The only book I've read of his is The Graveyard Book, and I absolutely loved it. I listened to the audiobook and his reading was fantastic. I could definitely see it as a Tim Burton-esque movie one day.
My first Neil Gaiman was Neverwhere, which was a perfect first novel for me, who was someone who had basically read nothing but fantasy her whole life. But what really made me fall in love with his writing was his short stories. They were such an eye-opening experience for me, and made me fall in love with reading all over again. They really showed me how much you can actually do with text, and that there are lots of unconventional ways to craft a great story. Also, if someone who is a Gaiman-newbie but a Pratchett-veteran Good Omens might be a good starting point. :)
One of my friends basically threw American Gods at me and said, "You need love this man!" So, I read it and hated it just because I was also reading a lot of other books at the time and I was a lot more excited about those books than about this one I've never heard of, but I fought threw it and gave it back to her. 3 years later, after still not reading anything else by him that same friend dragged me to the Ocean at the End of the Lane signing. There, countless people told me stories about how he's effected them and how they got into his work and by the end of the night, when I was face to face with the man himself and he was sitting there signing my book I felt tears well up in my eyes. I had no idea why at the time, but looking back I think it was because at the end of the night I realized that that was how you tell a good storyteller from a truly great one. Gaiman was one of the greats and I felt horrible for not having actually enjoyed one of his books. Later that night, I sat down with OatEotL and I flew through it and loved every word. Then I read Coraline and many others. Now, he's one of my most owned authors.
The first Neil Gaiman book I read was Neverwhere, and I loved it. I then read The Graveyard Book which was also fantastic, and Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Pratchett. I'm currently reading American Gods and I'm really enjoying it. I'm planning on reading more Gaiman this summer- I own Stardust, Fortunately the Milk, and Coraline, so I'll probably start there.
My first Gaiman was Odd and the Frost Giants. Followed by Fortunatly the Milk...i read both during my lunch break....and promptly bought all of his books my books store had. I adore him!
Love Neil Gaiman's work! I started with The Graveyard Book and Neverwhere. And I TOTALLY agree with you about him doing the narration for his audio books - there is something about his voice and his work that go perfectly together. My son and I also saw him in 2013 when he was doing his big tour for Ocean and it was awesome. He didn't read from Ocean for us, but instead read us Fortunately The Milk and it was amazing! And he was so nice when we went to have our books signed afterwards. He even drew little gravestone in my son's copy of The Graveyard Book. He is definitely a favorite in our house. :D
I'm so glad you did this talk. I literary just finished all the Neil Gaiman Sandman graphic novels that I own last week. I had a friend introduce Neil Gaiman to me in high school. Just love them. They have a certain elegance to them despite appearances. I enjoyed Good Omens as well. The characters were fabulous.
I started out with The Sandman. Even though I'm not a huge fan of DC or Marvel, it hooked me big time and I started reading everything by him. I highly recommend you to listen to The Sandman audiobook, I've heard people who are not into graphic novels are finding it a fantastic way to consume the story. Either way, as someone who read most of Gaiman's book, The Sandman is probably one of his best stories ever. Definitely one of the best fantasy works in the 20th century, along with the likes of Lord of the Rings. I very much recommend trying it. Anyways... I never read something by Neil Gaiman that I didn't at least like a bit, although I find American Gods boring at times. I'd say, you are right that the best place to start should be his stories for younger readers. I think... The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a bit of a heavy start (more or less in a Neverwhere level, although the book is shorter), so I'd go for Coraline, Stardust, or The Graveyard Book first since they are easier and pretty straight-forward. Which one... depends on what the person prefers the most. Stardust if they like epic adventures; Coraline if they enjoy horror, suspense and/or supernatural; The Graveyard Book if they prefer lighter stories about growing up. Then, I'd say the person can go for The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Good Omens. For people who are already reading the likes of Terry Pratchett, J. R. R. Tolkien and George R. R. Martin, they are probably in a good place to start with The Sandman, Neverwhere, American Gods or Anansi Boys. They are more heavily based on mythology and overall denser... Those are my thoughts, at least.
I feel like a newbie cuz I only read The Sandman, Eternals, Marvel 1602 and some American Gods comics, and watched Coraline. I never read any of his books. The only one I’m familiar with are his graphic novels which I find fascinating. I really enjoyed The Sandman because it gives you this idea on the power of storytelling and a sense of Lovecraftian horror as it shows how higher beings beyond our understanding are making the decisions and not us.
Ooh start anywhere it doesn't matter ! Just start because Gaiman is sooo good . Gets that imagination , excitement.tbh he makes me feel.as I did as a child when reading a book and knowing it's magic !! I also love Gaiman reading his own novels.he does it exactly with character voices so good xx
The first book I ever read by him was Coraline. Than I started reading the Sandman comics and just recently I saw How To Talk To Girls At Parties which was amazing it truly brought me to another world plus he really did punks like me justice. I’ve seen many books and movies who don’t take the time to understand punk or use punk as a buzzword which doesn’t give punks theOpportunity to be seen as complex as we really are
I started reading the whole Sandman Series... I found out later that he wrote novels, not just graphic ones... this was really helpful for my new acquired taste...
I just finished reading the ocean at the end of the lane and I really enjoyed it. I was thrilled to learn that he wrote Stardust and Coraline. I've only seen the movies but I can't wait to read the books. Thanks for the recommendations.
I started with Norse Mythology, then American Gods and Coraline... but what really got to me was Neverwhere. That concept of a dark magic world in the parts that we fail to notice, with people struggling, fighting and surviving and having their own stories hidden from our sight was... perfect.
I came to know about Gaiman through this channel and started with the OATEOTL. Enjoyed it heartily. I want to thank you for introducing such a fine author to me. I love listening to his interviews. He speaks as beautifully as he writes.
