If you haven’t had the chance to pick up Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, here’s the perfect opportunity–because it’s free!
It’s a thick, darkly lit book that dives into one of my favorite topics–mythology.
Shadow has just got out of a stint in prison and is returning home to his wife. Along the way, however, he discovers that his wife has died in an accident, and at the same time he is approached by a mysterious Mr. Wednesday who shows up in the unlikeliest of places and ways to offer Shadow a job. Soon Shadow is swept up in a war between the old and new world divinities, and he’s not quite sure who to trust. If anyone.
And if this book catches your attention, check out the unofficial, standalone sequel, Anansi Boys. You don’t need to read American Gods to read Anansi Boys, which has a much lighter, humorous feel, but in my opinion, both are well worth the time.
I see that smile.
Neil Gaiman is a gentle mystery to me. I’ve read quite a bit of his stuff (including American Gods and several of The Sandman graphic novels), and I think he’s really good–but not so good that I’d go out and buy more of his books.
Meanwhile, I know he’s better than good–that he’s amazing–because I’ve met more than one person who is a rabid fan and practically builds small shrines to the man in their homes. (I bought American Gods because someone I worked with said–I quote: “This is the best book I’ve ever read in my life.”)
But for some reason, Mr. Gaiman’s writing doesn’t connect with me. The only book of his that I thought truly awesome was Good Omens, co-written with Terry Pratchett, and I’m not that counts because I was already a frothy-mouthed Pratchett fan.
Still, I can imagine him making American Gods available for free is going to make a lot of people veryVERYvery happy.
I guess I’m one of those rabid fans…though I’ve never gone so far as the shrine. If you liked his collaboration with Pratchett (comic genius as he is) then you might actually like Anansi Boys. It has the some humorous feel to it. Gaiman likes to describe it as a story he wrote, only Pratchett came along behind and sprinkled jokes everywhere.