American Gods

A masterful blend of fantasy, horror, Americana and mythology, American Gods is Neil Gaiman’s exhilarating and imaginative road trip epic, examining faith and mortality in the age of media obsession. After three years in prison, Shadow is a man who has done his time. No longer afraid of what the future may bring, his only desire is to be reunited with his wife Laura and to start a new life. But just days before his release, Shadow’s best friend and Laura are killed in a car accident, leaving him lost and heartbroken. With his life in shambles and no plans for his future, Shadow accepts a job offer from Mr. Wednesday, a beguiling stranger he meets on his way home who seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself. Being Mr. Wednesday’s bodyguard, driver and errand boy proves more dangerous than Shadow could have ever imagined, taking him on a dark and strange road trip that introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates seem mysteriously intertwined with his own.

Just before his release from prison, Shadow learns that his wife has been killed in a car accident. Aimless and in shock, he meets Mr Wednesday, a hustler and con man with a number of peculiar friends. After accepting a job as Wednesday’s bodyguard and driver, Shadow finds himself on a road trip across the haunted landscape of America and, along with his shady boss, is soon embroiled in a conflict that could destroy them all: a war between the old gods and the new. American Gods is a sweeping exploration of story, myth and the shifting nature of belief itself. According to Mr Wednesday, gods travelled to the new world with their immigrant worshippers only to flounder in a land both too strange and too modern to nurture them. Although the story is rooted in the familiar – American Gods gives us Egyptian deities who run funeral parlours, and gods who drive cabs to make a living – it tears back the veil to reveal the pulsing supernatural heart of America. Crammed with unconventional yet wholly engaging characters, this story of coin tricks, cons and misdirection is considered a masterpiece.

One-of-a-kind prototype created during the development of the published edition. Prototypes are produced to evaluate binding materials, structural elements, and design concepts prior to final production. In most cases, the binding design differs—sometimes subtly, sometimes significantly—from the version ultimately published.Some prototypes may share the same binding as the final production edition. The primary distinction is that all prototype books contain blank pages unless otherwise noted, and do not include an enclosure unless pictured.Each prototype includes a signed letter of authenticity. This prototype has a printed text block and colophon. It includes all illustrations except the Classic edition jacket art fold-out. It also includes a set of coins.PLEASE NOTE: Prototype books may have one or more imperfections and/or defects and are sold as-is. Not eligible for return.