The Sandman – Act II (Audiobook) by Neil Gaiman and performed by a full cast

On April 16, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Comics/Manga, Extended Universe, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Horror, LGBT+, Superhero, Tie-in Novel6 Comments

Publisher: Audible Original (Audio Drama – 22 September 2021)

Series: The Sandman – Volume 2

Script: Neil Gaiman and Dirk Maggs (script adapter)

Director: Dirk Maggs

Length: 13 hours and 47 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The gloomy and complex fantasy adventures of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman continues in this epic second audiobook volume that once again brings Gaiman’s unique imagination and characters to life with an outstanding cast of actors.

Back in 2022 I had an outstanding time listening to the first volume of the audiobook adaptation of The Sandman comic. The original series, which started in 1989, is one of the most iconic comics of all time and features a unique adventure that only someone as twisted and imaginative as Neil Gaiman can come up with. Following Dream, the anthropomorphic personification of dreams and human imagination, The Sandman is a truly interesting comic that blends horror, fantasy and superhero storylines together. Some people might be more familiar with the recent Netflix series that adapted the first couple of comics and which has a second season on the way.

While I loved the show, I personally had a much better time with the audiobook version of the comics that was released a couple of years ago. Featuring a truly exceptional cast of celebrity and established audiobook narrators, the first volume of this series was so damn good, and I loved how well it established the characters and universe of The Sandman while also adapting Gaiman’s unique vibes and dark themes. This first volume was extremely addictive, and I made sure to listen to the second volume shortly after. The second volume, or Act II as it will be called in this review, continues the comic storyline and features some amazing stories, fun characters and new cast members.

In a universe of strange and deadly creatures, many beings are considered immortal, but only seven siblings can truly claim to be endless. The Endless, each a personification of a certain universal or human concept, are powerful and mesmerizing in their own way, but the most enchanting and mysterious is Dream. Known by many names, including Morpheus, this being governs the Dreaming, a vast realm of creation’s collected dreams and stories, protecting the imagination that makes life worth living. But circumstances outside of his control have set him on a dark path that not even he can escape from.

Still dealing with the consequences of his forced absence from his realm, Morpheus is working to recover everything he lost while avoiding the enemies he made along the way. The most powerful of these is Lucifer, the fallen angel and lord of Hell, whom Morpheus insulted when he stormed Hell to take back his stolen helm. Despite not wishing to cross Lucifer again, Morpheus is convinced to set right the biggest wrong of his life and free his former lover from Hell. However, he is unprepared for the reception that awaits him as Lucifer chooses to damn him in a far more sinister way: by gifting him control of his dark domain.

Finding himself in possession of the key to Hell’s gates, Lucifer must determine who will become the new ruler of Hell. Setting up a gala in the Dreaming, Morpheus receives visits from an array of gods, demons, angels, and other immortal beings, each of whom seek to control Hell for their own reason. Soon, Morpheus finds himself in the middle of a host of scheming beings, many of whom will turn on their host to get what they want. At the same time, weird things are happening in the Dreaming, as an ancient and unstable realm begins to drag in inhabitants from the real world and influence the waking world. Can Morpheus ensure his realm stays whole whilst dealing with the most dangerous beings in creation?

This was another outstanding adaptation of The Sandman comics that was so damn epic to listen to. Adapted by director Dirk Maggs and featuring all Gaiman’s impressive storytelling and dark characterisation, The Sandman – Act II was extremely impressive, and you really get drawn into the unique world of the original comics. Adapting issues #21-40 and #50 of the original comics, The Sandman – Act II brings together the stories of Season of Mists and A Game of You, and several entries from Fables & Reflections. All these adaptations are so damn good, and I love the elaborate and epic cast that helps to bring the tale to life.

Due to how the audiobook is set out, there are three distinctive parts to The Sandman – Act II, which provided their own unique stories and characters. The first of these is titled Season of Mists, and features Morpheus finding himself wrapped up in the fate of Hell. Starting with an entertaining and dysfunctional family dinner, where Morpheus reunites with all his siblings (bar one), the story then turns to Morpheus’s biggest regret, his relationship with the ancient African queen Nada (whose story was told in the last audiobook), which trapped her soul in Hell. Travelling to Hell to free her, Morpheus finds that Lucifer has banished all the demons and damned souls from his realm and is abdicating as ruler, leaving the key to Hell’s gates with Morpheus. Morpheus is soon tasked with deciding the fate of the dimension, which results in a flurry of immortal beings arriving at his home to request the key. The resulting conference proves to be highly entertaining as Morpheus is forced to deal with all manner of bargains, schemes and betrayals as everyone seeks his favour. I loved how the entire dramatic conference unfolds, and the interactions between the various over-the-top figures and the implacable Morpheus results in some great drama and hilarious sequences. The conclusion of this storyline is amazing, as a new irony overtakes the denizens of Hell, Morpheus finds himself meeting various beings who will change him in the future, and the seeds are set for a new story around Lucifer (as seen in his own comic and television series).

