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{{Short description|2001 novel by Neil Gaiman}}
{{About|the novel|the television adaptation|American Gods (TV series){{!}}''American Gods'' (TV series)|5=List of Native American deities}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox book
| name          = American Gods
| image         = American gods.jpg
| caption       = Cover of first edition (hardcover)
| author        = [[Neil Gaiman]]
| country       = [[United Kingdom]]
| language      = [[English language|English]]
| subject       = <!-- Subject is not relevant for fiction. -->
| genre         = [[Fantasy]]<!-- [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels/Novel categorisation]]. -->
| publisher     = [[HarperCollins|William Morrow]], [[Headline Publishing Group|Headline]]
| release_date  = 19 June 2001
| media_type    = [[Printing|Print]] ([[hardback]] & [[paperback]])
| pages         = 465 <!-- First edition page count. -->
| awards        = [[Hugo Award for Best Novel]] (2002), [[Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel]] (2002), [[Nebula Award for Best Novel]] (2002) 
| isbn          =  0-380-97365-0
| dewey         = 813/.54 21
| congress      = PR6057.A319 A84 2001
| oclc          = 46393953
| preceded_by   = <!-- Preceding novel in series. -->
| followed_by   = [[Anansi Boys]]
}}

'''''American Gods''''' (2001) is a [[fantasy novel]] by British author [[Neil Gaiman]]. The novel is a blend of [[Americana (culture)|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 Publishing Group|Headline]] in the United Kingdom and by [[William Morrow and Company|William Morrow]] in the United States. It gained a positive critical response and won the 2002 [[Hugo Award|Hugo]] and [[Nebula Award|Nebula]] awards.<ref name="WWE-2002">{{cite web
| url = http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2002
| title = 2002 Award Winners & Nominees
| work = Worlds Without End
| access-date = 5 August 2009
| archive-date = 20 April 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090420075553/http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2002
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

A special tenth anniversary edition, which includes the "author's preferred text" and 12,000 additional words, was published in June 2011 by William Morrow. Two audio versions of the book were produced and published by [[Harper Audio]]: an [[unabridged]] version of the original published edition, read by George Guidall, released in 2001; a [[full cast audiobook]] version of the tenth anniversary edition, released in 2011. In March 2017, [[The Folio Society]] published a special collector's edition of ''American Gods'', with many corrections to the author's preferred text version.<ref name="NG-Sacred"/>

In April 2017, [[Starz]] began airing a [[American Gods (TV series)|television adaptation]] of the novel. [[Bryan Fuller]] and [[Michael Green (writer)|Michael Green]] served as showrunners,<ref>{{cite news|last=Shepherd|first=Jack|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/american-gods-tv-series-neil-gaiman-review-a7638961.html|title=Neil Gaiman gives verdict on American Gods TV series|date=20 March 2017|work=The Independent|location=London|access-date=12 August 2017|archive-date=25 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425062841/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/american-gods-tv-series-neil-gaiman-review-a7638961.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and Gaiman is an executive producer.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/awards/even-neil-gaiman-was-surprised-by-the-reaction-to-american-gods-starz-1202460792/|title=Even Neil Gaiman Was Surprised by the Reaction to 'American Gods'|last=Croll|first=Ben|date=12 June 2017|work=Variety|access-date=12 August 2017|archive-date=6 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406035050/https://variety.com/2017/tv/awards/even-neil-gaiman-was-surprised-by-the-reaction-to-american-gods-starz-1202460792/|url-status=live}}</ref> Fuller and Green departed the show after the first season.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Patten|first1=Dominic|last2=Andreeva|first2=Nellie|title='American Gods': Michael Green & Bryan Fuller Exit As Showrunners of Starz Series|url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/american-gods-michael-green-bryan-fuller-exit-showrunners-starz-series-1202216964/|website=Deadline|access-date=30 November 2017|date=29 November 2017|archive-date=30 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130003505/http://deadline.com/2017/11/american-gods-michael-green-bryan-fuller-exit-showrunners-starz-series-1202216964/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Plot summary==
Shadow Moon is a convict set to be released from prison. Two days before his scheduled release, he learns that his wife, Laura, has been killed in a car accident, and he is released early. Shadow is devastated by her death, and is distraught to learn that she died alongside his best friend Robbie, with whom she had been having an affair. As he was supposed to get a job from Robbie upon his release from prison, Shadow is out of luck and has to figure out what to do now. With nowhere to go, Shadow takes a job as a bodyguard for a mysterious [[con man]], Mr. Wednesday, and travels with him across the United States. Shadow meets a [[leprechaun]] named Mad Sweeney, who gives Shadow a magical gold coin after Shadow beats him in a fight. Shadow later tosses the coin into Laura's grave at her funeral, inadvertently bringing her back from the dead as a [[revenant]]. Shadow meets [[Chernobog|Czernobog]] and the three Zorya Sisters. One of the sisters gives Shadow a silver coin, coming from the Moon, to protect him. Shadow learns that Wednesday is an incarnation of [[Odin]] the All-Father, and that he is recruiting American manifestations of the Old Gods, whose powers have waned as their believers have decreased in number, to participate in a battle against the New Gods – manifestations of what humanity now worships, such as technology, media, pop-culture, and modern means of transport. Shadow meets many of Wednesday's allies, including Mr. Nancy, [[Ēostre|Easter]], Whiskey Jack, and John Chapman.

