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)

What a great listen

I travel frequently and spend quite a lot of time on the road. This book was one of the most enjoyable listens I've come across. It is however, very addictive and made me look forward to the travel so I could find out what Shadow was up to next. I found this book to be unpredictable with lots of surprises.

Magnificent...Hauntin..Glad I stuck it out!

I am not a big sci-fi fan, and had I known the genre of this book, I would have never purchased. That would have been a tragic loss. I purchased this book because George Guidall is my favorite narrator. After the first chapter, I was unclear WHY I was still listening. Except for the narration, which is captivating, I just thought, "this man is a convicted felon, why do I care??" But care I did, and as the tale unwinds and then begins to weave in upon itself (am I mixing metaphors? sorry) I found myself taking sides in a non-existent conflict. I felt, along with the American Gods that my entire existence was at stake. I have not, by any stretch of the imagination become a Gaiman fan. But wow! I have re-listened to this book several times and will listen again. The originality and complexity of the characters is delightful and well thoughtout. And perhaps more than a bit relevant today.

Excellent, excellent, excellent!

The story is superb - a fascinating blend of reality and myth. One of the best books the author has ever created, imho. It is extremely well-paired with the narrator, who brings out accents that I never thought of when I read it on paper. I liked this story enough to buy copies in audio, paper and ebook. It's definitely a library fundamental.

Gaimantastic

It will not change your life, or even really expand your borders, but Gaiman's real forte is to draw you into fantastical worlds and awash the reader in atmospere and empathy. This is another successs in that realm, and also a nice companion to Anansi Boys.

Sexually explicit

I listened to about 2-3 hours of the audible and though I like the story line and the narration I find the sexual overtones and comparisons to life offensive. Because of that I reject the book. I am not a prude and read / listen to many books and even those with these themes; for it seems that most books contain to degree sexual material, nonetheless this one goes beyond the mark. Audible was good at refunding credit and I herald their customer service. I just wish there was better reviews before purchasing.

entertaining diversion, light listening

A well-written and well-structured and paced story, with many characters you care about and an interesting if whacky premise. Not great literature by any means, yet not a mere throw-away pot-boiler - rather, more like a good Hollywood popcorn movie. The performance of the reader is excellent.

Fun but lacking depth

Fun storyline that toys with the “what if” factor, however spends a bit to much time working the myth behind the characters, rather than providing them depth and charm. So if you’re looking for a book that has rich loveable characters, this is not for you. If you enjoy a good read that drives an interesting storyline then buy away.

Not bad... not the best, but not bad.

I'm very fond of Neil Gaiman and have enjoyed all of his books that I've come across so far.

I'm not sure where I'd rank American Gods, but probably not at the top of the list. The first chapter of the book was especially predictable, which is not a big deal, since it's only setting up the rest of the book.

Contrary to some of the other opinions offered about this book, I thought the technology god and all his contemporaries were appropriate. I can't presume to know what, if any, social commentary Gaiman was trying to make, but the book rang true to me as I look around and see what my friends, my family, and I spend so much time doing. We use a lot of technology. I've often thought: "What would I do without technology." Even though I remember a time when black and white 13" TV's were still in fashion, I can't imagine turning back the clock to those times. I *need* highspeed internet and a cell phone. In a sense I worship technology. And I'm not alone.

So in a world where our unintentional idols are born into honest-to-goodness deities, I found Gaiman's take on the matter to be stupendous and fun. Also, I learned a lot about ancient deities from the world over.

And besides which, that isn't even the point of the story! That's just a premise. The actual story is about Shadow (the protagonist's actual name) and his journey as he learns about these gods as well as other gods who've existed for centuries, and his interactions with them. Why is he important to them? This is the story.

I did find it a bit over-the-top in the gratuitous obscenity department on at least one occasion, but then... it was so over-the-top as to be ridiculous and silly. Either way, not really my cup of tea.

The story was fun, beginning to end. And the narrator was very skilled. Enjoyable to listen to, talented for keeping different voices tied to the correct character. Fantastic work!

If you like Gaiman, you'll probably like this book.

A Classic

This book did not go the way I thought it would, based on the start and the reviews. Slow moving, but grandeur in its scope.

A Classic!

Neil Gaiman is truly a gifted writer and I dare say, one of the most important voices nowadays. American Gods can be considered a modern classic.