Odd and the Frost Giants

[netmouse]

I was delighted this past week to Beta-read Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants. It's a story about beauty and joy and helping people get what they want in life, with a little wisdom thrown in... And Thor makes a very cute, grumbly, bear (I'm just sayin').

He wrote it for World Book Day's 1-pound books, so you can supposedly order a copy for £1. Release date to be March 6th in the UK and Ireland.

Neil posted the opening to the third chapter on his journal, a conversation the night after Odd follows a fox into the woods (I mean, why not? Doesn't happen every day a fox wants to lead you someplace, does it?) and ends up with some fine and strange guests who wake him in the middle of the night with their bickering.

“Somebody was talking,” said Odd. “And it wasn't me. There isn't anyone else in here. That means it was you lot. And there's no point in arguing.”

“We weren't arguing,” said the bear. “Because we can't talk.” Then it said, “Oops.”

The fox and the eagle glared at the bear, who put a paw over his eyes and looked ashamed of himself.

Odd sighed. “Which one of you wants to explain what's going on?” he said.

“Nothing,” said the fox, brightly. “Just a few talking animals. Nothing to worry about. Happens every day. We'll be out of your hair first thing in the morning.”

(This post brought to you by jeffreyab, who requested more posts about SF)

Comments

[knightlygoddess.livejournal.com]

I so love Neil Gaiman. I've been listening to "Fragile Things" as he narrates it on CD. It's so wonderful to hear something read by the author who wrote it.

[randimason.livejournal.com]

Was worried about this one, given that just reading the Journal you could hear the sound of the deadline as it went whizzing by...so this is good news. *Very* good news.

So in terms of previous, what is this one like (if any)? Am I going to have to hide it from the kids, or sit them on my lap to read it to them at night?

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

What is this one like... *ponders*. It has a touch of the bickering gods of American Gods, but with the streak of humanity-in-the-inhuman that you see in the novella follow-up in Legends II ("The Monarch of the Glen"). There's humor, there's mystery, there's a little bit of danger. It's an adventure story, after all. Well, an unlikely quest, at least. Which makes it a little bit like stardust, but what romance is in there is of a different sort of character.

How old are your kids?

This book was definitely written with a younger audience in mind. The language, the density, all are good for youngsters. There is an unhealthy domestic situation, but it's not particularly brutal and it ends, happily. The language and the topics are probably good for anyone from 8-10 on up, though there are topics that will go over the heads of people anywhere up to 90 and above. It's Gaiman. He looks up to Wolfe, you know?

So if you read it to your kids, be prepared to answer questions. (Isn't that a given, though? I'm all for questions, myself.) At the same time, I think there's enough that's on the surface that anyone can read it and get something out of it. Even if it's only a technique to use when you're in need of a rainbow bridge.

[randimason.livejournal.com]

Huh. Intrigued. Also delighted. This sounds like it's going to be a good journey.

No kids -- was just under the impression that this was, indeed, meant for younger readers, and was trying to figure out if by 'younger' it was the Coraline crowd or the Anansi Boys crowd.

Thanks muchly.

[peculiaire.livejournal.com]

Of course I will be getting it. :)

Oh! Will be in Michigan Dec. 9th through 15th. If you would like to get together, let me know!

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

neat! definitely I would like to get together! I'll be in Boston at Smofcon through the 9th, but sometime after that, Yes!

[rbradakis.livejournal.com]

Another book to read, oh yeah!