15 hidden gems SFF readers need to dig up and read

Cover to Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Image: William Morrow

Neverwhere – Neil Gaiman

Although Neil Gaiman’s American Gods and Good Omens have been made into television series, many of his other novels have yet to be embraced by more mainstream audiences. Neverwhere  is one of Gaiman’s stories that certainly deserves more praise, and it’s surprising it hasn’t received it—especially considering the popularity of similar stories, like V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series.

Neverwhere follows Richard Mayhew, a young businessman living in London. Richard unknowingly lives above a dark, fantastical world called Neverwhere—a world that functions beneath the city of London unbeknownst to the majority of its residents. But when Richard takes a moment out of his day to help a young woman on the streets, he finds himself thrown into this mysterious place and unable to return to his home, London Above.

Richard soon realizes that his inability to return home is the least of his problems. With the mysterious creatures and characters that make up London Below, Richard will be lucky to survive his time there—much less to return to his ordinary life above. With the help of the girl he was kind to and a few other morally gray companions, however, Richard begins to navigate the strange world he’s fallen into.

Neverwhere is both dark and fantastical, and the magic and characters Gaiman weaves into its story are a pleasure to experience. The most disappointing thing about the novel is that it’s a standalone—a shame when you consider how much Gaiman could expand upon the world he’s built here. Still, readers will find themselves immersed in the 300-plus pages they do have of London Below. And it’s always a good sign when a story leaves you wanting a bit more.