This was my introduction to neil gaiman but have since read good omens and loved that as well. Epic books you should read if you like american gods vice. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on neil gaimans american gods. Gaiman has managed to tell the tallest of tales in the most heartrending and believable fashion, despite the storys truly mythic scale. The novel is a blend of americana, fantasy, and various strands of ancient and modern mythology, all centering on the mysterious and taciturn shadow. American gods stands an original in a well worn genre, funny and innovative, ancient and modern. Dark horse books, this supernatural american road trip fantasy tells the story of a war between the ancient and modern gods. American gods study guide from litcharts the creators of. Originally published in 2001, the book features shadow moon, a convict who is. With seasons end looming, american gods raises its spears. Whether you have been a fan of the book since its release or discovered it after watching the television show, here are a few more books like american gods. Deities are powerful anthropomorphic beings that have control over various aspects of the world.
If youre not familiar with neil gaiman, he is famous for writing sandman, the ocean at the end of the lane. Books to read if you like american gods newinbooks. American gods the book will remain one of the classic works of contemporary american fantasy. In neil gaimans hugo and nebula awardwinning book, american gods, we are introduced to different types of godsones that we wouldnt typically imagine. Gaiman keeps so much about shadow hidden until late in the novelhis multiracial background is first mentioned obliquely near the end of the novel, for instancethat it is extraordinarily difficult to feel a connection to him. Get the entire american gods litchart as a printable pdf. The tribe soon forgets about their mammoth god as they create new gods on american land. Preacher and american gods take similar fantasies in opposite.
N eil gaimans fantasy novel american gods is a version of that most american genre, the road narrative. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 635 pages and is available in kindle edition format. As pablo neruda once said of another worldclass novel, not to read it is the same as never having tasted an orange. Id like a story with mythological characters gods, demons in modern settings. If you like american gods you might like similar books neverwhere, good omens. Ive always been interested in books that explore belief and gods from different perspectives and am looking for any books or short stories with similar themes. Goodreads members who liked american gods american. If you loved reading american gods, heres 6 books plus tv to try. Praised by empire as something very special, the s. American gods is a complex, interconnected story of warring gods and ancient history. The protagonist shadow, like sam winchester, encounters creatures who.
The book is full of fantasy, gods and mythology, with twists and turns abound. Handpicked recommendations to other books that have a similar writing style or theme to american gods. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading american gods. Tv show tv show the leftovers did get a bit of a makeover midway through the series, but since then its received some critical acclaim as well as developed a cult following. If our leisure time is the sacrificial smoke theyre starving for, its feeding time. Shadow is released from prison the day after his wife and best friend are killed together in a car accident. Adaptations like lord of the rings or game of thrones tend to start off. Small gods by terry pratchett is the thirteenth novel in his very popular discworld series and explores very similar themes to american gods, albeit in a much more tongue in the cheek fashion. Though it draws on real legends and myths, its also more. The show, like the novel, isnt going to disappoint. American gods might prove to be the fantasy tale of 2001 as it is already that of the midpoint. Mar 17, 2019 american gods is a complex, interconnected story of warring gods and ancient history. American gods was so popular that a remake was published in. Neil conceived of the idea for american gods on a trip to iceland, then wrote the bulk of the novel while traveling around the united states specifically chicago, florida, las vegas, and other locations.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Worldrenowned author neil gaiman finds the right balance of fantasy and mythology to come up with the bestseller american gods published in 2001. The novel is a blend of americana, fantasy, and various strands of ancient and modern mythology, all centering on the mysterious and taciturn shadow the book was published in 2001 by headline in the united kingdom and by william morrow in the united states. Are there any books similar to american gods by neil gaiman. There are also many other works that are of the same genre. Nick romano swears it by the old gods and the new, this guide to the dieties of american gods will get you sorted out as a book reader or tv show fan. The author sends his protagonist, shadow, by car and sometimes by. What to read after neil gaimans american gods book riot. If you plan to watch american gods without first reading the neil gaiman book that its based on, youre probably going to have a lot of questions. Goodreads members who liked filthy gods american gods. We witness the darker side of power and the ongoing battle between good and evil, as the new gods who reflect americas indulgent bad habits and the old gods who have lost their. Its given me a major appetite for the primacy of gods in stories. Apr 20, 2017 the prolific author told mtv in 2011, ive been planning to do a second american gods book since the first american gods book. Nov 03, 2016 4 ways the american gods show will diverge from the book.
