American Gods by Neil Gaiman

[Marelo]

Amazing book, or more amazing book?

I urge any of you who have not had the chance to read this to pick it up soon. Paperback books are cheap, and this one will blow your mind.

Those of you who have read it: What are your thoughts? Like it, dislike it? Why, why not? You know, standard discussion.

Go!

Edit: Apparently tags don't work in thread titles. Lesson learned!

[Corel]

My friend explained the premise of the book being that the protagonist travels around America meeting forgotten deities of history, and hearing their stories? However when conversing with them they never actually out right say whom they are, but is hinted with what they talk about/what they look like.

I'm a large fan of his other work such as the Sandman Collection and Neverwhere. Am I lead to believe that it has a similar style similar to these titles? (If you have read them, of course.) It's one of his books which I've been needing to grab a hold of.

I've heard rumours of a possible film being made, however could not find any sources about it. I've heard a similar rumour for that Neverwhere could be also getting a film (Funnily enough the book started off as a low budget BBC mini series) which I would be very pleased if such a thing came to pass.

[Marelo]

My friend explained the premise of the book being that the protagonist travels around America meeting forgotten deities of history, and hearing their stories? However when conversing with them they never actually out right say whom they are, but is hinted with what they talk about/what they look like.

That's pretty much it. The plot picks up more of a purpose toward the end, and the story as a whole takes on a lot more meaning once it does. It's kind of like, you're wondering what the heck is going on for the first half of the book, and then it makes sense in a way that you can really appreciate.

I'm a large fan of his other work such as the Sandman Collection and Neverwhere. Am I lead to believe that it has a similar style similar to these titles? (If you have read them, of course.) It's one of his books which I've been needing to grab a hold of.


I really need to read both of those. I've unfortunately not had the chance, as whenever I think to purchase them, I don't have the money.

I've heard rumours of a possible film being made, however could not find any sources about it. I've heard a similar rumour for that Neverwhere could be also getting a film (Funnily enough the book started off as a low budget BBC mini series) which I would be very pleased if such a thing came to pass.
A film for American Gods? That would just about restore my faith in humanity, if done well.

[Corel]

Ah excellent, I must either buy it or use my charm and rugged good looks to swindle it from someone.


I really need to read both of those. I've unfortunately not had the chance, as whenever I think to purchase them, I don't have the money.


Neverwhere is a very charming story. It's nowhere near long as American Gods (I do believe it's only a few hundred pages). However I think the entire premise behind the story and the characters within it are quite well thought out. I recall you can pick up the the book second hand for a fiver.

Sandman Chronicles however, is very long and very expensive, but it's a fantastic piece of literature I would most defiantly recommend picking up if you can scrounge together the money for it.

[Fifthfiend]

Neverwhere is sort of like Alice in Wonderland except in modern-day London and in no way, shape or form actually anything like Alice in Wonderland at all.

[Corel]

Neverwhere is sort of like Alice in Wonderland except in modern-day London and in no way, shape or form actually anything like Alice in Wonderland at all.

I'm led to believe that both were written under the influence of Opium.

Also, did you find the The Marquis de Carabas to be like some sort of cross between Jack Sparrow from POTC and Magus from CT?

'Cos they could have based the entire book around him screwing people over in weird and wonderful ways and I would've enjoyed it equally as much.

[Marelo]

I recall you can pick up the the book second hand for a fiver.
A fiver, you say? Where might this fantastic value be obtained?

Sandman Chronicles however, is very long and very expensive, but it's a fantastic piece of literature I would most defiantly recommend picking up if you can scrounge together the money for it.

Hey, Christmas is only a month away. What better opportunity to do said scrounging, eh?

[Corel]

Just by clicking onto Amazon it seems to be selling them for dirt cheap (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neverwhere-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0747266689)(P&P not included I imagine!)

Gaiman has also done writing for TV before also; I would check out the film Mirror Mask. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MirrorMask)

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

American Gods has got to be my all time favorite book from Mr. Gaiman. Much as I loved Neverwhere and the others...yeah..American Gods blew the ever motherliving shit out of them in comparison.

Hell, it is the only book that has made me stop where I was reading and spend hours looking up the mythology behind the lesser known entities and such. No other book I've read has engaged me that much.

[Fifthfiend]

Also, did you find the The Marquis de Carabas to be like some sort of cross between Jack Sparrow from POTC and Magus from CT?

I like the way he gives the impression that all his scheming and machinations and double-dealing crafty Machiaveliannessity are all done entirely just for lulz.

[Doc ock rokc]

I finished the book about a year ago...Interesting stuff...I dont want to give to much up but the modern gods where a great idea. A good book alittle crazy and weird but a good book

[Marelo]

Hell, it is the only book that has made me stop where I was reading and spend hours looking up the mythology behind the lesser known entities and such. No other book I've read has engaged me that much.