Good Omens is what got me hooked on Neil. I then read Stardust, Ocean at the End of the Lane, Coraline and The Sleeper and the Spindle I plan on reading the larger books by him now that I've gotten warmed up to his magical mind!!
aaawww I need to get back into reading! something has happened with my concentration in the last few years. Perimenopause maybe? I'm going to order a few paperbacks and see if I can't get back into it. I remember reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane about 5 years ago and loved it.
I started with the Sandman series, and wasn't too won over. (I wasn't practiced at reading comics yet.) I'd watched the movies for Stardust and Coraline, and they weren't too bad. It was the Doctor Who episode, the Doctor's Wife, that made me fall in love with his writing.
Not including my preteen viewing of Stardust, which I didn't like very much, I initially tried getting into Neil Gaiman's writing with American Gods. Now that I've heard your explanation about what kind of reader it's best suited for, it makes A LOT of sense that I couldn't get into it. For me what did get me more into his writing (although I still wouldn't say that I've read much by him) was his Twitter/Blackberrry Calendar of Tales collection of short stories and his graphic novels. I'm about a third of the way through The Sandman series, and I loooooove it * u* the artwork, especially the cover art, is GORGEOUS and creepy and sets the mood so well. I sincerely hope I find a novel of his I can enjoy though. I find Neil Gaiman fascinating and I have so much respect for him as a writer and creator. The Ocean at the End of the Lane did sound interesting to me when he announced it, so I think I'll pick up that one the next time I want to get into his writing : )
I just read The Graveyard Book for the first time and I was completely blown away -- definitely one of my favorite books of all time. Immediately afterwards I picked up Coraline, and really loved it. I can't wait to read more.
I started with The Ocean at the End of the Lane :). I quite liked it, and I agree that it's a good place to start. Since then I've read Fortunately, the Milk and Coraline. I've got a few more of his books on my TBR.
I started with his Sandman comics, and loved them, but my favourite book is Neverwhere. I have been a huge Neil Gaiman fan since the 1990's. I am a grown up, but love his children's books. Stardust is beautiful. I remember reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane when it came out. I had pre-ordered it, but was in the US on holidays, so ended up buying the ebook as well. My olan on sleeping on the plane back to Norway didn't happen, I just couldn't put the book down! American Gods is a book I have read more than once. 😉 I went to a book signing of Fortunately the Milk, and he read for us. I actually managed to get it on video, and he was wonderful and let me post it on my channel. If you go to my channel, it should be there. 😊
This is a really helpful video. I have read Coraline and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which was so haunting. I want to read Stardust and American Gods next!
Discovered Neil Gaiman with The Sandman, then I moved to the Graveyard Book and Coraline, thinking about buying a few other of his books when I get the chance
I started reading Gaiman in 1992 with Sandman -- before he started writing more "prose" fiction and my fav ss is Chivalry also, Stardust was originally a graphic novel and there's a short story collection by other authors re Sandman
I actually started with Sandman, but the first book I read was Neverwhere. I also read The Ocean at the End of the Lane and wasn't a big fan, so I'm not sure how I feel about Neil Gaiman yet... I have American Gods and Stardust on my TBR, what would you suggest I go for next?
I started to watch the American Gods tv series on Amazon prime with my mom once I felt So Ignorant and Bad because I had managed to read half of the book before watching the tv series and while I had been reading the book I didn't realize how Disturbing and Disrespectful it actually was!
I've gotten through half of American Gods and I've enjoyed it a lot! I hope to read so much more of his books and more of his short stories. I read embarrassingly slow though :/ It took me 5 months to get through half of American Gods *sigh*. This year I will try to get through more!
It doesn't matter how slow you read. You have nothing to be embarrassed about! If you love reading, that's what matters. Reading slower might actually benefit you, as far as details and understanding the words go. I can read decently fast, and sometimes I have to go back and reread a passage or quote or something to understand some things. I wish you the best of luck!
I first read American Gods, then Neverwhere and Good Omens. I love fantasy so his dark twisted stories were a lot of fun for me. Good Omens was such a sweet combination of innocence and utter brutality and I blew through it, it was a great gateway drug to Terry Pratchett
That's so interesting! I read all of Prattchet's Discworld first and then Good Omens. Which turned out to be a great gateway drug to Gaiman! Did neverwhere then Anansi Boys now building up to American Gods. It definitely works both ways with Prattchet and Gaiman 😍
I started with American Gods and was completely in love , then went over to Anansi Boys and was gonna read Stardust after that but the library I was borrowing the books in English I had no longer access too. The only book I have of him in my shelf is American Gods but I'm now very excited to read the rest of his work !!
The only Neil Gaiman book I've read is Good Omens and I adored it! I've been wanting to read more but have yet to pick one up.. I'm feeling like I need to go start reading one after work today!
my friend bought the ocean at the end of the lane can't wait to finish my finals to read it ! amazing video you are so intelligent and beautiful im happy i found your channel!
I started with Neverwhere, like many people here. Just finished Good Omens. I cannot wait for the TV series. I also pre-ordered his Art Matters book, autographed, before it released a few weeks ago. I watched the Live Signing stream. I wish I could meet him in person though. He's my Author Crush. 😊
I started with Coroline because I wanted to watch the film. I read it the night of halloween and it was wonderful! I loved that. I own several of his I haven't read yet. I should get on that. :) Thank you this is wonderful
Thanks so much for the video. I started with Neil Gaiman actually from watching Doctor Who, his episodes were fantastic, especially The Doctor's Wife. Then I fell in love with his story he wrote in the 12 Doctor story collection - to be honest, his was the best. I didn't want to start reading any of his actual prose because I didn't know where to start, until I entered my Genre Writing course and was prescribed Ocean at the End of the Lane and totally fell in love with it. So much so I wrote my craft analysis essay about narrative interest generated by the supernatual theme. His deliberated denial of giving the reader more magic is one of the reasons why the readers keep flipping the page, I believe. I wrote the essay this semester while reading Trigger Warning, his short story collection - which I absolutely loved to pieces. I intend to read more but I don't know if his other work would live up to my expectations compared to what I've already read because they are not the type of books I generally read. I am very interested in his upcoming book 'The View from the Cheap Seats' (also, as a side observation - longer title names are becoming the 'thing' apparently).
