MobileRead May Discussion: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman - Page 2

WT Sharpe · 05-22-2012, 10:28 PM

The last post contained some bogus info. Amazon Instant Video has the episodes of Neverwhere for sale, not rent. I edited the post to reflect that.

colleenFL · 05-23-2012, 11:13 AM

Neverwhere is the 8th book by Neil Gaiman that I have read. I'd rank this one somewhere in the middle. I enjoyed it, particularly the London Below. I tend to like fantasy books that have settings like this. That said, I can't see myself ever rereading Neverwhere.

I hadn't heard of the TV program before. Sounds interesting. I'm always learning new stuff at Mobileread!

WT Sharpe · 05-24-2012, 01:45 PM

I just finished the television series and I can say that the book is a very faithful adaptation of the film version. The only real difference I could see was the dispute near the end between Croup and Vandemar and the angel Islington over how their payment was to be made wasn't in the TV series (unless I missed it).

Oh, and in the book, Islington never breaks out singing the "Heaven, I'm in Heaven," line from Irving Berlin's "Cheek To Cheek".

fantasyfan · 05-24-2012, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Oh, and in the book, Islington never breaks out singing the "Heaven, I'm in Heaven," line from Irving Berlin's "Cheek To Cheek".

Format C: · 06-01-2012, 07:23 AM

As it's been pointed out, Neverwhere is a novel taken from a TV series. And the plot has been changed several times while filming, due to actors unavailability, lack of scenery and so on. And you can tell it.

As a novel we notice first that it's losely based on the standard "monomyth" story line, from the beginning through the main character's odyssey to a very predictable and never unexpected epilogue.
The main character is very good, though: a real Everyman, a mr. nobody who actually does nothing until his ordeal with the Black Friars and does very little after that.
The fictional world is also well portrayed, although, having read the british version of the book, I didn't have the explanations put in the american version so I may have missed something. But it's consistent and fascinating. And I think the fact Jess and Richard actually saw Door is consistent too: as she later explained, she opened a specific and special "door" while escaping the two killers. Having Richard come in contact with the girl, it's logic that he can see and interact easily with the two killers.
The novel is a real page turner, hard to drop dow until the descent in Down Road, despite its minor plot flaws, like the Varney episode: the killers corrupt a to-be bodyguard and after he fails, they kill him for having lost the bid to their actual accomplice... And given how easily they deal with him, what's the purpose to corrupt him in the first place?
In the last chapters, the novel deteriorates. The whole final confrontation simply does not stand: Hunter could have led the party to the Angel's nest protecting Richard from the vampire in the meantime instead of leaving him behind at her mercy (she knew the lady was after Richard's life), while Croup and Vandemar could have followed the company from a distance intercepting the returning marquis. The "good guys" would have come to the Angel, and the girl would have willingly and happily opened the door for him. End of the story.
But no. A ten thousand years plan fails because its ideator and his thousand-years-experienced hitmen reveal too much too soon, and at the crucial moment they fall for the simplest psychological trick made up by mr. Nobody, who, along the lines, has bested thousand of experienced warriors, knights and hunters in confronting the Beast... All having put the highest bet on a "open the door or I hurt your friend" without anticipating any trick on the girl's part...
Sorry, Neil. I just don't buy it.

Bottom line, I give it 3 out of 5 stars: it's a good entertaining monomyth novel, with a late coming of age theme, some good characters, a couple of lovable bad guys, and a very good fictional (under)world.

BenG · 06-10-2012, 07:12 PM

I read the book when it first came out in paperback about 15 years ago, so I really can't comment on the details, but I remember thinking that the style was similar to some of Clive Barker's less horrific books like The Thief of Always or Weaveworld.

WT Sharpe · 06-11-2012, 07:46 PM

It was a rare combination of unmitigated evil and tongue-in-cheek. I enjoyed it.

06-01-2012, 07:23 AM	#20
Format C: Guru Posts: 753 Karma: 1496807 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Third World Device: iLiad + PRS-505 + Kindle 3	3 stars out of 5 As it's been pointed out, Neverwhere is a novel taken from a TV series. And the plot has been changed several times while filming, due to actors unavailability, lack of scenery and so on. And you can tell it. As a novel we notice first that it's losely based on the standard "monomyth" story line, from the beginning through the main character's odyssey to a very predictable and never unexpected epilogue. The main character is very good, though: a real Everyman, a mr. nobody who actually does nothing until his ordeal with the Black Friars and does very little after that. The fictional world is also well portrayed, although, having read the british version of the book, I didn't have the explanations put in the american version so I may have missed something. But it's consistent and fascinating. And I think the fact Jess and Richard actually saw Door is consistent too: as she later explained, she opened a specific and special "door" while escaping the two killers. Having Richard come in contact with the girl, it's logic that he can see and interact easily with the two killers. The novel is a real page turner, hard to drop dow until the descent in Down Road, despite its minor plot flaws, like the Varney episode: the killers corrupt a to-be bodyguard and after he fails, they kill him for having lost the bid to their actual accomplice... And given how easily they deal with him, what's the purpose to corrupt him in the first place? In the last chapters, the novel deteriorates. The whole final confrontation simply does not stand: Hunter could have led the party to the Angel's nest protecting Richard from the vampire in the meantime instead of leaving him behind at her mercy (she knew the lady was after Richard's life), while Croup and Vandemar could have followed the company from a distance intercepting the returning marquis. The "good guys" would have come to the Angel, and the girl would have willingly and happily opened the door for him. End of the story. But no. A ten thousand years plan fails because its ideator and his thousand-years-experienced hitmen reveal too much too soon, and at the crucial moment they fall for the simplest psychological trick made up by mr. Nobody, who, along the lines, has bested thousand of experienced warriors, knights and hunters in confronting the Beast... All having put the highest bet on a "open the door or I hurt your friend" without anticipating any trick on the girl's part... Sorry, Neil. I just don't buy it. Bottom line, I give it 3 out of 5 stars: it's a good entertaining monomyth novel, with a late coming of age theme, some good characters, a couple of lovable bad guys, and a very good fictional (under)world.

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05-22-2012, 10:28 PM	#16
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,073 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	The last post contained some bogus info. Amazon Instant Video has the episodes of Neverwhere for sale, not rent. I edited the post to reflect that.

05-23-2012, 11:13 AM	#17
colleenFL Groupie Posts: 169 Karma: 44716 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: PW3, PW1, Kobo N647, Sony PRS-600, Sony PRS-300, various tablets	Neverwhere is the 8th book by Neil Gaiman that I have read. I'd rank this one somewhere in the middle. I enjoyed it, particularly the London Below. I tend to like fantasy books that have settings like this. That said, I can't see myself ever rereading Neverwhere. I hadn't heard of the TV program before. Sounds interesting. I'm always learning new stuff at Mobileread!

05-24-2012, 01:45 PM	#18
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,073 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	I just finished the television series and I can say that the book is a very faithful adaptation of the film version. The only real difference I could see was the dispute near the end between Croup and Vandemar and the angel Islington over how their payment was to be made wasn't in the TV series (unless I missed it). Oh, and in the book, Islington never breaks out singing the "Heaven, I'm in Heaven," line from Irving Berlin's "Cheek To Cheek".

06-10-2012, 07:12 PM	#21
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	I read the book when it first came out in paperback about 15 years ago, so I really can't comment on the details, but I remember thinking that the style was similar to some of Clive Barker's less horrific books like The Thief of Always or Weaveworld.

06-11-2012, 07:46 PM	#22
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,073 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	It was a rare combination of unmitigated evil and tongue-in-cheek. I enjoyed it.

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