Audible, out 22 September

Volumes 4, 5 and most of 6 of Neil Gaiman’s award-winning graphic novels about the epic tales of Morpheus, lord of dreams, are adapted as full-cast audio plays.

With The Sandman: Act I being practically perfect in every way, producer and director Dirk Maggs set himself the unenviable task of creating Act II, that ‘difficult second album,’ and it’s to his credit that this is another winner and he makes it effortless to listen to. The original would become the bestselling Audible Original ever, and surely this follow-up will be snapping at its heels to claim that accolade.

Of course, it really helps that by this stage in the run the comics were on fire (we’re talking about Hell) with Gaiman in his stride, delivering a wonderful run in Season of Mists. As before, the author narrates what would otherwise be seen in the drawn panel and the non-dialogue text. James McAvoy is superb as Morpheus, his world-weary delivery in sharp contrast to Kat Dennings’ glorious Death.

We meet the family in the Garden of the Endless during the prologue to Season of Mists where Morpheus needs to return to Hell to atone for a past deed. While anticipating combat with Lucifer (Michael Sheen), the Lord of Hell actually hands over to Morpheus the keys to the kingdom, and complications follow.

Fables and Reflections is a series of one-shot stories, demonstrating the range of the series, from the French Revolution of Thermidor (with Joanna Lumley as Lady Constantine) to Roman historical August (Brian Cox excellent as Augustus) and the battle for Joshua Norton (a formidable John Lithgow) in Three Septembers and a January. The stories are re-sequenced here to the original comic book run as opposed to the graphic novel ordering.

A Game of You is a six-part run that picks up Barbie’s story from The Doll’s House. It’s a stunning series of fantasy adventures in the Land, where she faces the mysterious Cuckoo and is helped and hindered by friends. Laurence  Bouvard is excellent as Barbie, and Wanda’s (Reece Lyons) story is still as powerful as ever, with that beautiful coda. The set concludes with the one-shots Soft Places, The Parliament of Rooks and Ramadan.

I can’t think of a better way to spend nearly 14 hours of your life. The crisp dialogue delivered by an all-star cast, the inventive sound design, composer James Hannigan’s scores (they swell from grand cinematic to the operatic Orpheus’ Song) and just the joy of hearing Gaiman recite his clever, intricate verse in a reassuring, clear voice. Perfection.

Verdict: Continuing the excellence of Act I, Audible’s The Sandman series continues to be the yardstick by which other audio dramas will be judged. 10/10

Nick Joy