Honestly, this is probably the best part of The Sandman – Act II, as not only is Season of Mists particularly gripping, but it makes full use of both the existing voice cast and several new figures to really enhance the content. The battle of wits between several larger-than-life characters is extremely compelling and clever, and Gaiman does a remarkable job expanding the canon of The Sandman. There are so many subtle and delightful character interactions scattered throughout this storyline, and listeners will love the impressively devious stakes that are being discussed. This includes some fantastic and deep soul searching for the protagonist, who is forced to revisit one of his darkest deeds. Thanks to his own experiences of being locked away, Morpheus understands his harsh past actions a lot better, especially when prompted by members of his family. I always appreciated how Gaiman shows that Morpheus isn’t really a hero but a force of nature who arrogantly follows his own whims. However, in this case he is a somewhat better person, even if he is still selfish in his actions, and it takes some real prompting for him to do the right thing.

Gaiman also makes sure to feature some additional amazing character arcs, the most intriguing being Lucifer’s when he decides to perform the ultimate rebellion against his father by abandoning Hell. Lucifer’s portrayal by a returning Michael Sheen is exceptional, especially during his interactions with Morpheus, and his take on the events that led him to rule Hell are very powerful. In addition to Sheen, Season of Mists also features the inclusion of several amazing new actors, each of whom are used to their full potential. Jeffery Wright and Kristen Schaal are perfect additions to the Endless, voicing the taciturn Destiny and the bubbly Delirium respectfully. However, it is the one-two punch of Bill Nighy as Odin and David Tennant as Loki that really sold this chapter to me. Bill Nighy and David Tennant are two of my absolute favourite actors, and their takes on these two Norse gods are just amazing. While Nighy brings gravitas and cruelty to Odin, Tennant’s wheedling, manipulative Loki was so damn fun, and both were the highlight of every scene there were in. The rest of the cast in this chapter were epic as well, and this entire section was such a highlight of The Sandman – Act II, with its placement at the top of the book successfully drawing listeners in and ensuring they don’t go anywhere.

The other main storyline in The Sandman – Act II was titled A Game of You, and is an adaptation of one of the less popular comic arcs. This story is an intriguing female-led additional to the series, which primarily follows Barbie, a minor figure from the previous The Doll’s House arc, who has uprooted her life and moved to New York to live with an eclectic mixture of residents in an apartment building. When figures from Barbie’s long-lost dreams arrive in the waking world, Barbie is dragged back into a fantasy adventure, while her friends in New York deal with minions of the mysterious Cuckoo, a dream parasite preying on Barbie’s mind. The resulting attempts to help Barbie result in chaos and tragedy as they trespass into the Dreaming and come face to face with Morpheus as a he fulfills an old bargain.

Now I must admit that A Game of You was a little weaker than I was hoping, especially when compared to the preceding Season of Mists. The decision to focus on Barbie, who honestly didn’t stand out too much in her previous appearance, was an interesting choice by Gaiman, and this arc doesn’t have the most engrossing story. However, I did still have a great time listening to this part of the audiobook, especially as it focuses on showcasing both the magic and danger of dreams, as well as the impacts that interactions with Morpheus can have on mortals. The more distinctive fantasy focus of this story makes for a nice change of pace, and I liked how well Gaiman simultaneously showed events occurring inside and outside of the protagonist’s dreams.

One side effect of listening to A Game of You immediately after Season of Mists is that the less substantial cast is a lot more noticeable. That’s not to say that A Game of You doesn’t have great characters. There are some amazing figures featured here, including several unique protagonists who have compelling connections to previous story arcs from the series. There are also some nicely progressive LGBT+ elements for a comic released in 1991-92, especially when it comes to the trans woman character, Wanda, who is handled with tact and who has a particularly impactful story arc. There are also fewer celebrity voice appearances in this arc, although I did rather enjoy the inclusion of actress Emma Corrin of The Crown fame as the ancient witch Thessaly, as her intense and distinctive voice added a lot to this fantastic character. While it is easy to nitpick A Game of You, especially after some of the previous arcs, this is s till a particularly impressive storyline, which is masterfully brought to life with this production, producing something that is very fun to listen to.

These two main storylines are impressively augmented by a series of short stories scattered throughout the course of the audiobook. Most of these short stories fall between Season of Mists and A Game of You, with several more wrapping events up. There is also a short story in the middle of Season of Mists that showcases the impacts the closure of Hell has, which leads to the Dead Boy Detectives series. Gaiman comes up with some truly interesting and unique shorter stories to add to the main plot of the book. Most of these stories involve various mortals or other supernatural creatures encountering either the Endless or some of Morpheus’s creations, and they usually serve as some form of cautionary tale. I loved the intriguing underlying themes that Gaiman loaded into each story, including about the impermanence of power and examinations of the human condition, and the author also has fun in launching his distinctive characters into various historical periods.

While all the shorter stories contained in The Sandman – Act II are awesome in their own way, a couple do stand out due to their excellent stories and fantastic performances. For example, the complex story Three Septembers and a January, retells the tale of Joshua Abraham Norton, self-declared Emperor of the United States, with Dream and his siblings shown to be responsible for his strange actions. This story is both fascinating and dark, as you witness a man torn apart by the whims of the ethereal siblings. Listeners grow particularly attached to this tale due to the performance of John Lithgow as Joshua Norton, who adds some excellent humour and no small amount of tragedy with his moving voice work. Other great stories include Thermido, which sees the return of Lady Johanna Constantine from the first audiobook. Voiced by the absolutely fabulous Joanna Lumley, this story follows Constantine as she steals into France during the height of the revolution to steal something from Robespierre. This story was fast-paced, clever, and substantially dark, all of which helped it to stand out, especially with the compelling twists and ironic historical fates. It was also amazing to get a whole story told by Joanna Lumley, who was somewhat underutilised in the first audiobook. Finally, the tale August, which follows Augustus Caesar as he disguises himself as a beggar and tells his life story to a dwarf, proves to be quite impressive, especially with Brian Cox playing the titular character. Each of these shorter stories are masterfully presented, and I loved how complex and powerful their stories were, even with the shorter length the author had to work with.

