The Sandman: Brief Lives (1994)

This one? Not so much. A grudging two that perhaps should be a three because the ending was enjoyable.

The main issues (pardon the pun) that I had with this one fall to two areas:

1 - The art
The Sandman run, as far as I'm concerned, really hasn't had that many issues where the art was stunning. Most of the time it's serviceable at best. But this collection, finally done by a single artist and inker, was not good. It was amateurish, with the characters often a half-step above stick figures.

Morpheus, the titular Sandman himself, instead of looking imposing, or mysterious, or, hell, at least a little gothy, was instead a boring figure, just like the others. I felt no weight from the art, no gravitas.

In a graphic novel, the words drive the story, but the art should supply the wonder. The only thing I wondered here was, why were these two chosen for the art?

2 - Delerium
The only thing I can really say about Delirium is, I find her tedious. So any story that highlights her, I am likely to find tedious as well. That was the case here.

Garman's writing is still miles above most in the industry, and the second-last chapter was a particular highlight, but overall, I found I had to force myself to get through this one. ( )

Delirium and Dream go looking for Destruction, who doesn't want to be found.

I loved Delirium's reactions to our world and am intrigued by the headstone on the island. I remember her from the French Revolution story in "Fables & Reflections" but do we know anything more about her? ( )

Destruction of the Endless is missing (and has been missing for a very long time). Delerium--the strangest by far--seeks him.

Oh it's quite a story. I think this is the most we've seen about the other Endless yet, and it's truely bizarre. I think that Delerium being a core point of view helps that along nicely.

And best of all--it's stoic Dream who takes up the challenge of helping Delerium on the way. The play between the two of them is downright wonderful.



Well worth the read, both for the worldbuilding, but also for the little bits of the cuter sides of madness.

Spoilers and pretty pictures. Given it's Delerium--so many pretty pictures.



Heh. An easy mistake to make.



The magic of Delerium. Accidently bringing (short) life to some tiny chocolate people.

Such wording...



Heh. Blunt.



I think that's one thing that draws me to Sandman. There are truely ancient beings in this universe--and they actually feel as alien as they should. There are echoes of humanity--or echoes of them in humanity--but they are all... universally weird.



The best way to live forever? Just ... don't die. Keep doing that.



That's pretty Delerium. Sometimes I forget words, but not quite like that.



A good driver. I think I've met her on the road before...



And they found him! It's interesting that the Endless can pass on their titles or give them up entirely. I wonder how much other stories (the Dresden Files for example) borrow from that and how much they each borrow from some much older idea.



The opposite of Dream... ( )

When I first read the entire sandman series, this was my least favorite of the books. I think it still is. It seems overly long for what it accomplishes in the main story line, and rambles about a bit in sidelines for the sake of style.

It is still essential to the overall arc of the story and the character of Morpheus, and it is still good. Just not as good as the rest. Perhaps I will change my mind as I read the final 3 books. ( )

This seventh volume of the Sandman is one of my favourites so far; the story of Delirium and Death's search for their lost brother, Destruction.

"I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend. I can pretend things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend."

( )