TestFirst published in 2001, American Gods became an instant classic—an intellectual and artistic benchmark from the multiple-award-winning master of innovative fiction, Neil Gaiman. Now discover the mystery and magic of American Gods in this tenth anniversary edition. Newly updated and expanded with the author’s preferred text, this commemorative volume is a true celebration of a modern … volume is a true celebration of a modern masterpiece by the one, the only, Neil Gaiman.
A storm is coming . . .
Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the magic day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life.
But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow’s best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself.
Life as Wednesday’s bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined—it is a job that takes him on a dark and strange road trip and introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates are mysteriously intertwined with his own. Along the way Shadow will learn that the past never dies; that everyone, including his beloved Laura, harbors secrets; and that dreams, totems, legends, and myths are more real than we know. Ultimately, he will discover that beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing—an epic war for the very soul of America—and that he is standing squarely in its path.
Relevant and prescient, American Gods has been lauded for its brilliant synthesis of “mystery, satire, sex, horror, and poetic prose” (Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World) and as a modern phantasmagoria that “distills the essence of America” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). It is, quite simply, an outstanding work of literary imagination that will endure for generations.
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One of my favorite books.
If you’re looking for a little light reading, this isn’t it, At over 400 pages, this is a rich, complex novel. It’s about a man called Shadow, an ex-convict, who is thrown into a world populated by the old gods and the new ones, shady g-men and his not quite alive wife.
He is approached by a man calling himself Wednesday, hired as a bodyguard of …
I look forward to reading this book, again. It’s the kind of novel I can only hope to live up to as an aspiring writer. It’s a love letter to America, a thriller, a fairy tale, and a romantic tragedy. It’s grittily realistic and infinitely whimsical. American Gds is difficult to classify and that’s why it was such an incredible read. The plot and …
My first book by Neil Gaiman and just fell in love with his writing. I have read everything he has published, but American Gods is still my favorite. His works are written jewels.
Not so much a review as wistful daydreaming. With non-sequiturs.
HOW does the guy who wrote Stardust, write Coraline, write THIS?
I am always fascinated by Neil Gaiman’s imagination. I wish he was my friend. I’d love to have him at my table for long, satisfying evenings of good food, good drink, and good conversation.
Term papers are and will …
Everyone loves this book and it’s considered a modern-day classic. Some of my favorite authors recommend this book. I found it too self-aware with a forced quirkiness.
Gaiman has been an innovative force in speculative science fiction whose orginality is only matched by his sheer imagitive magnitude. You can easily grasp his ideas, but they will slowly suck you in and rather than drain you of life? It’ll make you rethink what it means to love fantasy and mythos.
A story where all the old gods ( Greek and roman ) have came to America and are slowly dying out due to lack of belief in them. Odin tries to rally them back
I loved this book. It was like going cross country with a friend.
Different and thoughtful. Loved the voice and how it made me love the characters.
I picked up American Gods in an airport shop when I discovered we had an over two hour delay for our hour long flight. I love mythology and was intrigued by the blurb. I had never heard of Neil Gaimen before, but thought I would give it a whirl. Within in pages I was riveted. The story is complex and intriguing, and the characters deep and …
I found this book interestingly done. It is a work that definitely makes you think.
Wow! It took me a while, but I finished this book and just rolled it all around a while thinking about it. I loved the references to my home state of Wisconsin. I don’t think I’ll ever be casual about effigies and grottos again. I especially enjoyed this book as audio.
Did you ever read a book and keep thinking about it the next day? That is American Gods for me. Thoughtprovoking, original. I am planning a re-read of this one.
Solid read, if not unbalanced at times with pacing.
This is one of the most amazing and thought-provoking books I’ve ever read. The Death Vigil alone is a tour de force.
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I love Neil Gaiman’s writing in any case. This book takes us on a journey through America, but not as we know it. We travel with the characters but we’re immersed in the unfamiliar and weird.
One of my favorite books of all times. I rank it up there with A Hundred Years of Solitude. The concept is wonderful and the execution brilliant.
One of my favorite all-time.