Overall, I really appreciated the entire story of this volume. The blending of two fantastic main storylines, as well as the scattering of intriguing and unique short stories, makes for quite an epic continuous listen. The short stories were well utilised as the director spread them out amongst the audiobook providing a good break between the two extended plotlines, as well as some fun listens in the epilogue. Not only were all the entries in The Sandman – Act II fantastic and compelling, but each of them had such a distinctive feel that really highlights the author’s style and ability to blend various genres together into one powerful story. The interesting array of over-the-top characters makes for quite a fantastic listen, especially as Gaiman attempts to capture the many burdens of having cosmic responsibility, while other stories look at how characters are affected by dreams and imagination. The mixture of fantastic tales and dark moments is always cleverly undercut with moral lessons or complex observations about the human experience. You honestly come away from The Sandman in deep thought while still being traumatised or wildly entertained by how events unfolded. There is honestly nothing else quite like The Sandman in fiction, and I always have great admiration for the elaborate and multifaceted tales that Gaiman comes up with.

Just with the first volume of this epic audiobook collection, the production really captures the epic nature of the comic, which makes it a real joy to listen to. Even with its runtime of nearly 14 hours, this is such an easy and addictive audiobook to listen to, and it proves hard to ever stop listening to the elaborate story that emerges. A lot of this is down to the impressive nature of the production surrounding this audiobook, as the director goes out of his way to enhance the audio experience for the listener. Everything about this audiobook, from the emotionally charged music, the elaborate sound effects, and the brilliant cast of actors and narrators, is designed to remind you what an imaginative and unique story you are listening to. Heck, even the way that the various chapter titles are announced is epic, and I always get a kick out of the impressive way they are read out. Honestly, the entire audiobook production is just perfect, and anyone who listens to it is in for an exceptional time they will not forget.

As part of my hyping up of the audiobook production, I have to highlight the sheer range of talent lending their voices to this audiobook production, without whom The Sandman – Act II would be nowhere near as exceptional as it was. I have mentioned several of the newer voice actors in the review already, but The Sandman – Act II also featured the exceptional returning cast from the first audiobook, each of whom provided fantastic new performances that really stuck in the mind. For example, Andy Serkis is so much fun as Matthew the Raven, while Justin Vivian Bond and Miriam Margolyes serve as fantastic and fitting versions of Desire and Despair respectively. Kat Dennings proves to be an outstandingly effective incarnation of Death, especially as her positive portrayal captures the more compassionate and likeable version of Death that Gaiman envisioned for his comic. Even Neil Gaiman has a key vocal role in the production, serving as the narrator who highlights events and details not captured by the dialogue. Gaiman proves to be an impressive narrator for this story, and his distinctive and wise voice matches the feel of The Sandman perfectly. However, most of these are overshadowed by James McAvoy, who plays the titular Sandman, Morpheus, in this production. McAvoy is honestly perfect in this role, and the gravitas, sense of unknowing, and great sadness of this character is so perfectly portrayed by the actor’s voice. McAvoy does such a good job portraying the imperialistic and arrogant tone and personality of Morpheus and the reader can really envision his actions and thoughts. McAvoy honestly does the best presentation of this character it is possible to do (television series included), and you will fall in love with his take on this sinister and mysterious figure.

The Sandman – Act II is an outstanding and incredible audiobook production that does such a remarkable job of bringing more of Neil Gaiman’s iconic comic to life. Perfectly adapting the distinctive and dark comics into a new format, listeners get the benefit of both an excellent narrative and some amazing audiobook production with a remarkable cast. An absolute joy to listen to from start to finish, The Sandman – Act II was a brilliant follow-up to the first production, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Amazon

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite MCU Shows (Disney+) Ranked (2022)

On May 10, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

I mentioned in my previous Top Ten Tuesday list that I really had Marvel on the mind at the moment. While this is mostly because of the recent Doctor Strange movie, a lot of it also has to do with the recent finale of the Moon Knight television show on Disney+. This, and other brilliant television additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), have been incredibly fun, and served as an excellent compliment to the continued movies. As such, I thought I would do a double Marvel feature this Top Ten Tuesday and have a go at ranking the MCU television shows from my least favourite to most. I will be excluding some previous shows like Agents of Shield, various Netflix series, and other shows like Runaways from this list, as they aren’t considered canon, and I will instead focus my efforts on the shows released on Disney+, which tie directly into the films. This proved to be another fun listing exercise for me, and it was interesting to see how some of these shows compared to each other. Just like with the movie MCU list, all entries on this list, even those on the bottom, are leaps and bounds above some other television shows out there and are all really worth checking out.

