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5.0étoiles sur 5
Time to take a breather..., Jui 14 2004
Dream Country is a great little book. It feels good to take a break after surviving The Doll's House. If you are planning on reading the Sandman through and through, you should definately catch up on this volume before entering Season of Mists. None of the stories are essential--although some of them will heighten your enjoyment of future volumes if you have read them first. All in all, a little book with big meaning, that is both engrossing and greatly enjoyable. Not to be skipped.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
More Stories from the Realms Beyond, Avril 24 2004
In between the glorious and groundbreaking story-arcs of 'Doll's House' and 'Season of Mists', Mr. Gaiman took some time off with four individual one-issue long stories in the Sandman universe; these are collected in 'Dream Country'. Technically, it can probably be considered the least important of Sandman collections, and should take second priority to volumes 1, 2, 4 and 5. Still, 'Dream Country' is Gaiman at his best, and each of these stories is important and well worth the purchase. If you're a Gaiman fan, it's an essential part of your library.The stories in 'Dream Country' are important in the development of the series because the Sandman himself, Morpheus, Lord of Dreams, plays in them only a background role. That was the foundation for one of the elements that made the series great - that it's not just the story of one hero; the hero can be himself, an active character, but just as often he is simply the essence of something bigger. That is precisely the role Morpheus plays in 'Calliope' and 'Dream of a Thousand Cats', both with splendid dark artwork by Kelley Jones. 'Calliope' is a splendid philosophical tale of urban mythology that shows Gaiman's unique and original attitude towards storytelling and inspiration. 'Dream of a Thousand Cats' Is my favorite in this collection and probably the most underrated story in the Sandman catalogue; though 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is the celebrated story that made history by being the first 'comic book' to win the World Fantasy Award (for best short story of the year), I personally find 'Dream of a Thousand Cats' to be superior by far. Though it tells a very small tale, and one that is without significance in the greater continuity of the Sandman saga, it's gorgeously written and has a great atmosphere about it. It also gets across Neil's ideas about the importance of dreams and stories better than any of the others. The artwork, to, is brilliant. 'Facade', finally, is probably the weakest story in the collection. It's important, if nothing else, for being the first story in the Sandman series in which Morpheus does not appear at all, even as a guest. Instead, it features his older sister, Death - one of the Endless and one of the most lovable characters in Gaiman's universe, as well as does a great job in resurrecting a forgotten character from DC's history, Element Girl; Neil does as amazingly in rasterizing her as he did with other old comics characters like Lyta Hall AKA The Fury, or the absurd Sandman character from the 60s. Last but not least, there's a delicious bonus for those who buy 'Dream Country' - the complete, original script to 'Calliope'. It's rare indeed for a writer to reveal to his readers his work in progress, and this script is fascinating to both fans of Gaiman and aspiring writers of graphic literature, as it gives us a precious glimpse into Neil's precise and masterful scriptwriting process. All this and more reasons for buying 'Dream Country', especially if you're hoping for a complete Sandman collection. It's one of the best 'comic books' you can find.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
Must-read Sandman short stories, Déc 29 2003
The earliest two Sandman collections are good but the third, Dream Country, is great. The book features four single-issue stories in which the saga's title character, the mystical king of dreams, moves to the background (he is not even in one tale). His preeminence will not be missed, however because one cannot read stories this smart, imaginative, creepy and all around superb and feel that anything is lacking. The first story is "Calliope," in which a one-hit novelist enslaves an actual muse and becomes as productive and popular as Stephen King. The author is not a cruel person, but he cannot set her free if he wants his flow of ideas to continue. Gaiman provides a thoroughly creepy dissertation on the madness of writers and Kelly Jones' darkly astounding drawings of attics, faces and shadows perfectly complements the tale. The second is "Dream of a Thousand Cats," in which a feline prophetess shares her vision of a cat-ruled world; one that is open to her brethren if they only believe. Gaiman creates a religious outlook perfect for these slinky, self-satisfied animals and, just as in "Calliope," Jones' art is a major asset. Personality and mystique are translated wonderfully in his cat eyes and cat body language. This is Dream Country's best story and one of the best issues of a comic book series I have ever read. The third, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," famously won the World Fantasy Award for best short story, the first and only time a comic book has done so. In that tale, Shakespeare and his troupe perform the title play in front of the fairy creatures it is based upon. It is a wonderful parody/tribute to the renowned playwright. The fourth, "Facade," is one of two times the use of a superhero in a Sandman story works (The other is the story acrh The Kindly Ones, which practically stars Lyta Hall, formerly The Fury). The hero is Element Girl, a sidekick to Metamorpho who vanished in the late 1960s without much notice. "Facade" tells of how her super-powers turned on her, how she became a tormented agoraphobe and how she finally found release. Dream Country is Sandman at its best; an intelligent and unique series that not only represents comic books at their best, but speculative fiction in general. I cannot recommend this volume more highly.
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