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)

Great Fun

I was amazed as the writer jumped in and out of reality seamlessly, and my mind went with him. It was really alot of fun to listen to and escape reality for a while.

Good book. Great narration

I could not stop listening. The narration made the book come alive. It is worth a listen.

Great fun. Great performance.

Light-hearted but with depth this is the best Neil Gaiman I've read to date. The story is good natured - the characters likeable. Based on West African myths but set in London, Florida, and a fictional Caribbean island called St. Andrews.

Lenny Henry is superb, shifting among British and island accents.

Rarely do I give a book give stars but this one merits it.

What an awesome reader!!!

I loved his voice and he made all the characters come to life! I hope I can hear him again in more books. As for the book itself come on it's Neil Gaiman!!!

Great book, great narration

This audiobook was a joy to listen to. The story itself is very creative and engaging; and the narration is superb. Because of the excellent narration, this book is probably better listened-to than read. It's one of the best audible downloads I've purchased so far!

If only there were ten stars to award!

What made the experience of listening to Anansi Boys the most enjoyable?

The story was excellent, but what made this audiobook so special was the excellent narrator. If I could award him ten stars, I would.

What other book might you compare Anansi Boys to and why?

In terms of great narration, I would highly recommend The Cuckoo's Calling, The Book Thief, The Signature of All Things, The Goldfinch, and Neil Gaiman reading his own The Ocean at the End of the Lane. All these books were tremendously enhanced by their readers.

Have you listened to any of Lenny Henry’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have not but definitely would.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No. I just loved the cohesive story.

Any additional comments?

You do not have to have "read" American Gods to "read" this book.

Excellent performance, cute story, well written

Inventive story, well written with a great performance.. I hope Lenny Henry reads more in the future.

A

Fun story. Love all the music throughout. Might just have to listen to it again.

Very hard to put down...or rather, turn off!

Listen and be entertained! Much better listening to Gaimans voice tell the story! Must Listen!!!

Favorite!

I loved this book! it just keeps getting better as it goes and the narrator is amazing. It is entertaining, poetic and really takes you away to a whole other world.