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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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The Sandman: Act II Official Trailer

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Some of our favorite moments from The Sandman: Act II

Welcome to the Garden of Destiny
Destiny calls Death to a family meeting
The demon Azazel makes his case
Emperor Augustus on the power of ‘true dreams’
Thessaly tells the neighbors where George is
King Haroun al Raschid summons Morpheus
  • The Sandman: Act II
  • Welcome to the Garden of Destiny
  • The Sandman: Act II
  • Destiny calls Death to a family meeting
  • The Sandman: Act II
  • The demon Azazel makes his case
  • The Sandman: Act II
  • Emperor Augustus on the power of ‘true dreams’
  • The Sandman: Act II
  • Thessaly tells the neighbors where George is
  • The Sandman: Act II
  • King Haroun al Raschid summons Morpheus

About Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is The New York Times best-selling author and creator of books, graphic novels, short stories, film, and television for all ages, including Norse Mythology, Neverwhere, Coraline, The Graveyard Book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The View from the Cheap Seats, and The Sandman comic series published by DC. His fiction has received Newbery, Carnegie, Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner Awards. Gaiman was the writer and showrunner for the Emmy-nominated mini-series adaptation of Good Omens, based on the book he co-authored with Sir Terry Pratchett; his novel American Gods, has also been adapted to a critically-acclaimed, Emmy-nominated TV series. His audiobooks have won five Audie Awards and frequently appear on The NYT Audio Bestseller List. In 2017, he became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

About Dirk Maggs

Dirk Maggs writes and directs immersive, densely layered audio stories that fire the imagination. At the BBC, his groundbreaking 'audio movies' featuring DC Comics' Superman and Batman dazzled Douglas Adams, who asked Dirk to bring The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy back to its original home, BBC Radio. In the last decade, Dirk has worked closely with his friend Neil Gaiman to adapt and direct prestige BBC versions of Neverwhere, Stardust, and Neil and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens. For Audible, Dirk adapted and produced The X-Files, starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, and four epic audio adventures set in the Alien universe. Dirk's many awards include Audies, Writers Guild, Sonys, Talkies, British Fantasy Society, and two New York Festivals Gold Medals. Dirk is an Honorary fellow of the University of Winchester, and he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in the Arts by Bournemouth University.

About James Hannigan

Known for his emotionally driven and memorable scores, BAFTA award-winning composer and sound designer James Hannigan has created music for virtually all forms of media, including major video game franchises ( Harry Potter), TV ( Primeval), radio (Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere and Good Omens), and The #1 New York Times best-selling audio adaptation of The Sandman. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, James is also a creator and founder of two sold-out London Southbank based conferences. He has worked with several world class orchestras, including The Philharmonia, The Chamber Orchestra of London, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra and the Slovak Symphony Orchestra. His awards include an IFMCA (International Film Music Critics Association) Award for the score of EA’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2010, and in 2012 he was made a subject of BAFTA’s Conversations with Composers series held at the Royal Albert Hall.

Featuring

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

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

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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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

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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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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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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9 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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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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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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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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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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amazing, enthralling, exciting!!

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

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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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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6 people found this helpful

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😍 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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  • Chuck
  • 27-09-21

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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125 people found this helpful

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  • Davidgonzalezsr
  • 22-09-21

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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49 people found this helpful

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  • Tyrel
  • 29-09-21

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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42 people found this helpful

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  • Sekhment
  • 22-09-21

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
  • 22-09-21

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
  • 28-09-21

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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29 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • NDW
  • 03-10-21

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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23 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • M. Hardman
  • 12-10-21

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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21 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Ryan k Schram
  • 27-09-21

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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20 people found this helpful

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  • brian
  • 22-09-21

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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18 people found this helpful