The aspect of a dream world and how the different perceptions of real play into ideas of conscience but also consciousness is something that Neil Gaiman has been dealing with for many years. The ideal within “The Dreaming Vol. 1 – Pathways & Emanations” [Si Spurrier & Neil Gaiman/Vertigo/200pgs] involves the breakdown of that structure. Whole different characters take the narrator form at certain points based on the idea that different metaphors and points of view come to bear during the story. The angle is a good one placed within the fact of an almost meta approach where Nora is foul mouthed and fun and just wants to be left alone but she can turn into a raging monster when she wants to. The key within her story is signifying what is real and what is not. Her approach is simply one of survival and yet Dream which seems to be a form of Lucifer in a way wants to help her find her true potential. However, he then summarily leaves the game. The different creatures that come to bear as well as myths like Cain & Abel have a quality of dementia to them in an almost wonderful way in that instinct becomes the prevailing nature overall. Nora however propels the aspect of what the story is about which about control over dreams. She integrates the personages of the blanks whom a character called Pumpkinhead refers to as The Soggies. They are made of dream matter and supposedly just mimic other dream thoughts but what comes about is that they can be lead and have a will at times of their own. That underlying metaphor propels the story in many ways without feeling overbearing. Ultimately the reflective nature specifically in how it relates to the librarian and the almost fated path of Nora offers a fitting end but also cliffhanger to what the continued vision of this dreamworld might be. B

By Tim Wassberg

This one took me a few tries to get into. Finally managed to get through it (this is the third time I've had it on my "hold" shelf at the library and the third time I've run up against its due date. Apparently, this is a very popular book, as there are still like 9 other people waiting for it). I like Simon Spurrier's work, though here, he's very constrained by the rules of this particular world (and of Neil Gaiman's previous work). As a beginning to an ongoing series, this is a bit of a slog to get into. There's just so much going on, and a lot of it is metaphorical, rather than actually happening. The artwork is very strong throughout--for once, it seems, they were able to keep the same team together for more than a couple of issues. I guess I'll probably come back to this at some point and continue with volume 2, but there isn't a real sense of urgency to do so.

An enjoyable addition to the sandman universe, though for me nothing will ever beat the originals by Neil Gaiman. Still, it's nice to see the universe expanding and it is sure to bring in a legion of new fans.

My Rating : 3

Thank you so much Netgalley for the copy of the review copy. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
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When I first saw Neil Gaiman's name in the author list I immediately requested this book! This book had an amazing artwork and the art style never ceases to amaze me. But when it came to the actual plot line and the writing, I expected much more than it delivered. Maybe because I am a huge fan of Neil Gaiman and I might be influenced a little ? I wouldn't say the cover art, blurb were misleading, but it was not a match to the actual story.
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Overall, I should say I was not impressed with this universe and the story. If you are a fan of Spurrier and the Sandman universe, maybe check this book out for the art style. But I wouldn't recommend new Graphic novel readers to start with this book

This is a follow up of sorts to Sandman and is creepy yet engaging. Beautiful artwork and a quirky story and cast. Recommended to Sandman fans!

Neil Gaiman is the master of creating other worlds that mirror our own and The Sandman series may be his very best and iconic. A treat for fans and new comings alike.

ARC from Netgalley.
3.5 Stars.
DC/Vertigo recently unveiled their sequel for Sandman, starting to explore Neil Gaiman's created universe picking up right after Daniel (now Lord of Dreams after Morpheus's demise at the end of the previous Sandman series), takes over the mantle. But what happens to the realm of The Dreaming when Daniel abandons his post? Leaving no clear successor, The Dreaming starts to fracture and decay. Unfortunately, this allows a criminal to escape a prison he's been in for centuries, and Judge Gallows has his own designs for The Dreaming.
Revisiting all the characters from the original series (Lucien, Matthew, Merv Pumpkinhead, Dora, etc) they each have a role to play in the coming changes.... especially when a new force is beginning to develop and grow... one who may not be entirely stable...
The first book in the new Sandman Universe titles is great. Though, much like Sandman, it is very very wordy and requires knowledge of most things that have come before. If it's been a long time since you read Sandman, you might want to go back and reread it, or at least read through some summaries, or you might be completely lost. We'll see how the whole thing comes together when I read the other titles: House of Whispers, Lucifer, and The Books of Magic.
Until then, recommend... but not for people brand new to Gaiman's Sandman

