American Gods

Thanks to Ammon and Neil Gaiman, I have finished American Gods. It is being offered online, free here. I semi-regularly read Gaiman's blog, and I've now read 5 novels by him, and by far, this was my favorite. It's one of the first (okay, it is the first) novel I've read that won the Hugo, Nebula and Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel and actually deserved it. (I don't know what other books have won all 3, I'm pretty sure Ender's Game won the Hugo & Nebula).

Here's a quote from the beginning of the book that tells a bit what it's about.

"One question that has always intrigued me is what happens to demonic beings when immigrants move from their homelands. Irish-Americans remember the fairies. Norwegian-Americans the nisser, Greek-Americans the vrykólakas, but only in relation to events remembered in the Old Country. When I once asked why such demons are not seen in America, my informants giggled confusedly and said, 'They're scared to pass the ocean, it's too far,' pointing out that Christ and the apostles never came to America."

-Richard Dorson
A Theory for American Folklore

The book was excellent, and, though I've checked it out at the library over 3 times, I couldn't get "into it." But, Gaiman's publisher thought it would be a good idea to offer it free online for a month, and for me, it was. I finally read it this week. I'm already a big Gaiman fan, though this book has made me much more so, as his last 2 books I've read haven't been as great as the first 2. I highly recommend American Gods, it was a wonderful book and a fantastic read. I don't recommend it to everyone, for, though it was my favorite book by this author, it was also probably the most graphic and explicit book I've ever read, some parts clearly "R" rated, others "NC-17." However, I am older than 17 (though sometimes I don't act it, other times I act much older) and was able to enjoy the book nonetheless. I'm sure it will influence my script attempts for next month, as the books I read close to when I write always influence my writing. As of now, the script for April/Script Frenzy will be a Fantasy Western Horror, (no, NOT like the Dark Tower Series. More like the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, in that it will have great characters, adventure, terror, and only ONE fantastic element, not a bunch of hooey garbage capitalistic throw up)

In conclusion, read American Gods if you have the stomach for it and you're over 18, and look forward to my script, I'm having fun plotting it out right now. Well, better get back to it!