Neil Gaiman does it again. He has a an amazing imagination, that coupled with his ability to weave a good yarn makes this another winner. Hard to put this one down--I found myself thinking about what would happen to Richard next when I wasn't listening to the book.
If you are a Neil Gaiman fan, you won't be disappointed.

I listened to this book about a month after returning to the states from a trip to London and it took me back in such a wonderful way! I realy enjoyed Neil Gaiman's reading of the story, his characters were alive for me. Even though it's kind of a creepy story, there is an optimistic innocence about it that was very endearing to me!

Neil Gaiman has a knack for story telling and his narration is perfect. Seldom do you every come across a self narrated book that works. Neil's really works well. Great story. Really got absorbed into "London Below" and would be happy to hear of more adventures of Richard Mayhew and the Marquis de Carabis from the immagination and voice of Mr. Gaimon.

A good read, well-written and constructed, with plenty of phantasmagorical creatures abounding. Similar character structure to Gaiman's Anansi Boys (weak hero who later becomes empowered, stressful girlfriend, etc.).

Gaiman likes otherworldly, mythical tales, and this one wanders around English folklore all the while telling a modern fantasy story in a interdimensional underground London. It's not his greatest work, but it's still better than many other people's greatest works. Some of the characters are simple or bare cartoon sketches. Others are more vivid and intricate, but a little stock. That's a minor criticism--the story is original enough and even the stock characters are portrayed so well that the whole tale is exciting and different and lively.

The book is also a minor education for us Americans, offering a nice glimpse of modern London culture mixed in with a bit of English history, without interrupting the story to do so. Not that Gaiman is on a level with or similar to Dickens, but you can tell he's read a lot of Dickens. He also, like Dickens, enjoys a well turned phrase or a clever pun, and rarely underestimates his audience's ability to follow him.

Gaiman himself reads this, and I enjoyed that. He must have some acting or voice training in his past, because he does a credible job, though not brilliant. What I like is the intimacy of having the author read it--somehow it feels more nuanced and more personal than many professional readers can muster.

Very good book. Worth the listen.

One more thing--I've seen some reviews say it's more for kids, and others say it's too graphic for kids. It is a bit graphic in violence at times, but not more than kids would see on network television. The story is not as mature as, say, American Gods. I'd say it's safe for anyone over twelve unless they are just squeamish. There may be a mention or two of sex, but I don't recall anything vivid. My kids listened, and I never cringed over it.