I started with Batman : Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader and I absolutely loved it. Then Black Orchid and Sandman. Then American Gods and finally The Ocean at the End of the Lane ( which I recommend starting with ).
sandman omnibus volume 1 the cover is leather and the pages are black. it introduces you to dream and his siblings the endless not to mention lucifer and loki
Completely agree with your choices, but would add, you must read the Sandman, yes its a comic book, but its not super hero's at all in tights, and to me, both loving books and growing up on comic books cause i had, well and still have, dyslexia, this series is simply amazing and not for kids, it really is for adults or more mature teens. Oh, I got to see him in person, and he is a complete english gentleman, vary nice and kind wonderful person. I saw him on the Graveyard book tour and he read a whole chapter live, my first Gaiman, by accident was Death The Hi Cost of Living, first time i was disappointed not what I thought as a young skateboarding heavy metal punk rock kid in the early 90's but kept, now i find it completely amazing, so glad i kept it.
I'm reading Norse Mythology at the moment and loving every word. I completely agree with your recommendation of Ocean at the End of the Lane. That book had me weeping by the end. Gorgeous writing that shattered my perception of "being an adult" and reminded me of the importance of keeping my childhood self intact and alive. Also: I wonder if there was someone in Neil's life named Hempstock who gave him a hard time or something...
I started with Neverwhere, then read Coraline, and then The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I also "read" a whole bunch of his middle grade books, because I found them on audio and I adore listening to him read his own work (I also listened to a full cast reading of The Sleeper and the Spindle, which was amazing!) On Independent Bookstore Day, I was given a proof copy of his non-fiction collection The View From the Cheap Seats and am dying to dig into it (there are 60 stories/essays in it, so it might take a while.) I met Neil during his final tour, when The Ocean at the End of the Lane came out and it was one of the best nights of my life. He told jokes, read from the book, also read from Fortunately the Milk. During the signing, he drew a ghost in my book and had a quick bonding moment with my mom over "growing up in libraries". He is just pretty much amazing.
The first book I read by him was actually Coraline and I know its not everyone's favourite a lot of people don't actually like it that much but I absolutely loved it!
The first one that grabbed me was the audiobook of Anansi Boys narrated by Lenny Henry. I had read Good Omens a few years earlier, and while I liked it, it did not leaving me hungry for more of his books. I do enjoy fantasy. I'm flying through American Gods now.
I started with Sandman #1 when it first came out but my first novel was Neverwhere. His very first novel was Duran Duran or at least a book on Duran Duran.
I also love Neil Gaiman! I started with The Graveyard Book, then Stardust, then Neverwhere... His short stories are also really good! My next read will probably be The Ocean at the End of the Lane :)
I've started with Good Omens he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett, have you read it? The first his book I've read was American Gods and later Neverwhere. Which short story collection would you recommend? I like short stories very much, but I'm not familiar with Neil's so I could use a little help. :)
I started with The Graveyard Book - loved it! - and then moved onto The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which is my favourite so far as I love twists on mythology. Had to buy Coraline after that, again a winner, and adored The Sleeper and the Spindle. Next on my wishlist is Stardust ;-D
The Graveyard Book is one of my very favorite books ever and that's in spite of the fact that I rarely read youth books. (That is actually why I subscribed to your channel - it's not over run with YA.) I LOVE Gaiman but haven't yet read Stardust so that's going to have to be remedied. I started with American Gods, Anansi Boys and Neverwhere. I also loved Ocean but The Graveyard Book is my favorite. I also have yet to read any of his short story collections. I can't imagine he could write anything I wouldn't like.
My partner read chivalry to me when I was very poorly and had anxiety .My partner thought it was silly reading it to me but I asked him ,he did and he loved reading it me and loved the story .I loved him reading to me and tnought it was kind he did so because he isn't the type of do tnis. My partner woke up and said "I've been thinking about this story and ...! You see Gaiman gets people talking !!!
Saw Coraline movie loved it and made me want to check him up so I started reading Neil Gaiman with the Ocean at the end of the lane and The Graveyard Book at the same time and he has become one of my favorite authors.
I really enjoyed Stardust when I first read it but found myself wishing he'd spend more time with each character. I know that's the style he was going for but the world was so interesting and the characters were fantastic but I wanted more! Now I've seen and loved the movie, the book pales in comparison. I've heard so many amazing things about The Ocean at the End of the Lane, that's definitely the next Gaiman I'll pick up
First thing I read by Neil Gaiman was his Sherlock Holmes short story, in audiobook form. It’s a very good taste test to see if you like his writing style especially because it’s only 40 minutes long.
Those are my favorites as well. I recommend people to start with The Graveyard Book/Stardust :D Love his audiobooks. And OMG you're so lucky to have seen him twice. Love this video!
I absolutely love Neil Gaiman, I just adore his narrative style. The books that I started with were Stardust and The Graveyard Book although I had bought American Gods before that (and I've still not read it years later >.
That's interesting about the link. I have read stardust and the graveyard book, but not the ocean at the end of the lane. Will check it out as I do love both stardust and the graveyard book. I first watched stardust, which i enjoyed, but the graveyard book was what made me aware of Neil gaiman and from there learn that stardust the movie was based on his book. I have also read sandman and coraline for one reason or another has never quite catch my attention enough for me to actually pick it up. I am planning on reading american god next and would like to know what other gaiman book you would recommend.
