American Gods

(American Gods #1)

by Neil Gaiman

Tenth Anniversary Edition, 522 pages

English language

Published June 21, 2011 by William Morrow.

ISBN:: 9780062059888

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(11 reviews)

First published in 2001, American Gods became an instant classic—an intellectual and artistic benchmark from the multiple-award-winning master of innovative fiction, Neil Gaiman. Now discover the mystery and magic of American Gods in this tenth anniversary edition. Newly updated and expanded with the author’s preferred text, this commemorative volume is a true celebration of a modern masterpiece by the one, the only, Neil Gaiman.

A storm is coming . . .

Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the magic 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, …

A storm is coming . . .

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 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—it is a job that takes him on a dark and strange road trip and introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates are mysteriously intertwined with his own. Along the way Shadow will learn that the past never dies; that everyone, including his beloved Laura, harbors secrets; and that dreams, totems, legends, and myths are more real than we know. Ultimately, he will discover 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.

Relevant and prescient, American Gods has been lauded for its brilliant synthesis of “mystery, satire, sex, horror, and poetic prose” (Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World) and as a modern phantasmagoria that “distills the essence of America” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). It is, quite simply, an outstanding work of literary imagination that will endure for generations.

60 editions

Dan Jones reviewed American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'American Gods' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This book could be described as a fantasy novel about a war between the gods. It could be described as a travel book.

This book is about many things, but to me, I think this book is mostly the story of America, and the American experience. The story about the war between the gods is mostly a backdrop to this, more important, story.

Being written by a non-American, it focuses, to a great deal, on the immigrant experience. With America being a country of immigrants, this is especially appropriate. Some of these immigrants happen to be gods, having been imported to the mortal immigrants.

I really enjoyed this book. I love the portrait it painted of life in America, and the melting pot of cultures that make up our fair nation.

The one problem I had with this book is a mostly philosophical one. Many times the line "This is a bad country for gods" was repeated. That's something I simply can't agree with. In fact, I think the book itself disproves that. America offers the greatest variety of religious experiences in all the world. Religion is as American as baseball and apple pie.

All in all, I would recommend this book to just about anyone. I would give one fair warning, though. There are some very sexually graphic scenes in this book. These scenes are in the extreme minority, but they're hard to avoid. Besides that one caveat, this book is a great story for just about anyone.