Rating: 
Summary: Gaiman and the Successful Epic Novel
Review: I approached this book with some trepidation. Although I'm a huge fan of Gaiman's writing, I was afraid that the scope and length of the novel would leave something wanting - it clocks in at nearly 600 paperback pages, close to twice as long as his next-longest book. I was scared that like so many other authors I have enjoyed in the past, he had succumbed to the terrible author's disease where they write in bulk and all their editors are scared to make any cuts.I was wrong. Neil Gaiman shines again, cementing himself firmly as one of our best modern authors, and one with a tremendous range. "American Gods" has elements to appeal to fantasy, horror, mystery, and spiritual readers, as well as a plot evoking the classic road novel. I would normally be frightened to utter all those genres in the same sentence, but Gaiman makes it all gel together. It's a vast work that will leave you awed. That's not to say I don't have a few slight criticisms. Although the book is very tight and doesn't have a lot of padding, I can't give it five stars because I simply start to feel overwhelmed by books over rughly 400 pages...I, as a reader, start to lose steam, which ultimately makes me lose some interest. Also, it's worth pointing out that those new to Neil Gaiman should read something -else- first..."Smoke and Mirrors", "Stardust" (novel or graphic novel version), or my personal favorite, "Neverwhere". These are equally fascinating, but less lengthy or intense, works that are simply more accessible. You might even try a couple of "Sandman" collections (to which, it must be admitted, this novel bears the most similarity). On the other hand, if you've read a couple things by Gaiman already, this is a great book to try. It makes a lovely summer or holiday read, and it's tremendous fun to play "identify the old-world god" as you go along. Here's hoping Neil Gaiman continues to experiment, and to enthrall us with his incredible imagination. Very recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: drivel
Review: It's hard to believe this book could win any award. I found the characters mostly wooden and not believable. The plotting mediocre and nothing intellectually very interesting either.
Rating: 
Summary: pretty darn cool
Review: Neil Gaiman's new fantasy novel, American Gods, is filled with myth, magic and disturbing insights into American values. The novel is well-written, fast-paced and entertaining. Gaiman (Neverwhere, Stardust) creates believable characters in unbelievable circumstances.
The story begins with Shadow, a man finishing a three-year sentence in prison, who wants only to return to his loving wife, Laura. Two days before he is to be released, the warden tells Shadow that his wife and best friend were killed in a car crash, and releases Shadow early for the funeral.
On the flight home, Shadow meets a mysterious old man that says he has been waiting for him. The man, who introduces himself as Mr. Wednesday, knows Shadow's name and many intimate details about his life. Mr. Wednesday offers Shadow a job as a bodyguard and errand boy. Shadow reluctantly agrees, since the job he had lined up for himself after prison died with his best friend.
At the funeral, Shadow and Wednesday begin a cross-country adventure on which Shadow discovers that Wednesday is really Odin, the All-Father of the Norse religion, brought to America by the Vikings. Wednesday is trying to unite the other "old gods" in America for a battle against the new gods of technology like television, the media and the Internet.
Throughout the novel, Shadow becomes acquainted with American versions of gods from various religions. With no one making sacrifices to the gods or even believing in them, the gods became weak and had to find work, buy homes and start lives. The Queen of Sheba works as a prostitute; Wednesday is a con artist; and Mr. Ibis is an undertaker.
Gaiman's idea that gods are only as powerful as the belief in them is reminiscent of Small Gods by Terry Prachett, with whom Gaiman co-wrote the novel Good Omens.
The writing is descriptive and reflects Gaiman's dry sense of humor. "Shadow had heard of men who were barrel-chested before, but he had no image to accompany the metaphor. This man was barrel-chested, and he had legs, yes, like tree trunks, and hands like, exactly, ham hocks."
Gaiman's writing talent humanizes and brings life to his characters, even the dead ones. "Laura looked up at him with dead eyes. 'I want to be alive again,' she said. 'Not in this half-life. I want to be really alive. I want to feel blood moving through me- hot, salty, and real. It's weird, you don't think you can feel it, the blood, but believe me, when it stops flowing, you'll know.'" American Gods will satisfy both Gaiman fans and newcomers to his work.
