A Tale of Travel and Darkness with Pictures of All Kinds

You know this story flirts with tradition because it seems you've heard it before, but as often, Neil Gaiman blends his knowledge of lore with his own ironic worldview to make something both beautiful, haunting, and somehow right. The illustrations by Eddie Campbell range from cartoonish to impressionistic to cubist, but all are evocative. Some of the illustrations made me stop and study them for several seconds; they moved me deeper into the story while the words moved me further on.

At only 55 pages, this might be mistaken for a children's book. Not. There are serious thoughts here about the nature of justice, forgiveness, and revenge. Maybe a book to share with a thoughtful pre-teen, though.

The string quartet that accompanied this audio added depth and drama to the narration as author Neil Gaiman read this novel to me. I really enjoyed the sounds that came forth from their instruments: the eeriness of the unknown, the rush of the feet over the dry plains, the fortitude of certain individual’s presence and the many other sounds that I was blessed to hear. After listening to this short audio, I listened to it once again and things really started to click. I was able to make more connections the second time through and I believe that this is a novel that should be read a few times through to fully understand it. I enjoyed this novel much more the second time through. I feel the book is about revenge and about greed, how these can get the best of a person. I liked listening to Neil as he read, I felt wrapped up inside his story, I wanted to know why each person was important to this novel as there weren’t very many people involved in this story. I would love to see Neil in person, to have him read part of a novel to me, for there is something about his voice, it takes on a deep, dark, sinister style and I am mesmerized.

He had been searching for his daughter for 10 years and yet he did not find her. He then left his wife in search for a treasure. He was a small man with big dreams. There was a cave on the Misty Isle that was legend to have gold but he needed a guide. Some say the gold was cursed but he will take his chances. Finding his guide, they set off. Not much is spoken between them as they make their journey but as they meet others on their way, the small man is boastful about his trip. There are rules about the cave in the black mountain and his guide reminds him multiple times on their trek about these rules. As they get closer to their destination, the men discuss their plan of action. It was not what I had expected, but it was fun, exciting and it portrayed their character exactly.

A beautiful fable in an improbable and magical land, The Truth is a Cave… is a book that seems as though it should be a great deal more monumental than it really is, and unfortunately I have mixed feelings on the publication itself.

To begin, the story is incredible. It is subtle, well crafted, and made to withstand time and distance. The execution of the piece as a retelling of a folk tale lends to the timeless archetypal qualities to the piece. It is a story of redemption, sacrifice, revenge, and love, and lends to Gaiman’s timeless storytelling prowess.

The book itself is well crafted - a gorgeous execution by William Morrow.

That said, the artwork…

I like much of the artwork by Eddie Campbell, but his execution, colors, and illustration of this piece is clunky. Some frames scream with vivid beauty, while others look like drafts of proofs that were submitted to the publisher ahead of time. I do get the point, and I like what was being attempted, but at the same rate I was disappointed with the whole thing, and almost wished that I stuck to reading the story without the illustrations. Furthermore, I don’t understand why William Morrow would stick so closely to the original artwork and publish some of the pages with the colors that they did (or didn't revise the actual colors) because it made the words difficult to read. Literally. I would have toned down the contrast or something for printing on the art so the text didn't blend in - and I have read several books where this was done on purpose (the text was meant to be difficult to read because it made sense content-wise and tonally), but that wasn't the case in this. It was just a bad printing choice and some of it took me longer to read so I could see the words.

My review - the story is gorgeous, the book’s construction beautiful and strong, but the illustrations were difficult to handle.

At first glance, this looks like a children's book.

But if you look at the skull in the mountainside, and the title... not so much. No, "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains: A Tale of Travel and Darkness with Pictures of All Kinds" is one of Neil Gaiman's many short stories, here fleshed out with Eddie Campbell's odd assortment of illustrations and comics -- a dark, murky little tale of Scotland, revenge and the fantastical.

An unnamed Scottish dwarf approaches a former reaver, Callum MacInnes, to help him find a certain cave on the Misty Isle. The cave is said to be filled with gold, and only a few people can find it. The two men journey to that island and make their way to the cave -- but Callum warns his employer that the gold inside has a strange curse on it, which makes everything in life "less." But the dwarf's goal isn't mere gold -- he wants revenge, and he will do whatever it takes to get it.

Neil Gaiman is one of the greatest storytellers alive at telling us tales of dark, strange places occupied by otherworldly creatures. "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains" is a sort of fairy tale, and it's a picture book... but it's not really the kind that you give to kids. Oh, a kid could read it, but it's a very dark, grim tale about poetic revenge, murder and a very spooky cave-dwelling creature.

This is also one of those stories that could be set in any time period or any place. Gaiman chooses the Jacobean era of Scottish history, with the dwarf's excuse that he wants the gold so he can help restore the King Over The Water. Lots of windblown heather, mist, stony cliffs and a hint of faery goings-on (the protagonist refers to his father as being "from the West," and I don't think he meant the Americas).

One of the most interesting aspects of the story is that Gaiman keeps you guessing what exactly is going on throughout the story. It's obvious that SOMETHING is unsaid between these men (especially when Callum threatens the dwarf with a knife while he's sleeping) but he

And since this is a short story instead of a full-length novella, Gaiman's work is augmented by Eddie Campbell's illustrations -- sometimes it's just a swath of color, sometimes pictures, and sometimes he even creates little graphic-novel panels.

And those pictures bring an extra splash of life to "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains: A Tale of Travel and Darkness with Pictures of All Kinds," a powerful little story from a master storyteller. Just don't tell it to your kids before bedtime.

