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  • Anansi Boys

  • By: Neil Gaiman
  • Narrated by: Lenny Henry
  • Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (21,644 ratings)

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Anansi Boys

By: Neil Gaiman
Narrated by: Lenny Henry
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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)

Featured Article: Dream Big—Meet the All-Star Cast of The Sandman: Act II


Immerse yourself in the world of The Sandman right now with an unforgettable audio experience. The star power alone is worth the price of admission—the cumulative amount of awards that have been won by the cast over the course of their careers is simply staggering. The cast features some of the most talented and esteemed actors working today. So let's dive right into the who's who of The Sandman: Act II.

Discover The Sandman Series
and More From Neil Gaiman

What listeners say about Anansi Boys

Average customer ratings
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5 stars for writer and narrator!

This is one of Gaiman's best. Silky smooth writing, gorgeous story, immersive plot, and believable characters. The narrator is beyond awesome. Well worth a read, and then another read, and then maybe three or four more reads just for good measure. 5 stars. Highly recommend!

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Amazing!

The audio performance was stellar and the story is amazing! Just as good as American gods!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing performance!

Great adult fairytale! Takes your mind to childhood places you’ve stopped visiting years ago. And the narrator was unbelievable!

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Joyous

Lenny Henry’s voice was “absatively” fabulous! A delight to listen to. He made a story that was already sparkly something like a glitter-ball in pure sound.

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another winner for Gaiman

a great story with lots of humor and excellent narration. I highly recommend this book!

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

love when Neil writes about mythology

such an intriguing story, and the sibling rivalry even though they've just met each other is quite real. And although exaggerated through fiction reminds me of what I went through with my siblings. there are moments that just had me tackling too, like the moment with the pockets. It's worth the read, go for it, Neil Gaiman books never disappoint.

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Great return to American Gods world

This is a great return to American Gods story world. This was somewhat better in some regards to the original American gods

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A story that pulls you in

I enjoyed the way Neil Gaiman is able to make you see the characters, feel the characters, and care about them.

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Loved it!!

Great story, fantastic storytelling. I enjoyed it from start to finish and hope to hear more from the Anansi boys in the near future!!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A great additional dimension to his Anglo-centric story telling!

It was great how he wove a story from the Caribbean threads of the British empire while giving life and depth to characters that could have been pure tropes. I listened to this after Neverwhere, and the juxtaposition of different, but very British, characters made me appreciate his storytelling skill even more.

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