17
May
2010
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
I started reading American Gods for One Book One Twitter (#1b1t), but got far ahead of schedule and have finished it while we’re supposed to be discussing something like chapter 9.
Part of that is that Neil Gaiman is just a great writer. Part of it is also that this is my kind of book.
And by my kind of book, I mean, the kind of book that I should write. Damn you Neil Gaiman for getting to it first.
The premise is that all of the gods of mythology are alive, though maybe not well, in America. For centuries, each new people who have come to the New World have brought their gods with them.
And then, they have forgotten about them. Because this is not a good place for gods. In order to maintain power, gods need sacrifice.
And now there’s a new breed of gods coming up in this fast-paced, self-absorbed country. Gods of technology, of media, of industry.
Shadow, a human, become wrapped up in the intrigue, chaos, and violence that goes along part and parcel with working for the gods. In the end, he may be their only hope.
Buy American Gods on Amazon
If you like this book/author, you might like:
(my reviews in blue)
The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
Ruby and the Stone Age Diet by Martin Millar
Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
Fables vol 1: Legends in Exile
Fables vol 2: Animal Farm
Fables vol 3: Storybook Love
Fables vol 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers
Fables vol 5: The Mean Seasons
Eight Days of Luke by Diana Wynne Jones
Votan by John James
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan
The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
The Mask of Loki by Roger Zelazny
The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny
Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison
Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice by James Branch Cabell
The Histories by Herodotus
Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch
Other works by Neil Gaiman:
The Dangerous Alphabet
The Facts In The Case Of The Departure Of Miss Finch
Black Orchid
InterWorld
M Is for Magic
Signal to Noise
The Last Temptation
Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions
Death: The High Cost of Living
Death: The Time of Your Life
Midnight Days
Harlequin Valentine
Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders
Anansi Boys
Neverwhere: A Novel
Stardust
MirrorMask: The Illustrated Film Script of the Motion Picture
The Alchemy of MirrorMask
Don’t Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Angels and Visitations: A Miscellany
The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House
The Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country
The Sandman Vol. 4: Season of Mists
The Sandman Vol. 5: A Game of You
The Sandman Vol. 6: Fables and Reflections
The Sandman Vol. 7: Brief Lives
The Sandman Vol. 8: Worlds’ End
The Sandman Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
The Sandman Vol. 10: The Wake
The Sandman: Endless Nights
A Walking Tour of the Shambles
The Books of Magic
Adventures in the Dream Trade
Creatures Of The Night
Violent Cases
Coraline Movie Tie-in Edition
Coraline: The Graphic Novel
The Graveyard Book
Absolute Death
Marvel 1602 Premiere HC
The Wolves in the Walls
Mr. Punch
Odd and the Frost Giants
With P. Craig Russel
With Terry Pratchett:
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
I just ordered this book because of #1b1t. I’m behind, but I figured I could catch up pretty easily.
I read this one a few years ago. It was my first Gaiman and I’ve been a huge fan ever since.
This is one of my favorite adult Gaiman books. I like reading old gods in new world type books anyway, like The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul and this one. Anansi Boys is my favorite though.
This one sounds so good!!!! I can’t wait to read it!!
Love Neil Gaiman and loved American Gods! I’m glad you are enjoying it.
This was my first Gaiman novel too. Love the premise.
I am the anomaly with AG. It is not my favorite and I barely finished it. Unlike his other works (mainly YA), which I devoured, this one bugged me to know end. I thought Shadow was a decent character, but found the pacing to be a bit too slow at times. And although I could empathize with the gods plight, I didn’t really care enough about them to care. I did really think it was cool that he created technological gods – so true.