Gaiman's American Gods Book Tour

Having just finished reading an advance copy of American Gods, the newest book from Neil Gaiman ^[?] , and enjoying it (I will write the review soon) - I wanted to point out tour dates that are in his blog journal. I'd also like to applaud the decision to use the blog format for keeping a Gods journal - it's definitely interesting to see the process on screen.

Books not where he really shines

[Skyshadow]

I always thought that books were Gaiman's weakest point -- his short stories are generally pretty good (and in certain cases exceptional), but the medium where I think he really shines is in graphic novels.

I mean, how do you argue with Sandman? IMHO, it's easily the best graphic novel series out ther (although I rather enjoyed the first Books of Magic series, which he wrote).

Anyhow, I'll still buy it and read it and all, but I'd be more excited if I'd heard he was coming out with a new collection of short stories.

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Re:how is it pronounced?

[JayPee]

It's "Gayman". He lives a couple of miles from me and would stop by a bookstore where I used to work.

Nice guy too..

I've read THIS book and Gaiman shine in it

[Chris McLaren]

Regardless of what you think before reading American Gods, after you've read it you are going to think of Gaiman as someone who writes damn good novels.

I suspect that this time next year you won't hear of Neil as "Sandman creator Neil Gaiman", but rather as "Neil Gaiman, author of American Gods".

The novel takes advantage of Neil's strength in the short form, since viewed from one vantage it is a series of smaller stories that happen on a mad road-trip through America. However, these smaller stories are part of a bigger picture that has all of the overtones and resonances that can happen when someone who knows what they are doing works at novel length.

Trust me. Buy this book and read it and you won't think of Neil as someone who is a novelist second to anything else.


--
"in the marionette's eyes
glimpse the nature of the wire"

Re:Gaiman, Morrison, Moore, Miller

[Prion23]

Hmm...
I know Frank Miller wrote a few movie scripts, Robocop 2 and 3, also he is scripting Batman: Year One, due out in 2002. (love that internet movie database). Neil Gaiman did Princess Mononokeand an episode of Babylon 5. The internet movie database also has a listing for Good Omens and Neverwhere. Good Omens directed by TERRY GILLIAM! That sounds wicked cool.
Alan Moore's "From Hell" has been made into a film.
Still, I think all of them are still writing comics except Gaiman...

What is it about?

[ghoti]

Does anybody have a clue what "American Gods" is about? What type of book it is? Yeah I could wait for Hemos' review, but I just want to know (just to get an idea).

BTW, there is a very nice personal note on Douglas Adams' death in the journal pointed to in the article above.

Conversation with Neil Gaiman on the WELL

[jonkl]

There's an ongoing conversation with Neil Gaiman [well.com] at the WELL [well.com]. You can submit questions or comments to the hosts of the WELL's Inkwell forums [mailto] and they'll be posted pdq.

Re:The Amazon summary

[benwb]

Well to be fair to amazon I've often thought that authors used some sort of template to write most of the books on the best seller lists...

Sandman obviously was brilliant

[Galvatron]

But I think his books are still good. Whether or not they're his best work, they're still highly enjoyable. Unlike a previous poster, I thought Good Omens was hilarious. I'm looking forward to the book, and while I'd love him to get back into writing comics, I'm happy as long as he's writing.

The only "intuitive" interface is the nipple. After that, it's all learned.

And what's wrong with Boston?

[KahunaBurger]

Pheh. Buncha dates in NY and he doesn't even stop in to Boston/Cambridge? Or were those earier and I've already missed them. Too busy getting to OHIO I guess. Pheh again.

Kahuna Burger

Re:how is it pronounced?

[JimPooley]

It's only pronounced guymun if you're a brummie!

I have fond memories of Gaiman's rendition of "Walk on the Wild Side" played on a piano at about two in the morning at a small SF con about the time Good Omens came out.

Hacker: A criminal who breaks into computer systems

Re:The Amazon summary

[GigsVT]

Ugh, does amazon use some standard template for reviews?

"The storm was coming... For the three years Name spent in Place, he kept his head down and did his time. All he wanted was Object of desire, and to stay out of trouble for the rest of his life. But days before his Release, departure, turning point, his Object of desire becomes unattianable, and his world became a colder place. On the plane home to central locale of story, Shadow meets a grizzled man who calls himself Mr. Name, a self-declared grifter and rogue, who offers Name a job. And Name, a man with nothing to lose, accepts. But working for Name is not without its price, and Name soon learns that his role in Name's schemes will be far more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Entangled in a world of secrets and age-old mysteries, Shadow encounters, among others, the murderous Bad Guy Name, the impish Mr. Gay Name, and the beautiful Female Name--all of whom seem to know more about Name than he himself knows. Name will learn that the past does not die, that everyone, including his Object of Desire, had secrets, and that the stakes are higher than anyone could have imagined. A storm is coming, and Name and Name will soon be swept up into a brutal and epic conflict. For beneath the placid surface of everyday life a war is being fought--and the prize is the very soul of America. Name of book is a dark and kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth and across an America at once eerily familiar and utterly alien. Magnificently told, Name of book is a work of literary magic that will haunt the reader far beyond the final page."
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The Amazon summary

[jmccarthy]

