American Gods

Buckaroo Banzai · 10-23-2006, 10:02 AM

Has anyone else read this? I just finished it, and I would have to put it in my top 20 favorite books.
I had only read a few of Gaimans Sandman comics back in the day, but had constantly heard how great of a writer he is.
I really didn't know what to expect going into it, but this book is incredible. Oddly enough, I found the 'finale' lacking, but the rest of the book was so damn good, I didn't really care.

Aulirophile · 10-23-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

Has anyone else read this? I just finished it, and I would have to put it in my top 20 favorite books.
I had only read a few of Gaimans Sandman comics back in the day, but had constantly heard how great of a writer he is.
I really didn't know what to expect going into it, but this book is incredible. Oddly enough, I found the 'finale' lacking, but the rest of the book was so damn good, I didn't really care.

I've read it, as well as his other books. It had a good feel to it on reading it, a good blending of mythology into the background of daily life.

chaos · 10-23-2006, 12:49 PM

Everything by Neil Gaiman is good. EVERYTHING.

Check out Good Omens, written by Terry Pratchet ( I believe) and Neil Gaiman. It's amazing.

Tabris · 10-23-2006, 01:03 PM

I actually think his work on Sandman was incredibly overrated.

chaos · 10-23-2006, 01:09 PM

I really enjoyed it, to each his own I guess. I also feel his books have been better than Sandman was.

Clericnon2boxed · 10-23-2006, 02:48 PM

It was well "different". So thats a plus. Some humour here and there, some boring. Overall 3/5.

Tirinal · 10-23-2006, 04:10 PM

Gaiman is one of those authors for me that's fun to talk to but rather less to read. I met him at a gathering a couple months back. For the geek type, he's the most refreshingly honest person you'll ever meet. I just keep walking away from his books with this reedy sense of anticlimatic aftertaste as though he never quite made the jump. If you remove the richness of mythology, American Gods is just... flat.

I dunno. I get the sense he's one of those writers that age well. I'll come back to him in a couple years.

Haldin Darconis · 10-23-2006, 09:08 PM

I've always been a bit of a mythology nut, so I found it quite entertaining. I've only read American Gods and Neverwhere, but I found both pretty entertaining. American Gods definitely made me want to go on a road trip to some of those places.

Awanka · 10-23-2006, 09:31 PM

I read it. I liked it. Had some inspired moments in it. I really dug the sidestories that were sprinkled throughout the book that detailed how people came to America and brought their gods with them, especially the story about the two African kids. That chapter was a perfect piece of writing, well-written, poignant, and lyrical. I only see that every once in a while. Rats in the Walls. Repent Harlequin Said the TickTockMan, etc...

Cantatus · 10-28-2006, 05:40 AM

Absolutely loved this book. Like Haldin, I've always been interested in mythology, but I really liked the way Gaiman took sort of a unique spin with mixing all the mythologies together like this. His choice of protagonist was also a refreshing difference from a lot of the other books I've been reading lately.

Picked up Smoke and Mirrors and Anansi Boys a couple weeks ago. The latter is the sequel to American Gods for those that don't know. I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Been reading the former here and there. In my opinion, it's sort of hit or miss with the stories. Some just drag on, and some are very intriguing ideas that would make good novels. Of course, with it covering more than 20 years of his writing, you can't expect them all to be winners.

Zanoan · 11-08-2006, 06:30 PM

I've only just started on the book, read the first couple of chapters~ 50 pages or so. Like it a lot so far. I'm Scandinavian, so all the mythology is integrated in my head since first grade anyway, maybe that's why.

Ilex · 11-17-2006, 07:21 AM

One of my favorite books and one of the ones that gets loaned out the most. The research into mythology definitely shows and the story is a page turner. At the risk of sounding like a fan-boy, I have to say that Neil Gaiman is probably one of the better authors currently writing, especially in the fantasy/supernatural genre. If you get a chance, pick up a copy of his short stories, "Smoke and Mirrors", some of the shorts are excellent. Neverwhere is also good and has two of the best villains on paper (Croup and Vandemar).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awanka

Rats in the Walls. Repent Harlequin Said the TickTockMan, etc...

"Rats in the Walls" was the first Lovecraft I ever read and is still my favorite. Never have read "Repent Harlequin..."

Blazemore · 11-17-2006, 12:08 PM

Anansi Boys is a good Gaiman pick aswell.

Greyform · 11-17-2006, 12:59 PM

Looks like a real good read, and I need something new now that I finished The Half Blood Prince (I know it took me awhile to get around to it).

Thanks for the recommendation (American Gods).

Opulis · 11-17-2006, 09:55 PM

I'm enjoying this book, although I was a bit weirded out by the man eating vagina.