Spoiler warning below

List (Ranked – Reverse Order):

6. What If…?

What If Poster

The first entry on this list is the animated series What If…? Based on a classic Marvel comic that envisions unique scenarios within the universe if key details were changed. This concept is unleashed upon the MCU with dramatic results, with nine unique stories coming to light. The awesome and unique stories include one where Peggy Carter becoming Captain Britain, Black Panther become Star Lord instead of Peter Quill, an alternate history for Killmonger, Party Thor, Marvel Zombies and more, resulting in amazing episodes, and there is even a compelling ongoing storyline contained throughout the series. Featuring most of the key MCU actors returning to their roles (as well as a few stand-ins), and introducing Jeffrey Wright as the Watcher, this is a brilliantly voiced series with some impressive animation. I deeply enjoyed some of the great stories contained within, especially as they range between horror and humour from week to week. All bring something different to the table, such as a poignant final performance by Chadwick Boseman, a terrifying zombie tale, and the incredibly tragic Doctor Strange episode that sees a corrupted Doctor Strange trapped in a broken universe by himself. All nine episodes were really good, and elements from them were recently featured in the new Doctor Strange movie, and will no doubt be referenced again in the future. A second season is on its way this year, and I am looking forward to more unique stories, as well as a conclusion to some of the existing tales.

5. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Poster

The first live-action entry on this list is the exciting spy thriller story, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which sees Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan return to their iconic MCU roles. With Captain America gone, these two characters, and more, try to step into his shadow while dealing with the threat of the anarchist Flagsmashers. I had a lot of fun with the high-concept action scenes, the great chemistry between its leads, the return of Baron Zemo, and the final reveal of Mackie’s new Captain America persona. However, despite all the potential going in, this show fell short in several places. It was far shorter than it needed to be (an annoying trend with the Disney+ shows), and the final episodes felt extremely rushed as a result. This series needed two or three additional episodes to tell this story properly, and the hurried finale ended the series on a poor note, doing away much of the good of the preceding five episodes. In addition, I really didn’t care about the return of Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter, and the reveal about her being the Power Broker was pretty weak. Despite this, Erin Kellyman does serve as a great antagonist, and Wyatt Russell’s John Walker was a brilliant addition, especially as you see his slow slip into darkness. Daniel Brühl was finally able to do Baron Zemo some justice in this show, potentially leading to some fun appearances in the future. However, they really need to scrap Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s character now, as her two appearances don’t seem to be leading anywhere fast. While this was a good show, I ended up being a little disappointed with how it turned out, as it could have been so much better.

4. Hawkeye

Hawkeye Poster

The witty and compelling Hawkeye finally puts a spotlight on the only original Avenger not to have their own movie. Jeremy Renner returns as a beat-up and mostly retired Hawkeye, who is forced to deal with the fallout of his Ronin persona from Endgame when Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop discovers his old costume. Chased by the mob and several dangerous killers, Barton and Bishop need to work together while Bishop begins her training to become the new Hawkeye. Strongly based on one of the better recent Hawkeye comic series, this was an incredibly fun show that was played for humour, while also featuring plenty of action, epic trick-arrow scenes, and some great emotional moments. Renner is his usual excellent self here, and it was great to see Hawkeye living in regret for his various mistakes in Endgame. Steinfeld is easily the star of the show, though, serving as a Hawkeye fan who meets her hero and becomes his protégé. Steinfeld brings some fantastic energy to the role, and her excellent introduction and great humour ensures she’ll be a welcome fixture in the MCU for several years. Her scenes with Florence Pugh’s Yelena are easily some of the highlights of the show, with the two playing off each other perfectly, and I demand that these two characters get their own show or movie as soon as possible. Pugh also has some deep moments with Renner, and I loved the scene where the two characters confront each other over the dead Black Widow. The rest of the cast is pretty good as well, with Alaqua Cox, Vera Farmiga and Fra Fee all having great moments within the series. However, I have to say that they absolutely wasted Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin in this show. While the hints about his appearance were great, he ended up being substantially underutilised, and it seems a shame that he went down so easily in the one episode he appeared in. Hawkeye also felt a little rushed towards the end (less than The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but still noticeable), and it really needed at least one additional episode to tell a much more complete story.

3. Moon Knight

Moon Knight Poster

The latest MCU television offering is the exceedingly clever and distinctive Moon Knight. Featuring the impressive Oscar Isaac as the titular Moon Knight, this series follows a man with multiple personalities who becomes a champion of vengeance for an ancient Egyptian god. Containing a taut and impressive story that does a great job introducing new elements to the MCU, Moon Knight is a really cool series that proves to be quite addictive. With some awesome and clever elements, including a look at contemporary Egypt and its culture, this show has one of the more distinctive feels, especially with some of that cool Egyptian music that was played throughout the show. The real joy is easily the brilliant Oscar Isaac, who portrays various distinctive personalities as his character suffers from dissociative identity disorder. Isaac masterfully morphs between personas and voices as the show continues, and it is so much fun seeing him act against himself. The rest of the cast is pretty small, with May Calamawy serving as the female lead, playing second fiddle to three separate versions of Oscar Isaac (still she becomes the MCU’s resident Egyptian superhero). Ethan Hawke is a pretty sinister villain, while F Murray Abraham has an outstanding go at voicing the possessing Egyptian god. This show has so much going for it, it was a shame that the sixth episode was again rushed, with a chaotic battle thrown in for dramatic effect, which really altered the pacing of the whole series. While I liked some of the twists, especially in the post-credit scene, I really think this show could have benefitted from at least one more episode to really wrap the story up perfectly. Still, it sets up future Moon Knight appearances really well and I can’t wait for another season or a feature film soon.