"The storm was coming... For the three years Shadow spent in prison, he kept his head down and did his time. All he wanted was to get back to the loving arms of his wife, and to stay out of trouble for the rest of his life. But days before his scheduled release, his wife was killed in an accident, and his world became a colder place. On the plane home to the funeral, Shadow meets a grizzled man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday, a self-declared grifter and rogue, who offers Shadow a job. And Shadow, a man with nothing to lose, accepts. But working for Wednesday is not without its price, and Shadow soon learns that his role in Wednesday's schemes will be far more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Entangled in a world of secrets and age-old mysteries, Shadow encounters, among others, the murderous Czernobog, the impish Mr. Nancy, and the beautiful Easter--all of whom seem to know more about Shadow than he himself knows. Shadow will learn that the past does not die, that everyone, including his dead wife, had secrets, and that the stakes are higher than anyone could have imagined. A storm is coming, and Shadow and Wednesday will soon be swept up into a brutal and epic conflict. For beneath the placid surface of everyday life a war is being fought--and the prize is the very soul of America. American Gods is a dark and kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth and across an America at once eerily familiar and utterly alien. Magnificently told, American Gods is a work of literary magic that will haunt the reader far beyond the final page."

Re:And what's wrong with Boston?

[mylinh]

No doubt.
Or what about Arizona, or North Carolina (where my bestfriend/gaiman fanatic lives)?
Why NY? I read gosh darnit! Let's not forget the little people.

Re:The Amazon summary

[ideut]

I'm sure that precisely every single slashdot will have been amused by the way that "Gaiman" sounds just like "gay man" and also by some other brilliant innuendo which will shortly be revealed.

--

Death, etc..

[daniel_isaacs]

Neil is by far my favorite graphic novel writer (next to Alan, of course). Anyone who doesn't already know should check out his Sandman [everything2.com] books. He also wrote the best issue of Spawn, #9 I think.

Re:Gaiman, Morrison, Moore, Miller

[slashBastard]

I remember those days too, so what did they go off and write? I can't imagine Alan Moore coming up with a bad script/novel (well, novel anyway)......yes this is offtopic but do I care?
------------------------------------------------ -- ---

Re:Books not where he really shines

[geomcbay]

I disagree. I found both Neverwhere and Stardust to be great novels. Also, a number of the short stories in Smoke & Mirrors were quite good. I didn't care much for Good Omens, but that was a shared-effort and done quite a long time ago.

Along with Clive Barker, Gaiman is one of the only people out there writing really creative 'fantasy' fiction, IMO.

Looking forward to this book quite a bit...

(Of course, the graphic novels are great too.)

Re:The Amazon summary

[Voltaire99]

After you've seen enough of them, these blurbs all sound alike. They're actually a real favor, as they reduce potboilers to their bare essence. And any book whose essence can be reduced to a series of cliches is one to pass over:

"Open with A BIG TRITE METAPHOR FOR CONFLICT INVOLVING THE WEATHER.... For the three years that WELL-TROD CHARACTER NAME WITH ALLUSIONS TO COMICS, RADIO AND MOVIES spent in prison, he CLICHE'd and CLICHE'd. But days before his scheduled release, UNSURPRISING TRAGEDY occurred. On the plane home to the funeral, CONTRIVED PLOT BUMP is introduced FEATURING UNASSUMING AND THEREFORE VERY SIGNIFICANT VILLAIN, who is named ODDLY AND CLOYINGLY. The self-declared grifter and rogue ("Allow me to introduce myself. I am a grifter and rogue") offers a job. Before you know it, THINGS ARE GETTING CONVENTIONALLY WEIRDER JUST AS THEY ALWAYS DO IN THESE TIRED BLOATED GENRE NOVELS..."

Still a pre-release?

[number one duck]

Talk about vaporware... I remember hearing Gaiman and this title quite a long time ago (on the order of more than a few years, I'm sure...) How long has he been working on it?

Two of my favourite novels...

[gothwebmaster]

Neil Gaiman's two novels, Good Omens and Neverwhere are both among by top 20 novels (which is sortof a huge tie for first place). Stardust is almost a novel, and it is in there too... So where does the idea that novels aren't his strong suit come from? He has only written one novel by himself (Good Omens is with Pratchett, Stardust is a novella, really, or a serial) and it was fantastic. I look forward to the new one. Yippee! Porn plug: http://www.gothicamateur.com

Re:how is it pronounced?

[gothwebmaster]

I think the AI in Gaiman is a dipthong, so I suspect the first syllable is pronounced like the word "GUY" and the second is "mun"... Neil GUY-mun (the u is like a schwa).

I had a friend who said it was GAY-man, which I still tend to say if I don't think about it, but I've heard GUY-mun is the right way. I think my friend just liked to say "Kneal, gay man!" anyhow... he was an odd one.

Porn plug: http://www.gothicamateur.com

Re:Books not where he really shines

[ppg_bubbles]

I have to agree with this. Although I've found Gaiman's graphic novels and shorter works truly captivating, his novels have always left me at a bit of a loss. He is an undeniably gifted storyteller, and, perhaps unlike many of his peers, I think his real strength does not lie in his longer works.

Reading amazon.co.uk's synopsis [amazon.co.uk], I have to admit that I'm less than intrigued. Perhaps it's a bad synopsis but it looks like he followed all sorts of random directions just for the sake of following them. Strangeness for the sake of strangeness. How stale.

Re:Still a pre-release?

[blang]

At least long enough so that he had to go back on his resolve not to cut and shave till it was finished. According to the weblog, he got rid of his beard in 2000, beacuse he looked like a terrorist, but he kept the hair.