One of fiction's most audaciously original talents, Neil Gaiman now gives us a mythology for a modern age -- complete with dark prophecy, family dysfunction, mystical deceptions, and killer birds. Not to mention a lime.
Anansi Boys God is dead. Meet the kids.
When Fat Charlie's dad named something, it stuck. Like calling Fat Charlie "Fat Charlie." Even now, twenty years later, Charlie Nancy can't shake that name, one of the many embarrassing "gifts" his father bestowed -- before he dropped dead on a karaoke stage and ruined Fat Charlie's life.
Mr. Nancy left Fat Charlie things. Things like the tall, good-looking stranger who appears on Charlie's doorstep, who appears to be the brother he never knew. A brother as different from Charlie as night is from day, a brother who's going to show Charlie how to lighten up and have a little fun ... just like Dear Old Dad. And all of a sudden, life starts getting very interesting for Fat Charlie.
Because, you see, Charlie's dad wasn't just any dad. He was Anansi, a trickster god, the spider-god. Anansi is the spirit of rebellion, able to overturn the social order, create wealth out of thin air, and baffle the devil. Some said he could cheat even Death himself.
Returning to the territory he so brilliantly explored in his masterful New York Times bestseller, American Gods, the incomparable Neil Gaiman offers up a work of dazzling ingenuity, a kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth that is at once startling, terrifying, exhilarating, and fiercely funny -- a true wonder of a novel that confirms Stephen King's glowing assessment of the author as "a treasure-house of story, and we are lucky to have him."
posted
And here's Reason #3 Why I Love Neil Gaiman: he "gets" ebooks. Not only do his books appear in electronic form the same day the print ones do, but he usually has extras in the e-version. This one has a deleted scene and two articles about writing the book.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sort of. It's about a character that appears in American Gods, but you don't have to have read AG to understand this one.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I heard that there would be a "true" sequel, but this is not it. Like I said above, if you want to read about the further adventures of Shadow then you'll need to pick up last years Legends anthology.
Posts: 1480 | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
So far very wonderful. A validating passage:
At one point, he started singing at his desk, not because he was happy, but because he forgot not to. He only realized he was doing it when Grahame Coats himself put his head around the door of Fat Charlie's closet to chide him... "What were you singing? It was pretty." Fat Charlie realized he didn't know. He said, "I'm not sure. I wasn't listening."
Just a funny delightful charming book. I am already in love with it.
posted
This book looks good. I've always been interested in Anansi the Spider, as he was referred to in African legend.
Also, is American Gods good? I keeping looking at the copy my dad has on his book shelf and staring at it for twenty minutes before putting it back. Do you think I should read it?
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have no problem with strange. I'll pick it up sometime. I wonder if its an A(cellerated)R(eader) book. Maybe I can read it for school.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm an enormous fan of Gaiman's comic work and his short stories, but his novels (AG included) have been vaguely disappointing to me. He doesn't seem to have much of a handle on long-form plots (which is odd, because he brilliantly interwove short stories into an elaborate meta-arc in "Sandman".)
Posts: 10 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I agree that some of Gaiman's plotting meanders around a bit...but American Gods seemed to have gotten away from that trend. He does seem to shine more in short story form, which is why I keep pimping his short story from the Legends Anthology... Posts: 1480 | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
I wasparticularly impressed that Gaiman was able to tell a very adult story with very little violence, sex by inference only and absolutely no foul language. Amazing and charming, my kids enjoyed it as much as I did.
Posts: 2425 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just got done with it. (The audio version, which was VERY well done.) Enjoyed it muchly; the ending was a bit weak -- it had the feeling of Gaiman saying as he wrote it, "OK, time to wrap all this up" -- but other than that (pretty small) quibble, it's a lot of fun.
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I had a really tough time getting into this one. I didn't like any of the characters, I was ambivalent on Spider, and downright detested Charlie until sometime after he flipped (for lack of a better term because I'm trying to not spoil). And this is really unusual for a Gaiman.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have not read this particular piece of literature. Nor have I read any other material by this quite popular, what some might call Gothic Fantasy, author.
Posts: 35 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
Anansi the Spider. The older black man, who appears as a spider when Shadow gets on the carousel to the God counsel.
Posts: 2425 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by plaid: Just got done with it. (The audio version, which was VERY well done.) Enjoyed it muchly; the ending was a bit weak -- it had the feeling of Gaiman saying as he wrote it, "OK, time to wrap all this up" -- but other than that (pretty small) quibble, it's a lot of fun.
That's pretty much what he does in all of his novels though, isn't it? I've always felt like Gaiman had trouble ending his stories.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Everyone's favorite is American Gods, but mine is Neverwhere. Currently, I'm working on Smoke & Mirrors and I'd put it below both American Gods and Neverwhere but still worth reading.
Anyway, I'll probably pick Anansi Boys up as soon as I have a spare few hours.
Posts: 866 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm another who loves American Gods. I just really like the concept behind the story, and it helps that I also enjoyed the execution.
