So, this finally happened Neil Gaiman has announced his next book will be The Seven Sisters.
Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology has barely hit the stores, but the rock star of fantasy literature has already announced his next project: a sequel to Neverwhere, more than 20 years after the publication of the original book. For those who need a reminder, Neverwhere is an urban fantasy which takes place in London, during the late 20th century. It tells the story of Richard Mayhew, a young man who leaves his homeland, Scotland, and settles in London in order to build himself. After he manages to get his life on track (albeit a despairingly boring one), the illusion of control crumbles, as Mayhew is thrust down to London Bellow, a magical city which exists parallel to the familiar capital, in which famous landmarks take on a whole different meaning. However, London Bellow is not a nice pastoral Wonderland, but a dark and murky place full of intrigues, in which what you don’t know may very well kill you.
Originally, the story was meant to be a TV series which Gaiman wrote for the BBC, during the 1990’s. However, after some differences of opinion with his employers, the author decided to rewrite the story in the form of a book, in which he will be able to bring the full scope of his vision to light.
Neverwhere became an instant hit, and brought about numerous adaptations, including a comic book miniseries, a star-studded radio play and theatre show. Of those I highly recommend that you seek and listen to the radio play. Like, now!
Gaiman has discussed the possibility of writing a sequel to his beloved book, but also claimed that he has no real interest in revisiting London below as he prefers to move on and create new things. All this has apparently changed, since during an event in London earlier this week, the famous author apprised visitors that he is already three chapters in to the sequel to Neverwhere, that the book will be called “The Seven Sisters” and that it is intended to be his next book.
London Beyond London Below
So, what prompted Gaiman to revisit Neverwhere after all these years? According to the author himself, it was the great changes which have occurred in London over the past 20 years. Also influential in his decision was his experiences while doing work for UNHCR in the Middle-East, and dealing with refugees from Syria. The things he has witnessed made an impact on him, made him angry. And so he decided it was time to do something, and that that something finally involved revisiting London Below.
In light of all this, the question emerges – what can we expect of the new London Below? Obviously, it will be much different than the one Gaiman has introduced to his readers. Will we like it? Will we be expected to like it, or will this London Beyond Neverwhere be an even grimmer, more dangerous place?
Hard to say, but whatever the case may be, we promise to follow the subject and keep you posted.
