Monday, November 9, 2015

Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman Book Review



Title: Trigger Warning
Date Published: October 27, 2015
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Source: TLC Book Tours

Purchasing:



Multiple award winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman returns to dazzle, captivate, haunt, and entertain with this third collection of short fiction following Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things—which includes a never-before published American Gods story, “Black Dog,” written exclusively for this volume.

In this new anthology, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction—stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013—as well “Black Dog,” a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods, exclusive to this collection.

Trigger Warning explores the masks we all wear and the people we are beneath them to reveal our vulnerabilities and our truest selves. Here is a rich cornucopia of horror and ghosts stories, science fiction and fairy tales, fabulism and poetry that explore the realm of experience and emotion. In Adventure Story—a thematic companion to The Ocean at the End of the Lane—Gaiman ponders death and the way people take their stories with them when they die. His social media experience A Calendar of Tales are short takes inspired by replies to fan tweets about the months of the year—stories of pirates and the March winds, an igloo made of books, and a Mother’s Day card that portends disturbances in the universe. Gaiman offers his own ingenious spin on Sherlock Holmes in his award-nominated mystery tale The Case of Death and Honey. And Click-Clack the Rattlebag explains the creaks and clatter we hear when we’re all alone in the darkness.

A sophisticated writer whose creative genius is unparalleled, Gaiman entrances with his literary alchemy, transporting us deep into the realm of imagination, where the fantastical becomes real and the everyday incandescent. Full of wonder and terror, surprises and amusements, Trigger Warning is a treasury of delights that engage the mind, stir the heart, and shake the soul from one of the most unique and popular literary artists of our day.

Neil Gaiman and I crossed paths many books ago. There are times when I thoroughly enjoy his books and other times when they just aren't for me, no matter what kind of rave reviews they may have received. This time, he hit the ball out of the park.

The thing I loved most about this book is that it is filled with short stories, all of which I enjoyed and all of which are a little off. I am not sure of any other author (outside of Stephen King who is my favorite) who can so thoroughly grip you through a short escapade into his mind. Each story is different, but all leave you feeling something, whether unease, horror, or dark humor. Not every story will be to everyone's liking, I'm sure. Not uncommon in a collection of stories, but that's what makes books like this some of my favorites. Even if you feel let down, it is only a small bit of the entire book.

I would HIGHLY recommend this book and will most likely read it again at some point, no matter how big my TBR pile is.






Neil Gaiman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, and is the recipient of numerous literary honors. Originally from England, he now lives in America. Find out more about Neil at his website, find all his books at his online bookstore, and follow him on Facebook, tumblr, and his blog.

1 comment:

  1. I'm a big fan of short stories and I find Gaiman fascinating so this sounds like a great book for me.

    Thanks for being a part of the tour!

    ReplyDelete