Started with Coraline, loved it and went on to The Graveyard book which I also adored. Then Neverwhere, The ocean at the end of the Lane and American Gods. So clearly I've transitioned from his children books to his adult ones which was a little disconcerting but didn't fail to make me fall in love with his universe
+Granger Danger I was actually wondering, could you please do a recommandation video for those who are already "Gaimaniacs" and have a hard time finding something similar to enjoy ?
I think his short stories are where his imagination comes alive. The ideas fly without having to carry the weight of plotting and 'making sense'. Also there are so many new and interesting ideas that when - occasionally - one doesn't quite work, it doesn't matter as another ten will be along any time soon. Hi best novel is American Gods with Graveyard Book a close second. Neverwhere is ok but suffers form being adapted from the TV series that he co-wrote.
I started with Neverwhere and loooved it when I was younger, I still think it's probably the best, but need to reread it . I'm planning a Neverwhere-themed trip to London when I do.
I started with Neverwhere also, then the Sandman series and kept on from there. Funny you mention the Neverwhere-themed trip to London. For the past month I have been in the process of mapping out just such a trip for when I go to London in March.
I started with American Gods and hated it, it might have been my least favorite read of 2019. A friend told me to try Sandman and i begrudgingly decided to try it, having been burned once. But I was surprised to find that I absolutely loved Sandman, maybe my favorite read of 2020. Now I want to reread American gods to figure out if I was in the wrong headspace or something when reading it.
I'm the same with graphic novels! I can't concentrate on them, and they actually make me anxious. I read too fast and completely ignore the pictures the few times I have tried. I loved Gaiman's audio reading of the Graveyard Book - I think he is an excellent reader. His reading of Click Clack the Rattle Bag terrified me and has stuck with me, though it was just a short story. What is so strange about me and Gaiman - I could not get into the Anansi Boys, don't even remember American Gods, but I know I didn't like it - it's like his dark fiction doesn't register with me, and I LOVE dark fantasy. But Coraline, The Graveyard Book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Stardust are among my all time favorites. I love his whimsy - and I do find even his whimsy has a touch of darkness to it.
My favorite book of all time is Marvel 1602. Just because of that, I'm eager to read more of his work. Probably gonna get Stardust first, cause I love that movie.
I started to watch the American Gods tv series on Amazon prime with my mom once. I felt So Ignorant and Bad because I had managed to read half of the book before watching the tv series and while I had been reading the book I didn't realize how Disturbing and Disrespectful it actually was!
I really didn't like the ocean at the end of the lane, it seemed too childish to me. I personally started with the graveyard book but I would recommend reading stardust first.
The only Gaiman book I’ve read was Th Graveyard Book, and I didn’t like it. I actually couldn’t finish it because I was struggling so much to get through it. I can’t pinpoint why I didn’t like it, but I just didn’t. That experience has put me off of picking up any other Gaiman books, but I do want to. I know he’s widely loved, and I want to join the millions who enjoy his stories. I’m worried, however, that I’ll have the same kind of experience and dislike the next book of his I read. I’m not sure where to start.
hey!! i had a similar experience; my first neil gaiman book was ‘coraline’ & i adored it, but when i picked up ‘the graveyard book’ after i just couldn’t get into it, and i couldn’t even place why; the characters seemed interesting enough, and the plot was new, but the words just weren’t settling in my head so i dnf’d it. please don’t let that put you off gaiman’s other works, though! the other books mentioned in this video are incredible; ‘the ocean at the end of the lane’ especially. i’ve since read all of his books with the exception of his short story collections and ‘the graveyard book’ - which i intend to give a second chance soon - and he really is a wonderful storyteller.
I started with an old battered copy of The Graveyard Book that I found in a charity shop on holiday and I read the whole thing on the car journey home. Then I went and bought Stardust which I loved and was wholly disappointed when I saw the film. Personally, I don't think Ocean at the End of the Lane is a good one to start with because it's one of his few novels which are set in the first person and I don't think it gives and accurate representation of his work as a whole. Stardust and Neverwhere are my own choices as to which to start with.
I started with The Sandman series and it was absolutely mind-blowing!
books by leynes I love that series Too!
The only book I've read of his is The Graveyard Book, and I absolutely loved it. I listened to the audiobook and his reading was fantastic. I could definitely see it as a Tim Burton-esque movie one day.
My first Neil Gaiman was Neverwhere, which was a perfect first novel for me, who was someone who had basically read nothing but fantasy her whole life. But what really made me fall in love with his writing was his short stories. They were such an eye-opening experience for me, and made me fall in love with reading all over again. They really showed me how much you can actually do with text, and that there are lots of unconventional ways to craft a great story. Also, if someone who is a Gaiman-newbie but a Pratchett-veteran Good Omens might be a good starting point. :)
COOL!
One of my friends basically threw American Gods at me and said, "You need love this man!" So, I read it and hated it just because I was also reading a lot of other books at the time and I was a lot more excited about those books than about this one I've never heard of, but I fought threw it and gave it back to her. 3 years later, after still not reading anything else by him that same friend dragged me to the Ocean at the End of the Lane signing. There, countless people told me stories about how he's effected them and how they got into his work and by the end of the night, when I was face to face with the man himself and he was sitting there signing my book I felt tears well up in my eyes. I had no idea why at the time, but looking back I think it was because at the end of the night I realized that that was how you tell a good storyteller from a truly great one. Gaiman was one of the greats and I felt horrible for not having actually enjoyed one of his books. Later that night, I sat down with OatEotL and I flew through it and loved every word. Then I read Coraline and many others. Now, he's one of my most owned authors.
I'm a huge Terry Pratchett fan so I started with the book he wrote with Neil Gaiman, Good Omens :)
Peta P Good Omens is hilarious!
Peta P It was pretty good, very funny
Is it good?