The only part of american gods that is disappointing is the fact that the book ends and you. What else should i read if i liked neil gaimans american gods. However, there are some massively recognized differences between two. I focus on the ways in which american gods is situated within an intertextual corpus of mythological and mythopoeic writing. These tv shows like american gods will thrill and confuse you until it returns to starz.
It gained a positive critical response and won the hugo and nebula. The prolific author told mtv in 2011, ive been planning to do a second american gods book since the first american gods book. This category contains all characters in both the 2001 neil gaiman novel american gods and the starz television series american gods. Goodreads members who liked american gods american gods. If neil gaimans american gods is true it is, duh then the inhabitants of its pages must be pleased as punch over how much attention theyre getting right now. If youre a fan of neil gaimans american gods or actionpacked fantasy in general. I watched american gods while the new season of twin peaks was coming out and i felt the use of foreshadowing, sense of grand mythos, and symbolism were central to both shows. Apr 28, 2017 american gods, by contrast, suffers greatly from a central protagonist, shadow moon, who is written as a cypher. After wednesdays death, the old gods band together to avenge him, finally agreeing to fight the new gods.
Like the terra firma of a beach bordering the seemingly endless sea spooling out and away from the land, neil gaimans american gods offers that. Though it draws on real legends and myths, its also more directly based on the novel of the same name by neil. Long before american gods became a successful television series on the starz cable network, it was a 2001 fantasy novel by neil gaiman. From angsty red monsters to a literally dead god whose corpse must be disposed of, these seven gaimanesque novels give ancient myths and. Im looking for urban fantasy that is similar to american gods by n. American gods, the extraordinary, highly acclaimed epic audiobook from storytelling genius and international bestseller neil gaiman, comes vividly to life this may in the hottest major tv show of 2017. I thought the book was great and even the show was okay after reading the book. The gods are main characters protagonists and antagonists of both the american gods tv series and the novel of the same name. The 10 best tv shows if you like american gods screenrant. Definitely read last call if you like american gods, lots in common and i suspect an influence on the latter. Adaptations like lord of the rings or game of thrones tend to start off very true to the source. The first edition of the novel was published in july 2001, and was written by neil gaiman. How the american gods tv series will differ from the book.
Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. In this essay he deconstructs and contrasts platos republic in relation to the novel american gods. The book was published in 2001 by headline in the united kingdom and by william morrow in the united states. Followups like anansi boys and a book of short stories. Pdf american gods book american gods free download.
In starzs new tv show american gods, the deities and demons of ancient mythology must battle the new gods of technology and money. Advertisement plucking a small exchange from the novel and expanding it into a new chapter. In this novel, it is the great god om who tries to make a comeback, but instead of a powerful deity, he is shocked to return as a tortoise. Best movies and tv shows like american gods bestsimilar. The nice and accurate prophecies of agnes nutter, witch, the ocean at the end of the lane, dune, the name of the wind. Ive heard its a pretty polarising book, but im definitely in the.
We see bilquis yetide badaki lean her head against the window as it. American gods is doing exactly what neil gaimans book. Without spoiling any of the novel, i can say that in the book, shadow moon and mad sweeney have a similar conversation in a gutter, and a different story follows. Are there any books similar to american gods by neil. Good omens by neil gaiman and terry pratchett before writing american gods, neil. Sep 19, 2005 american gods, the extraordinary, highly acclaimed epic novel from storytelling genius and international bestseller neil gaiman, was brought vividly to life this year in the hottest major tv show of 2017, and amazon prime video series starring ricky whittle, ian mcshane, emily browning and gillian anderson. For fans of the book of dust and mythos by stephen fry.
