I have been voraciously reading like eating a box of delicious chocolates. Lost in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan for a good chunk of it. Discovered many marvellous authors and seem to be very drawn to fantasy.
Gaimon's Neverwhere is urban fantasy, set in a world beneath London. It's an inventive, quirky escape into an unpredictable, imaginative ultra-reality that is violent, grimy and sinister.
The main character is Richard Mayhew, a typical Londoner who untypically rescues a bleeeding girl from the pavement. Thus a chain reaction of events propels him into the bowels of London, and hence begins a modern quest for the key that will save them all. The girl, Door, has an ability to open things, anything... or create a door between here and there. Her family has been foully murdered, and she needs to avenge their deaths. With them is the Marquis de Carabas. Hard on their heels are the well spoken but viciously focused Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar, and let's not forget the rat speakers.
Colourful characters that are realistic and believable, teamed with a fast paced plot set in such a vivid world combine to create a spell binding journey into a place of that is hauntingly real. Will definitely read this one again!
As a side note, I did try to read Gaiman's Anansi Boys, and it sucked. No depth, slow paced, I gave up after a few chapters!