The New Gods' henchmen, the Spooks, abduct Shadow; Laura rescues him, killing several Spooks in the process. Wednesday tells Shadow to hide with Mr. Ibis and Mr. Jacquel (Thoth and Anubis, respectively), who run a funeral parlor in [[Cairo, Illinois]]. Sweeney appears and asks Shadow to give back the coin, which holds all of Sweeney's power. Shadow admits that he no longer has the coin and Sweeney dies. His body is tended to by Ibis and Jacquel, who lament the loss of another Old God. On the way to the Wisconsin community of Lakeside, Shadow picks up the hitchhiker Samantha Black Crow and drops her off at her house. Once in Lakeside, Shadow hides under the alias "Mike Ainsel" and spends time with several Lakeside residents who all live simple but happy and prosperous lives. Wednesday periodically takes Shadow on jobs to meet other gods. They are pursued all the while by the Spooks, particularly Mr. Town, who blames Shadow for the death of his friends. When a teenager in Lakeside goes missing, Shadow helps the other residents search for her, to no avail. Shadow learns that children and teenagers often go missing from Lakeside. He is then arrested for breaking his parole, but escapes with help from Czernobog and Mr. Nancy.

The New Gods seek to parley with Wednesday, but murder him at the meeting. This act is witnessed by and galvanizes the Old Gods, and they rally to face their enemies in battle at [[Rock City (attraction)|Rock City]]. While retrieving Wednesday's body, Shadow is surprised to discover his old prison cellmate and mentor, Low Key Lyesmith, is working as a driver for the New Gods. Shadow is bound by his contract with Wednesday to hold his vigil by re-enacting Odin's time hanging from a "[[World Tree]]" while pierced by a spear for nine days. During these nine days, he is visited by [[Horus]], who has become mad from living too long as a hawk. Shadow dies and visits the land of the dead, where he is judged by Anubis. Shadow learns that he is Wednesday's (Odin's) son, conceived as part of the deity's plans. During this time, Mr.&nbsp;Town arrives at the World Tree, ordered by Mr. World to cut a branch from it.

Horus finds Easter and convinces her to bring Shadow back to life. Shadow realizes Mr.&nbsp;World is actually Low Key ([[Loki]]) Lyesmith, and that Odin and Loki have been working a "[[Confidence trick|two-man con]]". They orchestrated Shadow's birth, his meeting of Loki in disguise in prison, and Laura's death. Loki had arranged for Odin's murder, thus making the battle between the New and Old Gods a sacrifice to Odin, restoring Odin's power, while also allowing Loki to feed on the chaos of the battle.

Laura chooses to hitchhike to Rock City and meets Mr.&nbsp;Town, who does not realize who she is, and they agree to travel together. During their travels, Laura learns who Mr.&nbsp;Town is and, once they arrive at their destination, kills him and takes the branch he took from the World Tree. She meets with Loki and manages to stab him with the World Tree branch, which turns into a spear as she stabs.

Shadow arrives at Rock City and confronts Loki, now gravely wounded, and the ghost of Odin, who reveal their plans. Shadow travels to the site of the battle and explains that both sides have nothing to gain and everything to lose, with Odin and Loki as the only true winners. Shadow tells them the United States is a bad place for Gods, and he recommends they return to their original homelands. The gods depart, Loki dies, and Odin's ghost fades. Laura asks Shadow to take the coin from her, which he does, and she finally dies.

After resting with Mr.&nbsp;Nancy, Shadow remembers a dream where the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] god [[Ganesha]] told him to "look in the trunk". He returns to Lakeside and walks onto the thinning ice toward the car resting there. He picks the lock and opens the trunk to find the body of the missing teenager inside. He falls through the ice and, while trapped beneath, sees cars from past winters resting on the lake floor. Each one presumably has a child's body locked inside. Shadow is saved by Hinzelmann, who takes him to his house and treats him for hypothermia. Shadow realizes that [[Hinzelmann]] is a god and is also responsible for the children's kidnappings and deaths. Hinzelmann explains that he regretfully must take one child as a sacrifice each year in exchange for the town's prosperity. The townspeople are unaware of this and Hinzelmann's control of the town as he tries to sacrifice children that no one will greatly miss. Shadow thinks of killing Hinzelmann, but finds he cannot as Hinzelmann saved his life. However, Chad Mulligan overhears the conversation and shoots Hinzelmann, killing him. Shadow and Chad drive away, with Chad guilty to the point of suicide. Shadow concludes this is a fail-safe created by Hinzelmann so that whoever killed him would die soon after. Using magic, Shadow takes Chad's memory of overhearing Hinzelmann and the killing. He leaves Chad and Lakeside behind, understanding that the town's prosperity will likely wither away without Hinzelmann's protection.

