Book excerpt: From Charles Vess’s personal archive, a breathtaking collection of his illustrations, from sketches to stunning paintings, for the acclaimed masterwork written by Neil Gaiman. Includes an exclusive introduction from Neil Gaiman. An elegant and lavish coffee table book revealing the origins, processes, and brilliant final paintings produced for the award-winning fantasy novel Stardust written by Neil Gaiman. From the moment Gaiman asked Vess to join him on the project, through the layouts, concept illustrations, pen-and-ink drawings, and breath-taking paintings—printed in an oversized format and including works from before they were adjusted to fit the text. Includes work for all of the different editions, and even the ultra-rare portfolio A Fall of Stardust with contributions from many famous cartoonists and illustrators including Mike Mignola (Hellboy), William Stout, Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), and Sergio Aragones (Mad).