A guide to Neil Gaiman's lesser known work
Neil Gaiman ticked all the boxes on the "celebrity author" checklist long before he garnered mainstream fame. He guest starred in two episodes of "The Simpsons", wrote multiple bestselling novels, penned one of the greatest comic book series of all time, and (what he considers to be one of his greatest achievements) scripted an episode of Doctor Who.
Yet the British author had never really generated the same level of mainstream buzz the like that of his peers, such as Stephen King and George R.R. Martin.
That was, until the release of his 2017 TV show "American Gods". Based on his own novel of the same name, the show was a big hit and gained critical acclaim within weeks of its release. His previous pop culture fame slowly started seeping into the mainstream as more people began looking up his other works.
As you may have already guessed, I am a big Gaiman fan myself, and thus, am quite aware of how his body of work is difficult to navigate and sometimes hard to find. Here are some of his other, lesser known, works.
SANDMAN
The 1989 comic published under DC Comics' Vertigo line was really what helped Gaiman gain his pop culture fame. The story revolves around the character "Dream of the Endless" who is the ruler of the realm of dreams. Gaiman crafts an entire universe around this original character and pens a masterpiece storyline over 75 issues.
GOOD OMENS
The 1990 novel co-written with the legendary Terry Pratchett is a comedic masterpiece where the writers create a story around heaven and hell; the attempts of an angel and a demon to fulfil the prophecy of each of their factions. With the book being adapted into a series in the coming year, it is the ideal time to give it a read.
GRAVEYARD BOOKS
This 2008 novel is Gaiman's approach to writing his own version of "The Jungle Book", where a young abandoned child is raised by ghosts in the graveyard, instead of by animals in the jungle. The overall narrative is unique to Gaiman's perspective of the story and his style of writing, leaving most readers speechless by the end.
NEVERWHERE
The 1996 series that originally aired on BBC is probably one of his greatest works, featuring a fantastic cast of actors and an entire fictional world known as the "London Below". In just six 30-minute episodes, Gaiman showcases a fantastic plot, taking the viewer through multiple twists and turns of his complex story writing ability.
BONUS
Additionally, his novel "Ocean at the End of the Lane" and the book adaption of his commencement speech "Make Good Art" are also fantastic reads.
So, take it from someone who's explored through almost all of Gaiman's body of work (and wishes he could do it all over again), if you're looking for a new author to captivate you with his words, go check Neil Gaiman out.