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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Michael Tree" data-source="post: 1821177" data-attributes="member: 1455">I wouldn't say he's a comics writer first and a prose writer second.  I'd say he's a short fiction writer first and a novelist second.  I adore his short written works - his short stories, Stardust, Coraline, and his comics. Even the Sandman was more of a collection of short stories than a novel.  His longer novels are also good, but don't grab me in the same way.   His ideas are very thematic, and IMO work better in smaller and more focused stories than in longer narratives.Smoke and Mirrors contains several of my favorite short stories he's written.  The compilation is a bit uneven, with several brilliant pieces combined with a bunch of great and good pieces, and a few not as great pieces.  I wouldn't call any of them bad, but some are definitely better than others.  But that's typical for most single-author story compilations.One aspect of him that cannot be overrated is his stage presence and public reading ability.  He's tremendously charismatic, and a wonderful reader.  I highly recommend his recorded version of Coraline.  It's perfect for driving down a dark and rainy road.  His CD "Warning, Contains Language" is equally good, if only for his recordings of Chivalry and Trooll Bridge.</blockquote>