In Iceland, Shadow meets another incarnation of Odin (created by the belief of the original settlers of Iceland), who is much closer than Wednesday to the Odin of mythology. Shadow accuses Odin of Wednesday's actions, but Odin retorts: "He was me, yes. But I am not him." He indicates that Wednesday was the part of him that went with his followers when they traveled to the new world and became corrupted as he was gradually forgotten. Shadow gives Wednesday's glass eye to Odin, which Odin places in a leather bag as a keepsake. Shadow performs a simple sleight-of-hand coin trick, which delights Odin, who asks for a repeat performance. Shadow then performs a small piece of real magic, pulling a golden coin from nowhere like Mad Sweeney did when they first met. He then flips the coin up into the air and walks away, wondering if the coin will ever come back down.

==Characters==
===Mortals===
* '''Shadow Moon''' – an ex-convict who becomes the reluctant bodyguard and errand boy of Mr. Wednesday (Odin).
* '''Laura Moon''' – Shadow's wife, who dies in a car crash at the beginning of the novel, a few days before Shadow is due to be released from prison.
* '''Samantha "Sam" Black Crow''' – a hitchhiking college student whom Shadow meets during his journey.
* '''Chad Mulligan''' – a kind-hearted chief of police in the town of Lakeside.
* '''The Black Hats''' – Mister Road, Mister Town, Mister Wood, and Mister Stone, stand in for the American obsession with [[conspiracy theories]], operating as [[men in black]]. They work as [[Espionage|spooks]] for the New Gods.

