Guest Review: American Gods

Sometimes it takes a while but when either Sarah, my regular guest reviewer or I like a book we try and persuade the other to read it. Having read and loved American Gods in 2011 (read my review here), Sarah has finally got around to it!

American Gods

Neil Gaiman

Publisher: Headline

Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America. Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Mel reviewed this weighty tome back in 2011, so it shows just how far behind the times I am!  I am most definitely a Neil Gaiman fan, although as I prefer him in ‘straight-up’ fantasy mode, I was a little hesitant about reading one of his more surreal urban fantasy books, especially one as large as this (thank god for the Kindle!).  And speaking of gods/Gods…. 

What happens to the Gods of old? Just because we no longer believe in them, does that mean that no one else does?  Once a God is no longer worshipped, do they still qualify for the title, or do they simply cease? 

Our hero Shadow, an ex-con displaying a wealth of kindness, and the ability to articulate wonderfully exactly what he (and the reader) is thinking at the most perplexing moments, is presented with the physical embodiment of all these questions, and is expected to accept and move on.  His post-prison employer, known by the moniker Mr Wednesday, is a shadowy trickster with more linguistic tricks than a mensa tongue-twister, but the question is, is he a god, or a God?

I have to admit, that this novel was a bit too surreal for my tastes, but it will be up many people’s curvy street (Mel for one!).  If it hadn’t have been for Gaiman’s sublime grasp of storytelling, and his ridiculously likeable hero, I might have had to bail out early.  However, I was in it to the end, which earns this (one for fans of China Mieville) an 8 out of 10 

Audiobook Review: Good Omens

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Written by Neil Gaimen and Terry Prachett

Read by Stephen Briggs

According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter--the world's only totally reliable guide to the future--the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just after tea...

Neil Gaimen and Terry Prachett and two of the most popular and inventive British writers and this come through in spades. Good Omens is essentially the story of the Apocalypse and the end of the world. But somehow it’s so much more fun, thrilling and imaginative than that suggests. Set in Britain we follow a demon and an angel, a witchfinder and a descendant of a witch as well as the son of the devil himself as they all orbit the end of days. With everything from Atlantis rising to aliens landing thrown in as well there is no end of unusual and unexpected elements which will have either laughing over the sheer absurd or wondering how you missed something so obvious!

Having read the book in the past, I was aware of what to expect, but one of the joys of this audio is the life given to the characters and events by Stephen Briggs. He seems to throw himself fully into the story telling, and your ears become glued to the ups and downs of the anti-christ. I loved how some of the elements felt so British and yet universal – from cold calling salesman (and women) making the world a worse place to every tape in car turning into a Best of Queen album after 2 weeks. (Although these days it could equally be a best of Michael Jackson album!)

Little side stories build up to one big finale where everyone gets a chance to shine. In fact having been rewatching Supernatural season 4 & 5 recently, I have to say it reminds me a bit of these book – but with much less deliberate humour! This is a fun audio book that will distract and entertain and leave you wishing these authors would collaborate more often.

Recommended for fans of Tom Holt and Jasper Fforde. 9 out of 10.

Audiobook Review: Stardust

Stardust

Written & Read by Neil Gaiman

One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love.

There is something nice about listening to an audio book read by the author. It brings you a step closer to the story with all the emphasis and inflections base don on how the author originally envisioned the characters and plot. In addition Neil Gaiman does do a good job with the narration weaving a magical world and wonderful characters in a fairy tale way. And this book is very much a fairy tale involving magical curses, wicked witches, unicorns and many other elements which seem half familiar and yet unique. It all has the feeling of a dream or a story you’ve heard before but can’t quite narrow down in your head where.

Tristen is a determined, slightly naïve but utterly charming hero who promises to bring back a fallen star for his love in exchange for whatever he desires. His journey to find the fallen star and adventures to bring it home again are a compelling story which will keep you enthralled. Indeed I couldn’t stop listening to this story and stayed in for the whole day to hear of his adventures! I loved the way the different plot elements wove together – not always touching but building a tapestry of the land beyond the little village of Wall in the middle of England. This is mostly a road trip with some unusual characters which add various degrees of colour to the story and will put a little smile on your face.

This is the second Neil Gaimen book which has utterly astounded and amused me (the other being American Gods) – and made me determined to try some of his other books. Oh, and I’d highly recommend the film as well – it is a beautiful story with much of the same feel as the book despite some large departures in terms of story and action. I great audio story and one I will listen to again – soon!

Recommended for fans of William Goldman and Gregory Maguire. 8.5 out of 10

American Gods Review

American Gods

- Neil Gaiman

Publisher: UK - Headline Review

Days before his release from prison, Shadow’s wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.
Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm or preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

I’ve been pondering how to review American Gods for a while…there is so much to say and yet most of it has been said already by reviewer far more worthy and cleverer than little old me. But at the same time I couldn’t not review it. It is a weighty tome and it’s story is equally as weighty, but as soon as I started reading I felt drawn in as the world was built around me. The reading was like watching the baking of a tiered wedding cake from the inside - complete with measuring, adding a touch of this and an ounce of that, stirring, watching the mixture rise and then adding frosting to the outside.

Shadow, just released from prison is seeing the world for the first time in three years as we see it anew through him. He has no-one to hold him down so he accepts the offer of a job from the mysterious Mr. Wednesday and gets swept up in a world where gods can be con artists and leprechauns can be six-foot tall. The writing is smooth and atmospheric with vivid pictures that stay in your mind long after the pages are shut. I was rooting for Shadow throughout even if half the time I didn’t have any more idea what was going on than he did! There was some hypnotic to the writing and plot that drew me deeper and deeper.

American Gods is ultimately a story about stories. Some tales are on gods, folk lore, myths and legends. There is mystery story, a romance, a supernatural, a war story and of course a road trip. It is a tale of big cities and small town; a story about society and a personal growth; a story about the weather; a philosophical tale and an action adventure; a story of America and the age old tale of new verses old. I don’t think this will be for everyone tastes but if you have some time to spare and want a leisurely stroll around the role of gods in modern America there are much worse ways to spend a few hours. It will be a book that will sit on my shelves for a long time to come.

Recommended for fans of Kate Griffin and Homer’s Odyssey. 9.5 out of 10.

Part of FTC's Speculative Fiction Challange Book 7/12