Neil Gaiman - American Gods

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Has anyone read this gem of a book yet? I know it's been out for quite some time, but I've only recently read it.

*Warning, minor spoilers*

I loved the slow buildup and the subtle hints at the Gods. Throughout most of the book Gaiman was telling a story without actually telling it. The placement of the Gods was neatly done and I could picture them living in the world. I feel the climaxic end shouldn't have spoiler Wednesday's plan like it did, it was pretty obvious by then.

I read the author's prefered text which has extended mini stories dealing with some of the Gods, their coming to America, or their death. These provided a nice break from the main story line.

Oh and the detail! Oh, the detail. The traveler's guide style was pretty cool. Like commenting on the food in brackets.

Anyway, I'm rambling, if you haven't read it yet and you prefer tall stories, go pick it up!

If you guys want, I could write a detailed review, but I just loaned the book out to a friend.

 

I've been a Gaiman fan since Sandman so I read it when it came out. I agree, it is an excellent book. His only novel that I preferred to it is Neverwhere. Although that may be due in part to the fact that I read Neverwhere when I was around 14.

 

American Gods is the only Gaiman book I've read so far apart from Good Omens (with Prachett) and a short story Its titel can't recall (was about norse mythology. Thor, Loki and another god were trapped in animal bodies, a bear, a raven and a fox If I remember correctly).

My local bookstore (or any store close for that matter) doesn't stock Gaiman, so I have to buy them at the British bookstore in Amsterdam. I'll be sure to pick up Sandman and Neverwhere then.

 

I'm reading it now. I love the Wednesday hint regarding Odin.

 

Awesome. His novels are Neverwhere, American Gods, Coraline, Stardust, Anansi Boys and Good Omens with Terry Pratchett. He also has a couple of anthologies out. Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things. He may have another one but I'm not sure.

Sandman was a comic series that had quite a reasonably long run so your best bet is to pick it up in trade paperback form as each of them were reprinted in their major story arcs. There were around 11 of them IIRC.

 

Gaiman is extremely intelligent and I really loved American Gods. I just couldn't get into Anansi Boys and was even less enthusiastic about Good Omens, despite the fact that Pratchett was involved. No writer, no matter how skilled, can connect with every reader every time, I guess. One of these days I'm going to take a look at this Sandman comic everyone was mentioning. It's just a matter of $$$$, sadly.

 

@LKD

My sentiments exactly! I didn't really like Anansi Boys, it paled in comparison to all his other work, Coraline included, imo. Same thing with Good Omens. Tell the truth, I actually felt more of Pratchett coming through in the writing. Felt to me like a not-so-funny Discworld novel, if there is such a thing.

Yeah, Sandman is awesome and you should def. pick it up. If you don't need to have it in paper form though, there are a bunch of people that seed torrents of it and you can download it and just view it on your computer.

 

I finished American Gods a couple of weeks ago - instant favourite

I've been meaning to pick up some of the Sandman stuff, but I'm always brassic

 

I'm a total Gaiman fangirl- if he wrote instructions for the back of a shampoo bottle I'd read them- and love any kind of deity-related mythology, so I adored American Gods.

I've read it a handful of times, and am near enough due for this year's re-read.

The characterisations are great, nice and interesting and appealing, and Shadow is a great 'everyman' character for you to identify with on his crazy travels.

I liked Anansi Boys, though not as much as AG, and just loved Good Omens- even though at the time I had decided I hated Terry Pratchett simply for the reason that he wasn't Douglas Adams (I've since changed my opinion). It's another of those books I re-read frequently, and push on everyone I know in an effort to get them to love it as much as I do.

And Sandman... *drools*
Sandman is a must for anyone who likes Gaiman. It's... just, lovely. Dave McKean... yum. And the Dreamhunters with Yo****ako Amano... oh beautiful bliss...

It's definitely worth a look, should money suddenly and miraculously not be an issue.