I saw Anansi Boys at the bookstore today and picked it up. I'm only maybe halfway through, but I really like it so far. It's very engrossing, and I'm seriously considering buying it.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
| IP: Logged |
I've heard so many good things about Neil Gaiman, but this one just felt stale to me, I guess he just isn't my type.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I could never get into Neil Gaimen books. I need someone to really convince me that I should read them, because I'm sure I'd love them.
Posts: 464 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Anansi Boys was quite good. Not as complete as AG, not as emotionally satisfying as Neverwhere, but still up to Gaiman's high standards of writing.
I saw a new short story collection on the shelves the other day. I'm tempted to buy it, but I may have to wait for paperback. Hardcover are so expensive, I can only justify it on Martin's books, because I must have them the day they come out Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Belle: Read it but didn't like it.
I've heard so many good things about Neil Gaiman, but this one just felt stale to me, I guess he just isn't my type.
Try American Gods or Neverwhere. They are better. I actually enjoyed Anansi boys, though not as much as the two I mention above.
Posts: 514 | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Belle: I've heard so many good things about Neil Gaiman, but this one just felt stale to me, I guess he just isn't my type.
Belle, Gaiman has two major styles, one of which is the avuncular one he adopts for Anansi Boys. The other has a much more...I don't know...mythic, almost archetypal (in the Jungian sense) quality to it. Before you dismiss Gaiman, give the other style a chance. American Gods is a good example of a novel written in this latter style, but if you don't want to give him the benefit of the doubt for a novel's worth of reading, try his short story Snow , Glass, Apple. It's one of my favorite pieces of his writing, and probably in my top 20 short stories list.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
"Snow, Glass, Apple" is VERY creepy/horrific, so I dunno if I'd recommend it as a starting point for Gaiman (unless one likes that sort of thing, which I don't, I kinda wish I hadn't read that one).
Stardust is a much more mellow fantasy, maybe that'd be a good one for you, Belle.
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I disagree, plaid; Stardust's tone is very much in line with Anansi Boys; if she didn't care for the latter she isn't likely to be charmed by the former. I was offering her a taste of the other side of Gaiman.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
One warning - "American Gods" has a fair amount of explicit language and sex scenes, including at least one horrific one. I love the book, but you shouldn't go in unaware.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
Awhile back Amazon started offering preorders for the first volume of Gaiman's new hardback Sandman collection, remastered with new color and priced at $99, for $14.95. It was a glitch and they fixed it soon afterwards but before they did I ordered one, for the heck of it. Figured they'd probably write me at some point and say, sorry, it was a mistake, you'll need to cancel or pay full price, no worries. But, you never know...
Just got notice that it shipped, at the $14.99 price. I'm happy
There was a touch of lingering guilt over taking money from Gaiman, but as I've bought just about everything he's ever produced, some items more than once or in different formats, and since I only found out about it because he noted it himself on his blog, I'm not feeling that guilty.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, the guilt, if any, should be from taking money from Amazon. You can bet Gaiman is getting paid according to the terms of his contract regardless of sale price placed on individual books. I'd be very surprised to learn that Amazon could pass on what is essentially their screw-up to him.
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
At that stage it is definitely the bookseller taking the loss. You should feel guilty for not passing that information on to the rest of us (unless of course you did and I missed it) .
Posts: 1336 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Chris Bridges: Woo hoo!
Awhile back Amazon started offering preorders for the first volume of Gaiman's new hardback Sandman collection, remastered with new color and priced at $99, for $14.95. It was a glitch and they fixed it soon afterwards but before they did I ordered one, for the heck of it. Figured they'd probably write me at some point and say, sorry, it was a mistake, you'll need to cancel or pay full price, no worries. But, you never know...
Just got notice that it shipped, at the $14.99 price. I'm happy
There was a touch of lingering guilt over taking money from Gaiman, but as I've bought just about everything he's ever produced, some items more than once or in different formats, and since I only found out about it because he noted it himself on his blog, I'm not feeling that guilty.
OMG. A SANDMAN HARDBACK BOXSET!!! I NEEEEEEEEED IT!!!! Does the world want me to work 75 hours a week or something. *weep* Only it's one Volume, which means a million dollars per volume... *Rather crestfallen over the price*
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I enjoyed Coraline a lot, and Stardust was wonderful.
I can never get over Gaiman's introduction to Snow, Glass, and Apple though...turning the Snow White story into a vampire story with a good witch was already done years before by Tanith Lee. Just sayin'.
His recent audio CD of short stories (read by himself) is also excellent. Love the one about "Miss Finch". Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Nope, its four volumes so i'll have to suck up the price for the others. Got the first one, and oh my.
Leatherbound. Black ribbon bookmark. First twenty issues, bound so that pages lie flat as you read. Every page remastered with better, more vibrant color (or more dour and moody color, whichever works). Also, the script and pencils for the Midsummer Night's Dream issue along with his complete original proposal to DC Comics, with sketches, for this new comic about a dream master...
Very, very nice collection.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
