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)

Magic and Mayham

What did you love best about Anansi Boys?

This was a wonderful magical story as all of Neil Gaiman's stories are. A bit slow at the beginning, but no matter, it began to captivate very soon. It had adventure and danger with interesting twists and turns. I loved the dip into mythology. Mythology is somehow satisfying to the inner being!

What does Lenny Henry bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

This is an amazing narrator who did more than justice to the characters and implications of the story.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Magic and Mayham

Any additional comments?

I loved this book.

Abso-tively Marvelous

This book is an old favorite, made even more exquisite with Lenny Henry's fantastic voice. I've read it many times, and will likely listen to it many times more. If you're a fan of modern mythology (whether or not you've already read Gaiman's wonderful "American Gods"), I can't recommend this tale strongly enough.

Extraordinary!!!

loved it!!! the characters, the voices....my mom had that "island sound" as a kid, and it returned to her just before she passed away!!! a great story!! you will enjoy it!

Great story! Fat Charlie!

Gaiman has another great story in this one. For anyone from the Caribbean, even if you are not familiar with his stories, you will be drawn to what is part of our folklore history. Yes is fiction around that but you will for sure like I did, spend hours learning about Anansi and all the great tales from Africa.

Fantastic Performance

Downloaded this book because I'm a huge fan of Neil Gaiman. This book was performed so well, I told everyone I spoke to on a regular basis about it. I've never been as engaged in an audio book as this. You truly feel there is a cast reading these character and can easily forget it is just one (amazing) man. Loud applause while standing for this performance!

Anansi

Personally consider this a Very Good Story.
All the seemly random bits are really just threads of a beautiful spider’s web.
Makes one entertain the notion that perhaps Gaiman is a version Anansi.

Lenny Henry - freaking amazing performance! Very sexy voice and brought the characters to life.

good story, great peformance

a good story with interesting characters and a really exceptional performance by Lenny Henry. recommended.

Wonderful tale

If you could sum up Anansi Boys in three words, what would they be?

Fat Charlie Nancy!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Anansi Boys?

Karaoke.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laughed and cried.

Any additional comments?

Four stars only because Gaiman has done better, specifically American Gods in this same universe.

Magical Modern Fable

What I love about all of Neil Gaiman's books is that he is able to create a world that is truly new and magical. After reading so many fantasy books, I have a tendency to find them derivative. Neil, on the other hand, crafts a story and a world that enchants, and surprises. Anansi Boys is my favorite. Like with American Gods (where Anansi also plays a role), this is set in modern times, with old and sometimes forgotten Gods making their way through the world. It is a pleasurable read, and I highly recommend it. AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

Great story, great narration

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

I would highly recommend this audio book. Neil Gaiman is a fantastic writer and perfectly weaved the fantasy and real world together. Anansi Boys has been one of my favorite books for years but Lenny Henry's performance added greatly to the story.