===Old Gods===
* '''Mr. Wednesday''' – an aspect of [[Odin]], the Old [[Norse mythology|Norse]] god of knowledge and wisdom. 
* '''Low-Key Lyesmith''' – [[Loki]], the Old Norse god of mischief and trickery. He was a close acquaintance of Shadow Moon whilst incarcerated. 
* '''[[Chernobog|Czernobog]]''' – the [[Slavic mythology|Slavic]] god of darkness and twin brother to [[Belobog]], the god of light.
* '''The [[Zorya]] Sisters''' –  relatives of Czernobog, sisters who represent Dawn (Zorya Utrennyaya), Dusk (Zorya Vechernyaya), and the Midnight Star (Zorya Polunochnaya). In Slavic lore, they are servants of [[Dažbog]] who guard and watch over the doomsday hound, [[Simargl]]. Simargl is said to be chained to the star Polaris in the constellation Ursa Minor (the "Little Bear") and, according to legend, if the chain ever breaks the hound will devour the world.
* '''Mr. Nancy''' – [[Anansi]], a trickster spider god from Ghanaian folklore. He often makes fun of people for their stupidity, a recurring aspect of his personality in his old stories.
* '''Mr. Ibis''' – [[Thoth]], the [[Ancient Egyptian religion|Ancient Egyptian]] god of knowledge and writing. He runs a funeral parlor with Mr. Jacquel in [[Cairo, Illinois]]. He often writes short biographies of people who brought folkloric beings with them to the United States.
* '''Mr. Jacquel''' – [[Anubis]], the Ancient Egyptian god of the dead and mummification. He is an expert at preparing bodies for the wake at funerals.
* '''Bast''' – [[Bastet]], the Ancient Egyptian cat goddess. Often appears as a small house cat and heals Shadow's bruises and aches after he has been beaten.
* '''[[Horus]]''' – the Ancient Egyptian god of the sky.
* '''Easter''' – [[Ēostre]], the [[Germanic paganism|Germanic]] goddess of the dawn.
* '''Mad Sweeney''' – [[Buile Shuibhne|Suibhne]], a king from an old Irish story. Though not portrayed as such in his story, he calls himself a "[[Leprechaun]]" despite his description as being nearly 7-feet-tall. Sweeney is foul-mouthed and a frequent drinker.
* '''Whiskey Jack''' – [[Wisakedjak]], a trickster figure of [[Algonquian peoples|Algonquian]] mythology. He lives near a [[Lakota people|Lakota]] reservation in the badlands with John Chapman, where he is mistaken for [[Iktomi]], a trickster of their culture.
* '''John Chapman''' – [[Johnny Appleseed]], described as a "culture hero" rather than a god. He loathes [[Paul Bunyan]] (who he incorrectly describes as an advertising ploy) for diverting belief away from him.
* '''Elvis''' – [[Alvíss]], a dwarf in Norse mythology. The King of the Dwarves, he is of average height for humans but has dwarfish proportions.
* '''[[Eshu|Elegba]] and [[Mawu|Great Mawu]]''' – The gods worshipped by those enslaved coming to America.
* '''Gwydion''' – [[Gwydion|Gwydion fab Dôn]], a trickster god of Welsh mythology.
* '''Hinzelmann''' – [[Hinzelmann]], a [[kobold]] who was formerly revered as a tribal god by ancient Germanic tribes. He protects the town of Lakeside in the guise of an old man.
* '''Bilquis''' – the ancient [[Queen of Sheba]], who endures by absorbing her sexual partners, turning them into worshippers
* '''Mama-Ji''' – [[Kali]], the Hindu goddess of time and destruction.
* '''The Jinn''' – an [[ifrit]] taxi-driver that swaps lives with an Omani businessman after a sexual encounter.
* '''The Land''' – a buffalo-headed man, the personification of the land as worshipped by Native Americans, who appears to Shadow in his dreams to give him guidance.
*'''Bearded man''' – A character similar to [[Jesus]] speaks to Shadow in a dream sequence while he is hanging from the world tree. Shadow states that, compared to the other old Gods, he still has a lot of influence. However, the bearded man worries that his teachings have been applied to everything, and as a result also apply to nothing. Gaiman has removed and replaced this section of the book numerous times.<ref name="bearded-man">{{cite book |last=Gaiman |first1=Neil |title=The Annotated American Gods |chapter=Appendix A |editor-last=Klinger |editor-first=Leslie S. |publisher=William Morrow |year=2020 |page=611 |isbn=9780062896261}}</ref>
*'''The Elephant God''' – [[Ganesha]], the Hindu god of new beginnings; appears to Shadow during the world tree dream sequences. Shadow eventually realizes Ganesha's role is to remove obstacles, and that his cryptic message to 'look in the trunk' is in fact a clue to the location of Alison McGovern's body.
*'''The Forgettable God''' – An unknown god whom Mr. Wednesday meets in Las Vegas along with Shadow, whose name slipped from Shadow's mind whenever Mr. Wednesday said it. He has a liking for [[Soma (drink)|Soma]], a Vedic ritual drink. Gaiman has never confirmed the identity of this god.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://journal.neilgaiman.com/2007/10/flowers-of-romance.html |title=Neil Gaiman's Journal: The Flowers of Romance |last=Gaiman |first=Neil |date=22 October 2007 |website=journal.neilgaiman.com |access-date=24 April 2023 |quote=As for withholding information... before the Internet, I'd tell anyone anything they wanted to know. ('Who's the missing member of the Endless?' 'Destruction.' 'Oh.') After the Internet, I would try and avoid answering some direct questions because it might spoil things for people. 'Why did Delight become Delirium?' 'Who's the Forgotten God?' -- they're questions I would happily have answered for anyone who asked at a signing 20 years ago, because it wouldn't have gone any further, not in any way that mattered. Not any longer, because one day I may tell those stories. (If I knew for sure I wouldn't tell them, then I'd happily answer people now.)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.neilgaiman.com/FAQs/Books,_Short_Stories,_and_Films#q2 |title=FAQs {{!}} Books, Short Stories, and Films |last=Gaiman |first=Neil |website=neilgaiman.com |access-date=24 April 2023}}</ref>

===New Gods===
* '''Technical Boy''' – New God of technology and the Internet, personified as an adult-sized fat child.
* '''Media''' – New Goddess of television and [[pop culture]]. She often communicates by hijacking whatever is showing on television, for example communicating with Shadow via [[Lucy Ricardo]] from  ''[[I Love Lucy]]'' and the cast of ''[[Cheers]]''.
* '''The Intangibles''' – New Gods of the modern stock market, they are a personification of the "[[Invisible hand]] of the market".
* '''Mr. World''' – leader of The Black Hats and the New God of [[globalization]].
* Other New Gods mentioned include those of [[automobiles]], [[locomotives]], [[heavier-than-air flight]], [[cosmetic surgery]], and various drugs.

==Influences==
The novel's dedication reads "for absent friends – [[Kathy Acker]] and [[Roger Zelazny]] and all points in between."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.raintaxi.com/dreaming-american-gods-an-interview-with-neil-gaiman/|title=Dreaming American Gods: an Interview With Neil Gaiman|last=Dornemann|first=Rudi|author2=Kelly Everding|date=Summer 2001|work=Rain Taxi Online Edition|publisher=Rain Taxi, Inc.|access-date=28 September 2009|archive-date=9 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409021223/http://www.raintaxi.com/dreaming-american-gods-an-interview-with-neil-gaiman/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Gaiman has discussed the origin point for ''American Gods'' as a novel, citing his experience as an immigrant in America in 1992, where he began to form the vague idea of the book in his mind. Additionally, while experiencing a layover in an airport in Reykjavik in 1998, Gaiman states that he thought “I wonder if they brought their gods with them, when they went to America?”<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gaiman |first=Neil |date=2011-09-02 |title=Week three: Neil Gaiman on writing American Gods |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/sep/02/american-gods-neil-gaiman-bookclub |access-date=2024-11-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

