The Sandman, Vol. 8: Worlds' End

liked the first and the third story the best. these ones that don't really have a singular throughline struggle to keep my attention unfortunately. 

I can't decide which I liked better, the previous volume or this one. Despite the volume's minimal focus on the Endless siblings, I'm still very much entertained by the tales told within. This volume is another one with several short stories spun into a much bigger arc - and to be even more specific, it's series of stories within stories within stories. Stephen King's introduction really put the focus on this aspect of storytelling.

The tale begins with two Americans who got caught up in a strange storm, and ends up in a place at the end of worlds. Travellers of all sorts end up in that place and exchange stories to pass the time. Each of these stories has their own theme and superb art style, all somehow very fitting to the story being told. There's also some underlying themes and hints of inspiration and touches of mystery that I can't quite seem to grasp. Making it just that much more tantalising to me. It even puts in little seeds of doubt as to what really happened from the point of view the American.

This volume is like a spin-off from following the Endless around, like a telescope spying into distant places, and you having to fill in the gaps in between on what reality really means. This is a great volume.

whew stuck the landing