The first Neil Gaiman book I read was Neverwhere, and I loved it. I then read The Graveyard Book which was also fantastic, and Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Pratchett. I'm currently reading American Gods and I'm really enjoying it. I'm planning on reading more Gaiman this summer- I own Stardust, Fortunately the Milk, and Coraline, so I'll probably start there.
I don't know how she did not bring up Neverwhere, I love that book so much!
My first Gaiman was Odd and the Frost Giants. Followed by Fortunatly the Milk...i read both during my lunch break....and promptly bought all of his books my books store had. I adore him!
Love Neil Gaiman's work! I started with The Graveyard Book and Neverwhere. And I TOTALLY agree with you about him doing the narration for his audio books - there is something about his voice and his work that go perfectly together. My son and I also saw him in 2013 when he was doing his big tour for Ocean and it was awesome. He didn't read from Ocean for us, but instead read us Fortunately The Milk and it was amazing! And he was so nice when we went to have our books signed afterwards. He even drew little gravestone in my son's copy of The Graveyard Book. He is definitely a favorite in our house. :D
I'm so glad you did this talk. I literary just finished all the Neil Gaiman Sandman graphic novels that I own last week. I had a friend introduce Neil Gaiman to me in high school. Just love them. They have a certain elegance to them despite appearances. I enjoyed Good Omens as well. The characters were fabulous.
I started out with The Sandman. Even though I'm not a huge fan of DC or Marvel, it hooked me big time and I started reading everything by him. I highly recommend you to listen to The Sandman audiobook, I've heard people who are not into graphic novels are finding it a fantastic way to consume the story.
Either way, as someone who read most of Gaiman's book, The Sandman is probably one of his best stories ever. Definitely one of the best fantasy works in the 20th century, along with the likes of Lord of the Rings. I very much recommend trying it.
Anyways... I never read something by Neil Gaiman that I didn't at least like a bit, although I find American Gods boring at times. I'd say, you are right that the best place to start should be his stories for younger readers.
I think... The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a bit of a heavy start (more or less in a Neverwhere level, although the book is shorter), so I'd go for Coraline, Stardust, or The Graveyard Book first since they are easier and pretty straight-forward. Which one... depends on what the person prefers the most. Stardust if they like epic adventures; Coraline if they enjoy horror, suspense and/or supernatural; The Graveyard Book if they prefer lighter stories about growing up.
Then, I'd say the person can go for The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Good Omens.
For people who are already reading the likes of Terry Pratchett, J. R. R. Tolkien and George R. R. Martin, they are probably in a good place to start with The Sandman, Neverwhere, American Gods or Anansi Boys. They are more heavily based on mythology and overall denser...
Those are my thoughts, at least.
I feel like a newbie cuz I only read The Sandman, Eternals, Marvel 1602 and some American Gods comics, and watched Coraline. I never read any of his books. The only one I’m familiar with are his graphic novels which I find fascinating. I really enjoyed The Sandman because it gives you this idea on the power of storytelling and a sense of Lovecraftian horror as it shows how higher beings beyond our understanding are making the decisions and not us.
Ooh start anywhere it doesn't matter ! Just start because Gaiman is sooo good .
Gets that imagination , excitement.tbh he makes me feel.as I did as a child when reading a book and knowing it's magic !!
I also love Gaiman reading his own novels.he does it exactly with character voices so good xx
I love Neil Gaiman! I first started with Neverwhere which is still one of my all time fav. then the sandman series and so on...
The first book I ever read by him was Coraline. Than I started reading the Sandman comics and just recently I saw How To Talk To Girls At Parties which was amazing it truly brought me to another world plus he really did punks like me justice. I’ve seen many books and movies who don’t take the time to understand punk or use punk as a buzzword which doesn’t give punks theOpportunity to be seen as complex as we really are
I started reading the whole Sandman Series... I found out later that he wrote novels, not just graphic ones... this was really helpful for my new acquired taste...
For me I started with Neverwhere and its my favorite book and I reread it multiple times
I just finished reading the ocean at the end of the lane and I really enjoyed it. I was thrilled to learn that he wrote Stardust and Coraline. I've only seen the movies but I can't wait to read the books. Thanks for the recommendations.
I started with Norse Mythology, then American Gods and Coraline... but what really got to me was Neverwhere. That concept of a dark magic world in the parts that we fail to notice, with people struggling, fighting and surviving and having their own stories hidden from our sight was... perfect.
The ocean at the end of the lane is definitely one of my favourites books 😍
My kids and I just read Odd And The Frost Giants. It was a wonderful book and I will definitely be getting more of his works.
I came to know about Gaiman through this channel and started with the OATEOTL. Enjoyed it heartily. I want to thank you for introducing such a fine author to me. I love listening to his interviews. He speaks as beautifully as he writes.
The first book I read from Neil Gaiman was The Ocean at the End of the Lane too!
My first Neil Gaiman was 'The Graveyard Book' and I absolutely fell in love with his writing.
Good Omens is what got me hooked on Neil. I then read Stardust, Ocean at the End of the Lane, Coraline and The Sleeper and the Spindle
I plan on reading the larger books by him now that I've gotten warmed up to his magical mind!!
aaawww I need to get back into reading! something has happened with my concentration in the last few years. Perimenopause maybe? I'm going to order a few paperbacks and see if I can't get back into it. I remember reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane about 5 years ago and loved it.
I started with the Sandman series, and wasn't too won over. (I wasn't practiced at reading comics yet.) I'd watched the movies for Stardust and Coraline, and they weren't too bad. It was the Doctor Who episode, the Doctor's Wife, that made me fall in love with his writing.