2. Loki

Loki Poster

Beating Moon Knight into second place by only a hair is Loki, and that is mainly because of the incredible performance from the titular character. Tom Hiddleston is back in the role he made his own, and this time he’s not alone. Captured by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) for crimes against the timeline, Loki is drafted into finding a rogue version of himself who is hunting down TVA agents. This eventually brings him into conflict with the being at the centre of the TVA, who is keeping time trapped for their own nefarious purposes. Hiddleston absolutely shines in this role again, and it was so much fun to have a Loki focused story, especially as you get some major and noticeable character growth from him. He is joined by outstanding actor Sophia Di Martino who plays a female, alternate version of Loki, known as Sylvie. These two Lokis play off each other extremely well, and the unique relationship that forms between them is awesome (although somewhat disturbing if you stop to think about it). Throw in an exceptional performance from Owen Wilson, several distinctive and utterly hilarious alternate versions of Loki, as well as your first look at the Phase’s big-bad villain, Jonathan Majors’ Kang/He Who Remains, and you have quite an excellent show. While this one did fit better into its six-episode spread, the introduction of Jonathan Majors’ character in the final episode was a tad rushed, but it leads into the upcoming second season really well, as well as heralding a ton of cool multiverse elements. I am deeply excited for the next season of Loki, and it is going to be pretty damn epic.

1. WandaVision

WandaVision Poster

Easily taking out the top spot is the incredible and exceedingly entertaining WandaVision. I must admit, when they announced the initial slate for the MCU television shows, the one I was least interested in was WandaVision. Not only did the entire concept sound weird but Wanda and Vision had been two of the least impressive Avengers at that point and I was uncertain that a show around them would work. Well, boy was I wrong as WandaVision turned out to be one of the best pieces of media associated with the MCU. Starting off as a clever and fun homage to classic American sitcoms, the show slowly gets darker and darker as you begin to realise just how messed up the situation is. Watching the mental decline of Wanda and the Vision’s growing realisation that everything about his current life is a lie is so damn captivating, and the entire story comes together beautifully, especially as the creative team gave it a full nine-episode run that allowed them to tell a rich and powerful story. However, it’s the cast that really make this special, with leads Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany giving their best performances in the MCU with their complex and damaged characters. The rest of the cast is pretty exceptional, with Kat Dennings, Teyonan Parris, Randall Park and even a brilliantly returned Evan Peters doing an amazing job here. However, the star supporting character is the talented Kathryn Hahn as the delightfully sinister Agatha Harkness, an evil witch who turns out to be one of the most entertaining villains in the entire MCU (she definitely has the best theme song). This show was an incredible first entry into this phase of MCU television, and it not only perfectly followed up Wanda and Vision’s story from Avengers: Endgame but it also serves as a great lead into their future appearances, such as in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. An exceptional show that highlights just how awesome and exceptional a comic book television series can be.

Well, that’s the end of this list. As you can see, I’ve had a lot of fun with all the above television series, and I am really pleased with how the current slate of MCU shows have turned out, even if most of them could have used a couple of extra episodes each. I am pretty happy with how the above list turned out, and I think it is an accurate representation about my current rankings for the show. This will be another list I will probably come back to in a year or so, especially as there are multiple cool new shows coming out on Disney+ soon, as well as new seasons of Loki and What If…?. I am particularly keen for She-Hulk, which not only has a great cast, but will also have a full 10 episode run time. Secret Invasion, Ironheart, Echo, Agatha: House of Harkness, and Armor Wars all sound like they have a ton of potential and should turn out to be excellent shows that I will deeply enjoy. I am a tad less keen on the upcoming Ms. Marvel show, but I am willing to be pleasantly surprised by it. Let me know what you think of my rankings and let me know which one of the above shows are your favourites in the comments below.

Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

On November 3, 2019May 3, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBT+, Superhero, Tie-in Novel, Young Adult6 Comments

Loki Where Mischief Lies

Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio (3 September 2019)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 9 hours and 10 minutes

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Amazon

From acclaimed young adult fiction author Mackenzi Lee comes a fun and clever young adult tie-in novel to the Marvel comic book universe that follows the early life of one of the genre’s best villains, Loki, the Asgardian God of Mischief.

Loki has long been one of the most infamous and complicated villains in the Marvel Universe, whose manipulations and machinations are a constant threat to Asgard, his brother, Thor, and the Avengers. However, years before he started causing chaos in Midgard, he was a young prince of Asgard and the unfavoured son of Odin. Despised and mistrusted by the people of Asgard for his magical abilities, and feared by his father as a prophesied destroyer, Loki’s only confidant is Amora, a powerful sorceress in training.

When Loki and Amora accidently destroy an ancient and valuable magical artefact, Amora is banished to Midgard (Earth), where her magic will eventually fade, and Loki loses the one person who appreciates who he truly is. Determined to prove his father wrong, Loki dedicates himself to becoming a dutiful son, but he continues to find himself overshadowed by his brother’s bravery. When a failed mission once again disappoints Odin, Loki is sent to Midgard in order to investigate a series of murders that have been caused by Asgardian magic.