It went downhill with the word vulva, and off the cliff with labia.

~Opulis.

10-23-2006, 10:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
Buckaroo Banzai Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 163 +0 Internets	American Gods Has anyone else read this? I just finished it, and I would have to put it in my top 20 favorite books. I had only read a few of Gaimans Sandman comics back in the day, but had constantly heard how great of a writer he is. I really didn't know what to expect going into it, but this book is incredible. Oddly enough, I found the 'finale' lacking, but the rest of the book was so damn good, I didn't really care.

10-23-2006, 09:08 PM	#8 (permalink)
Haldin Darconis Me. Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 140 +0 Internets	I've always been a bit of a mythology nut, so I found it quite entertaining. I've only read American Gods and Neverwhere, but I found both pretty entertaining. American Gods definitely made me want to go on a road trip to some of those places. __________________ Wii Code: 8764 8051 7209 2450 Mario Kart: 2191-8151-2150 SSBB: 1461-6041-3830

10-23-2006, 09:31 PM	#9 (permalink)
Awanka Seething with dark power and -internets Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,653 -42 Internets	I read it. I liked it. Had some inspired moments in it. I really dug the sidestories that were sprinkled throughout the book that detailed how people came to America and brought their gods with them, especially the story about the two African kids. That chapter was a perfect piece of writing, well-written, poignant, and lyrical. I only see that every once in a while. Rats in the Walls. Repent Harlequin Said the TickTockMan, etc... Last edited by Awanka : 10-23-2006 at 09:34 PM.

11-08-2006, 06:30 PM	#11 (permalink)
Zanoan I wish I was queer, so I could get chicks Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 1,806 -1 Internets	I've only just started on the book, read the first couple of chapters~ 50 pages or so. Like it a lot so far. I'm Scandinavian, so all the mythology is integrated in my head since first grade anyway, maybe that's why. __________________ "It is better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt" - Abraham Lincoln

11-17-2006, 12:59 PM	#14 (permalink)
Greyform You just keep thinkin' Butch. That's what you're good at. Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 491 +3 Internets	Looks like a real good read, and I need something new now that I finished The Half Blood Prince (I know it took me awhile to get around to it). Thanks for the recommendation (American Gods). Last edited by Greyform : 11-17-2006 at 01:01 PM.

10-23-2006, 12:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
chaos Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3,575 +5 Internets	Everything by Neil Gaiman is good. EVERYTHING. Check out Good Omens, written by Terry Pratchet ( I believe) and Neil Gaiman. It's amazing.

10-23-2006, 01:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tabris Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,281 +0 Internets	I actually think his work on Sandman was incredibly overrated.

10-23-2006, 01:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
chaos Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3,575 +5 Internets	I really enjoyed it, to each his own I guess. I also feel his books have been better than Sandman was.

10-23-2006, 02:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
Clericnon2boxed Up Syndrome Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Bärlin Posts: 1,334 -1 Internets	It was well "different". So thats a plus. Some humour here and there, some boring. Overall 3/5.

10-23-2006, 04:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tirinal Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 710 -1 Internets	Gaiman is one of those authors for me that's fun to talk to but rather less to read. I met him at a gathering a couple months back. For the geek type, he's the most refreshingly honest person you'll ever meet. I just keep walking away from his books with this reedy sense of anticlimatic aftertaste as though he never quite made the jump. If you remove the richness of mythology, American Gods is just... flat. I dunno. I get the sense he's one of those writers that age well. I'll come back to him in a couple years.

10-28-2006, 05:40 AM	#10 (permalink)
Cantatus Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 731 -2 Internets	Absolutely loved this book. Like Haldin, I've always been interested in mythology, but I really liked the way Gaiman took sort of a unique spin with mixing all the mythologies together like this. His choice of protagonist was also a refreshing difference from a lot of the other books I've been reading lately. Picked up Smoke and Mirrors and Anansi Boys a couple weeks ago. The latter is the sequel to American Gods for those that don't know. I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Been reading the former here and there. In my opinion, it's sort of hit or miss with the stories. Some just drag on, and some are very intriguing ideas that would make good novels. Of course, with it covering more than 20 years of his writing, you can't expect them all to be winners.

11-17-2006, 12:08 PM	#13 (permalink)
Blazemore Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 201 +0 Internets	Anansi Boys is a good Gaiman pick aswell.

11-17-2006, 09:55 PM	#15 (permalink)
Opulis brrrl Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Santa Barbara Posts: 317 -1 Internets	I'm enjoying this book, although I was a bit weirded out by the man eating vagina. It went downhill with the word vulva, and off the cliff with labia. ~Opulis.

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