Not including my preteen viewing of Stardust, which I didn't like very much, I initially tried getting into Neil Gaiman's writing with American Gods. Now that I've heard your explanation about what kind of reader it's best suited for, it makes A LOT of sense that I couldn't get into it. For me what did get me more into his writing (although I still wouldn't say that I've read much by him) was his Twitter/Blackberrry Calendar of Tales collection of short stories and his graphic novels. I'm about a third of the way through The Sandman series, and I loooooove it * u* the artwork, especially the cover art, is GORGEOUS and creepy and sets the mood so well. I sincerely hope I find a novel of his I can enjoy though. I find Neil Gaiman fascinating and I have so much respect for him as a writer and creator. The Ocean at the End of the Lane did sound interesting to me when he announced it, so I think I'll pick up that one the next time I want to get into his writing : )
I just read The Graveyard Book for the first time and I was completely blown away -- definitely one of my favorite books of all time. Immediately afterwards I picked up Coraline, and really loved it. I can't wait to read more.
I started with The Ocean at the End of the Lane :). I quite liked it, and I agree that it's a good place to start. Since then I've read Fortunately, the Milk and Coraline. I've got a few more of his books on my TBR.
I started with his Sandman comics, and loved them, but my favourite book is Neverwhere. I have been a huge Neil Gaiman fan since the 1990's.
I am a grown up, but love his children's books.
Stardust is beautiful.
I remember reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane when it came out. I had pre-ordered it, but was in the US on holidays, so ended up buying the ebook as well. My olan on sleeping on the plane back to Norway didn't happen, I just couldn't put the book down!
American Gods is a book I have read more than once. 😉
I went to a book signing of Fortunately the Milk, and he read for us. I actually managed to get it on video, and he was wonderful and let me post it on my channel. If you go to my channel, it should be there. 😊
This is a really helpful video. I have read Coraline and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which was so haunting. I want to read Stardust and American Gods next!
Discovered Neil Gaiman with The Sandman, then I moved to the Graveyard Book and Coraline, thinking about buying a few other of his books when I get the chance
I started reading Gaiman in 1992 with Sandman -- before he started writing more "prose" fiction and my fav ss is Chivalry
also, Stardust was originally a graphic novel and there's a short story collection by other authors re Sandman
I actually started with Sandman, but the first book I read was Neverwhere. I also read The Ocean at the End of the Lane and wasn't a big fan, so I'm not sure how I feel about Neil Gaiman yet... I have American Gods and Stardust on my TBR, what would you suggest I go for next?
PLEASE read The Sandman series!! Neil Gaiman is my favorite and The Sandman is so beautiful, and haunting, and thought provoking.
Neverwhere was my first and favorite. Loved American Gods too, its going to be a Tv series on starz soon!
same
I started to watch the American Gods tv series on Amazon prime with my mom once I felt So Ignorant and Bad because I had managed to read half of the book before watching the tv series and while I had been reading the book I didn't realize how Disturbing and Disrespectful it actually
was!
I've gotten through half of American Gods and I've enjoyed it a lot! I hope to read so much more of his books and more of his short stories. I read embarrassingly slow though :/
It took me 5 months to get through half of American Gods *sigh*.
This year I will try to get through more!
It doesn't matter how slow you read. You have nothing to be embarrassed about! If you love reading, that's what matters. Reading slower might actually benefit you, as far as details and understanding the words go. I can read decently fast, and sometimes I have to go back and reread a passage or quote or something to understand some things. I wish you the best of luck!
My very first Neil Gaiman book was Norse Mythology. Still love it.
I first read American Gods, then Neverwhere and Good Omens. I love fantasy so his dark twisted stories were a lot of fun for me. Good Omens was such a sweet combination of innocence and utter brutality and I blew through it, it was a great gateway drug to Terry Pratchett
That's so interesting! I read all of Prattchet's Discworld first and then Good Omens. Which turned out to be a great gateway drug to Gaiman! Did neverwhere then Anansi Boys now building up to American Gods. It definitely works both ways with Prattchet and Gaiman 😍
I started with American Gods and was completely in love , then went over to Anansi Boys and was gonna read Stardust after that but the library I was borrowing the books in English I had no longer access too. The only book I have of him in my shelf is American Gods but I'm now very excited to read the rest of his work !!
My first was Stardust! I've always loved fairytales so when i first saw it, i knew that i would be liking it.
The only Neil Gaiman book I've read is Good Omens and I adored it! I've been wanting to read more but have yet to pick one up.. I'm feeling like I need to go start reading one after work today!
my friend bought the ocean at the end of the lane can't wait to finish my finals to read it !
amazing video you are so intelligent and beautiful im happy i found your channel!
My first book of his was neverwhere. I'd recommend it to everyone!
I started with Neverwhere, like many people here. Just finished Good Omens. I cannot wait for the TV series. I also pre-ordered his Art Matters book, autographed, before it released a few weeks ago. I watched the Live Signing stream. I wish I could meet him in person though. He's my Author Crush. 😊
I started with Coroline because I wanted to watch the film. I read it the night of halloween and it was wonderful! I loved that. I own several of his I haven't read yet. I should get on that. :) Thank you this is wonderful
Thanks so much for the video. I started with Neil Gaiman actually from watching Doctor Who, his episodes were fantastic, especially The Doctor's Wife. Then I fell in love with his story he wrote in the 12 Doctor story collection - to be honest, his was the best. I didn't want to start reading any of his actual prose because I didn't know where to start, until I entered my Genre Writing course and was prescribed Ocean at the End of the Lane and totally fell in love with it. So much so I wrote my craft analysis essay about narrative interest generated by the supernatual theme. His deliberated denial of giving the reader more magic is one of the reasons why the readers keep flipping the page, I believe.
I wrote the essay this semester while reading Trigger Warning, his short story collection - which I absolutely loved to pieces. I intend to read more but I don't know if his other work would live up to my expectations compared to what I've already read because they are not the type of books I generally read.
