I adore this series, and at the same time am sad about where it seems To be heading.

Every time I read Brief Lives I suddenly remember that it's possibly my favourite of the whole series. This is a stunning volume of work. Incredible storytelling. The way the art and the words merge together is perfect. The way this arc brings together threads laid down in earlier stories and twists, setting us up for what comes next. Just perfection.
The other stories here are also good, and there are a couple of double page spreads that are just heart stoppingly beautiful.
If you have been wondering if the absolute versions are with your money, I think this volume cements that they are. Just gorgeous.

The story continues, and introduces more themes and characters. If you have this, you already have Vol. 1, so any info here is superfluous.

(Yes, I know this is the same thing I said for Vol 2. Can you guess what is going to be said for Vol 4.? )

The third massive collection of Sandman graphic novels is a very even volume, with almost every chapter telling an interesting story, many of them weaving together fabulously. The two main plot threads in this one are the tale of Orpheus, who was fathered by Dream, and of a number of travelers, stranded at the World's End Inn, telling stories to pass the time away. Dark and compelling.

I started being diligent about reviewing the books I read here as a form of diary. I've never been vey good at diaries but I do like writing about books, and I tend to associate books with the times and places I read them. I regret that I was a bit slow about including graphic novels, but that's neither here not there. So I'm prefacing this review with a remark almost entirely of interest to none but myself.

The reason for the gap between the review of volume one in this series and the subsequent volumes was because volume three and four arrived from the library weeks ago and volume two only arrived the other day. I'm not complaining, I'm amazed and delighted to have them, even of only on loan, and I'm delighted that they're out there in the system for others to enjoy. I was searching for a copy of Overture, actually, when I came across the Absolutes in the system and promptly decided that it was time to read the whole series. Volume five is there too, but, apparently, 'for library use only.' Since it consists of ancillary stories, and the main story ends in volume four, I'll get by without it for now.

Anyway, yay libraries, as Lucien would no doubt agree.

Onto Brief Lives, then, the longest story so far. Delirium decides it's time to find the lost brother of the Endless and ask him to come back. After some toing and froing, Dream, on the rebound from a break-up, goes along with her, half as a distraction, half in the hopes of running into hos lady-love, whoever she may be. Throughout the series it has become apparent that Dream is his own worst enemy or his own best friend, depending on how you view things. Certainly he is making decisions that lead to certain inescapable conclusions all the while insisting that he's doing them for other reasons and he hasn't really changed at all. Their search sets of events which damage and destroy certain lives, and this actually bothers him. In order to find his brother he has to make a certain sacrifice. Why does he do it? His sense of obligation and responsibility has broadened, perhaps, or he has become aware of blind spots and gaps in his approach to them, and maybe this is the breaking point. It's all there now, all ready to go. What's next is inevitable.

After Brief Lives comes Worlds End, more masterful stories, including the great Wolfe homage and big sign saying SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE which, in case you were slow on the uptake, is followed by a massive vision of a funeral. Artists include Mike Zulli, and there's another cruel but lush Zulli story right at the end. The script for Ramadan is included, and it's possibly the least informative of all the scripts, except to compare it to Russel's gorgeous execution of the story and the layouts is stunning.

Another collection that is too vast to properly review. One thing to glean from this collection as a whole, and with any Sandman collection, is how valuable stories are. This volume features an Inception-worthy level of stories within stories, like nesting dolls we open them up and put them back together with every few pages, and it seems bewildering and exotic, but the warm feeling of having lived another life flits through the soul with every tale.

Well, this is of course, brilliant. But why? It occurs to me that the world Gaiman set up for himself was in fact the perfect tool for him: He could incorporate any mythology, religion, genre, location or time and still make it all self-consistent, hence allowing his imagination to go wherever it wanted or needed to. This particular volume is a great showcase for this variety and it is enhanced by the various changes in art style accompanying the changes in mood, atmosphere, character and location.

Bring on Vol. IV!