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)

Unique and fun

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

Yes, definitely. The performance was perfect and the story is so unique and well imagined. I have come to expect something creative and unusual from Neil Gaiman, but also somewhat shallow characters. This one had well developed characters, a unique plot plenty of twists and turns, as well as a road trip feel that was unexpectedly American for a British writer.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

At times, and at other times it let me settle in and enjoy getting to know some very unusual characters. The pace changed at different parts of the book, but in a way that seemed to fit the road trip theme of the novel. There was almost a Jack Kerouac kind of feel to it, which is odd for a fantasy adventure novel.

Loves me some Neil Gaiman

What did you love best about American Gods?

I read the book a while ago, so this was a revisitation. I've not before listened to a reading of Neil's work other than by Neil himself, so it was a bit of a change. I was not at all disappointed.

What other book might you compare American Gods to and why?

I don't really know of anything comparable. I hate the idea of comparing books like that-- it's unfair to both author and reader.

It's a modern-day fantasy novel where the fantasy parts are only just over the edge of familiarity. It's hard territory to write in, which is part of the Magic of the Gaiman.

Which scene was your favorite?

No one favorite. Many favorites. So amazingly visual.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Wanted to, in that the story is compelling and wonderfully escapist, yes. Did not, because things like bathroom breaks and life in general kind of make that unrealistic.

Any additional comments?

George Guidall, the narrator, does a quite good and understated job in differentiating the characters. Wōden sounded to me like a dead ringer for Sir Anthony Hopkins, so I kept seeing him in the role, which was marvelous.

this book caught my imagination, recommended ❤

this book caught my imagination, recommended, I love it, very interesting idea. the narrator put you in the middle of the story

Undecided

I Googled best fantasy books and this book came in the top five of every list. I listened and listened and never quite got the reason for the story. The interludes were out of nowhere and seemed to make no sense. The book goes on and then it comes together. I cannot think of anything good or bad to say about the book. The thing was, I could not turn the book off. I do not know if it is one of the best but I did enjoy hearing it.

Favorite Book

This was my first Neil Gaiman book, and I got it because of its length (the longer the book for 1 credit, the more you get for the money). Turns out, it was probably my favorite audio book so far. I really enjoyed the rambling style of storytelling and that all the characters weren't particularly good or evil, but they were characters and thus engaging. The story made me curious and kept me interested until the very end. I've read some other reviews stating that the book was crude and filled with gratuitous sex. I didn't feel that way at all. There was one homosexual encounter, but the encounter left me very curious about what happened to the characters as a result of the encounter more than offended in any way. I also found the story behind the encounter sadly moving.

Overall I thought this book was really good. I hate for anyone to miss it because of other reviews from people who disliked it. Aside from being an interesting story of a man's journey to being alive, it's also an interesting glimpse into the little histories that make up America.

Both author and narrater are terrific.

New to Neil Gaiman, but the few I have read have been fantastic. As far as narration goes, you can never go wrong with George Guidall. Highly recommend this novel.

Pick a different narrator...

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

This is a wonderful story that makes you wonder how much you take reality for granted - there's drama, magic, a great deal of human interest, and an engaging plot that's still captivating the second and third times you read it through.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator's rhythm and emphasis and treatment of the characters' speech patterns was grating. He makes everything sound like a slow 1950's crime drama set in LA. This is one of my favorite books, and if I hadn't read it in print first, I would hate the book because of the narration style.

added depth to one of my favorite books

narrator nearly flawless with accents, his female voices are pretty indistinguishable, but overall great emotion and performance

Neil Gaiman Delivers Again

This is my 4th Neil Gaiman read and it does not disappoint! This imaginative tail of old gods, abandon by their people, fighting against the new gods of TV, Credit Cards et all is filled with rich characters and an addictive story line. I absolutely loved Gaiman's depictions of gods from religions across the world. I read "Norse Mythology" before this which enriched the experience of this book. Narration was perfect! Highly reccomend!

Great thinker about our forebears

I have listened to this story at least four times. I find something new every time I listen to it. The idea of how our forbearers got by believing their old plans is a constant joy and concern to me. Neil Gaiman's on this particular aspect that made us the amazing experiment that we are never ceases to help me plug into this nation and its future.