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The Sandman: Act II cover art

The Sandman: Act II

By: Neil Gaiman,Dirk Maggs
Narrated by: Neil Gaiman,James McAvoy,Emma Corrin,Brian Cox,Kat Dennings,John Lithgow,Bill Nighy
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Publisher's Summary

Please note: This content is not for kids. It is for mature audiences only. Just like the original graphic novels, this audio adaptation contains explicit language and graphic violence, as well as strong sexual content and themes. Discretion is advised.

Enter the Dreaming again as the blockbuster audio adaptation of “the greatest epic in the history of comic books” continues in The Sandman: Act II. James McAvoy returns to voice Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, in this sequel to the number-one New York Times audio best seller. Journey into a world of myths, imagination, and terror based on the best-selling DC comic books and graphic novels written by Neil Gaiman (returning as the Narrator), and lose yourself in another groundbreaking, immersive drama adapted and directed by the award-winning audio master Dirk Maggs.

In the absolutely packed Act II, the dark fantasy resumes and the Sandman expands into the French Revolution, ancient Rome, 19th-century San Francisco, eighth-century Baghdad, and beyond. New and familiar characters abound, voiced by a bright mix of performers, including Kat Dennings, Regé-Jean Page, Emma Corrin, Michael Sheen, Kristen Schaal, Brian Cox, John Lithgow, Jeffrey Wright, and so many more, including fan-favorite narrators Simon Vance and Ray Porter.

Just close your eyes and listen again as the greatest epic continues.

Act II of the audio series The Sandman adapts collected volumes four (Season of Mists) and five (A Game of You) of the comics in their entirety, and most of volume six (Fables & Reflections).

©2021 DC. All Rights Reserved. The Sandman and all related elements are trademarks of DC Comics. (P)2021 DC Comics and Audible

What listeners say about The Sandman: Act II

Average Customer Ratings
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shorty storys not a full book

I hoped for a complete book but instead this is a collection of short stories. I enjoyed the first part but it ended and then the short stories began. Personally I prefer a book, a complete book with a story arc. Not being introduced to characters and where they live just for it to end a few minutes later.

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15 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

Overall very gruesome and enjoyable.

The only criticism I can make is in some of the accents. U.K actors voice the swedish, japanese & egyptian gods to poor effect. Thor is Scottish. It makes no sense that a production of this size & budget couldn't choose actors actually of those nationalities who would bring more credibility and context.

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good follow up but more central story preferred

This is a good follow up to the first Sandman audio book which is definitely one on the best ones I've listened to yet, Act 2 has an excellent cast, orchestration etc, but after finishing it and throughout the 2nd half, I just kept thinking that I wanted to hear more Morpheus centered stories rather than ones where he pops for a few minutes throughout. That being said, the stories themselves are fantastic, but I just wish there was more time given to the central plot of morpheus and whatever he is up to. In short, I would recommend this definitely, but this feels closer to an anthology of stories than a novel with a clear through line.

(Note the 1st sandman also used separate stories, but they always felt as if they connected to the overall plot whereas Act 2's stories feel more that Gaiman wanted to write specific unrelated stories then wove them into the lore, not the other way round).

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Love love love

Great stories, excellent readers please can there be another act 🙏 it made the hours at work much more exciting 💖

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2 people found this helpful

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The best

This is one of the best audio performances I've listened to. Interesting and riveting

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What the F did I just listen to?

Good personal performances but the storyline was just horrendous. I had a lot more expectations for this book after the first one cos let's face it, the first one wasn't great.

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Brilliant

Got a little weird in the middle with all the squelch and blood noises TW, but over all was great !

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Disappointing.

Act II seems like a different story, predominantly about Princess Barbie & Co. Dream is a 3rd sting player at best and even then there is no continuity.

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Unbelievably great!

Fantastic story, wonderful narration & awesomely voiced by all. Have a listen, you will never regret it

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Simply Beautiful

Neil Gaiman is an incredible writer and this story shows a fraction of his talent.
The cast and crew behind the magic of the sandman audible just elevate the story to the next level, so much talent.
I could not stop listening!
Recommend to anyone who loves a good twist on fairytales and amazing story telling

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  • Chuck
  • 27-09-2021

A real review after having fully read this book

This book started with a bang. Unfortunately, it didn't last. The main story ended less than a 1/3 of the way in, leaving me dissatisfied, confused, and asking a lot of questions. What follows is a collection of unconnected short stories which may or may not feature Morpheus. The short stories are very entertaining for the most part but they never again pick up the thread of the main story. By the end of this book, I was wishing it would hurry up and end.
The first book was 100 times better. I wouldn't recommend this Act 2, but I wouldn't discourage reading it either. I'm disappointed.
The performances were very good and it was a treat to hear some of my favorite voice actors.

