[.ca] Sandman, The: The Dream Hunters (ISBN 156389629X)

From Amazon.com:
Sandman fans should feel lucky that master fantasy writer Neil Gaiman discovered the mythical world of Japanese fables while researching his translation of Hayao Miyazaki's film Princess Mononoke. At the same time, while preparing for the Sandman 10th anniversary, he met Yoshitaka Amano, his artist for the 11th Sandman book. Amano is the famed designer of the Final Fantasy game series. The product of Gaiman's immersion in Japanese art, culture, and history, Sandman: Dream Hunters is a classic Japanese tale (adapted from "The Fox, the Monk, and the Mikado of All Night's Dreaming") that he has subtly morphed into his Sandman universe. Like most fables, the story begins with a wager between two jealous animals, a fox and a badger: which of them can drive a young monk from his solitary temple? The winner will make the temple into a new fox or badger home. But as the fox adopts the form of a woman to woo the monk from his hermitage, she falls in love with him. Meanwhile, in far away Kyoto, the wealthy Master of Yin-Yang, the onmyoji, is plagued by his fears and seeks tranquility in his command of sorcery. He learns of the monk and his inner peace; he dispatches demons to plague the monk in his dreams and eventually kill him to bring his peace to the onmyoji. The fox overhears the demons on their way to the monk and begins her struggle to save the man whom at first she so envied. Dream Hunters is a beautiful package. From the ink-brush painted endpapers to the luminous page layouts--including Amano's gate-fold painting of Morpheus in a sea of reds, oranges, and violets--this book has been crafted for a sensuous reading experience. Gaiman has developed as a prose stylist in the last several years with novels and stories such as Neverwhere and Stardust, and his narrative rings with a sense of timelessness and magic that gently sustains this adult fairy tale. The only disappointment here is that the book is so brief. One could imagine this creative team being even better suited to a longer story of more epic proportions. On the final page of Dream Hunters, in fact, Amano suggest that he will collaborate further with Mr. Gaiman in the future. Readers of Dream Hunters will hope that Amano's dream comes true. --Patrick O'Kelley

an outstanding entry:
a lyrical, haunting fairy tale. this is the perfect introduction to neil gaiman's world. it's a stand-alone, so the reader needn't be scared off by a whole series, and it's a great intro to oriental fairy tales, which are not often found in mainstream american lit. this story stayed with me long after i finished the book.

Sandman Surprise:
Sandman: The Dream Hunters is a gorgeously illustrated graphic novel. During research into the myths of Japan while working on the english script for the film Princess Mononoke, Gaiman came across a story that would make an interesting take on the Sandman. The story of a shape-changing fox falling in love with a monk is the typical, bittersweet fantasy that Gaiman excels at. The ease into which he fits the Sandman milieu in this ancient story is to his credit as a writer and the archetypes on which the tales are based. He easily makes us believe that the Endless has always existed and are behind the scenes in mythos from every part of the world. You could call it a fairy tale for adults. But it is Amano's breath taking paintings that really make this book great. These paintings make the story come alive on the page and create a sense of past and wonder that could only be hinted at with words alone. It is unlike anything done before in Sandman or anything I've seen in Japanese manga. Truly a work of art.

Gorgeous art:
A stand alone entry in the world of Sandman graphic novels, this lovely piece is a pleasure to read. The story, based on a Japanese folktale, drags on somewhat in the labored way of folk and fairy tales, but it's mainly a framework for the real star here, which is the artwork. This is one I pull out occasionally and flip through just to see the pictures again. Lovely.

Exquisite art, exquisite story:
The illustrations and story perfectly balance, both exquisite, haunting and beautiful. I've read through the story, looking at the illustrations on the way. I've also leafed through the book just to pore over the art, with the story in mind, knowing that more details will emerge with each study. Usually, you have to go to children's lit for this caliber of picture book; finally, here's a fully realized picture book for people who have experienced a bit more of life. I only wish it had been produced in a bigger size.

Did you know?:
The story isnt't actually based on a Japanese tale, Gaiman made it up.