Arriving in 19^th century London, Loki makes contact with a small group of humans who police interdimensional travel, the Sharp Society. Loki, despite his reluctance to help, soon finds himself trying to find the mysterious killer who is turning humans into living corpses. But when he discovers who is responsible for the deaths, he is once again torn between doing the right thing and acting the villain. As his adventure on Midgard continues, Loki soon realises that he needs to decide who he truly is: the good prince of Asgard his family always wanted, or the villain everyone expects him to be.

Loki: Where Mischief Lies is a rather intriguing read that caught my attention some time ago. I am a huge fan of Marvel comics and I will always be interested in checking out any tie-in novels connected to either the comics or the movies. As a result, I made sure to grab a copy of the audiobook version of this book as soon as I could. This turned out to be a fast-paced and enjoyable read that explores the life and times of a young Loki, placing him into a fascinating setting that helped enhance the story. Lee, who is best known for her young adult novels set in the 19^th century, including This Monstrous Thing and the Montague Siblings books, created a great Loki story that does a spectacular job diving into the psyche of the character and shaping a fun adventure around it. This is actually the first book in a series of three historical novels that Lee has been contracted to write that will feature Marvel antiheros, and I am really interested in finding out which characters will be in these books.

Where Mischief Lies contains a compelling central storyline that follows the early days of Loki in Asgard and his first foray down to Midgard. Lee starts the story off by introducing a young Loki on Asgard, establishing his character, examining some of his early motivations, inserting a major life-changing event and inserting a magical premonition that will haunt the character throughout the rest of the book. I really enjoyed this introduction to the characters and the plot, and thought that it set up the rest of the story perfectly. The next few parts of the book, which are set after a time jump of a few years, do a good job showing how the character has evolved after the introductory events of the book, and then they manoeuvre him down to London where he has to discover the cause of a series of deaths done using Asgardian magic. The set up to get him down to London, the initial parts of Loki’s adventures on Midgard, his introduction to the Sharp Society and the first encounter with the mysterious bodies are all pretty interesting, and is a great follow-through from the book’s introductions.

I did however struggle with the middle parts of the book, as they felt a little flat and hard to get through. Those readers hoping for a complex mystery into who is leaving the bodies on the streets of London are going to be disappointed, as Loki solves the case quite quickly, and it is literally the most obvious suspect ever. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the following periods of Loki’s indecision and angst as he tries to deal with the fallout from this revelation. However, the ending of the book more than makes up for it, as Lee wraps it up with an epic conclusion that showcases the full extent of the character’s nature and his eventual future, while also utilising story elements set up earlier in the book. While there were periods in the middle of the book where I was starting to get a little restless, I think overall the story of Where Mischief Lies is really good and its strong ending made it all worthwhile.

Thanks to his appearances in the MCU, Loki is probably one of the most popular and well-known Marvel antiheroes and characters, so any portrayal of him needed to be spot on. Luckily, Lee did an outstanding job with her characterisation of Loki, and the examination of the younger version of this character is probably one of the best things about this book. Lee’s version of young Loki contains all the hints of the growing arrogance, swagger, fashion sense, penchant for mischief and casual disdain for mortals and Asgardians that make him such a fun character in the comics and movies. However, what really makes this an excellent portrayal is the fact that Lee also shows all of Loki’s inherent vulnerability, frustration and anger, which have resulted from a childhood of being seen not only as the lesser son but as something that is dangerous and untrustworthy. This examination of the character’s inner psyche is a fantastic central point of the book, and it is interesting to see the world from Loki’s point of view, especially as you really start to sympathise with him. The story also shows some key moments in Loki’s life, and you get a sense of his motivations and determination to torment those around him. I also think that Lee did a fantastic job of examining the relationship between Loki and Thor. While a lot of their relationship is antagonistic, Thor is shown at times to be the only character who trusts Loki, and it is interesting to see the relationship that might lead to Loki’s eventual redemption. If I were to complain about any aspect of Lee’s portrayal of Loki, it would be that his powers and abilities were a bit inconsistent at times. For example, it was a little weird to see him being physically inconvenienced by a human in one scene, and then a chapter or two later he has the strength to lift two people up at the same time. While this is a relatively minor issue and I imagine that you could explain this away as some form of deception by Loki, I personally found it to be a little jarring.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Lee’s portrayal of Loki is his gender and sexuality. In the build-up to the release of Where Mischief Lies there was a lot of discussion about how this book was going highlight certain LGTB+ elements from the comic books, especially as Lee’s previous books have all contained LGTB+ components. Throughout his comic book history, Loki has been portrayed as both genderfluid and pansexual, and both of these elements of the character are explored within this new book to various degrees. While an interesting part of the character, the genderfluid aspect of Loki is only really shown to a small degree in this book. While Loki does not actually change his gender within Where Mischief Lies (which has occurred in some Marvel comics), when asked “if he prefers men or women”, he does indicate that he has been both. There are also several examples of Loki using his powers of magic to appear as a female character (with various degrees of success), and there are also scenes where he dresses in women’s clothing, usually stolen from Amora, who is amusedly annoyed that they look better on him. While it was not as fully explored as it could have been (and to be fair, it would have been hard to add it in to a novel of this length), it is really cool to see a genderfluid character being introduced into a novel connected to the Marvel Universe.

