The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman

Today I'm looking at another Neil Gaiman book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane. This is a short novel but as typical of Gaiman's work, it's intensely packed with emotions and philosophy and I thought it was a really good read. If you've read anything else by Gaiman and enjoyed it, this will definitely be worth your time. I don't know if I can really put my finger on why this book, and so much of Gaiman's other writings, make some sort of connection on an emotional level, but it's definitely part of Gaiman's talent and skill as a writer.

The story is set within the framing device of a man returning to his old neighborhood in Sussex, England after a funeral and visiting a farmhouse at the end of the lane inhabited by the mysterious Hempstock women. He hasn't thought of the Hempstocks in years, but slowly the memories come back and we go into events when the main character was seven years old. It all began when an opal miner from South Africa who lodged with his family committed suicide in their car. Afterwards money starts appearing mysteriously all over the neighborhood, including a shilling piece appearing lodged in his throat while he sleeps. So our main character takes a trip down the lane to visit the Hempstocks, who reveal that some...thing from outside our own reality has decided to interfere. With the aid of the Hempstocks, including eleven year old Lettie, the main character discovers exactly what sort of things exist just beyond realms of our understanding.

I will say the scale of this story is very, very small. I'm pretty sure the events take place over the course of a week at most so it's very fast-paced as a novel and a lot smaller in scope than some of the other books that I've read. Despite its brevity I felt like there was something really deep to this book which, as I said, I can't really quantify. Gaiman does do a very good job of encapsulating the fears of childhood, especially the fear that adult authorities won't be willing to listen or believe you when you bring concerns to them. If there's one thing this book does well, it's encapsulate those feelings of fear and powerlessness in childhood.

As short as this book is, I think it's worth the read. If you're familiar with Gaiman's work, this will be more of the same stuff that we've come to love, and if you're unfamiliar this is as good a place to start reading as anywhere else.

- Kalpar

Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman

Today I'm looking at Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman. Obviously Gaiman is one of my favorite authors so to find out that he had produced his own version of Norse mythology and there was an audiobook actually read by Neil Gaiman I was incredibly eager to get this book. As were a ton of other people because I had to wait for a few months just to finally get it from the library. This book is basically Gaiman's collection of Norse myths, from creation to Ragnarok, written and read in his own style. This is obviously not a complete collection of Norse myths, but it definitely includes the major stories such as how the gods got their marvelous gifts, the construction of Asgard, the chaining of Fenrir, and the death of Baldr.

As much as I hate to say it, this book was actually kind of a disappointment because Gaiman doesn't improve or expand much on the existing body of Norse lore. Yes, everything is written in his own style with its quirks, but at the end of the day this is just another translation of the scraps of Norse mythology that have survived. Unlike The Gospel of Loki, which tells Norse myths from Loki's perspective and actually creates an alternate interpretation of the lore, Gaiman's work doesn't stray too far from what we've seen in previous translations.

I think if you haven't read any Norse mythology before, this would be a good book to read because Gaiman covers all the major stories. And if you're looking for a good copy of Norse myths to just have around the house and read from time to time, this would be a good choice as well. Gaiman, of course, is a fantastic writer and manages to get some passages into his own tone, but at the end of the day I just can't say this really brings anything new to the table in terms of Norse mythology.

- Kalpar

Trigger Warning, by Neil Gaiman

Okay, this is going to be a really short review because there isn't a lot I can say about this book other than I loved the heck out of it and everyone who hasn't read it should go read it right now. Seriously. Everyone. Go read it.

Still here?

Okay. So Trigger Warning is a collection of short stories written by Neil Gaiman and the audio book that I listened to was read by Neil Gaiman as well, which gave the book a very personal touch. Some of the stories are short, only a couple of minutes long, while others are complex stories over an hour long or more. The result is I never found myself getting bored with any one story, which can sometimes happen with a short story anthology, and I found all the stories memorable in their own way.

As you might guess from the title, a lot of these stories are really creepy in their own way and people might find them disturbing or distressing. But I found that they were a good sort of creepy or disturbing, sort of like the better written episodes of Twilight Zone or Black Mirror, it's a story that sticks with you and makes you think. Seriously, they were just really, really good stories. I'm at the point I'm considering buying a physical copy of this book just so I have it to read again or peruse it at my leisure. It's that darn good.

And that's really all I have to say about this book. With a lot of short story anthologies I find I don't have a lot I can say and with books I absolutely love I haven't got a lot either. This book is just delightfully creepy, strange, and disturbing and I highly recommend it.

- Kalpar

Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman

This week I'm reading another book from Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys, which some people may see as a sequel or spin-off to American Gods. I read American Gods a few years back, and I may decide to reread it again for the blog at some future point. (Listen, the to-read pile keeps getting bigger and bigger! There's just too many books to read and not enough time!) Anyway, after my introduction to both Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman through Good Omens, I have since become a fan of both their works, although Gaiman certainly has less of a library to go through than the voluminous works of Pratchett.

Anansi Boys is set in the modern day and begins with the death of Fat Charlie Nancy's father, the incredibly flamboyant Mr. Nancy. It is eventually revealed that Mr. Nancy was in fact the west African trickster spider god, Anansi, and Charlie has a long lost brother named Spider. Things get a little more complicated as Charlie deals with the loss of his father and reconnects with his brother, throwing Charlie into a world of gods and magic that he had always assumed never existed.

