Dreaming
of Thalabert
Diary
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There
are two very good Gaiman
fan sites,
The Gaiman Archive , and
The Dreaming.
Both feature updates as to Mr.
Gaiman’s
activities, as well as transcripts of interviews, reviews, and links
to other fan sites. It was one of these links that led me to three
fascinating audio files at scifi.com’s
Seeing Ear Theatre. Here, you can find a number of works
of science fiction and fantasy; some read by the authors themselves,
and others given the full dramatic treatment, complete with actors
and sound effects, a la old time radio.
Of
his short tale, Chivalry,
Gaiman
said, “When I
do live readings, I tend to start with this story. It’s a very friendly
story and I enjoy reading it aloud.” It’s a gentle, humorous narrative
about the widow Mrs.
Whitaker,
who finds the Holy
Grail in
a second hand store. Before you can say Camelot,
Sir Galaad
(no ‘h’ between
‘a’s, according to Neil)
appears at her door, complete with credentials signed by King Arthur
himself, telling her of his Holy
Quest for
the Grail.
The ensuing negotiations for the relic make for entertaining listening,
or a charming read if you have a copy of Smoke
and Mirrors.
Then
there is the reading of a chapter from the “fairy tale for adults,”
Stardust,
giving yet more evidence of Gaiman’s
way with words and a handsome voice as well. But perhaps the most
delicious treat is the dramatic presentation of Murder
Mysteries, another short story from the Smoke
and Mirrors
collection, and especially noteworthy for the presence of the accomplished
actor Brian
Dennehy. As the title hints, this is a mystery set within
a mystery, and the core story tells of the first crime, a murder in
Heaven itself. Here, the author revisits yet another setting, the
Silver City
and its host of Angels,
and one character in particular, Lucifer,
who played a prominent role in The
Sandman
from time to time. Although a little over 75 minutes in length, Murder
Mysteries
moves along at a good pace, especially when Dennehy
takes center stage. As Gaiman
explained in his introduction in Smoke
and Mirrors,
“I tried to play fair with the detective part of the story. There
are clues everywhere. There’s even one in the title.”
This
year’s survey of this underrated Syrah only gives further evidence
as to why it has a prominent place in the "cellar from hell."
No, it’s not up to the standards of
Jaboulet’s
more prestigious (and pricier)
Hermitage La Chapelle
or Cote
Rotie Les Jumelles,
but it’s not exactly a weak sister either. And although the price
has risen $7 or $8 in some places over the past five years,
Domaine de Thalabert
remains on of the best buys of what has sadly become the lower mid-range
of Northern Rhone prices.
For my money,
Murder Mysteries
is as good as
Gaiman
gets, even when compared to his novels and the best story arcs from
The Sandman.
Chilling, unsettling and disturbing all come to mind as apt descriptors
of this nightmare, and could just as easily be transposed to much
of his best work. Deep and multi-layered (much
like the featured wine),
it reveals more with each visit, whether in print or audio version,
giving convincing testimony to the considerable talents of this most
gifted storyteller.
Is
it any wonder that I’m not alone in anxiously awaiting the release
of Neil
Gaiman’s
next novel, American
Gods, due
out in the late spring or early summer of 2001?
And
is it any wonder that I can’t wait for a taste of the 1998
Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert
as well?
I
don’t think so!
};^)>
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