'Smoke and mirrors'

I think you're probably not too wide of the mark e-griff. Neil Gaiman is a highly skilled writer who is trying to make a jump that no other comic-book writer has ever managed. Personally, I'd be more than chuffed if he stopped and realised what Alan Moore worked out about ten years ago, that comics have more potential than fiction and get on with pushing that artform forward. Smoke and Mirrors is not a bad assortment of stories, but there's not one in there to touch even the weaker issues of Sandman. Judging Neil on that is a little like reading Raymond Chandler doing a sex-and-shopping bonkbuster and deciding that his crime stuff therefore isn't worth reading. Okay, to be fair, Neil put himself in that position by writing and publishing the book, but it is steps towards unlearning an artform he was masterful at and working in another. If you must read textual fiction by him, Coraline is nearer the mark, but he is still walking when he used to fly.

Thanks, andrew, I'll try and follow up . I only know him from this book, and knew he was famous - clearly not for this book, I divine! G

This is the first Gaiman I've ever read, and I rather liked it though there were a lot of references to things I didn't understand. "Shoggoth's Old Peculiar" is probably one of my favourite ever short stories - it's short, and refers to things i do understand like Cumbria and beer and the rather ridiculous H.P.Lovecraft, all in a hilarious mish-mash.