I know that there is a specific order (volume number) for the sandman series, but I was wondering if you had to read it in that order or is it ok if you read it in any order you like? Is the story continuous?

quote:

Originally posted by Sheena:
I know that there is a specific order (volume number) for the sandman series, but I was wondering if you had to read it in that order or is it ok if you read it in any order you like? Is the story continuous?

you can read them out of order but you wont really appreciate the kindly ones or the wake if you read them before the others.

What Eldi said I just finished reading the entire set, 1-10, in order, and enjoyed it muchly. I can see where you can read some books out of order, but keep the last two as the last two.

Should probably keep the first one first as well. There is a definate thread that runs through them, but the books are so episodic that you could read them out of order and still get it.

As I said in another thread, if you start with Preludes (vol.1) be sure to give yourself until vol.2 to pass judgement. I thought Preludes and Nocturns was a bit to get through, I wasn't hooked right off.

quote:

Originally posted by JP:
As I said in another thread, if you start with Preludes (vol.1) be sure to give yourself until vol.2 to pass judgement. I thought Preludes and Nocturns was a bit to get through, I wasn't hooked right off.

I think preludes is my least favorite book in the series.

Re Preludes - yes, the horror bits really had me worried when I read it.

I started out, bizarrely enough, with The Kindly Ones. I knew nothing about Sandman and almost nothing about Gaiman, and picked it up while browsing at Tower. I was hooked and bought it, but when I came back and browsed Preludes, I really fretted about whether I wanted to read the rest of the series. Fortunately a friend had the entire series of original comics - carefully sealed in acid-free Ziplocs - and let me borrow them. Now I'm gradually acquiring all the bound volumes.

- Cho

Hello Everyone -

I just got into The Sandman over the last two months - and have read the books slightly out of order. By the time I got to The Kindly Ones, the only volumes I hadn't read were 2&3. I'm two chapters into The Wake, and am tempted to go back and read 2&3 first - but I don't want to lose the emotional momentum coming out of The Kindly Ones. Would anyone suggest putting the breaks on, and going back to 2&3?

I'd recommend reading Volume 2 (Doll's House) before continuing. It has important bits of the main storyline.

Volume 3 (Preludes and Nocturnes) is stand-alone stories, although you do get to meet Calliope for the first time in one of them.

Caveat: I've only read up to Volume 6, so I'm sort of guessing about the importance of Vol. 2, but it seems pretty evident.

quote:

Originally posted by Uskglass:
I'd recommend reading Volume 2 (Doll's House) before continuing. It has important bits of the main storyline.

Volume 3 (Preludes and Nocturnes) is stand-alone stories, although you do get to meet Calliope for the first time in one of them.

Caveat: I've only read up to Volume 6, so I'm sort of guessing about the importance of Vol. 2, but it seems pretty evident.

Volume 3 is dream country, isnt it?

Yes! I always get those two titles mixed up.

a fail to see the problem of reading it the way it came out (by numbers), you don't read a book starting from some chapter in the middle, yeah maybe you can understand what it's all about but what's the point?

quote:

Originally posted by Uskglass:
I'd recommend reading Volume 2 (Doll's House) before continuing. It has important bits of the main storyline.

eh. They already read V.9, I say just finish it up and read 2&3 when you have the chance. V.2 will give you some 'ohhhhh, that's what that was about' moments though

quote:

you don't read a book starting from some chapter in the middle, yeah maybe you can understand what it's all about but what's the point?

I think the point is that when you read a novel and get excited about the story, you don't have to worry about a store being out of stock of the next chapter

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Originally posted by GMZoe:
I think the point is that when you read a novel and get excited about the story, you don't have to worry about a store being out of stock of the next chapter

lol, isn't that the whole fun of it, you can't tell where your next fix is coming from

Well, I just finished all 10. AHHHH it's amazing. I see what you mean about 9 to 10. Even though I read all the volumes back-to-back I still thought maybe I should go back and check things I'd forgot, but I never did.

Caveat: There's also quite a few spoilers, although the ones in the "more standaloney" collections are relatively minor. For example, I plan to attempt to get the comics club at my school addicted to Sandman on World's End, because the only other one I own is The Wake, and because it's slightly more appealing/mature/whatever to someone who's not already a Gaiman fan. Although if you're in the comic book club, the more "comic-y" features of Preludes & Noctures might be more appealing . . .

So guess I'll be starting with Preludes then. Thanks muchos for the help!

quote:

Originally posted by Uskglass:
Caveat: I've only read up to Volume 6, so I'm sort of guessing about the importance of Vol. 2, but it seems pretty evident.

quote:

Originally posted by Uskglass:
Well, I just finished all 10. AHHHH it's amazing. I see what you mean about 9 to 10. Even though I read all the volumes back-to-back I still thought maybe I should go back and check things I'd forgot, but I never did.

Dude, you read 4 volumes in one day?

*is impressed*

ETA: Oh, wait. I got confused between this thread and another. Still, 3 days is pretty impressive

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