February 10 BotM Thread - AMERICAN GODS

[The Todd]

Unless a LOT of people jump on board and want to put the Book of the Month to a vote, we all seem to be okay with:



Also, if people want to start now, and make this a January 10 BotM thread, let The Todd (or a mod) know and we'll change the title.

So here we go.

Post your thoughts and comments below, keeping in mind the ground rules:

1) Spoilers. Assume spoilers before setting foot in this thread. However, we'll do our best to keep that to a minimum for the first three weeks of the month. After that, anything goes. Until then, use the [SPOILER] tag

2) Courtesy. Don't get carried away. This is a discussion, not a debate or an argument. Anyone who gets out of line will have their posts deIeted.

As mentioned, free discussion will begin in the third week of the month, or when most participants have finished (whichever comes first.). And at the end of the month there will be a poll to see how The Zone rates this book. Good Reading and.....

DISCUSS-FIVE!!!!!

EDIT - And anyone other than those who have already expressed interest (Maui, Justcheckin, and Stereosforgeeks) is more than welcome to join in and participate!

[justcheckin]

I have to totally get cracking on this book. Good thing I got tomorrow off.

[Nachokoolaid]

Great choice. One of my favorite books. Gaiman's best work in my opinion.

Can't wait to discuss with you guys.

[Seppuku]

I'm pretty sure I've read this and just don't remember anything about it. Which may be one of the problems with Gaiman's books (or my brain). The only novel of his I have a vivid memory of is Anansi Boys, and that's mostly because I listened to the awesome audiobook version read by Lenny Henry.

[Nachokoolaid]

Anansi was the "spiritual sequel" to AMERICAN GODS. I have to admit, after AG, Anansi Boys was a bit of a let down.

[Seppuku]

I think the book might have resonated more with me because I went to a London primary school full of West Indian kids. I remember every day the teacher would read us one of Anansi's tales, and we lapped them up. I couldn't see that happening with Aesop's Fables and the like. There was something way more wicked and dark about those stories; I was pretty psyched to hear Gaiman was doing a whole book based on them.

[thomasgaffney]

Has anyone who's read American Gods also read the Sandman graphic novels?

[Nachokoolaid]

Has anyone who's read American Gods also read the Sandman graphic novels?

I have. AG is one of my fave novels. Sandman (for the most part) is one of my fave graphic novels. Gaiman's best in each genre, I think.

[thomasgaffney]

Has anyone who's read American Gods also read the Sandman graphic novels?

I have. AG is one of my fave novels. Sandman (for the most part) is one of my fave graphic novels. Gaiman's best in each genre, I think.

Awesome! Let me run this by you.

In the paperback version (I have the one with the cover on the first post) on 306, when Wednesday takes Shadow to San Francisco (to visit Easter), Shadow sees a frail, waif-like girl (with green, orange, and pink hair) and she has a dog with a string collar and leash. Shadow gives her a dollar, she looks at him confused, and he says it's to buy the dog some food. She thanks him and he walks on.

Just a throw-away, unimportant part to the narrative, but do you think the girl and dog could be Delirium and Barnabas? I've tried asking Gaiman himself, but the man probably gets inundated with emails and tweets and I'm sure he missed mine. I've already tried googling it and checking wikipedia, but have found nothing.

[Hermanator X]

The name Mr Wednesday is brilliant. AG was one of the first books I read upon coming to Norway, and the Norse mythology within the story really gave me a whoa! moment. Right place at the right time I guess. With the reveal that he is Odin, I realised that the norwegian for wednesday is Onsdag, which translates as Odins Day. As Torsdag (Thursday) means Thors day. Very cool idea of Gaimans, and one of my all time favourite reveals. I put the Mr Wednesday info in spoilervision, cos im not sure if you guys are done with the book yet. I hoped to join in on this BotM, but found that my copy is in Bergen, on the other side of Norway with a friend I loaned it too. Dangnammit!

[thomasgaffney]

Ah! I did not know that about the Norwegian word for Wednesday! Very cool.

