Sunday, March 17, 2013

"American Gods": Myths and Monsters




Writer Neil Gaiman has confirmed that he is working on the third draft of "American Gods" for HBO, based on his 2001 Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel, blending Americana, fantasy and strands of ancient mythology.


Central premise of "American Gods" is that mythological creatures exist because people believe in them, with immigrants to the US bringing with them 'dwarves', 'elves', 'leprechauns' and other spirits.


"...'Shadow' is an ex-con who leaves prison to find his wife and best friend died in a car accident, leaving him alone in the world. He takes a job as a bodyguard for a mysterious man called 'Mr. Wednesday', who seems to know more about Shadow's life than he lets on.


"Shadow and Wednesday travel across America visiting Wednesday's unusual colleagues and acquaintances until Shadow learns that Wednesday is in fact an incarnation of 'Odin the All-Father', who in his current guise is recruiting American manifestations of the 'Old Gods' of ancient mythology, whose powers have waned as their believers have decreased in number, to participate in an epic battle against the 'New American Gods', manifestations of modern life and technology including the Internet, media and modern means of transport.


"Shadow meets many gods and magical creatures along the way including 'Mr. Nancy' (a manifestation of the spider god/trickster figure 'Anansi'), 'Czernobog' and a leprechaun named 'Mad Sweeney', who gives Shadow the gift of a magical gold coin. Shadow tosses the coin into his wife's grave, inadvertently bring her back from the dead as a semi-living 'revenant'.


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