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The Sandman: The Deluxe Edition
The Sandman: The Deluxe Edition, Book Three
Neil Gaiman's award-winning masterpiece The Sandman , is finally being collected for the first time in deluxe hardcover format! The critically acclaimed series continues here, filled with the art from the medium's most gifted talent and now in a show-stopping hardcover edition perfect for any collector's library.
This volume picks up where the last left off in Morpheus' ongoing saga as he travels through the dreaming. From the Game of You stories where cracks are forming between the world of the waking and the dreaming, to Brief Lives where we follow the youngest of the Endless - Delirium - in her quest to find their long lost brother, Destruction. Lose yourself in Gaiman's fantastic worlds and continue the fantasy here, with the Sandman Deluxe Edition Book 3.
Collects The Sandman issues #32-50, the equivalent of the paperback edition books #5-7.
This volume picks up where the last left off in Morpheus' ongoing saga as he travels through the dreaming. From the Game of You stories where cracks are forming between the world of the waking and the dreaming, to Brief Lives where we follow the youngest of the Endless - Delirium - in her quest to find their long lost brother, Destruction. Lose yourself in Gaiman's fantastic worlds and continue the fantasy here, with the Sandman Deluxe Edition Book 3.
Collects The Sandman issues #32-50, the equivalent of the paperback edition books #5-7.
560 pages, Hardcover
First published August 3, 2021
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497 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
December 24, 2022
দুর্দান্ত।
নেইল গেইম্যান আর সুকুমার রায় একত্র হলে কেমন সব গল্প ফাঁদতেন, সেটা জানতে বড় কৌতূহল হয়!
নেইল গেইম্যান আর সুকুমার রায় একত্র হলে কেমন সব গল্প ফাঁদতেন, সেটা জানতে বড় কৌতূহল হয়!
August 18, 2022
Wow, I do understand why the Sandman series is considered among the best.
First, the art is for gorgeous. Every subtle detail adds value to the story. The colors work to create an amazing symphony. Visually - impeccable for my taste.
The story is somehow always fresh. Not all archs involve Dream actively, but they all tie to the Dreaming and he always makes an appearance. Those who have him as central figure though are very deep, there are layers of meaning. The prose is gorgeous and pulls you right into the world.
The stories about Dream's family and the 50th anniversary issue Ramadan were breathtaking in all aspects. My only minor negative note is that the chosen font for Ramadan looked better than it read, but the edition also has the script for it included as bonus material.
First, the art is for gorgeous. Every subtle detail adds value to the story. The colors work to create an amazing symphony. Visually - impeccable for my taste.
The story is somehow always fresh. Not all archs involve Dream actively, but they all tie to the Dreaming and he always makes an appearance. Those who have him as central figure though are very deep, there are layers of meaning. The prose is gorgeous and pulls you right into the world.
The stories about Dream's family and the 50th anniversary issue Ramadan were breathtaking in all aspects. My only minor negative note is that the chosen font for Ramadan looked better than it read, but the edition also has the script for it included as bonus material.
July 1, 2024
Game of You ist fantastisch!
February 7, 2023
The divergence between the issues that build into the main story arc (so good!) compared to the ones that focus on little side stories (meh) is particularly stark in this volume. But overall good balance of returning characters, new plots, and creative art direction.
November 10, 2022
A game of you was little disappointing but brief lives was chef’s kiss!