This is a short story/graphic novel that take place on Isle of Skye in Scotland. In the story a dwarf visits a man who is supposed to know the location of a cave that holds all the gold a man can dream of...for a price. So starts a journey deep into greed and darkness.

This book is a bit of an oddity. It was apparently based on a live reading Gaiman did of this story while Campbell did live artwork. It’s part short story and part graphic novel. It is definitely intended for adults/older young adults. There is a cabin that the two characters stop at where the man obviously abuses his wife (emotionally/physically/sexually).

It’s a very good short story and I really enjoyed that part of the book. The story is full of the deep and dark irony that I have come to associate with many of Gaiman’s books. The story has a bit of a folklore feel to it as well as telling a moral of sorts.

I did not like the illustration. The bigger pictures are done in a very unfinished waterpaint looking style that I didn’t really enjoy. The graphic novel panels look like someone gave a child a marker and told them to make loose sketches of people. I am not familiar with Campbell’s art style, so I am guessing this is just his typical style. However, it wasn’t for me.

Overall a very well done short story that is done in a unique way. However I did not enjoy the illustration style. Also this may kind of look like a picture book, but I would recommend for older young adults and adults. A must have for any Neil Gaiman fanatic, but not my favorite.

Neil Gaiman’s novelette “The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains” was originally published in the collection Stories: All New Tales edited by Gaiman, which went on to win an award. It is now reprinted and made available in this beautifully illustrated and collectible version. This four-color edition is illustrated by renowned artist, Eddie Campbell.

It is the moving story of one man’s journey with an untrustworthy guide in search of a specific cave in the black mountains of Scotland where they hope to find gold. Along the way they meet some strange characters and face daunting odds. Told with the powerful, haunting words of Gaiman showing his talent for the craft, the illustrations help to make the story fuller and more complete. Sometimes the illustrations show small scenes of the ongoing story, other times they simply add to the feel and emotion of the page. A mixture of media and color help to enhance the story and make a journey for the reader also.

Originally written on August 1, 2014 ©Alex C. Telander.

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I'm not writing a Neil Gaiman enthusiast's review, but rather one of a kind of outsider reader. That's because I haven't read much more of this author: one short story, one graphic novel and "The Ocean at the End of the Lane".

This is a short story, basically an illustrated book, with some small parts in a comic book format. The result is interesting, there's the text and the illustrations, and they're very well intertwined. Very nice artwork. I liked the story, it is a good one, that might be scary for the unnacustomed reader, but still miles behind "The Ocean" as to that.

Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors and has an enviable imagination. The Truth was no exception in displaying his storytelling ability. A short story, it was long on developed characters and message. The musical backgrounds were as interesting as the author's narration. He is the exception to the rule that most authors are terrible narrators. In fact, some authors should hire Neil Gaiman to read their books to far better effect.

Since writing this review, I've borrowed the hardcover book so that I could enjoy the drawings and artwork that enliven this story. As expected, provocative and imaginative. Never disappointing, fairy tales for adults.

DD@Phila

My experience is that I loved the story, especially the feel that Gaiman creates for the reader. One senses the beauty and violence of the land , and the sensory details are alive here.I am in the minority in that I did not like the artistry that tried to complement the story. Of course that is a subjective take, and I appreciate others' points of view. That is the art experience, of course. We can view the same piece with different takes and opinions. My preference would have been something else. It just did not do it for me.

This book is a little treasure from my favorite modern fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and a wonderfully talented artist Eddie Campbell. The actual story is derived from folk tales and legends from the Inner and Outer Hebrides that Gaiman found while visitng the Isles of Skye. It is a story of love, murder and revenge that is spun out against the cold and murky background of the Hebrides. The hero, if he is indeed such, is a dwarf with hidden strength and talents and the possible villian is a man who is but an empty shell full of hidden meaning. Our protaganist seeks gold, or perhaps the gold of resolution to a wrong perceived or real. The art matches the storyline and perfectly matches the haunted feelings portrayed in words. Beautiful.

This is a wonderful audio production of the Neil Gaiman story. I was very pleased with the fact that Mr. Gaiman performed the reading rather than some random narrator. The story is very engaging and the musical accompaniment by FourPlay String Quartet is lovely. I found that the score made the listening experience very immersive and enjoyable. Another outstanding work by our generation's premier writer of fantasy. Great!

Strange, dark tale, set in the days of the Jacobite rebellions in the late 17th century. A Scottish dwarf hires a wealthy but nonetheless greedy reaver (thief) to guide him to a cave in the Misty Isle, where legend says that there is gold to be had - as much as one can carry out - if one is willing to assume the risks of getting there & going in. Partly a story, partly a graphic novel, with wonderful illustrations by Eddie Campbell. His woods - & the sea & the mountains & the rough weather - are lovely, dark & deep. As in all of Gaiman's stories, the natural & supernatural worlds overlap, & we are our own demons. NOT for young children!

This book dispenses entirely with what you would normally associated with an audiobook, not even saying the author's or publisher's name, and taking occasional pauses in the narrative for Irish drums and violin. It's closer to a radio play, but it's entirely unabridged. Since it's in first person, it feels like he's telling his life's story over a fireplace.

The tale draws on Celtic mythology, but does not drown in the lore like such tales often do.

I bought this book in both hardback and the audio version with music, and I truly think the audio version offers more than the hardback. The story is wonderful on its own, but the addition of music and sound effects provided by string instruments really brought it to life.

The orchestral music and Neil Gaiman's narration make the audiobook fantastic!! I know that I would not have enjoyed it nearly as much simply reading from the page... This story is meant to be orated for sure, and I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook version.