The [[Discworld]] novel ''[[Small Gods]]'' explores a similar origin of deities ([[Tulpa|thoughtform]]). While Gaiman says that he did not read the book by [[Terry Pratchett]], he thought they shared a worldview due to their same geographic origins and, more importantly, their daily phone conversations. He had also sought advice from Pratchett on resolving plot elements of ''American Gods''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.slashdot.org/story/03/11/03/1349252/neil-gaiman-responds |title=Neil Gaiman Responds |date=3 November 2003 |work=[[Slashdot]] |access-date=18 November 2018 |archive-date=19 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219063030/https://news.slashdot.org/story/03/11/03/1349252/neil-gaiman-responds |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to Gaiman, ''American Gods'' is not based on [[Diana Wynne Jones]]'s 1975 novel ''[[Eight Days of Luke]]'', "although they bear an odd relationship, like second cousins once removed or something." When working on the structure of a story linking gods and days of the week, he realised that this idea had already been used in ''Eight Days of Luke''. He abandoned the story, but later used the idea when writing ''American Gods'' to depict Wednesday and Shadow meeting on the god's namesake day.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gaiman |first=Neil |url=http://www.neilgaiman.com/exclusive/agblogarchive/2001_09 |title=Neil Gaiman – September 2001 |publisher=Neil Gaiman's Journal |date=25 September 2001 |access-date=3 January 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061210224109/http://www.neilgaiman.com/exclusive/agblogarchive/2001_09| archive-date= 10 December 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref>

Of [[John James (writer)|John James]]' 1966 novel ''Votan'', Gaiman stated: "I think probably the best book ever done about the Norse was a book that I couldn't allow myself to read between coming up with the idea of ''American Gods'' and finishing it. After it was published, I actually sat down and allowed myself to read it for the first time in 15 years, and discovered it was just as good as I thought it was."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shadow-writer.co.uk/neilinterview.htm |title=Interview with Neil Gaiman |year=2005 |work=Shadow Writer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021063116/http://www.shadow-writer.co.uk/neilinterview.htm |archive-date=21 October 2016|access-date=18 November 2018|url-status=live }}</ref>

In his introduction to [[Fritz Leiber|Fritz Leiber's]] ''[[The Knight and Knave of Swords]]'', Gaiman acknowledges Leiber's portrayal of Odin and Loki had "definitely smudged into" and informed his take on the characters.<ref>Gaiman, Neil ''The Knight and Knave of Swords: The Adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser'' ASIN: B001EBHEMG</ref>

== Writing and promotion ==

{{Quote box
 |align=right
 |width=25%
 |quote  = The fifteenth word of ''American Gods'' is "fuck", which is to help inform readers of a nervous disposition that they can stop reading there, or at least by the end of the extremely peculiar sex scene that closes Chapter 1.
 |author = Neil Gaiman
 |source = writing on [[Tumblr]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gaiman |first1=Neil |title=Mr Gaiman, why do you mention breasts so much in |url=https://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/post/665827974216548352/mr-gaiman-why-do-you-mention-breasts-so-much-in |via=Tumblr |access-date=23 October 2021}}</ref>
}}

While Gaiman was writing ''American Gods'', his publishers set up a promotional web site featuring a [[weblog]] in which Gaiman described the day-to-day process of writing, revising, publishing, and promoting the novel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Neil |title=American Gods Blog, Post 2 |url=https://journal.neilgaiman.com/2001/02/american-gods-blog-post-2_09.html |access-date=2024-09-19}}</ref> After the novel was published, the website evolved into a more general Official Neil Gaiman Web Site. {{As of|2021|post=,}} Gaiman sporadically adds to the weblog, describing the writing, revising, publishing, or promoting of his current projects; but tends to use social media like Tumblr<ref>{{cite web |url=https://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/ |title=Home |website=neil-gaiman.tumblr.com}}</ref> or Twitter<ref>{{Cite Twitter profile|neilhimself}}</ref> for more personal details or reader questions.

