Since this is the Author's Preferred Text of "Neverwhere," and it's the first Neil Gaiman novel I have read, I cannot compare this book to any other version. I am content with this rendition, so I won't be reading any others. I will be reading other Neil Gaiman novels, though. The author's writing style has a classy old-world feel to it. It could be that this style is specific to this book, but in any case, it works.
As for the story itself, the main character, Richard Mayhew, is an average guy who lives in London, whose life is simple enough, until he stumbles upon a bleeding woman on his way to dinner with his fiancée. Richard is a good guy, so he decides to help the poor woman, much to his fiancée's dismay, or shall I say disgust. I don't like her.
This one act of decency and kindness turns Richard's life upside down. He enters a world that once seen, cannot be unseen. With many distinctive characters that he meets during his journey, a reader will often find himself asking, 'Can Richard trust this person?' Only time will tell.
There are many layers embedded in this other world that will defy the senses. For this reason, I recommend reading "Neverwhere" over the course of a weekend. I made the mistake of taking my time reading this book, reading a chapter here, a chapter there. It's a book that demands your attention; you won't want to put it down, so don't.