Unknowngirl becomes very angry when thinking of Angels and Visitations, because stupid people steal library books that are hard as heck to find outside of library, and definately not free. AAARRRGH! Oh and I just loved Babycakes, although it seems everyone else does too.
Going to bed because it is bloody late girl

[This message has been edited by unknowngirl (edited 01-15-2002).]

Another vote for Murder Mysteries.

The first issue in Gaiman's Miracleman: Golden Age run. The one with all the stairs. I can't remember the title right now, but it struck me as a very cool story when I read it.

-SLASH-

and yet another vote for Murder Mysteries. will never forget the first time i read it and it gave me shivers -- good and bad. i nearly cried!

Well, I do believe that GoY is the best of them all!!! To prove I'm right :-) even Neil says that maybe it was his biggest success (see The Sandman Companion)

yet ANOTHER murder mysteries vote....

So many, so many...

I've read few of his shorts outside of random anthologies and "Smoke & Mirrors", so I'm limited in choices.

"Men of Good Fortune" in the Doll's House collection.

"Exiles" & "Calliope" for personal reasons.

"Crements" is one of the best literary juggling acts that has ever been pulled off.

"Old Shuggoth Peculiar".

Most disappointing:
"One Life Furnished In Early Moorcock".

quote:

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Originally posted by Tanis Fane:
Most disappointing:
"One Life Furnished In Early Moorcock".

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Out of interest, what disappointed you about 'One Life...'?

-SLASH-

*have read much worse than One Life by Neil*
*shudders at memory of 'Manuscripts found in a Milkbottle*

What did I find disappointing about "Furnished"?

The feel of the piece (to me) was somewhat distracted. Like Gaiman wrote it in bits and pieces and then sewed it together.

Mind you, it's not that I didn't like it. Just found it disappointing in the Tales of the White Wolf anthology. But then, other than two of three tales in particular, the book was generally disappointing to me.

Gene Wolfe's story was by far the best. "Go Ask Elric". Classic.

i'm going to agree with sarah c. i LOVE "The White Road" and if you haven't heard it on "Warning", go get it!!

'A Tale of two Cities' from World's End and 'Nicholas was' are ones I've always loved.

'This being an experiment..' just made me laugh, I once read it to my g/f over the phone and she was in stiches.

I still don't see why anyone would dislike One Life....

-SLASH-

I can't believe NO ONE voted for The Sound of Her Wings! It's my absolute favourite... Are you all telling me that it NEVER made you think of a million and one conversations with a sibling, and that it characterised Death and Dream completely? I mean, come on, people. I didn't like Preludes and Nocturnes because it was a little bit creepy, and if I hadn't read 2-8 first I probably would never have read Sandman again, but that story makes up for all the other weird things in the book.

quote:

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Originally posted by LadyTeleute:
I can't believe NO ONE voted for The Sound of Her Wings! It's my absolute favourite... Are you all telling me that it NEVER made you think of a million and one conversations with a sibling, and that it characterised Death and Dream completely? I mean, come on, people. I didn't like Preludes and Nocturnes because it was a little bit creepy, and if I hadn't read 2-8 first I probably would never have read Sandman again, but that story makes up for all the other weird things in the book.

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I guess I include that as part of the first storyline, which is why it didn't figure on my list.

(I've actually got a copy of Sandman #8 signed by Neil - and it really annoys me whenever people see it and go "Wow. How much is that worth?")

-SLASH-

Murder Mysteries, of course. "Smoke and Mirrors" is the one non-Sandman book I actually enjoy. That and Good Omens.
Isn't Babycakes a poem? I remember getting into an argument about that...
That inspirational Sandman one is good, just for the messege "sometimes you fall, but sometimes... you fly." It cheered up my dad about the loss of his restaurant... but thats another story.

the (flying!) floyd

I'm rather fond of the short story in the forward to Smoke and Mirrors. Nevertheless, Murder Mysteries has long been one of Neil's most beautiful gems, in my eye. Although - Chivalry was really good, too. It's a hard call when Neil has so many enjoyable short stories to pick just one, since so often they strike you in very different ways. Tough call ...

As far as Sandman is concerned, I've always had an affinity for the highly underappreciated "The Hunt." Granted, the wolf-sex at the end was lacking, but the story is hilarious and subtle, and modern day Vassily has an energy as a storyteller that is totally unique among Gaiman's characters. "Nicholas was" from S&M was also really funny. Nonetheless, yet another vote for "Murder Mysteries" must be tallied-the narrative structure is beautiful.

Another vote for Murder Mysteries and The Sound of Her Wings...although I may change my mind when I read them again (just finished S&M)

hmmm, looks like we all mostly agree on something..... I think murder mystery is really coming up with a clear lead..... and my vote goes to murder mystery as well.... I don't know why really..... my first Gaiman exposure was to "Babycakes" and "Nicholas was..." (via Angels and Visitations, barrowed from a friend years ago).... he leant it to me at lunch one day in high school and by the end of the day the last story I had to read was Murder Mystery.. I read in the last class of the day..... everything else faded away.... and one line still stops my breathe when I read it.. "Carasel was the first to love but Lucifer was the first to shed tears..."......

I've since read it allowed to 4 or 5 people... they have all loved it...... but none so much as I have.... *shrug*.... I am a collector though.... I don't expect them to understand...... *grin*

Illustry