Title: The Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Length: 232 Pages

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels

Read Start Date: April 9, 2023

Read Finish Date: April 14, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 3

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads:  The third book of the Sandman collection is a series of four short comic book stories. In each of these otherwise unrelated stories, Morpheus serves only as a minor character. Here we meet the mother of Morpheus’s son, find out what cats dream about, and discover the true origin behind Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream. The latter won a World Fantasy Award for best short story, the first time a comic book was given that honor.

My Review: The Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country is a collection of four standalone stories featuring the character of Dream, also known as Morpheus, who is the lord of dreams and one of the Endless.

The first story, “Calliope,” follows a struggling writer named Richard Madoc who has resorted to kidnapping and imprisoning a muse named Calliope in order to gain inspiration for his writing. Dream intervenes and teaches Madoc a harsh lesson about the consequences of abusing power and creativity.

This story was probably my least favorite in the collection. I was really disturbed by some aspects, especially the scenes of rape and imprisonment.

The second story, “A Dream of a Thousand Cats,” follows a group of cats who dream of a world where cats rule over humans instead of the other way around. As they share their dream with one another, they discover that their collective dreaming has the power to shape reality and create the world they desire.

I’m a big fan of cats, so this was my favorite in the collection. It really made me wonder whether the cats would succeed and become our overlords in reality (by being larger than humans). Even though anyone with cats can tell you that they are more or less our masters anyhow.

The third story, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” takes place in 1590s England and follows Shakespeare as he prepares to perform his play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for the first time. Dream offers to provide him with the best cast possible, including the King and Queen of Faerie, leading to a performance that is truly magical.

I found this story to be a little boring. It wasn’t as engaging or interesting as other stories in the Sandman series. However, the story’s focus on the theater and the performing arts may appeal more to others than it did to me.

The fourth and final story, “Facade,” is about a woman named Element Girl who was granted immortality by a mysterious benefactor. However, she soon realizes that immortality comes with a terrible price as she is trapped in an ever-changing, grotesque appearance. Dream offers her a way out, but it is not what she expects.

This story was okay, and while the premise that eternity can be a curse (rather than something to strive for / achieve) was interesting, I found the pacing rather slow, and there wasn’t too much action.

Other than the story about the cats, I didn’t care too much for the other stories, and the collection as a whole seemed disjointed. The stories varied in tone and plot and didn’t seem to carry the overall plot of Sandman forward.

I would still recommend reading it though if you intend to read on in the series.

Previous Books in the Series

Title: The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Length: 232 Pages

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels

Read Start Date: March 27, 2023

Read Finish Date: March 30, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 2

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman’s transcendent series SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

During Morpheus’s incarceration, three dreams escaped the Dreaming and are now loose in the waking world. At the same time, a young woman named Rose Walker is searching for her little brother. As their stories converge, a vortex is discovered that could destroy all dreamers, and the world itself.

See my review of Volume 2 here.

Title: The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Length: 240 Pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels

Read Start Date: March 22, 2023

Read Finish Date: March 26, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 1

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman’s transcendent series THE SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman.

This book also includes the story “The Sound of Her Wings,” which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death.

See my review of Volume 1 here.

Title: The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Length: 232 Pages

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels

Read Start Date: March 27, 2023

Read Finish Date: March 30, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 2

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman’s transcendent series SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

During Morpheus’s incarceration, three dreams escaped the Dreaming and are now loose in the waking world. At the same time, a young woman named Rose Walker is searching for her little brother. As their stories converge, a vortex is discovered that could destroy all dreamers, and the world itself.

My Review: The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House is the second installment in Neil Gaiman’s groundbreaking Sandman comic book series. The story follows the continuing adventures of Dream, the lord of dreams, as he navigates the strange and dangerous world of the Dreaming.

The Doll’s House begins with Dream discovering that a number of his subjects have gone missing from the Dreaming. He sets out to find them, unaware that his search will lead him to a group of escaped nightmares and a young woman named Rose Walker, who possesses a mysterious and powerful ability.

As Dream and Rose’s paths converge, they find themselves caught up in a web of danger and intrigue. They are pursued by a trio of terrifying “Furies,” who seek to punish Dream for past transgressions. Meanwhile, Rose discovers that her family is far from ordinary, and that her destiny is intertwined with the fate of the Dreaming itself.

One of the strengths of The Doll’s House is undoubtedly its art. Dringenberg and Jones III create a stunning visual landscape that perfectly captures the dreamlike quality of the Sandman universe. The use of color and shadow is particularly effective, creating a sense of atmosphere that draws the reader in. The character designs are also impressive, with each figure rendered in intricate detail that makes them feel like living, breathing beings.

The writing, as expected from Gaiman, is also engaging and thoughtful. The Sandman universe is rich with mythology and symbolism, and Gaiman deftly weaves these elements into the story.