Sep 18, 2017 how preacher and american gods take similar fantasies in opposite directions new, 6 comments both shows follow protagonists questing in a world of gods and monsters, but they have very different. Jul 16, 2017 the american gods series is quite different from the book, while still capturing the essence of it. My students cant get enough of your charts and their results have gone. The first american gods season finale cut away briefly from the action between our main characters to a small bus. We witness the darker side of power and the ongoing battle between good and evil, as the new gods who reflect americas indulgent. Free download or read online american gods pdf epub american gods series book.
And while the rest of his books are well worth reading, anansi boys is the only one thats. If you enjoy the weaving of the fantastical and the current day, youre sure to enjoy this list of books to read if you like american gods. The supporting characters of the show are cameos in the book. For a fantasy writer, this is like winning the grand slam actually, its harder. Im not sure how similar they truly are i probably link them because i watched them concurrently, but i would highly recommend both. With that in mind, ew has put together a list of books that are perfect to help make every day feel like wednesday. But american gods the tv show is precisely the adaptation of this work that we deserve in 2017. In the first book of this brilliant series, stephen king introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, roland of gilead, the.
As with most good books, the most similar work will always be from the same author. Jun 20, 2017 american gods, adapted from the eponymous book written by neil gaiman in 2001 is a blend of western fantasy that on its surface is about a war brewing between the old and the new gods. American gods is one of those books that hit shelves, took off running, and never stopped. If you like american gods you are looking for serious, stylized and allegory movies or tv shows about with legends and myths, supernatural ability, mysterious character, supernatural, drugsalcohol, mystery and danger themes of drama, fantasy and mystery genre shot in usa. Deities and other mythical beings get their power from worship. Wednesday, its not an uncomfortable leap from american gods to the einstein intersection. Happy creative stuff the american gods series is quite different from the book, while still capturing the essence of it. The intriguing premise of gaimans tale is that the gods o. Books like american gods similar recommendations alikewise. Look, if you liked american gods, chances are youre going to dig neil gaimans other fantastical worlds. American gods, the extraordinary, highly acclaimed epic novel from storytelling genius and international bestseller neil gaiman, was brought vividly to life this year in the hottest major tv show of 2017, and amazon prime video series starring ricky whittle, ian mcshane, emily browning and gillian anderson. When he is informed of the death of his wife and friend by the warden of the prison, shadow seems numb, unable to process the information.
If you like american gods you might like similar tv shows legion, preacher, altered carbon, westworld, the man in the high castle. American gods 2001 is a fantasy novel by british author neil gaiman. Adapted from a novel by neil gaiman, the show american gods shares similar dna. Most book fans worry that a screen adaption is going to cut out all of their favorite minor characters. American gods 20 differences between the series and the book. His wife has just been killed with his best friend, so he has few options and decides to work as a bodyguard and errand runner for a mysterious and powerful character who calls himself mr. American gods and the handmaids tale are different, yet similar. The climax is incredibly original so that no one will guess what will happen.
Shadow insists on sitting wednesdays vigil as he had promised to, which means being tied to. American gods summary from litcharts the creators of. American gods will take readers on a journey across america that is as dark and filled with pagan gods as supernatural itself. Mar 14, 2017 the whole book is mythic, and while its an acrobatic twist away from the world of shadow and mr.
Ive read all of gaimans books so they are out of question. They are thoughtforms who have been created by the collective beliefs and imagination of humanity. The main characters of this science fiction, science fiction fantasy story are shadow moon. Aug 11, 2009 im looking for urban fantasy that is similar to american gods by n.