I am very interested in his upcoming book 'The View from the Cheap Seats' (also, as a side observation - longer title names are becoming the 'thing' apparently).
I started with Batman : Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader and I absolutely loved it. Then Black Orchid and Sandman.
Then American Gods and finally The Ocean at the End of the Lane ( which I recommend starting with ).
sandman omnibus volume 1 the cover is leather and the pages are black.
it introduces you to dream and his siblings the endless not to mention lucifer and loki
I've got American Gods right here and it would be the first Neil Gaiman book for me. Very informative video
I am listening to the full-cast audiobook version and it is amazing!
Completely agree with your choices, but would add, you must read the Sandman, yes its a comic book, but its not super hero's at all in tights, and to me, both loving books and growing up on comic books cause i had, well and still have, dyslexia, this series is simply amazing and not for kids, it really is for adults or more mature teens. Oh, I got to see him in person, and he is a complete english gentleman, vary nice and kind wonderful person. I saw him on the Graveyard book tour and he read a whole chapter live, my first Gaiman, by accident was Death The Hi Cost of Living, first time i was disappointed not what I thought as a young skateboarding heavy metal punk rock kid in the early 90's but kept, now i find it completely amazing, so glad i kept it.
I'm reading Norse Mythology at the moment and loving every word. I completely agree with your recommendation of Ocean at the End of the Lane. That book had me weeping by the end. Gorgeous writing that shattered my perception of "being an adult" and reminded me of the importance of keeping my childhood self intact and alive. Also: I wonder if there was someone in Neil's life named Hempstock who gave him a hard time or something...
I started with Neverwhere, then read Coraline, and then The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I also "read" a whole bunch of his middle grade books, because I found them on audio and I adore listening to him read his own work (I also listened to a full cast reading of The Sleeper and the Spindle, which was amazing!) On Independent Bookstore Day, I was given a proof copy of his non-fiction collection The View From the Cheap Seats and am dying to dig into it (there are 60 stories/essays in it, so it might take a while.) I met Neil during his final tour, when The Ocean at the End of the Lane came out and it was one of the best nights of my life. He told jokes, read from the book, also read from Fortunately the Milk. During the signing, he drew a ghost in my book and had a quick bonding moment with my mom over "growing up in libraries". He is just pretty much amazing.
The first book I read by him was actually Coraline and I know its not everyone's favourite a lot of people don't actually like it that much but I absolutely loved it!
Neil's run on the comic book Miracleman is the place to go for to really really think. Every time I read it, I find something else to contemplate.
The first one that grabbed me was the audiobook of Anansi Boys narrated by Lenny Henry. I had read Good Omens a few years earlier, and while I liked it, it did not leaving me hungry for more of his books. I do enjoy fantasy. I'm flying through American Gods now.
Coraline was a great first read for me, one of my all time favorites.
I started with Sandman #1 when it first came out but my first novel was Neverwhere. His very first novel was Duran Duran or at least a book on Duran Duran.
I also love Neil Gaiman! I started with The Graveyard Book, then Stardust, then Neverwhere... His short stories are also really good! My next read will probably be The Ocean at the End of the Lane :)
I've started with Good Omens he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett, have you read it? The first his book I've read was American Gods and later Neverwhere. Which short story collection would you recommend? I like short stories very much, but I'm not familiar with Neil's so I could use a little help. :)
I started with The Graveyard Book - loved it! - and then moved onto The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which is my favourite so far as I love twists on mythology. Had to buy Coraline after that, again a winner, and adored The Sleeper and the Spindle. Next on my wishlist is Stardust ;-D
The Graveyard Book is one of my very favorite books ever and that's in spite of the fact that I rarely read youth books. (That is actually why I subscribed to your channel - it's not over run with YA.) I LOVE Gaiman but haven't yet read Stardust so that's going to have to be remedied. I started with American Gods, Anansi Boys and Neverwhere. I also loved Ocean but The Graveyard Book is my favorite. I also have yet to read any of his short story collections. I can't imagine he could write anything I wouldn't like.
I first read Stardust, because I had seen the movie, so then had to read the book!
My first book of his was The Ocean at the end of the Lane. That’s when I became a fan. And after that, I’ve been reading his books since then.
My partner read chivalry to me when I was very poorly and had anxiety .My partner thought it was silly reading it to me but I asked him ,he did and he loved reading it me and loved the story .I loved him reading to me and tnought it was kind he did so because he isn't the type of do tnis.
My partner woke up and said "I've been thinking about this story and ...!
You see Gaiman gets people talking !!!
I've read The Graveyard Book and then Stardust, American Gods, Neverwhere, and Anansi Boys.
I ran into your channel and subbed at the instant I saw the display of books in the background like badges of honor. :)
Saw Coraline movie loved it and made me want to check him up so I started reading Neil Gaiman with the Ocean at the end of the lane and The Graveyard Book at the same time and he has become one of my favorite authors.
I really enjoyed Stardust when I first read it but found myself wishing he'd spend more time with each character. I know that's the style he was going for but the world was so interesting and the characters were fantastic but I wanted more! Now I've seen and loved the movie, the book pales in comparison.
I've heard so many amazing things about The Ocean at the End of the Lane, that's definitely the next Gaiman I'll pick up
First thing I read by Neil Gaiman was his Sherlock Holmes short story, in audiobook form. It’s a very good taste test to see if you like his writing style especially because it’s only 40 minutes long.
I completely relate to your struggles with graphic novels! I thought I was the only one lol
Those are my favorites as well. I recommend people to start with The Graveyard Book/Stardust :D Love his audiobooks. And OMG you're so lucky to have seen him twice. Love this video!
I've been looking for other Gaiman's works. You got me interested in Stardust and The Graveyard Book. Let's see which I got first!
Woah your library looks impressive.
I absolutely love Neil Gaiman, I just adore his narrative style. The books that I started with were Stardust and The Graveyard Book although I had bought American Gods before that (and I've still not read it years later >.