In addition to this, the pansexual aspect of Loki’s character is on full display throughout the book, as Loki has romantic connections with both male and female characters. Not only does he fall in love with Amora (there is a reason they call her The Enchantress), but a romantic connection also begins to spark between him and a young Sharp Society member, Theo. I really liked the way that Lee handled both of these romances. While the relationship between Loki and Amora ends in flames (which should come as no surprise to Marvel fans), the slowly growing feelings he shares with Theo are quite sweet and contain some rather interesting social commentary. The relationship with Theo is underscored with feelings of identity; due to the social conventions of the 19^th century, Theo is unable to be who he really is. This is mirrored by Loki, who has complete freedom of sexuality and gender, but who finds that he is looked down on because of his magic, which he sees as a being major part of his identity. All of this was intensely fascinating, and I really enjoyed seeing this additional complexity explored within the character.

Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the various tie-ins it contained to the Marvel’s comics universe. This was a pretty comprehensive origin story for Loki, and quite honestly it could be used as a prequel to both the comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, given that there is a lot more focus on magic, runes, elves and artefacts, it should probably be more associated with the comics. Lee does a fantastic job bringing Asgard to life, and there are a number of cool references to the various settings and characters of the Thor comics that will appeal to major comic book fans. In addition to this, the author also peppers the story with other Marvel references, especially when the story goes down to Midgard. For example, there are mentions of an industrialist called Stark, talk of a green-skinned female alien and discussion that the Sharpe Society should be renamed as either SHIELD or SWORD. While all these references are rather amusing, I would say that no real prior knowledge of the comics or the movies are really required to enjoy this book, although Marvel fans will probably get more out of it.

Where Mischief Lies is being marketed as a young adult fiction novel, and I believe that this would be a great book for young teen readers, who will love this intriguing look at one of the best Marvel characters. Younger readers should be prepared for the typical amount of comic book level of violence and sex in this book, but there is really nothing that is too explicit for younger readers. I personally think that many teens will appreciate the various LGTB+ elements included in the story, and they will be interested to see this side of the character that has not been included in the movies. Like many young adult tie-in novels, Where Mischief Lies is very accessible to older readers, and I know that many will really like this take on Loki as well, making this a fantastic novel for all ages.

While I really enjoyed the awesome cover of Where Mischief Lies’ hardcover edition, I ended up listening to it on audiobook rather than grabbing a physical copy. The audiobook format of this book is narrated by Oliver Wyman and runs for just over nine hours in length. I think that was a pretty good way to enjoy Where Mischief Lies, as it proved to be a rather easy book to listen to, and I was able to complete it in only a couple of days. Wyman is an enjoyable narrator, and I really like his take on the book’s protagonist and point-of-view character, Loki. He did a fantastic job capturing various aspects of the character’s personality and speech patterns, from his sneering contempt to his frustrations at the way he is treated. This excellent narration really added a lot to my enjoyment of the novel and I would definitely recommend the audiobook format to anyone who is interested in checking this book out.

Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee was a fantastic young adult tie-in novel that does a wonderful job of bringing the character of Loki to life. I had a lot of fun listening to this novel, especially as Lee dives deep into the life and mind of Loki, exploring how he became the villain we all love. I was initially planning to give this book a rating of four out of 5 stars; however, considering how much I ended up writing about it, it must be worthy of 4.25 stars instead. I have to say that I was impressed with Lee’s talent for writing novelizations about Marvel antiheroes, and I look forward to her next book in this young adult series.

Amazon

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated July-December 2019 Releases

On June 18, 2019June 18, 2019 By The Unseen LibraryIn List18 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, bloggers get to talk about the which ten books they are looking forward to the most in the second half of 2019.

2019 has so far been an amazing year for books. Not only have I had the chance to read and review some outstanding novels in the first half of this year but I also have a huge pile of books to read sitting on my table at home (OK, several huge piles on several different surfaces). However, there are still some incredible-sounding books coming out in the next six months, and I already have my eye on a number of them. It took me a little while, but I was able to come up with the top ten books that I am looking forward to, as well as a couple of honourable mentions.

People familiar with my blog will no doubt notice that I have already featured several of these books before in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday feature (I’ll link in these Waiting on Wednesday posts), which hopefully highlights how much I want them. I have also included a couple of other books that I have yet to do a Waiting on Wednesday for, although I will likely do so in the future. I have also excluded a couple of books from this list because I already have copies for them; that’s why you won’t see Angel Mage by Garth Nix or Cold Storage by David Koepp on this list.

Honourable Mentions:

A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie – 19 September 2019

I loved this latest cover of A Little Hatred so much I had to include it, looks pretty awesome.

The Bone Ships by R. J. Barker – 24 September 2019

Star Wars: Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse – 12 November 2019

This is going to be one of the tie-in novels to the upcoming Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker, and should be pretty awesome.

Top Ten List (in order of release date):

1. Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio – 4 July 2019

2. The Bear Pit by S. G. MacLean – 11 July 2019

3. Star Wars: Thrawn: Treason by Timothy Zahn – 23 July 2019

4. Spaceside by Michael Mammay – 27 August 2019

5. Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee – 3 September 2019

6. Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – 10 September 2019

7. Firefly: Generations by Tim Lebbon – 15 October 2019

I have been really enjoying this new series of Firefly novels, including Big Damn Hero and The Magnificent Nine, and this third book sounds pretty epic.

