Anansi Boys

By: Neil Gaiman

Narrated by: Lenny Henry

Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

God is dead. Meet the kids.

When Fat Charlie's dad named something, it stuck. Like calling Fat Charlie "Fat Charlie." Even now, twenty years later, Charlie Nancy can't shake that name, one of the many embarrassing "gifts" his father bestowed, before he dropped dead on a karaoke stage and ruined Fat Charlie's life.

Mr. Nancy left Fat Charlie things. Things like the tall, good-looking stranger who appears on Charlie's doorstep, who appears to be the brother he never knew. A brother as different from Charlie as night is from day, a brother who's going to show Charlie how to lighten up and have a little fun, just like Dear Old Dad. And all of a sudden, life starts getting very interesting for Fat Charlie.

Because, you see, Charlie's dad wasn't just any dad. He was Anansi, a trickster god, the spider-god. Anansi is the spirit of rebellion, able to overturn the social order, create wealth out of thin air, and baffle the devil. Some said he could cheat even Death himself.

Returning to the territory he so brilliantly explored in his masterful New York Times best seller American Gods, the incomparable Neil Gaiman offers up a work of dazzling ingenuity, a kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth that is at once startling, terrifying, exhilarating, and fiercely funny, a true wonder of a novel that confirms Stephen King's glowing assessment of the author as "a treasure house of story, and we are lucky to have him."

©2005 Neil Gaiman (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

• Locus Award, 2006
  
• Alex Award, 2006

" "Excellent." (Stephen King)
"It's Gaiman's focus on Charlie and Charlie's attempts to return to normalcy that make the story so winning...along with gleeful, hurtling prose." (Publishers Weekly)

Best audio book I've experienced.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely, and I have. It is a fabulous, layered, funny story that's wonderfully told. Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller and with Lenny Henry he's found an excellent "partner in voice."

Who was your favorite character and why?

Fat Charlie was my favorite character. He was everyman and I loved his journey of discovery not just that he WAS a god, but that he COULD BE a god. Fat Charlie was so much more than the every day accountant he thought he was or the man he thought he could be.

What about Lenny Henry’s performance did you like?

Lenny Henry brought the reader to a new level of imagination for each character he captured -- human, god, animal or otherwise. I really enjoyed his performance, especially the shift from shy Fat Charlie to slick, easy Spider. And special props to him for his portrayal of the older women.

Any additional comments?

As much as I loved Lenny Henry's performance... I'd have loved to have listened to Neil Gaiman read this too. I've listened to other authors read their own books on "tape" and wished they had used an actor, but I think Gaiman has the range and story telling ability to pull it off.


Thanks for bringing us Anansi Boys. It is my favorite audio book so far.

Interesting addition to the American Gods series

Would you listen to Anansi Boys again? Why?

I loved the narration and the story was interesting, but for the first 3/4 of the book I did not care about the main character at all, and was instead far more interested in the rest of the characters. I might not give it another listen in the near future but now that I've finished it I wonder if Gaiman wrote it that way to emphasize the character's personality?

So Fantastic

A wonderful story, masterfully narrated. Can't wait to listen through it again.

I'll never look at flocks of birds the same way again.

Mr. Henry is an incredible story teller.

An engaging tale that spirits you away told by a master reader and actor. Bravo.

So much fun to listen too

Lenny Henry did an amazing job narrating this book. I have listened to it several times. Neil Gaiman never lets me down. The story was fun and adventurous; full of interesting human characters, creatures from other realms and my favorite forgotten Gods.

My favorite book by Neil.

...and Lenny's performance was magical. One of those books I've listened to multiple times and will again.

Great Listen

The story was intriguing and original, and the reader the best I ever listened to. Great story, great listen, highly recommended. You will never get bored!

Lenny Henry was fabulous. Wonderful story.

There were times I believed that there was a whole cast.
A beautiful Neil Gaiman story.

Absolutely wonderful

This was a great listen. Kept me interested through the entire story. If you liked fantasy as a kid but can't find something to satisfy that interest as an adult, give this a try.

What FUN!!

Being a long time fan of Lenny Henry, this was a big draw for getting this book. What an absolute joy this was. I caught myself laughing out loud as I was listening (as well as some strange looks from others).
This is one of the most fun books I have "read" in ages.