That's interesting about the link. I have read stardust and the graveyard book, but not the ocean at the end of the lane. Will check it out as I do love both stardust and the graveyard book. I first watched stardust, which i enjoyed, but the graveyard book was what made me aware of Neil gaiman and from there learn that stardust the movie was based on his book. I have also read sandman and coraline for one reason or another has never quite catch my attention enough for me to actually pick it up. I am planning on reading american god next and would like to know what other gaiman book you would recommend.
Started with Coraline, loved it and went on to The Graveyard book which I also adored. Then Neverwhere, The ocean at the end of the Lane and American Gods. So clearly I've transitioned from his children books to his adult ones which was a little disconcerting but didn't fail to make me fall in love with his universe
+Granger Danger I was actually wondering, could you please do a recommandation video for those who are already "Gaimaniacs" and have a hard time finding something similar to enjoy ?
I think his short stories are where his imagination comes alive. The ideas fly without having to carry the weight of plotting and 'making sense'. Also there are so many new and interesting ideas that when - occasionally - one doesn't quite work, it doesn't matter as another ten will be along any time soon. Hi best novel is American Gods with Graveyard Book a close second. Neverwhere is ok but suffers form being adapted from the TV series that he co-wrote.
Neverwhere was my first Neil Gaiman book. Now eagerly waiting for it's proposed sequel The Seven Sisters.
I started with Neverwhere and loooved it when I was younger, I still think it's probably the best, but need to reread it . I'm planning a Neverwhere-themed trip to London when I do.
I started with Neverwhere also, then the Sandman series and kept on from there. Funny you mention the Neverwhere-themed trip to London. For the past month I have been in the process of mapping out just such a trip for when I go to London in March.
Haha that's great, definitely let me know how it went!! I still didn't get round to doing it.
I read Norse Mythology first, which got me hooked on Norse myths. But then I read American Gods and damn, it is such an amazing book
I really didn't enjoy The Ocean at the End of the Lane. But I loved LOVED American Gods.
I started with American Gods and hated it, it might have been my least favorite read of 2019. A friend told me to try Sandman and i begrudgingly decided to try it, having been burned once. But I was surprised to find that I absolutely loved Sandman, maybe my favorite read of 2020. Now I want to reread American gods to figure out if I was in the wrong headspace or something when reading it.
I'm the same with graphic novels! I can't concentrate on them, and they actually make me anxious. I read too fast and completely ignore the pictures the few times I have tried.
I loved Gaiman's audio reading of the Graveyard Book - I think he is an excellent reader. His reading of Click Clack the Rattle Bag terrified me and has stuck with me, though it was just a short story. What is so strange about me and Gaiman - I could not get into the Anansi Boys, don't even remember American Gods, but I know I didn't like it - it's like his dark fiction doesn't register with me, and I LOVE dark fantasy. But Coraline, The Graveyard Book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Stardust are among my all time favorites. I love his whimsy - and I do find even his whimsy has a touch of darkness to it.
My favorite book of all time is Marvel 1602. Just because of that, I'm eager to read more of his work. Probably gonna get Stardust first, cause I love that movie.
I was thinking of reading 1602...
disappointed that you did not bring up Neverwhere, have you read that book? or did you not like it?
What about "Neverwhere"?, one of my favourite books ever.
I have only read American gods and the spinoff short story the monarch of the Glen. Both fantastic, want read more of his stuff
I have started with Caroline
I started to watch the American Gods tv series on Amazon prime with my mom once. I felt So Ignorant and Bad because I had managed to read half of the book before watching the tv series and while I had been reading the book I didn't realize how Disturbing and Disrespectful it actually
was!
I really didn't like the ocean at the end of the lane, it seemed too childish to me. I personally started with the graveyard book but I would recommend reading stardust first.
Is the Plot in American Gods convoluted? I don't like Complex plots .
Can't recommend Neverwhere enough
The Angry Mob He's writing Neverwhere 2. It's titled The Seven Sisters. Exciting stuff!
Loved him because of coraline but did not like ocean at the end of the lane :( next on my list is neverwhere.
I read Good Omens first, then coraline, then American Gods maybe the sandman series after
The only Gaiman book I’ve read was Th Graveyard Book, and I didn’t like it. I actually couldn’t finish it because I was struggling so much to get through it. I can’t pinpoint why I didn’t like it, but I just didn’t. That experience has put me off of picking up any other Gaiman books, but I do want to. I know he’s widely loved, and I want to join the millions who enjoy his stories. I’m worried, however, that I’ll have the same kind of experience and dislike the next book of his I read. I’m not sure where to start.
hey!! i had a similar experience; my first neil gaiman book was ‘coraline’ & i adored it, but when i picked up ‘the graveyard book’ after i just couldn’t get into it, and i couldn’t even place why; the characters seemed interesting enough, and the plot was new, but the words just weren’t settling in my head so i dnf’d it.
please don’t let that put you off gaiman’s other works, though! the other books mentioned in this video are incredible; ‘the ocean at the end of the lane’ especially. i’ve since read all of his books with the exception of his short story collections and ‘the graveyard book’ - which i intend to give a second chance soon - and he really is a wonderful storyteller.
I started with an old battered copy of The Graveyard Book that I found in a charity shop on holiday and I read the whole thing on the car journey home. Then I went and bought Stardust which I loved and was wholly disappointed when I saw the film. Personally, I don't think Ocean at the End of the Lane is a good one to start with because it's one of his few novels which are set in the first person and I don't think it gives and accurate representation of his work as a whole. Stardust and Neverwhere are my own choices as to which to start with.
I read through American Gods in 8 days. I tend to take longer with books half that size. Did not want to put it down.
I haven't read his stuff yet, but I did buy American Gods earlier this year.
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