This title is misleading with the inclusion of Neil Gaiman's name. I wish I could like Spurrier's writing, but in comparison, it is not up to par with Mr. Gaiman's. The art shifts too often between the issues, and the story did not pique nor keep my interest.

I'm not really familiar with Sandman, so I went into this blind- I've heard of Sandman, just never read it. The artwork was pretty groovy, and I enjoyed the story. While I know there's stuff in the story I missed, I was able to figure out what was going on without much trouble. This definitely made me want to start Sandman from the beginning!

#TheDreamingVol1pathwaysAndEmanationsTheSandmanUniverse #NetGalley

I really wanted to love this book, but it didn't happen. The artwork was lovely, but the story didn't catch me as the previous Sandman stories could.

The Dreaming: Pathways and Emanations is a solid start to The Sandman Universe. The creative team behind the book understands Gaiman's universe and has a knack for telling engaging stories. A must-read for fans of The Sandman.

I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the artwork in this graphic novel, it’s awesome. For the most part, the stories/editions were well done. The humour in the first 2 stories had me laughing out loud. Overall I enjoyed it and I’d pick up the next group of stories in the Sandman universe.

Interesting take on the universe created by Gaiman. The book tells the story of dreaming, after Dream left the realm. The story starts a bit slow, but the pace picks up around the middle of the book. The problem for me personally was, that while familiar with Sandman, I read it a LONG time ago. Some of the minor characters and plot points mentioned here went over my head. It would be nice, if more background was given by the writers for the readers who are not as fluent in this world. The art was mostly solid, but rarely impressive.

When it comes to books, I can be a very simple human being. Did I saw this Sandman on NetGalley and almost went through my screen because I was so eager to request it? Sure I did.

(I had pretty much the same reaction when I learned that Netflix would create a Sandman series... Now? I'm scared if it will be a good adaptation or not. And I keep wondering if I want them to follow closely the original or to go the same way the creators of Lucifer went.)

Back to the Dreaming. Turn the first page was so exciting! I could not believe that I was back! The Dreaming! And the first pages, wow, back. I was ecstatic!

However, as I progressed, the excitement started to die down. I kept wondering "Didn't we all read this before? Lord of the Dreaming is missing." AGAIN?

And that feeling never left me. What worked once, or twice or even three times... did not work this time.

Plus, I just cannot stand Dora.

However, despite all that, The Dreaming and Sandman is something... it's so high up there that it's so hard to achieve that level of brilliance.

Was this good? Yes. Did it measure up to the original series? No.

Daniel has abandoned the Dreaming and left the supporting cast of Sandman to their own devices. Things quickly spiral out of control as no one knows where Daniel went or what to do in his absence. This actually isn't bad, which is always a worry when someone else plays in Neil Gaiman's sandbox. The story is too decompressed and spins it's wheels for multiple issues but overall I liked it. Bilquis Evely's art is gorgeous, like it was meant for a book like Sandman. She's great at drawing this quirky cast of characters and their environs.

'The Dreaming Vol. 1: Pathways and Emanations (the Sandman Universe)'
by Simon Spurrier with art by Bilquis Evely is a kind of spinoff of the acclaimed Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. This is not a good place to start in this world. You need to have some familiarity with what has happened before.

Lord Daniel, aka Sleep, has gone missing. He's actually been missing for a while and librarian Lucien has done a fair job of covering it up, but the cracks are starting to show. Literally. The dreamworld is falling apart and needs a new leader. Mervyn Pumpkinhead thinks he knows better (he doesn't), so he finds the forbodingly named Judge Gallows and sets him loose. Now the only thing that might set things right (or even stranger) is newcomer Dora with her monstrous temper.