3.75/5
3.75/5
June 12, 2022
(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
I can think of little else that is new to write, other than echo again the sentiments I have expressed across my last two reviews. The greatness of this book (when it is great, which is often) continues, possibly even slightly improves, which is no mean feat. Two lengthy and fantastic arcs, the highlight being the nine part epic, wherein Delirium comes into her own, and almost supersedes Death as my favourite character. Jill Thompson excels here on art. Something for which the series doesn't quite get the recognition it deserves. It has been consistently strong throughout, but Thompson really nails it on page after page here. Yet, as unfortunately criticised in my two previous reviews of these deluxe editions, whenever Gaiman feels the need to interrupt the flow with a one off, historically based arc, the greatness comes to a grinding halt. At least when compared to his works heavily featuring Dream and the growing cast of characters. I elucidate on these criticisms with a little more depth in my previous reviews, so maybe you would be best to read those for grater context. Although for now, this series is steadily becoming more and more special to me as it goes on. The odd dud issue here and there notwithstanding. Still, an absolute must read. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
I can think of little else that is new to write, other than echo again the sentiments I have expressed across my last two reviews. The greatness of this book (when it is great, which is often) continues, possibly even slightly improves, which is no mean feat. Two lengthy and fantastic arcs, the highlight being the nine part epic, wherein Delirium comes into her own, and almost supersedes Death as my favourite character. Jill Thompson excels here on art. Something for which the series doesn't quite get the recognition it deserves. It has been consistently strong throughout, but Thompson really nails it on page after page here. Yet, as unfortunately criticised in my two previous reviews of these deluxe editions, whenever Gaiman feels the need to interrupt the flow with a one off, historically based arc, the greatness comes to a grinding halt. At least when compared to his works heavily featuring Dream and the growing cast of characters. I elucidate on these criticisms with a little more depth in my previous reviews, so maybe you would be best to read those for grater context. Although for now, this series is steadily becoming more and more special to me as it goes on. The odd dud issue here and there notwithstanding. Still, an absolute must read. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
April 7, 2022
Outstanding. Easily the best in the series thus far. Was a joy to read.
April 18, 2022
3.5 Stars
August 24, 2023
Some of the stories in the book were amazing
March 4, 2023
Didn't quite reach the heights of the last one but still some fantastic stories.
March 5, 2023
Some good. Some bad. Some amazing. Your standard Neil Gaiman Sandman experience.
October 27, 2025
as i kept on reading, i did realize that there is just a very unusual style to what someone can be used to when you read these comics, especially when you read all of them together in the way they are in the deluxe edition. i kept on writing ideas that came to mind with every single long separate story that in the end threads back to the main one of dream knowing he is about to die. it does have many single individual stories that kinda summarize in a way who dream is and what a fucking asshole he has been before he was trapped. that in order from him to fully change, he will need to sacrifice himself. here are ?some thoughts i wrote while i read this:
- barbie basically stopped dreaming and they are trying to follow her to dream world with her other queer friends? women can't be free at ALL. dream of the endless confirmed to not care about women who is surprised? not me. also seeing a trans storyline is... idk many things from it piss me off with the transphobia it holds.
- first touches of daniel hall in the dreaming
- delirium is looking for their missing brother, asking all the other siblings to help her technically. which makes despair think back about destruction being kind to her before he left.
- dream being sad about nada and delirium visiting him to try to find their brother and he leaves with her to try and do it, with the intention of seeing nada. they go to the waking world and delirium asks about dream's eyes cause he always has stars for eyes.
- first images of dream daniel... and how dream has set up the path of his own destruction with going to his son to find their missing brother. we are so close to the end by now. and then dream does kill his son and every sibling is somewhat concern for dream even tho they had hoped he died.
- barbie basically stopped dreaming and they are trying to follow her to dream world with her other queer friends? women can't be free at ALL. dream of the endless confirmed to not care about women who is surprised? not me. also seeing a trans storyline is... idk many things from it piss me off with the transphobia it holds.
- first touches of daniel hall in the dreaming
- delirium is looking for their missing brother, asking all the other siblings to help her technically. which makes despair think back about destruction being kind to her before he left.
- dream being sad about nada and delirium visiting him to try to find their brother and he leaves with her to try and do it, with the intention of seeing nada. they go to the waking world and delirium asks about dream's eyes cause he always has stars for eyes.
- first images of dream daniel... and how dream has set up the path of his own destruction with going to his son to find their missing brother. we are so close to the end by now. and then dream does kill his son and every sibling is somewhat concern for dream even tho they had hoped he died.