On 28 February 2008, Gaiman announced on his journal that for one month the complete text of ''American Gods'' would be available to the public on his publisher's website.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gaiman |first=Neil |url=http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2008/02/kids-free-book.html |title=Kids! Free! Book! |publisher=Neil Gaiman's Journal |date=28 February 2008 |access-date=29 February 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080302185307/http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2008/02/kids-free-book.html| archive-date= 2 March 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref>

== Reception ==

The book won the 2002 [[Hugo Award for Best Novel|Hugo]], [[Nebula Award for Best Novel|Nebula]], [[Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel|Locus]],<ref name="WWE-2002"/> [[SFX (magazine)|''SFX'']] and [[Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel|Bram Stoker]] Awards, all for Best Novel, and likewise received nominations for the 2001 [[BSFA Award]],<ref name="WWE-2001">{{cite web
| url = http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2001
| title = 2001 Award Winners & Nominees
| work = Worlds Without End
| access-date = 5 August 2009
| archive-date = 22 July 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120722202001/https://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2001
| url-status = live
}}</ref> as well as the 2002 [[World Fantasy Award—Novel|World Fantasy]],<ref name="WWE-2002"/> [[International Horror Guild Award|International Horror Guild]] and [[Mythopoeic Awards|Mythopoeic]], and [[British Fantasy Award|British Fantasy]]<ref name="WWE-2002"/> awards. It won the 2003 [[Geffen Award]].

In May 2010, ''American Gods'' was selected in an online poll to be the first "One Book One Twitter" book.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/may/04/one-book-one-twitter-book-club |title='One Book, One Twitter' launches worldwide book club with Neil Gaiman |date=4 May 2010 |first=Alison |last=Flood |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=18 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602085200/http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/may/04/one-book-one-twitter-book-club |archive-date=2 June 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2014, when the television show adaptation was announced, author Abraham Riesman criticized the move as being a "bad idea", highlighting the aspects of the book that did not age well or were offensive to some cultures.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Riesman |first1=Abraham |title=Why Adapting Neil Gaiman's American Gods for TV Is a Bad Idea |url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/07/neil-gaiman-american-gods-adaptation-starz-bad-idea.html |access-date=24 March 2021 |publisher=Vulture}}</ref> Beyond this, academics have claimed the work has ontological and epistemic implications,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Blomqvist |first1=Rut |title='The Road of Our Senses: Search for Personal Meaning and the Limitations of Myth in Neil Gaiman's American Gods' |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26815498 |journal=Mythlore |year=2012 |volume=30 |issue=3/4 (117/118) |pages=5–26 |jstor=26815498 |access-date=20 May 2024}}</ref> and, as part of the body of Gaiman's work, explored the appropriative style.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Clay |title=Get Gaiman?: PolyMorpheus Perversity in Works by and about Neil Gaiman |url=https://imagetextjournal.com/get-gaiman-polymorpheus-perversity-in-works-by-and-about-neil-gaiman/ |website=ImageTxt: interdisciplinary Comics Studies}}</ref>

==Publishing history==
The book was published in 2001 by [[Headline Publishing Group|Headline]] in the United Kingdom and by [[William Morrow and Company|William Morrow]] in the United States.

A special tenth anniversary edition, which includes the "author's preferred text" and 12,000 additional words, was published in June 2011 by William Morrow. The tenth anniversary text is identical to the signed and numbered limited edition released in 2003 by Hill House Publishers, and to the edition from Headline, Gaiman's publisher in the UK since 2005.<ref name="NG-Sacred">{{cite web |url=http://www.neilgaiman.co.uk/index.php?pgId=46 |website=NeilGaiman.co.uk |title=American Gods: Is Nothing Sacred? |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509024721/http://www.neilgaiman.co.uk/index.php?pgId=46 |archive-date=9 May 2009}} Retrieved on 13 June 2009.</ref> The tenth anniversary edition marked the first time the author's preferred text had been available in wide release outside the UK.<ref name= "Neil Gaiman's Journal May 2011">{{cite news |last=Gaiman|first=Neil |url=http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2011_05_01_archive.html |title=Neil Gaiman's Journal – May 2011 |work=Neil Gaiman's Journal |date=5 May 2011 |access-date=15 July 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110624080742/http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2011_05_01_archive.html| archive-date= 24 June 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>

Two audio versions of the book were produced and published by [[Harper Audio]]: an unabridged version of the original published edition, read by George Guidall, was released in 2001. A [[full cast audiobook]] version of the tenth anniversary edition, including the author's preferred text and 12,000 additional words, was released in 2011.

A comic book series, ''American Gods: Shadows'', was published by [[Dark Horse Comics]] starting in March 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sava |first1=Oliver |title=Neil Gaiman's American Gods comes to comics in this exclusive preview |url=https://news.avclub.com/neil-gaiman-s-american-gods-comes-to-comics-in-this-exc-1798256616 |website=A.V. Club |access-date=18 November 2018 |date=23 January 2017 |archive-date=18 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118205902/https://news.avclub.com/neil-gaiman-s-american-gods-comes-to-comics-in-this-exc-1798256616 |url-status=live }}</ref> A book of the same name, collecting issues 1 through 9 of the comic book series, was published by Dark Horse Books in February 2018.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=American Gods Volume 1: Shadows HC |url=https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/30-457/American-Gods-Volume-1-Shadows-HC |website=Dark Horse Comics |access-date=18 November 2018 |archive-date=26 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626182123/https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/30-457/American-Gods-Volume-1-Shadows-HC |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2017, [[The Folio Society]] published a special collector's edition of ''American Gods'', with many corrections to the author's preferred text version. Gaiman described this edition as 'the cleanest text there has ever been' of the novel.<ref name="NG-Sacred"/>