The art is really good, but, unfortunately, the story had a hard time keeping my attention. Some of the narrative just kind of drones on and on. I'm still in for more of this series though, and there were things to like in it. Especially Dora.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

The Dreaming Vol 1 took me on a rather intriguing journey. It was full of fantastical creatures, some with amazing powers. Some of these characters were unaware of just how strong they truly were. When things started getting bad in this land, risks were taken to try and save it. Sadly some of these decisions only seemed to make things worse. Just when it looked like it was hopeless, a salvation of sorts arrived. Yet it wasn’t clear as this tale came to a close what the future may hold for this magical place.

actual rating: 3.5

I am still kind of unsure whether I want to round this up or down, but I did enjoy it overall so I think 4 stars is a fair rating. I have always had a very hit or miss relationship with the Sandman universe so I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. There are some blanks that I feel should have been filled in better [like WHY is Daniel leaving? Other than 'he's boring' lol], and other mysteries that are being intentionally drawn out [WHAT is Dora?? I need to knooow!]. I liked how every issue kind of focused on a different narrator so we got a lot of different points of view on the unfolding situation [I would have loved to see more of Eve, but maybe she'll get a spotlight in a future issue].

I absolutely love Dora so I can't wait to see more of her. Yeah she's a total mess and not always a 'good' or likable person, but she is incredibly real and I love messy characters [especially when they're women, we so rarely get to be anything but 'perfect']. I do agree that the whole 'border' issue is a bit transparent and ham-fisted, but I'd rather read something obvious that comes down on the right side of the issue than something that is more subtle but ultimately much more insidious. A very interesting start and I'll definitely be checking out the next volume.

Daniel, Lord of the Dreaming, has disappeared. Denizens are now subject to monstrous dreams, creatures beyond the borders of the realm, and madness is descending upon all of the senior storytellers of the Dreaming. Opportunists try to seize this as an opportunity, but it opens up a whole host of other problems.

Pathways and Emanations is the first of four volumes expanding on the Sandman series written by Neil Gaiman. He wrote the first part of this volume, where we discover the crack in the sky and that Daniel is gone. Lucien the Librarian tasked Matthew the Raven to go look for him wherever he can, and Matthew discovers a lot of oddities instead of Daniel. They make sense for readers of the Sandman series since we see a lot of the other characters from that series again. Lucifer and other denizens of hell, Eve, Mervyn, and all of the background characters that make sure the Dreaming is running smoothly are back. We're also introduced to Dora, a relative newcomer to the Dreaming, who steals bits of dreams to give to others. She needs actual food and sleep and can create portals into and out of the dreaming, as well as breakthrough dreams while knowing who the dreamer is. The other denizens of the Dreaming don't know these things, even those that have been there for millennia.

There's a larger story at work here, of course, because this is volume one. Not to spoil the twists in the plot of this volume, it very much echoes some of the story arcs within the Sandman comic run, and does refer back to it at times. This story works better if you know who the characters are and why they act the way they do, but there are enough references to their role within the Dreaming that it isn't entirely necessary to be familiar with the first run. Though if you haven't read them, please do yourself a favor and read them. The Sandman follows Dream of the Endless, one of the seven eternal beings that rule over an aspect of reality. Myths and stories are born in the Dreaming, so there are threads of myths from various cultures that are woven throughout the series. This one doesn't carry the same scope, but it does feel as though later volumes of this series just might.

Neil Gaiman has always commented about the possibility of more Sandman, and so to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the title, DC published a line of comic books under its Vertigo imprint. With each comic being overseen by Gaiman, but written by new creative teams, The Sandman Universe begins in a very similar manner as when DC began their Rebirth initiative, by launching with a one-shot issue about this obscure universe, setting up the narrative of the four comics.