One aspect of The Doll’s House that may be off-putting for some readers (and is the reason why I am only giving it 3 stars) is the level of violence and gore present in certain scenes. While violence is not a new element in the Sandman series, The Doll’s House takes it to a new level with some particularly gruesome depictions.

For example, the scenes featuring the serial killers known as the “Cuckoo” and the “Thessalian” are especially unsettling. The graphic nature of their crimes and the graphic depiction of the aftermath was too much, and it detracted from my enjoyment of the story. Similarly, the Corinthian’s character, while intriguing, is also deeply disturbing, with his penchant for murder and his unsettling appearance.

The Corinthian is a living nightmare created by Dream, who is one of the missing dream entities that Dream is trying to find. As he took human form, he became a serial killer who likes removing his victim’s eyes. While I am a fan of horror and true crime books, these books often do not have graphic pictures associated with them and therefore when reading a regular book, I am free to imagine the crime, or not. With graphic novels, it’s in your face, like it or not.

I think my favorite story line of Volume 2 was Rose Walker, who discovers that she is a dream vortex, i.e., an entity capable of bringing everyone into the same dream. She is linked to the first volume via several different characters, which I did not realize until later in Volume 2.

While I didn’t like Volume 2 as much as Volume 1, it is definitely worth the read and I will be moving on to Volume 3.

Other Books in this Series: 

Title: The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Length: 240 Pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels

Read Start Date: March 22, 2023

Read Finish Date: March 26, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 1

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman’s transcendent series THE SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman.

This book also includes the story “The Sound of Her Wings,” which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death.

See my review of Volume 1 here.

Title: The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Length: 240 Pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels

Read Start Date: March 22, 2023

Read Finish Date: March 26, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 1

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman’s transcendent series THE SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman.

This book also includes the story “The Sound of Her Wings,” which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death.

My Review: The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes is a graphic novel first published in 1989 and is the first installment in The Sandman comic book series.

The story follows the character of Dream, also known as Morpheus, who is one of the seven Endless, a group of powerful beings who embody universal concepts such as destiny, death, and desire. At the beginning of the story, Dream is captured and imprisoned by a group of human occultists for seventy years. After finally managing to escape, he sets out to reclaim his lost objects of power and regain his former realm. Along the way, he encounters various characters, including his sister Death and the demon Azazel, and faces a series of challenges that test his strength, will, and ingenuity.

I picked up this graphic novel after my boyfriend had finished it. He had watched the Netflix series and then had wanted to read the graphic novel it was based on. I have not yet seen the Netflix series, but after hearing my boyfriend gush over the novel, I figured I’d give it a try.

One of the most striking aspects of The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes is its artwork. The book features illustrations from several different artists, including Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, and Malcolm Jones III, and each brings a unique style and perspective to the story. From the dreamlike landscapes of the Dreaming to the gritty realism of 1980s London, the artwork in this book is truly stunning and adds an incredible amount of depth and atmosphere to the narrative.

Gaiman uses characters from a wide range of sources, blending together elements of mythology, folklore, and popular culture to create a world that is simultaneously familiar and otherworldly, and he populates this world with an eclectic cast of characters who come from a variety of different traditions.

For example, Dream himself is based on the character of Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams. However, he is not a direct adaptation of the mythological figure – rather, Gaiman takes inspiration from Morpheus and creates a new, more complex character who embodies both the power and the vulnerability of the dream world.

Other characters in the book come from a variety of different sources as well. For example, the character of John Dee is based on the real-life historical figure of the same name, who was a famous alchemist and advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. In Gaiman’s series however, Dee is reimagined as a villain who seeks to control Dream’s power for his own ends.

Similarly, the character of Cain is based on the biblical figure of the same name, who is best known for murdering his brother Abel. In The Sandman Cain is one of the immortal beings who inhabit the Dreaming, and he is constantly at odds with his brother Abel, who is also a character in the book.

Other characters in the book come from more contemporary sources e.g. the character of John Constantine, who I know from the movie, but I think is based on another comic book.

The use of these different characters from different sources adds an incredible amount of depth and richness to the world of The Sandman. From reading the introduction to the graphic novel, it is my understanding that such a blending is unique to this series of graphic novels and has never been done before or since.

I am only giving it 4 stars instead of 5 mainly due to two reasons: pacing and confusion. Some parts of the story were more engaging than others, and I found myself feeling ambivalent towards certain parts while feeling more invested in others. Additionally, given the multi-layered nature of the story and the introduction of many characters, it can become a little overwhelming and confusing to keep track of everything. Although I appreciate Gaiman’s efforts to build the world and characters in the first volume of the series, it can be challenging to get used to, particularly for someone who is not accustomed to reading graphic novels. Nonetheless, I acknowledge that Gaiman has executed this well and created an intricate world for readers to explore.

Definitely a novel worth reading!