==In other media==
===Comics===

[[Dark Horse Comics]] publishes a series of comic books based on the novel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nieves |first=Davey |date=2017-01-23 |title=INTERVIEW: P. Craig Russell on bringing American Gods from the page to the panel. |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-p-craig-russell-on-bringing-american-gods-from-the-page-to-the-panel/ |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}</ref> The comic books were co written by Gaiman and [[P. Craig Russell]]. With art by Russell and [[Scott Hampton]], among others.<ref name=":0" />

===Television===
{{main|American Gods (TV series)}}
[[Starz (TV network)|Starz]] developed a television series from the novel with [[Bryan Fuller]] and [[Michael Green (writer)|Michael Green]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/starz-bryan-fuller-board-neil-716142 |title=Starz, Bryan Fuller Board Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods' |first=Lesley |last=Goldberg |date=1 July 2014 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=18 November 2018 |archive-date=18 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118205806/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/starz-bryan-fuller-board-neil-716142 |url-status=live }}</ref> The series debuted in April 2017. At the end of season 1, Fuller stepped down as showrunner and was replaced by [[Jesse Alexander]]. The two had previously worked together on ''[[Star Trek: Discovery]]'' and ''[[Hannibal (TV series)|Hannibal]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Petski |first1=Denise |title='American Gods' Hires New Showrunner For Season 2 |url=https://deadline.com/2018/02/american-gods-hires-showrunner-season-2-jesse-alexander-1202277410/ |access-date=18 November 2018 |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=2 February 2018 |archive-date=5 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105221501/https://deadline.com/2018/02/american-gods-hires-showrunner-season-2-jesse-alexander-1202277410/ |url-status=live }}</ref> While the show ended on season 3 without adapting the whole book, production company [[Fremantle (company)|Fremantle]] expressed an interest in making a television film to conclude the story, and in 2024 Shadow Moon's actor [[Ricky Whittle]] stated he and Gaiman were seeking a streaming service to pull off these plans.<ref>[https://bleedingcool.com/tv/american-gods-return-chances-very-much-not-dead-ricky-whittle/ American Gods Return Chances "Very Much Not Dead": Ricky Whittle]</ref>

===Music===
The [[power metal]] band [[Blind Guardian]] wrote a song titled "Secrets of the American Gods" based on the novel, on their 2022 album [[The God Machine (album)|The God Machine]].<ref name="StudioReport3">{{cite web |url=https://metal-sound.net/2022/02/26/blind-guardian-studio-report-3/ |title= Blind Guardian Studio Report 3 |publisher=Mark Miranovic |accessdate=20 May 2022| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20220318123036/https://metal-sound.net/2022/02/26/blind-guardian-studio-report-3/| archivedate= 18 March 2022 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==Related works==

Gaiman's next novel, ''[[Anansi Boys]]'' (2005), was conceived before ''American Gods'' and shares a character, Mr. Nancy ([[Anansi]], the spider god of African legend).

In an interview with [[MTV News]] published on 22 June 2011, Gaiman said that he had plans for a direct sequel to ''American Gods''. Gaiman had plans for a sequel even while writing the first book and has said that he is likely to focus on the New Gods in the sequel.<ref>{{cite news |title=Neil Gaiman Reflects On 'American Gods,' 10 Years Later |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666281/neil-gaiman-american-gods.jhtml |publisher=MTV News |first=Rick |last=Marshall |date=22 June 2011|access-date=18 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614075056/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666281/neil-gaiman-american-gods.jhtml  |archive-date=14 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In addition to the planned sequel, Gaiman has written two short story sequels featuring Shadow Moon. "The Monarch of the Glen", a novella first published in the 2003 anthology ''[[Legends II (book)|Legends II]]'', takes place in Scotland two years after ''American Gods''. The second short story, "Black Dog", was collected in Gaiman's 2015 ''[[Trigger Warning (book)|Trigger Warning]]''. It takes place a year later in [[Derbyshire]]'s Peak District.<ref>{{cite news|last=Flood|first=Allison|date=1 September 2014|title=Neil Gaiman brings American Gods back to life|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/01/neil-gaiman-american-gods-short-story-collection-trigger-warnings|work=The Guardian|location=London|access-date=25 February 2019|archive-date=25 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225103153/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/01/neil-gaiman-american-gods-short-story-collection-trigger-warnings|url-status=live}}</ref> In the introduction for ''Trigger Warning'' Gaiman said that he had one final standalone story that would take Shadow to London before he returns to the US and the start of American Gods 2.