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January 14, 2024I really liked the arc with Barbie and Wanda. I know I enjoyed it but one of the things that sticks out to me most that I don’t think I’ll be able to forget was the treatment of Wanda’s transgender identity in a fantasy setting. In a lot of fantasy stories I’ve come across with trans characters, the world building typically is constructed in a way that affirms their gender, but even though that often feels like a good thing, I liked how even when the characters and magic systems involved don’t affirm her gender Wanda declares how the only thing that matters is that she knows she is a girl. I feel like it takes guts to affirm something like that even when magic or the universe or whatever tells you you’re wrong. And that just felt more powerful to me that some of the other fantasy stories I’ve read (even though I love those ones as well). That even if everyone and everything told you you were wrong, that wouldn’t matter because in your heart you would know you are right.
I also loved seeing how Dream is progressing as a character as well. I loved how a lot of those changes were seen in the small things like him asking someone how they are doing or not overreacting to something and just simply caring and being more aware of the people around him whose lives he is impacting
I also loved seeing how Dream is progressing as a character as well. I loved how a lot of those changes were seen in the small things like him asking someone how they are doing or not overreacting to something and just simply caring and being more aware of the people around him whose lives he is impacting
November 5, 2025
[Whole serie]
Art: a couple of interesting tidbits ("Ramadan", "The kindly ones", some watercolour stuff) floating on top of a dumpster.
Story: milquetoast and running on vibes, just like every other Gaiman work I read so far. A "Disneyland dark ride" of a story, if you will: you are surrounded by artful animatronics of those same old princesses in brand new dresses but actually, you're just being dragged along the tracks to the gift shop (they have chibi toys!!1 No, for real).
There's a couple incidental mentions of the one good idea the guy ever had, i.e. gods being sustained by human worship and all the implications thereof; there's an interesting episode in a diner; and... that's it, that's all I will remember out of 75 fucking issues two days from now. I don't care for any of the (weird) sex stuff, I don't find metatextuality groundbreaking and I certainly don't give a shit about the ton of references or the lectures on the meaning of life, so what else is there that is supposedly worth the ride? "Death is a goth girlie"?
Besides, it relies a bit too much on walls of text and takes minimal advantage of the peculiarities of the comic medium. Too bad.
Art: a couple of interesting tidbits ("Ramadan", "The kindly ones", some watercolour stuff) floating on top of a dumpster.
Story: milquetoast and running on vibes, just like every other Gaiman work I read so far. A "Disneyland dark ride" of a story, if you will: you are surrounded by artful animatronics of those same old princesses in brand new dresses but actually, you're just being dragged along the tracks to the gift shop (they have chibi toys!!1 No, for real).
There's a couple incidental mentions of the one good idea the guy ever had, i.e. gods being sustained by human worship and all the implications thereof; there's an interesting episode in a diner; and... that's it, that's all I will remember out of 75 fucking issues two days from now. I don't care for any of the (weird) sex stuff, I don't find metatextuality groundbreaking and I certainly don't give a shit about the ton of references or the lectures on the meaning of life, so what else is there that is supposedly worth the ride? "Death is a goth girlie"?
Besides, it relies a bit too much on walls of text and takes minimal advantage of the peculiarities of the comic medium. Too bad.
May 9, 2022
The issues contained in this The Sandman Volume 4 comtinue to amaze and astoundish, as the series progresses losing none of its creativity, impredictability, and quality.
Altouhg all of the stories contained in this volume are absolutely stunning, the two longer are some the best art of it.
The arc "A Game of You" arc is one of my favorite arcs from the series, with stellar art, and an unexpected array of new characters and returned ones. Just phenomenal writing with artwork to match it.
The second longer arc, Delirium and Dream's road-trip through the waking world is really fun and further fleshes out the other Endless, and brings about big changes for Dream. The ending was slightly dissapointing, considering what had came before, but its still a fantastic arc.
SO once again Gaiman delivers in spades, and I am very happy I have decided to start this journey with him and his characters. Its an absolutely brilliant comic book series.
Altouhg all of the stories contained in this volume are absolutely stunning, the two longer are some the best art of it.
