Neil Gaiman’s work with the old gods isn’t done yet apparently since if you enjoyed or even watched American Gods on Starz, then the name Anansi should mean something to you. Of course, if you’re into African mythology then the trickster god that loved to tell stories, and was played by Orlando Jones, should be just as recognizable. While Anansi Boys isn’t a sequel or even connected to American Gods it does take a very familiar character and brings him to life just to kill him off since this story will be about Anansi’s sons, who have never met apparently, and will come together at some point in this story as it’s been described. The mere fact that this story is coming out now, years after Gaiman’s novel hit the shelves, is proof that his works are finally being given the type of respect they need and the visualization that might not have been adequate back in the day. The mention of old gods, of a modern-day world they find themselves in, and the lives they now lead, has been of great interest to many people.
It sounds as though this will be a limited series, meaning that it won’t, for the moment, become anything bigger. But the idea that Anansi and his tale have become an interest to those at Amazon gives a bit of hope to those that enjoy the stories of the old gods and their various exploits. While American Gods took the tale of Odin in the form of Mr. Wednesday and explored his desire to fight against the new gods of technology, using his son Shadow Moon to do so, the hope is that this story will follow the book as close as possible in order to gain the actual feeling of the story and the overall tale of a god that many have forgotten to this date. One thing that is easy to appreciate about Gaiman and those like him is that their tales bring to life myths and legends that have helped to keep the imagination and wonder of humanity alive to this date and inspire others to do the same.
Stories about the old gods definitely appeal to a certain type of people, but as American Gods has proven, they can be every bit as interesting to others that simply want a great story. While it’s not a necessity to enjoy the story, there is actually some wisdom in learning more about the legends of Anansi, where he came from, and what he’s all about, since the god was considered to be a trickster, but also wise and skilled in the spinning of a tale. The line “Time for a story!” in American Gods by Orlando Jones is quite accurate for the character of Anansi, and Gaiman did take great pains to get the character as precise as he could, while still having fun with the god by giving him a true sense of style that was present in the show. It’s a little bit surprising that Orlando Jones wasn’t tapped to bring the character back since he did such a great job in American Gods, but hey, things happen. It’s very likely that this version of Anansi will be accepted just much, particularly if the actor taking on the role is able to bring the same level of style back to the character.
It’s already been established that Anansi boys won’t be coming out any time soon since Gaiman is currently pretty busy and can’t really give the kind of attention to the story that it needs. Right now it would appear that 2023 is what is being anticipated as a release date, but again, there’s nothing set in stone at the moment. That’s a long time to wait to hear this story according to a lot of people, but those that know that a story is a work of art and can’t be rushed are well aware that if a person really wants to get to know the Anansi Boys, they’ll have a chance in the next couple of years if they’re really interested. It might even be enough time to get to know the spider god and realize just how interesting of a character Anansi is.
Writing about gods has become something that some writers see as cute and allows authors to pander to those that enjoy the fantastical and supernatural nature of such stories, but bringing them into the scope of real life is something that many people have come to realize is both possible and desirable. It helps to give rise to the belief that the world around us isn’t all there is, and no matter how fictional most of it is, it pays respect to the tales that have helped to make our society and our civilization what it is.
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