==Translations==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''Amerikāņu dievi'' ([[Latvian language|Latvian]]), {{ISBN|978-9934-0-2282-1}}
* ''Ameerika jumalad'' ([[Estonian language|Estonian]]), {{ISBN|9985-62-181-6}}
* ''Amerykańscy bogowie'' ([[Polish language|Polish]]), {{ISBN|83-89004-10-0}}
* ''Zei Americani'' ([[Romanian language|Romanian]]), {{ISBN|973-733-070-6}}
* אלים אמריקאים (Elim Amerikaim) ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]])
* ''American Gods'' ([[Italian language|Italian]]), {{ISBN|88-04-52083-3}}
* ''Deuses Americanos'' ([[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]), {{ISBN|85-87193-59-7}}
* ''Američtí bohové'' ([[Czech language|Czech]]), {{ISBN|80-85911-98-1}}
* ''Americkí bohovia'' ([[Slovak language|Slovak]]), {{ISBN|978-80-556-0754-2}}
* ''Unohdetut jumalat'' ("Forgotten Gods") ([[Finnish language|Finnish]]), {{ISBN|951-1-18055-X}}
* ''Amerikai istenek'' ([[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]), {{ISBN|9786155049705}}
* ''American Gods'' (Spanish), {{ISBN|84-8431-627-0}}
* ''Američki Bogovi'' ([[Croatian language|Croatian]]), {{ISBN|953-220-126-2}}
* ''Ameriški bogovi'' ([[Slovenian language|Slovenian]]), {{ISBN|978-961-274-129-7}}
* Aмерички Богови ([[Serbian language|Serbian]]), {{ISBN|86-7436-039-4}}
* Американские Боги (Russian), {{ISBN|5-17-019844-2}}
* ''Amerikos dievai'' ([[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]]), {{ISBN|9986-97-101-2}}
* ''Amerikan Tanrıları'' ([[Turkish language|Turkish]]), {{ISBN|978-975-10-1904-2}}
* ''American Gods'' (German), {{ISBN|3-453-40037-2}}
* ''Amerikanska gudar'' ([[Swedish language|Swedish]]), {{ISBN|91-37-12227-4}}
* ''Amerikanske guder'' ([[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]), {{ISBN|978-82-93059-50-9}}
* ''Amerikanske guder'' ([[Danish language|Danish]]), {{ISBN|978-87-71375-44-2}}
* 美國眾神 ([[Traditional Chinese]]), {{ISBN|978-986-7399-84-7}}, {{ISBN|9789863593492}}
* 美国众神 ([[Simplified Chinese]]), {{ISBN|978-753-6459-50-2}}, {{ISBN|978-7-5502-9714-2}}
* Ο Πόλεμος των Θεών (''O Polemos ton Theon'', "The War of the Gods") ([[Greek language|Greek]])
* ''American Gods'' (French), {{ISBN|978-2-290-33041-8}}
* Американски богове ([[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]), {{ISBN|954-585-519-3}}
* 신들의 전쟁 (상), 신들의 전쟁(하) ([[Korean language|Korean]]), {{ISBN|978-89-6017-268-5}}, {{ISBN|978-89-6017-269-2}}
* ''Amerikaanse Goden'' ([[Dutch Language|Dutch]]), {{ISBN|90-245-4261-8}}, {{ISBN|978-90-245-4261-1}}
* ამერიკელი ღმერთები ([[Georgian language|Georgian]]) {{ISBN|978-9941236631}} 
* アメリカン・ゴッズ ([[Japanese Language|Japanese]]), {{ISBN|978-4047916081}}, {{ISBN|978-4047916098}}
* Американские боги ([[Russian Language|Russian]]), {{ISBN|978-5170454716}}, {{ISBN|978-5971354659}}
* Американські боги ([[Ukrainian Language|Ukrainian]]), {{ISBN|978-617-7498-66-6}}
* อเมริกัน ก็อดส์ ([[Thai Language|Thailand]]), {{ISBN|978-616-9187-39-4}}
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite news |last=Gaiman |first=Neil |url=http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2007/03/more-mysteries-of-oracle.html |title=More Mysteries of the Oracle |publisher=Neil Gaiman's Journal |date=1 March 2007 |access-date=3 January 2007}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://browseinside.harpercollins.ca/index.aspx?isbn13=9780380973651 The first five chapters of ''American Gods'', released by HarperCollins] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401234524/http://browseinside.harpercollins.ca/index.aspx?isbn13=9780380973651 |date=1 April 2016 }}
* [http://www.frowl.org/gods/gods.html "Only the gods are real"], a listing of all the gods and mythical beings featured in ''American Gods''
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.rjspindle.com/content/american-gods-neil-gaiman |title=Full-length Commentary on American Gods |access-date=10 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006191612/http://www.rjspindle.com/content/american-gods-neil-gaiman |archive-date=6 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}

{{Neil Gaiman}}
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