Hey, I did that, too. I forgot about that. It reawakened a Wikipedia addiction which has ruined my life :P

[Amake]

Sandman is my favorite book of all. It actually contains the plot of American Gods in a three-panel speech by Loki, the book is just a decompressed version. :)

But it's good. Aside from the qualities already mentioned, I like all the mysteries, like who the god everyone forgets is. And what's Shadow's real name? I think that when he gives his name away at the end he loses it throughout space and time, so he never had a name, and that's why it's never mentioned. And what's Shadow's deal anyway?

Gaiman is really good at mysteries. You know his short story Murder Mysteries? I read it about five times before I even figured out what the hint meant, "There's clues everywhere, even in the title." That it's about multiple murders rather than one.

Speaking of other things by him, I recommend Stardust. It's a boy meets girl story, where boy drags girl with him across half of Faerie to give her as a present to girl #1. Hilarity, adventure, drama and romance ensues. It has about the saddest ending ever, kind of like what Lord of the Rings could have been if Arwen weren't able to give up her immortality.

[Marelo]

Sandman is my favorite book of all. It actually contains the plot of American Gods in a three-panel speech by Loki, the book is just a decompressed version. :)

That's hilarious... I never knew that.

But it's good. Aside from the qualities already mentioned, I like all the mysteries, like who the god everyone forgets is. And what's Shadow's real name? I think that when he gives his name away at the end he loses it throughout space and time, so he never had a name, and that's why it's never mentioned. And what's Shadow's deal anyway?

I don't remember that part, about the name, but it's been a while since I've read it.

Gaiman is really good at mysteries. You know his short story Murder Mysteries? I read it about five times before I even figured out what the hint meant, "There's clues everywhere, even in the title." That it's about multiple murders rather than one.

I'll have to look for that one.

Speaking of other things by him, I recommend Stardust. It's a boy meets girl story, where boy drags girl with him across half of Faerie to give her as a present to girl #1. Hilarity, adventure, drama and romance ensues. It has about the saddest ending ever, kind of like what Lord of the Rings could have been if Arwen weren't able to give up her immortality.

I've seen the movie, and I'm hoping to pick up the book on one of my go-crazy-at-Barnes-and-Noble trips.

[Derek]

I've read Anansi Boys which is a spinoff of American Gods. It's about Mr. Nancy and his two sons, and how he was a total dick as a father. Very funny story.

[Amake]

They say Stardust is a fine movie. I think I could see what they mean if I hadn't read the book. It's as good as it could be, I guess, but it shows all too clearly the limitations of a Hollywood movie. The story is compressed to a few days instead of six months. The special effects budget has limits. There are swordfights. Okay, the last part can't strictly be quantified as negative, it's just something that shouldn't belong in this story.

I think Gaiman's stories in general translate very poorly to Hollywood standards. There's an overall sense of subtlety and mystery that in movies need to be replaced with grandeur and spectacle, with predictable results.

In short, have fun reading the book. :)

[GatoFiero]

Who else had to hit themselves in the forehead when they realized the significance of "Low Key?"

I was too thick to figure it out until the book at to take my mental hand and lead me to the answer.

[Amake]

The fiery hair, the scarred lips and the last name phonetically identical to "Liesmith" didn't tip you off? I got it from page one, although I never would have guessed who he was working with. >_>

Edit re. the below post:
Mirrormask is great, yeah. But it's also not a very typical Hollywood film. In the US it has grossed less than 900 000 dollars, with a budget of 4 million.

[Death by Stabbing]

I'm rereading it right now actually...I love it...well I love all Gaiman's stuff

I own every Novel he's written and read almost everything of his you can get your hands on...

Yeah...you could say I'm a fan...

I do think the Coraline movie is going to be good though...My mom even liked the book (I read it to her for Mother's Day last year)...She can't wait to see the movie and neither can I.

And I don't think Neverwhere translated badly in to TV (well since it originally was TV and then was the book...I suppose it translated well in to a book)

And my Dad loved Stardust's movie version (ugh I sound like a kid talking about my parents and shit...) and other people I know liked it too...But yeah I liked the book very much...but I love how they...expanded the Shakespeare character in the film.

I think that it's an over generalization to say that Gaiman's ideas don't translate in to other media...I mean MirrorMask was so good it was as if...well I'm too tired to come up with an appropriate simile. But it was his idea and it was damn good.

American Gods would not I think translate well into film...just like Stephen King's Dark Tower wouldn't...too much talk and not enough action for the film industry today...also most people don't know the mythology needed to understand AG...I'd rather read both DT and AG anyways

EDIT: Also I believe that in the near future American Gods will become required reading for High School students...It wouldn't surprise me...I'd bet it's already being discussed in colleges...I mean there's so much to appropriate from it that it would work well in a class room
DBS