This is definitely a book for avid fans of Neil Gaiman. It's basically a collection of essays describing Neil Gaiman's role within the literary world. The essays presenting interesting topics of discussion and really make one think about the connections Gaiman creates in his work. I highly recommend this if you love the author's work. ( )

Literary criticism is a dry and dusty subject for most folks, but when those techniques are applied to a popular author, and to his work in several forms of media, suddenly the value appears. While these essays varied in quality, almost all provided insight into familiar stories which I may never have noticed on my own.

The audience for this book is clearly the avid (if not rabid) fan, who has already engaged in late night discussions with like minded people, either in person or online. In fact, many of the selections read like the edited and cleaned-up version of just such a discussion. Many raise topics suitable for convention panels, and are discussion worthy in their own right.

Three stars for the content, plus as extra for my interest in the subject matter. ( )

I enjoyed this collection of essays and always find it fascinating the relationship to previous works or classics that I might not have initially seen. And, although essays can be drab or pedantic, some essays were written with the reader's pleasure in mind. When it becomes a chore to get through someone's thoughts concerning Gaiman's works, it takes effort to stay with them. And there are many interesting thoughts and insights that are worth reading.

I would recommend it to really diehard Gaiman fans who have a good base of his work under their belts. ( )

Since Neil Gaiman's work is wide ranging, any examination of his work must be, also, even if it only tackles fifteen years. This collection of essays covers Anansi Boys and American Gods, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Calendar Tales, three children's books, one Doctor Who episode, and Sandman: Overture. As is probably inevitable in a collection with so many authors, the quality of the actual writing is uneven at times, but the material is consistently thought provoking.

_Neil Gaiman in the 21st Century_ is not a book addressed to the casual fan, though fans may find insights of value in these essays. Academic essays are targeted to other academics, readers trained in literary theory, the history of a particular genre or other technical ways of reading a text. As such they may be more or less accessible to those without such training or interests. As in any anthology, the essays vary in quality and tone. The works addressed are only those produced since 2001: Gaiman's earlier works including _Neverwhere_ and the Sandman series are mentioned only in passing.

I found Danielle Russell' s examination of the influence of Zora Neal Huston on _Ananzi Boys_ quite interesting. Jennifer McStotts does a similar job in her essay of connecting the concept of the feral child in _The Graveyard Book_ with Kipling's Kim and Mowgli.

This book could be a valuable resource for anyone planning a course in modern fantasy.