The arc "A Game of You" arc is one of my favorite arcs from the series, with stellar art, and an unexpected array of new characters and returned ones. Just phenomenal writing with artwork to match it.
The second longer arc, Delirium and Dream's road-trip through the waking world is really fun and further fleshes out the other Endless, and brings about big changes for Dream. The ending was slightly dissapointing, considering what had came before, but its still a fantastic arc.
SO once again Gaiman delivers in spades, and I am very happy I have decided to start this journey with him and his characters. Its an absolutely brilliant comic book series.
August 20, 2022
This volume contains:
1) Vol. 5 - A Game of You (Issues #32 to #37) 2/5.
2) The Hunt (Issue #38; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 3.5/5.
3) Soft Places (Issue #39; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 4/5.
4) The Parliament of Rooks (Issue #40; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 4/5.
5) Vol. 7- Brief Lives (Issues #41 to #49): 5/5.
6) Ramadan (Issue #50; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 1/5.
----
I loved Destruction, Dream and Death's relationship remains one of my favorite things about the series, I really wanna know who was the woman who broke Morpheous' heart, and that chapter with Orpheous broke my heart.
My only complaint, as always, is the over-sexualization of some female characters and their deaths/destruction and also the depictions of some nuddity scenes that seem more of a self-fulfilling male fantasy that anything else.
1) Vol. 5 - A Game of You (Issues #32 to #37) 2/5.
2) The Hunt (Issue #38; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 3.5/5.
3) Soft Places (Issue #39; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 4/5.
4) The Parliament of Rooks (Issue #40; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 4/5.
5) Vol. 7- Brief Lives (Issues #41 to #49): 5/5.
6) Ramadan (Issue #50; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 1/5.
----
I loved Destruction, Dream and Death's relationship remains one of my favorite things about the series, I really wanna know who was the woman who broke Morpheous' heart, and that chapter with Orpheous broke my heart.
My only complaint, as always, is the over-sexualization of some female characters and their deaths/destruction and also the depictions of some nuddity scenes that seem more of a self-fulfilling male fantasy that anything else.
August 14, 2022
'The Sandman: The Deluxe Edition Book Three' by Neil Gaiman.
1) A Game of You (Issues #32 to #37) 4.5/5.
2) The Hunt (Issue #38; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 3.5/5.
3) Soft Places (Issue #39; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 3.0/5.
4) The Parliament of Rooks (Issue #40; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 4.0/5.
5) Brief Lives (Issues #41 to #49): 3.5/5.
6) Ramadan (Issue #50; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 4.0/5.
Overall Rating for the Book: 7.5/10.
PS: For a detailed review, check out my reviews for the individual volumes on their respective Goodreads pages.
1) A Game of You (Issues #32 to #37) 4.5/5.
2) The Hunt (Issue #38; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 3.5/5.
3) Soft Places (Issue #39; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 3.0/5.
4) The Parliament of Rooks (Issue #40; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 4.0/5.
5) Brief Lives (Issues #41 to #49): 3.5/5.
6) Ramadan (Issue #50; part of 'Fables and Reflections' collection): 4.0/5.
Overall Rating for the Book: 7.5/10.
PS: For a detailed review, check out my reviews for the individual volumes on their respective Goodreads pages.
November 11, 2022
This bind up book is amazing containing sandman issues 32-50 and the stories set after game of you stories, and brief lives I am so happy I decided to read the sandman comics I absolutely adore the characters, the storyline’s and the artwork is breathtakingly beautiful. I love Neil Gai man’s world of the endless. I adored all the characters I loved dream, death, desire, despair, delirium, destiny. I certainly hope Netflix keeps renewing the sandman series I want to see the rest of these amazing stories come to life on the screen. I definitely recommend reading the sandman comics and this large bind up edition is a great collectors item definitely worth reading it was highly entertaining and enjoyable book to read.