[Hermanator X]

Ah! I did not know that about the Norwegian word for Wednesday! Very cool.

Yeah, really gives you a big "Ahhhhh" moment it also makes sense of a passage right near the start of the book, when shadow and wednesday are in the bar, and its god awful weather outside. Cant remember exactly what is said, but Wednesday says something about the weather, and it being Thursday.Take a look and re read it, and I bet you get a big grin on your face.

[Nachokoolaid]

The part that made me grin even wider was when Shadow's con man cell mateLowkey Lysmith is revealed to be Loki Lie-smith, the great creator of lies and cons. It was so obvious, but I guess I was caught up in the novel that I didn't even catch what I think probably should have been a "DUH!" moment. It's that whole seeing the forest through the trees thing.

The fact that (spoilers for the end of the book) the entire novel was plotted by Wednesday and Loki to create a situation where there's a sacrifice to Odin thereby charging Wednesday's batteries, well... I just think that's damn clever.

And yes, I think Delirium and Barnabas make an appearance.

[stereosforgeeks]

I finished this about a week ago now.

It manages that fine line of being clever without needing to catch every reference in order to enjoy the book.

I also wasn't expecting it to be as funny as it was.

[justcheckin]

Ah! I did not know that about the Norwegian word for Wednesday! Very cool.

yes, I agree... this was a good one to read

[The Todd]

The Todd absolutely LOVED the book! One of those books that, from the halfway point on, I could not put it down. The Todd needs to read more Gaiman.

[Nachokoolaid]

The Todd absolutely LOVED the book! One of those books that, from the halfway point on, I could not put it down. The Todd needs to read more Gaiman.

Agrees.

Try Neverwhere next.

Anyone want to discuss any specifics about the book?

[Bloo]

I was just telling a friend of mine that's reading ANANSI BOYS that he needs to read AMERICAN GODS

it's one of those books that I've purchased more then once, loaned out to others to read, and have never gotten back. I need to buy a new copy...

[justcheckin]

There is so much to process about this book that it is hard to get a conversation going. I find myself researching certain aspects of mythology that I didn't already know which I should have done before reading the book. Did you guys catch that Shadow might also be a god?

[Nachokoolaid]

Gaiman has confirmed several times that Shadow is Baldur.

[justcheckin]

I ran across this on the internet. It references that there was a cameo by Delirium and Barnabas (the girl and dog) as well as some interesting other stuff.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AmericanGods

[TheButcher]

Digital Spy Exclusive:
Neil Gaiman confirms 'American Gods' film

Neil Gaiman has revealed that a film adaptation of his book American Gods is in the works.

The novel, first published in 2001, takes place in a world in which gods and mythological creatures exist.

In a recent interview, Gaiman exclusively revealed to DS that a director "who has many, many Oscars" is already on board the project.

"I'm going to be having a meeting in LA with the people that the film rights have been sold to," he confirmed. "I'm going to be... talking to them, find out where they're going and if there's any way that I can help."

He also described the unnamed director attached to the film as "a genius".

"He fell in love with this [novel] about six or seven years ago and has not given up," explained the writer.

[TheButcher]

The Complete American Gods Mix Tape


Neil Gaiman’s ‘American Gods’ to make television debut on HBO

[Fievel]

Some fans of the novel may be wary of the extended onscreen adaptation, since the novel itself is only 624 pages.

That adds up to about 10 pages per episode, if you were to divvy it up.

Keep in mind, though, Gaiman himself will be writing the episodes, and he already expressed a desire to expand on the material in the book.

"I want to make it faithful, but also would like it to have a few surprises for people who read the book," Gaiman said in an interview with Collider.com. "I hate that thing where people have read the books and they go, ‘Oh, I know everything that’s going to happen.’ I want to be like, ‘Okay, no you don’t.’

"I want there to still be some surprises."

That's all sorts of awesome above there. I got about a third of the way into the audiobook of this, had something happen, and never got back to it. Now I don't know if I want to try and revisit it or just wait for the series.