8. Salvation Lost by Peter F. Hamilton – 29 October 2019

9. Starsight by Brandon Sanderson – 26 November 2019

The first book in this series, Skyward, was just incredible, and even made My Top Ten Reads for 2018 List, so I have high hopes for the sequel.

10. Hollow Empire by Sam Hawke – 10 December 2019

I really loved the first book in the Poison War series, City of Lies, which made two of my previous Top Ten Tuesday Lists, and I cannot wait to see where Hawke takes the series next.

I hope you enjoy this list. Make sure to keep an eye on my blog for future reviews of all these books and let me know what you are looking forward to in the second half of 2019.

Waiting of Wednesday – Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

On May 29, 2019May 29, 2019 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Historical Fiction, LGBT+, Murder Mystery, Superhero, Tie-in Novel, Waiting on Wednesday2 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.

I am a man that loves a good and complex anti-hero story, so for this week’s Waiting on Wednesday I check out an absolutely spectacular-sounding book that is set to be released in September 2019: Loki: Where Mischief Lies.

Loki Where Mischief Lies.jpg

Loki: Where Mischief Lies is the first of three young adult novels that acclaimed author Mackenzi Lee has been contracted to write by Marvel Comics. Each of these books will focus on a different Marvel anti-hero and will feature a historical setting. The first of these anti-heroes is the master of mischief himself, Loki, Prince of Asgard, who, thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has to be one of the most popular comic book villains at the moment.

Even before Tom Hiddleston brought him to life with some significant swagger in the MCU, the character of Loki has been a major figure in the Marvel Comics universe. A re-imagining of the Norse god of mischief, Loki is portrayed as a powerful magician who battles against his brother, the superhero Thor, out of jealousy or for control of Asgard or the world. He has been a recurring Marvel villain for over 60 years and is the villain responsible for the formation of the Avengers. Over the years, a large amount of complexity has been added to his character, with some significant developments to his motivations and history, and a number of notable shifts in his allegiance and relationship with Thor and the rest of Asgard. As a result, I am quite eager to see any sort of novel written about Loki, especially one that sounds as awesome as this one.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Before the days of going toe-to-toe with the Avengers, a younger Loki is desperate to prove himself heroic and capable, while it seems everyone around him suspects him of inevitable villainy and depravity . . . except for Amora. Asgard’s resident sorceress-in-training feels like a kindred spirit-someone who values magic and knowledge, who might even see the best in him.

But when Loki and Amora cause the destruction of one of Asgard’s most prized possessions, Amora is banished to Earth, where her powers will slowly and excruciatingly fade to nothing. Without the only person who ever looked at his magic as a gift instead of a threat, Loki slips further into anguish and the shadow of his universally adored brother, Thor.

When Asgardian magic is detected in relation to a string of mysterious murders on Earth, Odin sends Loki to investigate. As he descends upon nineteenth-century London, Loki embarks on a journey that leads him to more than just a murder suspect, putting him on a path to discover the source of his power-and who he’s meant to be.

There are so many amazing elements to unwrap in the plot synopsis, but the bottom line is I think I am going to like this. Not only do we have a comic book novelisation focusing on an amazing character, but we have Loki investigating murders in 19^th century London. Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, and a murder mystery in 19^th century London is always a great basis for a good story. Combine that with comic book shenanigans and a young Loki investigating the crimes, and you have a book with insane amounts of potential.

I am also quite excited by the choice of author for this trilogy. Mackenzi Lee is a fantastic author known for her unique and powerful novels, most of which are set in 19^th century England. I am very much looking forward to seeing her take on the character of Loki, and I cannot wait to see what sort of backstory and conflicted thought processes she attributes to this amazing character.

One of the things about Where Mischief Lies that is getting a lot of attention is the author’s apparent intention to make Loki a genderfluid and pansexual character. This is based on a tweet from December 2017, in which Lee responds to someone’s question about Loki being queer in her upcoming book. Lee correctly points out that Loki “is a canonically pansexual and gender fluid character” and then ends it with “So.”. Based on that, quite a lot of people are assuming she will explore this aspect of the character in her book. Loki’s gender identity and sexuality have been featured in many comics, with the character reincarnating as a female several times, and there are also some examples of Loki romancing members of various genders. I am quite interested in seeing how much of this is explored in Where Mischief Lies, and I am sure it will result in quite an intriguing part of the story.

I am uncertain whether I will grab a physical copy of this book or try to get it on audiobook. While I love the awesome cover for Where Mischief Lies and imagine it would look great on a hardcover book, I do love a good audiobook and I have had excellent experiences with comic book based audiobooks in the past. They have also gotten Marc Thompson, one of the best Star Wars audiobook narrators, to narrate this book. I have recently finished listening to one of his Star Wars audiobooks and would be really intrigued to see what voice he would attribute to Loki and the other iconic Marvel characters.

This has the potential to be an outstanding novel, and I am really looking forward to seeing how Lee tackles the character of Loki. The plot of this book sounds like a huge amount of fun, and I am sure there will be some amazing story and character developments throughout the book. I think this is going to be one of the best tie-in novels of the year and I plan to get it as soon as it comes out.