Hi all. I'm new here and have really just gotten interested in Neil. I have been told for a while by various friends that I should read his books, but cannot seem to get a answer on where to start. So any suggestions from you guys? I really appreciate any suggestions you have. The only thing I am familiar with so far is the Sandman series. And really I am only fleetingly familiar with that. Thanks, all.

Hi Micehalc and welcome to the board.

where to start with neil books - anywhere you like

the sandman books should really be read in order, although the first one isn't the best.

goodomens the book he wrote with terry pratchett is very popular and is probably my personal favourite.

here's a list of his work and i know that somewhere on the internet GMZoe has a full bibilography.

hopefully someone will be along shortly to tell you what they like and link you to it.

Mikehalc, you might also want to consider what other types of books you usually like.

Sandman is of course a comic - one that's especially rewarding for someone who knows something about mythology. It has some horror elements in the beginning but then becomes more of a fantasy. Good Omens and the recent Anansi Boys are satiric fantasy novels that might be a good intro for someone who hasn't been into fantasy much. Stardust is a charming adult fairytale (by that, I just mean that there are some themes that might be a little advanced for the under-12 audience). And American Gods is a complex urban fantasy with strong philosophical underpinnings about the nature of what we worship.

His kid's books are well worth consideration too. Lots of people of all ages like Coraline, which is a gritty fantasy adventure with elements of Alice in Wonderland, The Phantom Tollboth, and many other classics. And the picture books with Dave McKean are just pure fun.

My $0.02, anyway ... .

- Cho

Thank you all very much for your help. I really appreciate it.

If you're looking for the easiest to read, I'd go with Good Omens. Neverwhere is also one of my favorites, I would try that one next. If you like the dark edginess of Sandman, maybe Coraline would be a good place to start.

quote:

Originally posted by Smaug:
i know that somewhere on the internet GMZoe has a full bibliography.

either neilgaimanbibliography.com or at the Gaiman wiki, neilgaiman.info
And I tend to have a permanent stack of to-add items, so it's never 'full'
I wouldn't suggest a newcomer looking at the list though. It's daunting. (Personally, I'd recommend Sandman V.3 [Dream Country], Smoke & Mirrors, or Anansi Boys)

I don't think Sandman would be a good choice for a first read. I feel you should read Neil's short stories first, firstly because they are mostly short 'bite-size' reads that can be enjoyed even if you only have a few minutes of break time, for example, and secondly because I find he does his best work in short stories. So if you are looking to get used to Neil's prose, get one of his compilations and after that get his larger works ala American Gods. That would be the best sequence to go into Neil's work, I think.

I wonder if the first one you read is automatically your favorite. I read American Gods first and still like that one the best.

i started with Anansi Boys, which I think was a good place to start b/c its just a really fun intro to Neil. Neverwhere is my favorite of his books. I'd maybe recommend Fragile Things early on, although I'm not sure why....

Thanks again everybody for all your help. I picked up American Gods and Neverwhere and am about 100 pages into American Gods. So far I am really enjoying it.