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  • Davidgonzalezsr
  • 22-09-2021

Bazinga

The Sandman: Act II is a phenomenal production. Neil Gaiman and Dirk Maggs have created another masterpiece. The first thing I noticed was the transition music was not as obnoxious as the first Act. The overall story was not as good as Act 1 but still worth a listen based on solid performances by all involved. The main story you are here for is only the first third of the book. The narration performances were all excellent. Put on some headphones and get immersed in the story. This is worth the price of admission.

Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've listened to or will listen to multiple times. I'll update my review if I listen again.

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  • Tyrel
  • 29-09-2021

Half full of short stories that drag on.

The first part focusing on The Dream Lord was fantastic, once again. Dealings with demons, and the Endless have such potential. However, there are several short stories that are just plain boring, and drag on. It was a real struggle to listen to the last 2-3 hours.

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  • Sekhment
  • 22-09-2021

As Above, So Below…. Another Masterpiece.

I tore through act one in a few days in preparation for this release. I’ve been listening since it was available and I am not disappointed. The acting remains superb and Neil’s narration is a work of beauty and true artistry. His voice weaves a spell that the listener never wants to be free of.

I think next time I listen I will follow along in the comics, which necessitates that I pull them out of storage. A worthwhile endeavor to be sure.

It is awesome to have an aural track to put to the visuals and I can listen to this with or without the accompaniment of a real world visual. The pictures painted in my mind by this cast are vibrant and unmistakably Gaiman-esque in their depraved gorgeousness.

I can’t wait for act three.

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  • Victor @ theAudiobookBlog dot com
  • 22-09-2021

Another epic audio production

Yesterday morning found me eagerly awaiting the release of act two of the Sandman saga. Exquisitely written and adapted for Audible by award-winning creatives Neil Gaiman and Dirk Maggs, this is the highly anticipated continuation of last year’s Audible original.
Another epic adventure witch will appeal to those fascinated by comics, superheroes, fantastic creatures and exotic stories. I can confirm that I love it as much as I did Act 1.

Intense action, captivating characters, the authors' rich imagination and superb audio production. Add to that the talented cast of actors returning for part two and you will realize that this is definitely a must buy four fans of the series.

Just grab your headphones, close your eyes and discover a completely immersive narrative experience brought to life beautifully by award-winning voiceover artists. Enjoy the elevated and enriched authenticity thanks to high quality music and sound effects. It’s a treat from the first second to the last. I can’t wait for act 3 to be available, hopefully next year.

I hope you found this short review helpful, take care, stay safe and don’t forget, always listen with your heart!

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  • David
  • 28-09-2021

Great Production with Tepid Stories

The cast and production of the Sandman books are top-notch and probably the best I've ever heard. The actors, sound effects, and the quality of the editing make the book. Unfortunately the main Sandman storyline was a bit weak at best. There just wasn't much suspension, action, or drama. And it ended quite anti-climatically. The chapter "A Game of You" following Barbie was dull to the point that I struggled to get through it without quitting the book altogether. The other short stories were mixed with one or two being slightly entertaining and one or two had me questioning why the were included at all.

The possible potential for all of the mischief and machinations of the gods, demons, and the Endless was there, but the author didn't make much use of it, if any at all. Morpheus (the Sandman) was mostly insipid and bland with only a bit of interest or emotion. Lucifer, the main antagonist, was equally uninteresting and mostly absent. John Lithgow's Emperor Joshua was a bit more interesting and Cain was able to add a very small bit of unpredictability, but overall, the stories were basically disjointed and boring, without the substance and suspense that drives you to want more.

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  • NDW
  • 03-10-2021

High Quality Woke-scolding that's extremely boring

I like the first iteration a great deal. McAvoy is a great voice actor and the sound production value even in the second season is top notch. Unfortunately the story is just downright boring. Completely boring, even with a VERY dramatic buildup! Loaded with woke virtue signaling, packed to the brim with misandry... it simply falls quite short of being worth the money.
A huge and unfortunate disappointment that you'll mostly sleep through.

