PREFACE:
WORLD'S END is a great collection of short stories, but it works best as part of the Sandman series. If you have not caught up by reading volumes 1-7, I'd suggest finishing those volumes before moving to this one. It's not absolutely necessary (this volume takes place largely outside the continuity of the universe), it helps if you are familiar with Gaiman's style and characters. If you have not read any Sandman yet, you're in for a treat:
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes (New Edition)
.
REVIEW:
WORLD'S END is a 6-issue arc that is composed of 6 short stories. Picking up off of the hefty
The Sandman Vol. 7: Brief Lives
, Gaiman takes the listeners outside the Sandman narrative for a handful of musings. WORLD'S END follows two travelers who mysteriously find themselves lost in a storm. Seeking shelter and safety, the two travelers find their way to World's End, an inn that exists somewhere between space and time. The inn is populated with other wayward travelers, from different times, dimensions, and universes. With everyone stuck at the inn, the patrons pass the time by sharing stories.
These standalone stories range greatly in content, delivery, tone, and characterization. What I admired most about this collection was the range that Gaiman has control over. Each issue's narrative feels almost as if it were written by a different author -- this creates an impressive perceived verisimilitude to the characters' stories. These shifts in tone, however, are nearly seamless. The stories work with the reader and not against them. There's a moment in WORLD'S END when Gaiman is describing a character telling a story in which a character is telling a story about another character telling a story. Sound confusing? In the moment, it makes perfect sense, it's perfectly clear, and it doesn't feel out of place at all. Even though this arc in many ways stands alone outside of the main Sandman narrative, these 6 issues create one complete volume. The editors of the book have removed the issue covers (usually separating stories) to give WORLD'S END a seamless feel. It might not sound like much, but the effect works really well.
Gaiman admits in the acknowledgments that WORLD'S END was inspired by his desire to experiment with other authors. The result is incredibly interesting and beautiful. Each patron's story is pencilled/inked by a different artist as compared to the frame narrative. This conceit adds further depth to these stories; WORLD'S END is a story about the power of stories. While some of these narratives find us encountering Morpheus, he's conspicuously missing for the most of the volume. There's a good reason for that, but readers will have to wait for the final moments of the volume to discover why. The ending is spectacular.
I've read this collection in the original trade-paperback version (released in the mid-90's) and again in the updated version (released in 2012). This new edition contains everything from the previous collection (including Stephen King's introduction), but the color has been restored to reflect Gaiman's intent. The difference isn't jarring, but in the case of WORLD'S END, which relies heavily on the artwork, I'd definitely side with this version. Additionally, this listeing is available on Kindle (and other eReaders). As of recently, readers can read graphic novels/comic books on devices other than Kindle Fire (iPad/Android readers rejoice!)
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