American Gods [TV Tie-In]

By: Neil Gaiman

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 20 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Now a STARZ® Original Series produced by FremantleMedia North America, starring Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning, and Pablo Schreiber.

Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the 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 a 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. Soon Shadow learns that the past never dies . . . and 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.

©2015 FreemantleMedia North America. All rights reserved. Artwork © Starz Entertainment, L.L.C. Starz and related services marks are the property of Starz Entertainment, L.L.C. (P)2001 HarperCollinsPublishers Inc.

Critic reviews

Hugo Award Winner, Best Novel, 2002

Nebula Award Winner, Best Novel, 2002

"Read dynamically and emotionally by George Guidall - who gives more personalities and ethnicities than one would think possible... Brilliant dialogue and profound insights into American consciousness show Gaiman to be a visionary and a master wordsmith." (AudioFile)

"Neil Gaiman enters Stephen King territory...with American Gods." (New York Post)

"A crackerjack suspense yarn...juicily original...Wagnerian noir." (Salon.com)

"By turns thoughtful, hilarious, disturbing, uplifting, horrifying and enjoyable, and sometimes all at once." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

One of my all time favorites

This is one of the great modern novels, that borderlines between fantasy, picturesque and road trip. It’s incredibly creative and fantastically visual. The audio performance was one of the best I’ve heard and I’ve listened to 40 or more audiobooks. The TV show in Starz is good, but don’t get sucked in to TV. Read this book first. I could not stop listening/reading. Worth every minute.

fabulous all around!

This book was captivating from the start! The boundless creativity that oozed from this book was refreshing and inspiring. half way threw the book I found myself imaging my own made up gods around me and gave my thanks for the beauty in me life. Coming from an atheist point of view, this is a bold endorsement of the inspirational effect of Neil's fluid and captivating novel. I will definitely listen to it again once the details fade from my memory.

Well-written but...

The writing is lovely but I found myself dispassionate about the characters. I didn't really care what happened to them.

I've fallen in love.

I cannot decide what I liked better. Neil Gaiman's writing or Guidall's narration. THIS story hands down is the best audiobook I have ever listened to. Adult fables, death, and deceit. The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended. It's hard to find a novel that touches you in the only way that a book can. I will certainly be holding future books to the standard of this one.

Just Plain Fun

I bought this book after I read the reviews, and found that it's been one of the best purchases I've made from Audible. The book is dark, and light, happy, and sad. If you like to let your imagination go, and look at life from someone elses view then you won't be disappointed with this book. The author doesn't leave you hanging out in the middle of nowhere on any of the characters, and you find yourself enjoying the characters (even the ones you don't like) because you can relate some part of each one of them to someone you know in your own life. This book was just plain fun to listen to.

Interestingly enough, the TV show is better

I bought the book because I liked the show so much. Frankly, I was surprised to see that the show did more with some characters than the book, and that it was more enjoyable to me. I don't dislike the book, and I don't regret listening to it, but the show really IS better.

This book was entertaining and informative.

Neil Gaiman is an excellent author, and he was able to portray human begins supernatural trends as they change their "gods." From those of the old, to those of the new. Of course, now as we leave the age of darkness and enter the age of reason, more people are shedding of their supernatural beliefs and focusing on the real world. However, they replace these supernatural beings with tv's, credit cards, etc. While they may not be worshiped quiet the same way, they are still exalted like the imaginary gods of the olden days.

Plus:
George Guidall is one of my favorite narrators.

Excellent but challenging

This is an absolutely excellent novel with interesting characters and a subtly engaging plot full of symbolism and meaningful ambiguity. If you need a book that hammers you over the head with easy one-liners and leads you from one action point to another by your nose, pass on this. This one requires you to be an active reader, and it rewards you handsomely for the effort.

Yes, there is graphic language and occasional graphic sexual situations, not to mention a non-traditional take on religion, so it is clearly not for everyone.

Overall a very interesting book

I was really into the beginning and loved the ending and last half where all the loose ends start to have meaning. I had been to several of the locations the book mentions which made it more visual. About a third into the book it was slower but I hung in there for a good ending. It makes the new tv series on the book more understandable.

Just listened to this for the second time

I read this book first in paper format, and loved it so much that I gave it away so others could read it as well. And now I’ve listened to it twice. This book is a lovely, playful, heartfelt saga of a man who is alive but not alive and gods who are real but whom nobody believes in any more. The language is beautiful and Gaiman’s turns of phrase will make you smile.
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