On the back of both Neil Gaiman books I have read is a quote from Stephen King: “Gaiman is a treasure house…we are lucky to have him.” This is fine praise from a master storyteller in the same genre.
Both King and Gaiman enjoy the intersection of real life, sci-fi and terror. They also both thrive in bringing folklore to breath-taking life in the modern world. King is to Gaiman what Magic is to Kobe. Indeed, King is the current…well…king of the genre. And when he says of Gaiman “we are lucky to have him,” I believe King is speaking both about mankind in general AND the fraternity of horror/sci-fi/folklore masters.
King’s characterization of Gaiman as a “treasure house” is also telling, for it underscores Gaiman’s greatest contribution to literature: the fantastic ideas percolating in his head. In two books, Gaiman portrays a remarkably multicultural nation of people hidden in underground London (Neverwhere) and an America overrun with fading deities (American Gods). His imagination is the treasure house.
Now, we just need to match Gaiman with an equally treasured master of movie-making imagination with a penchant for folklore. Neil Gaiman, meet Tim Burton.
Link to review of Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (coming soon)
Link to review of American Gods by Neil Gaiman (coming soon)
Link to review of Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Click here for a list of all articles featuring Neil Gaiman on Enter The Net
Click here for a list of all articles featuring Stephen King on Enter The Net
Link to Anansi Boys on Powells.com
Posted by Drevil, 12/13/2013
I love Drevil’s idea to match Neil Gaiman with Tim Burton. What is Burton up to these days?