and very sad. I do not envy Orpheus, having Morpheus as a father, as then I couldn’t have a sexy crush on him, because that would be weird. However, I would like to be Orpheus’s mother who is–wait for it–Calliope, as then I could have had Morpheus as a lover and born his children. Of course, things don’t end up so great between them, and here we find out why.
Parliament of Rooks is not just about a bunch of birds, but it’s a nice little metaphor. Also, there’s a cute baby. Also, the cutest lil’ Death and Dream you could ever imagine. Also, the first woman in a weird sisters trinity. Also, Eden wasn’t on Earth. Not that there’s any Scientology bullshit going on. More like it’s true even though it didn’t happen. Sorta Joseph Campbell, that.
Though I liked the last story, The Ramadan, I’d have liked it to be elsewhere in the volume, so as to have ended with Parliament of Rooks. The Ramadan takes place in Ye Olde Middle Easte, and is about capturing a moment–or city–in time. Also, sorta like the treasure scene in the movie of Aladdin.
Overall, I found this volume to be excellent. Parliament of Rooks was my favorite. Orpheus was saddest, and also the most informative about Dream, his character and his past. August was probably the most entertaining. Or maybe Three Septembers and a January. Or maybe Thermidor. I dunno.
Buy The Sandman Fables and Reflections on Amazon
If you like this book/author, you might like:
(my reviews in blue)
Watchmen by Alan Moore
Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham
The Unwritten by Mike Carey and Peter Gross
Sandman Presents, The: The Furies by Mike Carey
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud
The Power of Comics: History, Form and Culture by Randy Duncan
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley
Buffy: The Long Way Home
Other works by Neil Gaiman:
The Dangerous Alphabet
The Facts In The Case Of The Departure Of Miss Finch
Black Orchid
InterWorld
M Is for Magic
Signal to Noise
The Last Temptation
Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions
Death: The High Cost of Living
Death: The Time of Your Life
Midnight Days
Harlequin Valentine
Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders
Anansi Boys
Neverwhere: A Novel
Stardust
MirrorMask: The Illustrated Film Script of the Motion Picture
The Alchemy of MirrorMask
Don’t Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Angels and Visitations: A Miscellany
The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House
The Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country
The Sandman Vol. 4: Season of Mists
The Sandman Vol. 5: A Game of You
The Sandman Vol. 7: Brief Lives
The Sandman Vol. 8: Worlds’ End
The Sandman Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
The Sandman Vol. 10: The Wake
The Sandman: Endless Nights
A Walking Tour of the Shambles
The Books of Magic
Adventures in the Dream Trade
Creatures Of The Night
Violent Cases
Coraline Movie Tie-in Edition
Coraline: The Graphic Novel
The Graveyard Book
Absolute Death
Marvel 1602 Premiere HC
The Wolves in the Walls
Mr. Punch
Odd and the Frost Giants
American Gods
With P. Craig Russel
With Terry Pratchett:
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
I love “Parliament of Rooks.” In fact I think I own that single issue, because I love it so much I apparently need to own it in two forms. :p I mildly prefer this collection of Sandman short stories to the others (Dream Country and World’s End) because of the nifty way most of these explore storytelling.
Parliament of Rooks is so brilliant. And I’m so glad you’re enjoying the series! Also, I think “it’s true even though it didn’t happen” pretty much sums up the idea at the core of The Sandman.
Neil Gaiman is underwriting Scientology. The Scientologists list Neil Gaiman in the Cornerstone Newsletter along with Mary Gaiman, as contributing $35,000.00 in 2009. Being listed in the Cornerstone Newsletter means you are in good-standing with the cult.
In 2010, Mary Gaiman was awarded the “Gold Humanitarian Award” for her contribution of $500,000.00 to Scientology. This is significant because Mary Gaiman continues to be Neil Gaiman’s business partner in The Blank Corporation, which is now Neil Gaiman’s Scientology front and how he pays the cult.
Gaiman is also the “Vitamin Heir” of Scientology. The Gaiman family owns G&G Vitamins which reaps 6 million a year from selling The Purification Rundown Vitamins.
Gaiman’s two sisters, Claire Edwards and Lizzie Calciole are not just high-ranking Scientologists, they are the head of RECRUITING and the head of Wealden House, the Scientology stronghold in East Grinstead. These two cannot associate with Neil unless he is in good standing.