PositiveThe AV Club\"Gaiman’s not reinventing the wheel, but simply offers his modern take on the ancient tales. Unfortunately, that means it starts slowly, in the tradition of biblical writings, recounting characters, their relationships to one another, and the creation of everything ... Once the busywork is out the way, though, Gaiman hits his stride...Gaiman offers quick, easy reads. He plays into the folkloric traditions of the Norse tales, keeping lines straightforward but incredibly vivid ... Gaiman is consistently engaging in these chapters. The tales range from funny to tragic, and Gaiman wisely foreshadows Ragnarok—the end and rebirth of all things, for the gods—to give the book a narrative arc ... it is nice to see someone passing these stories along to inspire another generation.\
Dave Eggers
PositiveThe AV Club...in Eggers’ hands, events like meeting a gun-fanatic family at an abandoned archery range, figuring out how to empty the sewage tank of an RV at a gas station, and encountering a band of prisoners in the midst of an Alaskan wildfire are molded into something more ... his portrayal of Alaska is an inviting entry point to the narrative. Heroes Of The Frontier is frequently funny, as Eggers finds humor in the absurd ... while Heroes Of The Frontier packs a dynamic punch at its conclusion, Eggers is not about to leave his readers with easy answers to the complex problems he presents.
Neil Gaiman
MixedThe AV ClubThe collected nature of the book works both for and against Gaiman. For those interested in the mechanics of writing, much can be gleaned from his takes on other writers. And the insight into the writer’s mind when his work is taken collectively is invaluable. For those who are simply fans, the collection also acts as a great jumping-off point to the branching cadre of his influences ... The View From The Cheap Seats is a book best taken piecemeal. When taken as a collective, some trends that hurt it emerge. The essays—especially the transcripts of speeches—retread some of the same thematic territory, making it feel repetitive and long. And for those not as invested in the craft of writing, the redundancies, especially early in the collection, have the ability to make Cheap Seats feel a little boring, if only temporarily so.