May 16, 2023
Primarily covers two longer arcs. The first concerns a forgotten realm in the dream world and the ramifications in the waking world. This feels like it must have broken ground in the early 1990s when it was originally created...and I also wonder how a few story beats would change if this story was created in the early 2020s. The next long arc focuses on the Endless through Delirium's search for her long-missing brother Destruction. The power in this story is that it continues to make Dream a more complex, more imperfect and less purely-likable character, while making other family members into more complex and likeable characters (who knew Despair had such complexity). Finally, it closes with the stand-alone 50th issue story.
October 30, 2024
I think I’m starting to notice a pattern when it comes to me reading Sandman. Reading this volume, I was way more engaged reading “A Game of You” than I was for “Brief Lives”. It seems that whenever the story is more “grounded” with a more relatable human protagonist like in “The Doll’s House”, it’s a lot easier for me to be engaged, but whenever Dream is the primary focus and he just spends ten issues going from place to place, visiting some weird and wacky characters, and philosophizing about the meaning of life or whatever, I just can’t be bothered to care. That’s why I’m not binging this and more just getting through the occasional volume, because I don’t think any other comic series is more hit or miss for me.
November 28, 2022
Technically a reread, since I first read this nearly 20 years ago, but I'm coming at it with older eyes now.
And fuuuuck, it still holds up. It's just... so good. "Brief Lives" is probably my favorite story arc, but everything about this volume is just so good. There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said hundreds of times before - and better - but goddamn, it's just SO GOOD.
Now I'm going to hesitate to pull the trigger on the next volume, knowing how it all ends.
And fuuuuck, it still holds up. It's just... so good. "Brief Lives" is probably my favorite story arc, but everything about this volume is just so good. There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said hundreds of times before - and better - but goddamn, it's just SO GOOD.
Now I'm going to hesitate to pull the trigger on the next volume, knowing how it all ends.
December 28, 2023
This is just great Gaiman writing. You can actually see a lot of the themes he explored in American Gods beginning in this volume. I particularly enjoyed the search for The Prodigal and the ultimate reveal of Dream's brother.
In some ways I regret not reading this when it was coming out in issues but I feel like I am a better audience for it now at close to 50 than I would have been at 16.
Looking forward to finishing out the series with the next two volumes.
In some ways I regret not reading this when it was coming out in issues but I feel like I am a better audience for it now at close to 50 than I would have been at 16.
Looking forward to finishing out the series with the next two volumes.
July 19, 2025
A beautiful, elegant, heartbreaking and totally charming tale made up of many small stories.
Dream, Morpheus, Sandman. You have my heart, my attention and I look forward to meeting you again.
The story of Sandman is an incredibly original piece of literature full of art, emotion and mythology.
I LOVE IT.
5/5.
Dream, Morpheus, Sandman. You have my heart, my attention and I look forward to meeting you again.
The story of Sandman is an incredibly original piece of literature full of art, emotion and mythology.
I LOVE IT.
5/5.
September 2, 2022
I'm liking this comic more and more! I must admit I'm a lot more interested in the stories where Dream and his siblings take more of a center stage, and this book thankfully had quite a lot of that. Loved the story of Dream and Delirium looking for their brother. Onwards to book 4!
August 21, 2023
I'm enjoying these stories so far but I'm giving this collection a 5 star rating because I LOVED the story arc of A Game of You. I loved the themes of that story line and the ending absolutely crushed me. Why can't we just let people be who they are?
November 23, 2025
Just ok. The first storyline was really boring, the next couple issues were decent, Although I did quite like “The Hunt”. Brief Lives was incredibly mid, season of mists was way better. Overall, 3.5 stars, Volume 2 was far superior.
December 5, 2021
Loved the series as a teenager and love it even more now that I have life experience to enrich my understanding!
December 13, 2021
No es el que más me ha gustado, pero es espectacular igualmente
February 1, 2022
Love the story of Orpheus’ head and the very funny road trip with Dream and Delirium. The artwork is consistently great in this volume- excited to start in on the next one!
May 25, 2022
Odd, this one was so very odd. I think I enjoyed it but it was all so bizarre that I felt I lost the plot one too many times.
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