Since 2001, I would pass by American Gods in the bookstore and think, “Oh, hey, that’s the guy that wrote Sandman, the comic book dude.” And then I’d keep moving. Fast forward to a month ago, when I saw the first episode of American Gods on Starz Network; I was blown away, so much so that I bought a copy of the book the very next day.

What I found was a modern American fairy tale, a surreal romp through the heartland with fallen gods and their American replacements. I found a sparkling commentary on what people allow to have power over them. And I saw a skillfully woven tale of one man’s redemption.

The story follows convicted felon Shadow Moon, released from prison three days before the end of his sentence due to the death of his wife. On his way home, he comes across Mr. Wednesday, a colorful con artist with a glass eye and as many friends as enemies. Wednesday offers Shadow a job as a driver, partner and bodyguard and Shadow, with no prospects and no reason to stay in his hometown, accepts. During the ensuing road trip, Mr. Wednesday reveals to Shadow the truth: gods and creatures of myth – Norse, Greek, African, Hindu, et al. – are real. They came to the Americas over the course of history with the immigrants, foreigners, and slaves who believed in them, and they sustain themselves on belief and sacrifice. These Old Gods are in direct conflict with New Gods, distinctly modern American constructs that represent the cultural worship of things like technology, media, money, and politics. Led by the mysterious Mr. World, these New Gods seek to wage war on the older, immigrant gods in a winner-take-all battle for belief, and Shadow finds that he is the key weapon in this war.

Neil Gaiman’s signature work is everything I ever heard it was: complex, dreamlike, and compelling, with memorable characters and a powerful narrative. American Gods reads like the prose version of a graphic novel, with picturesque locales and colorful characters that are very easy on the mind’s eye. While it whips along at a good clip, it’s a dense book that clocks in at 522 pages.

American Gods is a fantastic read that’s a terrific way to kick off the summer reading season. My only regret is that I walked past it for 16 years.

Highly recommended. Four stars.

#2017 #bookreview #AmericanGods #fiction #TV #religion #writing