Because it deals with the themes of gods and hidden magic, (although hidden magic is practically a constant in anything Gaiman writes), this book is similar to, and yet at the same time remains distinct from American Gods. Much like American Gods and Neverwhere, we have a fairly normal protagonist who lives an uninteresting life, is suddenly exposed to a secret world filled with magic and belief that tenuously coexists with our own, and then there is some crisis which our hero then has to resolve. Certainly, this could get very boring if the books were all the same, but Gaiman manages to make them all very interesting, and I think it's because he's very good at creating characters. Characters we love, characters we hate, characters we may have run into in our own lives at one point or another, and most importantly characters we remember. The formula may be essentially the same, but the elements that Gaiman includes, and the characters he creates make the stories much more interesting.

I will say that there are some things you have to infer for yourself from the book, although I suppose that's better than having everything explained for you by the author. I rather liked this book, even from the beginning, so it's kind of hard for me to say anything beyond it was good. For whatever reason these sorts of stories really appeal to me and they become my favorites. There's not really much I can do about it.

If you're a fan of Gaiman already and haven't read this, then you'll definitely enjoy it. If you haven't read Gaiman yet, this is just as good a book to start on as any of his others. Although it shares some things in common with American Gods, Anansi Boys stands firmly on its own without having to read anything else.

- Kalpar

Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

My first introduction to Neil Gaiman was in the book he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett, Good Omens, which while it's not my favorite book ever it is definitely a book I enjoyed and would recommend to other people. As a result I was curious about Neil Gaiman's writings and made a note to try and pick up one of his books as Borders went out of business. (I know, I know, I keep going back to my going-out-of-business pile. I got caught up in projects and so on.) Anyway, point being the book I picked up was Neverwhere.

Before I get into the actual book itself I want to talk a little bit about Gaiman's writing style, especially compared to Pratchett. I consider both of them fine authors but I have to admit that Gaiman is far darker in tone than Pratchett. Even in his darkest books, like Night Watch, there are still elements of light hearted comedy with Pratchett. Gaiman's books, (granted I'm making this assessment off of Neverwhere and American Gods) have a more sombre tone. So I would have to say if you're looking for a good story and a laugh, go with Pratchett, but if you're looking for a good story with a more serious tone then Gaiman's your man. I also feel that sexuality is more present in Gaiman's novels than in Pratchett's. This isn't to say that it's anything like the smut those crazy people over at I Smell Sheep read of course, it's much more subtle than that. But in the case of Pratchett sex, if it comes up at all, is referenced for some jokes or coyly slipped in, it's not there in your face. Gaiman is more direct about it but I feel like it's more presenting it as one thing out of the many many things which make up the human experience of life rather than the end-all-be-all of existence. Finally, part of what I feel makes Gaiman's books more serious is that he incorporates horror elements. I still get the heebie-jeebies thinking about some of the stuff Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar ate. *shudder*

Neverwhere is set in London and we very quickly discover that there are two Londons: London Above and London Below. London Above is the London with which we are most familiar, the world of those who possess: red buses, black taxis, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, so on and so forth. London Below, the world of the dispossessed, is a world of shadows and magic. The story follows a number of characters, but perhaps most central is Richard Mayhew. Originally from Scotland, Richard moved to London for a job and has been an unassuming businessman and is engaged to Jessica, a social climber. Richard's boring life becomes utterly changed when he helps a wounded girl from London Below named Door. Richard soon discovers that the people of London Above can't see him and don't think he exists and is thrust into Door's adventure through London Below.

Door is the last surviving member of her family, all of whom had the unique ability to open doors and locks where they need to. Door is attempting to find out who ordered Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar to kill her family, while being pursued by the very same gentlemen. It seems that the plotter behind her family's deaths has far bigger plans and must be stopped before they can threaten not only London Below, but London Above as well.

Since we're thrust into this wonderful world of Gaiman's creation Richard is a really helpful as a character because he knows as much as we do and often needs a lot of information explained to him. To be fair there are still a lot of things that aren't fully explored in the book and a lot of loose ends but I'm not as mad about it as I am with other books. Sure I could complain that I never really find out what the Golden or the Seven Sisters are. I can infer from information presented, but there's no real explanation. BUT, that being said the story isn't about them. The story is about Door's quest and Richard's growth as a character. Yeah, I had a lot of questions afterward but I read that Gaiman's considering writing a sequel so I feel less irritated with the loose ends. Also, in the end the loose ends are secondary concerns at best. Door's quest is completed and the plot is resolved, and Richard grows into a new and better person.

I do have to warn you, the book has some pretty gross elements so either be prepared or don't be squeamish. I found the book really easy to read and the pages just sort of flew by so it's definitely worth a look if you're interested in a more serious Urban Fantasy novel. (Also a little less melodramatic than the traditional fantasy novels.) Definitely not for kids but I think teenagers would enjoy it. If I have any teenage readers or readers that are parents with teenagers. I wouldn't know.

Next week I look at The God King which is a big high fantasy novel and uses "bemused" a lot. Also, I think there's a giveaway.

- Kalpar