Rating:
Summary: Shadows and Dying gods
Review: Here's the gameplan, travel the country visiting local tourist attractions pleading your case to the dying gods of "the old world" while avoiding the gods of this "brave new world" and you have the culmination of several small cons perpetrated by Shadow an ex-convict and Wednesday, not the day, the man, excuse me, I should say the god. It's Wednesday (the day this time), and Shadow is finally released from prison, after serving 3 years of a 6 year sentence, and learning that his wife died in a car accident. As if the release from prison and planning how to deal with the death of a spouse Shadow gains a new job as an errand boy/bodyguard for Mr. Wednesday. They travel the countryside and Shadow meets all sorts of interesting people. A leprachaun who loves to fight and pulls gold coins right out of the air. A curvaceous Easter who lies to herself that people still believe what they practice in worship. Mr. Town and Mr. World who work for shiny new gods of computers and media. The punchline. . .War, on a godlike scale. It's all about preparing your army, maneuvering into position, and learning what you really believe. This is a fantastic read. Gaiman paints the gods with such vivid irony and cynicism that it's almost impossible to claim that they don't really exist. Not to mention the bizarre web of short tales that permeate the overall novel, they explore all manner of worship and belief. But for me the ultimate thrill in the tale is in it's Hero, Shadow, a man who is not dead, and yet somehow isn't really living either. A man who is haunted by his late wife, and dreams of buffalo-gods, towers of human skulls, and thunderbird feathers.
Read and believe, if only for a moment that the gods are here; that we need to believe almost as much as they need to be believed in; that there are things that we really can't explain without them.
Rating:
Summary: Not Just a Golden Calf
Review: I've been a fan of his writting for years, and he's only getting better. The only gripe I had with this story was the hero's conclusions which he jumps to with little to no evidence supporting his correct conclusions - or maybe I'm mad at myself since I didn't see them all in advance.
Rating:
Summary: he is one helluva storyteller! :)
Review: the book will take you away whether you want to be taken or not. it reads like a dream.... it feels like being swept out to sea by a strong undercurrent, and you know yer supposed to be dead but you remain alive under water by some miracle and you get to see a whole different world pass before your eyes.... finally the sun comes up and yer allowed to surface.... and you want to drown yourself again but you know it's over and you're changed and it would be difficult to go back. it's the saddest moment in your life but you take a deep breath and smile. the only thing is, i thought the ending didn't quite live up to all that build up.... but read it!
Rating: 
Summary: Strong characterization holds togethar an average plot.
Review: As is often true, winning the Hugo OR the Nebula (not both) means 'pretty good but not super'. The story of Shadow and his decent into the world 'backstage' is a little rough at first. Held over from his work in comics, Gaiman tries to force feed you scene after scene of the astonishing and bizarre underbelly of the forgotten gods in the New World. If you manage to make it through this early shockfest, the main character actually ends up growing on you and you begin to hope the best for our friend Shadow, who gets dragged further and further into this chaotic world that he never knew existed. It feels like a story (with a little imagination) that could happen to anyone; that is until Gaiman gives us a reason for it (which I don't think was needed) and then rushes to finish up the story in the last 50 pages or so. In short, I went from skeptical before reading, to disturbed early in the reading, to comfortable and enjoying the story for nearly all the rest. The ending however made me feel very cheated, which puts this book in the average category for me.
Rating:
Summary: Gaiman continues to be my favorite author, bar none.
Review: After enjoying Gaiman's Sandman comics and novels like Stardust and Neverwhere, I started reading American Gods with preconceived notions that Gaiman was a very skilled writer. Yet again, I was not dissapointed... Gaiman is most definitely my favorite author and one of the most interesting in the industry today. American Gods is a book unlike any other I have ever read. The center idea of the novel is that of the lives of Gods. What happens to Gods when people stop believing in them? Are they real, and do they live lives? Gaiman puts forth the notion that Gods live among us, are immortal, and go about their daily lives just as we do. From Ibis to Odin, and from Horus to Thor, Gaiman characterizes well-known Gods as enigmatic and real-life people. But where the real drama plays out is the conflict between Gods. Shadow, the main character, has just been released from jail when he finds out his wife has been in an accident. Soon, he meets Wednesday, a shady and powerful figure who persuades Shadow to drink the honey-wine of the Gods. From this point on, Shadow's life drastically changes. He is thrown into the often strange and mystical happenings of defunct Gods who have come to America to live. These Gods hold odd jobs, and are trying to lay low in the culture of America. Shadow must take on great responsibilities when a conflict arises between the Gods, and it is no piece of cake. I love this book for a few reasons. It has a very defined beginning, middle, and end, and the tension continues to mount throughout the novel until it reaches a epic climax of Shakespearian proportions. The ending is what makes this book. The various plot directions mysteriously twist and turn only to meet at the end in a burst of grandeur. The characters are very interesting and well defined, as they are in all Gaiman writings. Gaiman has struck a nerve with this book, and all I can hope is that he keeps writing, because he hasn't dissapointed me yet!
Rating:
Summary: Gaiman Is great....again!
Review: American Gods is a great story. Its story of America its Gods that showed up on the boats of the coming to america age and how its been reduced to money and substance. How some Gods are lost and forgotten and new gods appear around every corner. All woven into a journey of an ex-con who-with nothing else going on-must help the old God's led by Odin.
The story was very easy to read. I love the Nordic God references which are fascinating in my eyes. The ending left me in awe.
Rating:
Summary: Aweful...just plain aweful
Review: This book will make you question your own interest in novels. I haven't read fiction for a full year after reading this garbage.
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