This is the first novel I’ve read by Gaiman, and I had very little idea what to expect. I’ve read some of his comic book work in the past (most recently his Marvel mini-series), but his novels have an even more fervent following. Being a huge fan of “urban fantasy”, particularly the Charles deLint side of the genre, I thought this would be a great place to start.
First and foremost, I loved the unusual “voice” of the novel. Sometimes serious, often quirky and sarcastic, this feels like the best use of the Douglas Adams brand of storytelling. The absurdity is all there, along with an Arthur Dent-esque main character, and most of the characters are beyond weird and improbable. Underneath the absurdity, however, is a dark and unsettling core. In visual terms, think Terry Gilliam: the description of London Below is that well-crafted.
Apparently there was a BBC production of the same story that was created concurrently (or thereabouts), and it’s easy to see how the ideas in the book could have originated or informed something far more visual. On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine how some of the more alluring and sumptuous characters could possibly live up to expectations on the small screen. Characters like Lamia evoke a primal image of dark gothic beauty; it works incredibly well on the page, but would be very difficult to pull off on film without the perfect actress with the precisely perfect look.
Whatever the case, the book was a very quick read and worth every minute of it. As a first taste of Gaiman’s prose, it is encouraging enough to drive me to pick up the rest.
Rating: 8/10
The BBC Series was broadcast in England in 1996 and released on DVD here in the states in 2003. While the production values are a bit iffy ( think 80s Dr Who ) , the actors are great . Its worth a look .
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