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  • M. Hardman
  • 12-10-2021

Great performances, dull stories

Let me start by saying the first book is one of my all time favorite stories. I'm also a Neil Gaiman fan generally. The performances and production of this book were stunning - it was aurally beautiful.

The stories were, however, incredibly disjointed. That is not necessarily a bad thing. A series of short stories can still be plenty entertaining. But these individual stories weren't all that entertaining. I mean, we got about 3 or 4 hours just of Barbie exploring her own dreams... if they cut her story in half it could've still been entertaining without getting boring. It honestly felt like they were trying to fill for time.

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  • Ryan k Schram
  • 27-09-2021

This book in the series or acts, drags.

It drags on or drones, the first one was far better, this book doesn’t have the same feel. It’s a bunch of nonsense stories just jumbled all together.. hopefully if there’s a next book it’s better.

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  • brian
  • 22-09-2021

As good as act 1, and better.

A worthy follow-up to the first one. I hope to hear more comics adapted to this format in future. All cast members return, I believe, some I recognize, while others I don't. Excellent score, sound design, and more.

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  • Jakki B.
  • 30-09-2021

Enjoyable but not sandman 1

I still enjoyed listening as the performances of the characters are great but the stories are nowhere near as good as part 1. I would have stopped listening if it wasn’t for the fact that it is really well made and I was just waiting for it to pick up again but it never seemed to really get going for me. I won’t listen again but I will listen to part one again and I will buy part 3 when it comes out.

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  • Naqvi
  • 27-09-2021

Obsessed!

I’m seriously obsessed with the Sandman, and act was even better than I expected. Season of Mists was so good, I love Michael sheen as Lucifer and really want to know what he’s doing now.
I really enjoyed the muslim viewpoint of Morpheus, it felt really great to see how different faiths view the dream lord.
And I cannot write a review without mentioning the chapter with Orpheus and his amazing singing and I actually felt like crying. It was so beautiful. I really hope we get a father-son reunion!

Seriously I am obsessed with the Sandman now and the whole cast!

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  • Rachel
  • 25-09-2021

Absolutely enchanting

Absolutely loved this audio book. The performance matches the amazing wit and orginality of Neil Gaimen's work.

The stories that intertwined around the Dream Lord are sad, joyful and everything inbetween. The song of Orpheus, left me contemplative and I listened to it numerous times.

I throughly recommend this audio book

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  • Georgia
  • 06-10-2021

Unnecessarily gruesome, not a patch on Act 1!

Seriously, this second act is nothing but over-indulgent gore. The story and plot line are thin, heavily veiled with gruesome and explicit portrayals of torture and mutilation. I absolutely loved the first Act and was so excited when I pre-ordered the second Act. I managed the first hour then had to give up. It is just not enjoyable, the graphic images it puts in your head - it made me feel quite sick. I love a good horror story but this is a poor excuse at anything other than shock tactics. I kept waiting for the story to pick up, hoping it was going somewhere more interesting than just gratuitous gore, sadly it didn’t seem to be going anywhere other than from one gross scene to the next sickening scene. Such a waste of opportunity. If this is what the original novels are like then count me out. Disappointing and disgusting tbh.

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  • Paul
  • 08-10-2021

Act 1 superb….ACT 2….WTF!

ACT 2 - Couldn’t be more confusing if they tried…. Took effort to listen to all the way through.

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  • Kindle Customer
  • 07-10-2021

It's ok

Not as good as the first one, infact the first half is good but then it just depends into something I could barely listen too. I would wait until its free (included) the listen to this.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 27-09-2021

Excellent

A breath of fresh air, humerus, well worth the credit. A must listen to, can't wait to act 3.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 24-09-2021

amazing, enthralling, exciting!!

listened to this in 2 days! great production, totally bereft now that I've finished!

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  • David Townend
  • 24-09-2021

OUTSTANDING!!

One of the best audiobooks I've ever enjoyed. Masterful acting from the cast and amazing story. Just as good as the first book.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 24-09-2021

😍 very wonderful!

I have already left a review, halfway through this. It says something that I couldn't wait for the end to say how much I love this. Can't wait for the next part, heartbreak and all!

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