The Sandman: Act II by Neil Gaiman, adapted by Dirk Maggs

The Sandman: Act II by Neil Gaiman, adapted by Dirk Maggs

A reminder - I have never read the original Sandman comics. I rarely read comics or graphic novels, mostly because I'm not good at it and so don't enjoy them as much as I could. I tend to read the dialogue and miss the pictures. I can't tell how faithful the audio is to the original, but others say it's very close. I enjoyed this second act, which consists of two main arcs and several smaller stories. The Season of Mists was excellent. Dream travels back to hell to save Nada whom he had condemned for 10,000 years of torment… because she rejected him. Surprising twists and turns make it impossible to see where this one is going until it actually gets there. A Game of You was kind of blah for me. Barbie and some friends have to go on a quest to save a land but still manage to stay alive in our world. It was skippable. Fables & Reflections...
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The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, adapted by Dirk Maggs

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, adapted by Dirk Maggs

I don't read graphic novels often. I'm not good at it. I haven't learned to slow down enough and pay attention to the images. Yes, I could practice, but it turns out I don't care that much. I had seen the ad for The Sandman on Audible, but had pretty much ignored it until a friend mentioned it on Facebook. I admit to being leery - a graphic novel in audio form, a "full cast" production - but it was free and only about 11 hours. With all the voices, sounds effects, and too much music, this is more of a radio play than an audiobook, not that that's good or bad. As someone who is unfamiliar with The Sandman graphic, I thoroughly enjoyed this adaptation. It's dramatic and immersive and I never felt lost or like I was missing something. There were a few references to the DC universe that I caught but also probably several that slipped right over...
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Thursday’s Tale: The Sleeper and the Spindle

Today I've got a fairy tale re-telling to share. It is a gorgeous book, by the way, perfect for any of the fairy tale lovers on your gift list for Christmas. This is a short story and feels like the fairy tale it is. The characters are all nameless, but we know the Queen is Snow White after the kiss from the prince. There are three (magic number) dwarves, a quest, magic, but I like the female twist. The one prince in the story is conspicuously absent, although the dwarves are loyal and trustworthy and brave. The Queen learns about the sleeping princess and that the curse if spreading, so she heads out to deal with it. She puts on her armor takes her sword and tells her prince they'll have to postpone the wedding. Doesn't take him with her, you notice; she's a little ambivalent about getting married. It's a darker twist on the traditional tale and there's a bit of a twist at...
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