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Neil Gaiman

…."Stardust": Neil Gaiman.

Stardust_Neil GaimanI must admit that I started reading this with very fond reminiscences of Neil’s co-authored “Good Omens” (Terry Pratchett being the other author).  In Stardust we have a reasonably fast-paced, vividly realised  fairy tale centred around Tristran Thorn – and as a fairy tale it is a good work.  Tristran, in an attempt to gain the love of the most beautiful girl in the village, goes through to the Faerie lands beyond The Wall in search of a fallen star.  Passing through The Wall is not something to be done lightly, in fact the Villagers guard the gap to ensure that no-one passes.

After a diet of fully-fleshed out, sometimes flabby fantasy, this brief work comes as a pleasant surprise.  “Stardust” is a real page-turner, the disappointing thing is that Neil telegraphs the coming events, leaving us few if any surprises.  That said I am looking forward to reading more of Neil’s work, I just don’t know that Stardust will be a “keeper”.