Kell Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 American Gods (Author Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 [more bang for your buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 I have just started this Kell. Looks Good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 10, 2006 Author Share Posted August 10, 2006 Hope you enjoy it, Mau - I rather liked it. I've been thinking of getting Anasi Boys which is kind of a sequel to it, but a story in it's own right too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiseog Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 The only Neil Gaiman I have ever read is Neverwhere, which was about an other London in the Underground system. It was fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 10, 2006 Author Share Posted August 10, 2006 I loved Neverwhere too - excellent book. have you read Good Omens? He wrote it with Pratchett & it's absolutely fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiseog Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Off to swap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I liked this book. Chose it on a whim - and because I remembered that Kell liked it, and it was a good choice. I read the first chapter, and all was well and good. Then I was thinking that it would drag on and on, and would hate it - esp when I hit the first spot of fantasy. But I was wrong, even though that is a genre I hate, as it has so many genres simmering slowly together, that the flavour of one of them is short-lived, and seasoned with another one. Some of the characters I loved, others put me off - the author gives them life and a lot of character - and they seem like real people. If you are stuck in a rut - and find yourself reading the same kind of book over and over again, I would suggest you give this a try. (All 600+ pages of it! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 Glad to hear you enjoyed it so much, Mau - I certainly did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I loved the Idea of the novel, yet it failed to drag me in. I will read it again as it was some time since I finished the book. Neverwhere, however, is a fantastic read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 ...Neverwhere, however, is a fantastic read. I agree - I loved Neverwhere - refreshingly different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronny Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 I read American Gods, Neverwhere and Stardust this summer and liked all three. I liked Neverwhere best, my husband liked American Gods the most. I really liked the idea behind American Gods, the story of how they came over and their current roles/lives was my favorite part. I would of liked a bit more detail for Shadow I think but I can see how the lack of detail suited his character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenchair Posted September 12, 2006 Share Posted September 12, 2006 "American Gods" is brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrathofkublakhan Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 I read this book a year ago and am now encouraged to try some more. Having read American God's, I thought one was enough by this author. It was clever on many levels and had some nice surprises but sometimes it just seemed to be yearning for something to ... happen. It was a good read but there were little emotional pay-off for me and so, little satisfaction by the craft of writing. I've wondered about the readers in this forum who don't care for the fantasy genre; did those same not care for movies like Big, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Freaky Friday, Lord of the Rings, King Kong, Chicago, The Wizard of Oz, ET or Raiders of the Lost Ark? Steps up on the Soapbox: Fantasy is not just dragons and magic swords, though they are popular. Fantasy taps into the collective unconscious, the archetypes, the gestalt and the mythology of the human race. Fantasy (and science fiction) has built our vision for the future; our ever-shrinking cellphones are the devices imagined in Star Trek. Authors have imagined worlds just one step abstracted from the one we live in and our technology is following suit. It has elements of mystery, romance, horror, old west, gothic-history and even biography in alternate universes. It has shaped our story-telling, expanded the craft beyond the trilogy and given us worlds to which we can escape. Elements of fantasy are commonplace in novels (Time Travelers Wife), in horror (Steven King's Dark Tower) series, mystery (Sherlock Holmes) and even romance (Nora Roberts - Dance of the Gods). All forms on some level have been tainted by the fantasy genre; while I can understand rejecting it, I'd plead for a least a small chance when the genre truly shines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight87 Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Hey all,im just wondering if anybody has read this book yet? i was recommended it on amazon,and it does sound intresting but im not sure if its worth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 This book was chosen for the reading circle a couple of years back. The discussion can be found here. There's also this additional thread that may be of interest. We also have threads on a couple of other Neil Gaiman books: Neverwhere (from February's reading circle) and Anansi Boys. These might give you more of an idea of what his books are like. I hope these threads help! I read my first Neil Gaiman recently (Neverwhere) and I'm planning on reading more of his work. In fact, I'm thinking of picking up American Gods myself. And...you're in luck because I've just remembered that HarperCollins were going to make the full text of American Gods available online. You needn't pay any money at all! It's available on the HarperCollins website for the duration of March. Welcome to the forum, by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight87 Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 (edited) Thanks very much kylie!! Yes it helps alot, i may have to give it a go,as it sounds intresting if nothing else. Hmm im not sure i should read the online text or buy it..i think i may buy it, as i do prefer reading the books,i also love the smell of new book's! hehehe but thanks very much again for the links and the information. xx Edited May 17, 2010 by Echo removed color and bold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gelfling Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Hey Moonlight, I've read it: it's really good. It was a fantasy, but with a gritty, real edge to it. Weaveworld (I think that's by Clive Barker) is similar in the sense that's it's not an airy-fairy fantasy like some of them are, but it's much more magical than American Gods, so if you do read American Gods and enjoy it, then you might want to try that one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 I am approaching halfway through American Gods at the moment. I've been hit and miss with Gaiman so far, Stardust was very charming and wonderful to read. The Graveyard Book I found a little lacking, but I appreciate now by reading some of his interviews and reasons behind it, the point of the story. I am quite enjoying it so far, there have been a couple of things that have grated on me however. The use of profanity relating to sex and crude language has been plentiful, in the dialogue it doesn't really bother me much, though when it's repeated in the actual prose for no apparent reason, not in character form or stream of consciousness narration, that stands out like a sore thumb, so that stopped me a couple times. The sex so far has been a little overdone, I know aspects of it fit with the plot but I still find it a little silly and jarring with the main plot, but that's just me. Anyhow, it is enjoyable enough to read and I am looking forward to exploring some of his ideas upon America. The story is fun and winding with a couple interesting characters, I seem a little detached from Shadow, but perhaps that is the point. There is nothing overly wrong with the book up to here, just a few bits and pieces that I can't put into the flow. We'll see how things continue There's my random five minute observation thus far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanwa Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Oooh, you found the thread - yay you! Well I'm up to page 33, so not a great deal to note yet. As you know from WC Rawr, I already agree with you as far as the graphic and profane content. If it wasn't for the blurb on the back of the book, well, lets say that at the moment I'm up the creek without a paddle. Minus the blurb I would be short of the boat as well. I'm extremely lost, with no idea where it's going or if it even can go anywhere. My initial impressions of Shadow are that I quite like him. I'm not sure that he makes a suitable protagonist though, because despite my general liking of him, I can't relate or empathise. I'm hoping that some point fairly soon something will start to make sense or seem to have some relevance. Usually at this point I would have given up, but as it's Gaiman, I'm going to give him a fair trial with this one and try to get to the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 I think things lessen up a little on those tedious fronts and the plot opens up a little more over the next twenty or so pages, you can get into things more I feel Yes, I still haven't figured Shadow out, now I do not know whether this is the point or whether he just does not flourish too well as a character. I am interested to see how things progress for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanwa Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Will keep posting to keep you posted...erm.... Same goes though. Please let me know if it picks up. I hate thinking a novel has potential and getting to the end wondering what I missed. I'd rather know ahead of time so that I don't persevere with the same high expectations I had at the title page. At least it isn't so bad if I already know it's going to be pants... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 This is one of my all-time favorite books! I would definitely recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanwa Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 (edited) Well with that coming from another Tolkien Maniac, I hardly have a choice Echo. Persevere I will then, until the very end Edit to say that I'm going to take it to bed with me now, so I should hopefully have some thoughts tomorrow. On your head be it Echo Edited May 17, 2010 by Vanwa Afterthoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Definitely keep persevering, I found it hard going at the start but I really loved it by the time I finished. It's not an easy read but it's worth the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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