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American Gods #1.1
The Monarch of the Glen
The Monarch of the Glen, an American Gods novella.
He was not sure what he had been looking for. He only knew that he had not found it.
Shadow Moon has been away from America for nearly two years. His nights are broken with dangerous dreams. Sometimes he almost believes he doesn't care if he ever returns home.
In the Highlands of Scotland, where the sky is pale white and it feels as remote as any place can possibly be, the beautiful and the wealthy gather at a grand old house in the glen. And when the strange local doctor offers him work at the party, Shadow is intrigued. He knows there is no good reason for him to be there. So what do they want with him?
He was not sure what he had been looking for. He only knew that he had not found it.
Shadow Moon has been away from America for nearly two years. His nights are broken with dangerous dreams. Sometimes he almost believes he doesn't care if he ever returns home.
In the Highlands of Scotland, where the sky is pale white and it feels as remote as any place can possibly be, the beautiful and the wealthy gather at a grand old house in the glen. And when the strange local doctor offers him work at the party, Shadow is intrigued. He knows there is no good reason for him to be there. So what do they want with him?
128 pages, ebook
First published September 25, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 482 reviews
April 21, 2017
Before I even begin to type, I know what I will hear: Hey, aren’t you the guy who doesn’t like series? Slap a “The End” on it and move on to something else, weren’t you the one that said that???
Yes, yes, that was me.
But American Gods was awesome, loved it, and I wanted more and more. Anansi Boys was also awesome, loved it, and I wanted to read more and more.
And so when I heard that Neil Gaiman had written another American Gods story, a novella contained in Robert Silverberg’s Legends II, anthology, I was compelled to read it.
And it is not a series in the sense that it is a ridiculously truncated cliffhanger, or a thousand-page behemoth that just ends and so the reader must then go plunk down cash to catch the next thousand-page paper weight (like the pun?). Gaiman has crafted a thematic vehicle where he can explore the myths and legends that have transformed our culture and have made us who and what we are.
Anyway.
Gaiman catches up with Shadow Moon in the north, north of Scotland. Or is it the southern most region of the Norse land? The reader is taken on a fun ride through the lives and adventures of left behind gods and monsters. The Monarch of the Glen is a must read for those of us who loved American Gods and / or Anansi Boys.
Yes, yes, that was me.
But American Gods was awesome, loved it, and I wanted more and more. Anansi Boys was also awesome, loved it, and I wanted to read more and more.
And so when I heard that Neil Gaiman had written another American Gods story, a novella contained in Robert Silverberg’s Legends II, anthology, I was compelled to read it.
And it is not a series in the sense that it is a ridiculously truncated cliffhanger, or a thousand-page behemoth that just ends and so the reader must then go plunk down cash to catch the next thousand-page paper weight (like the pun?). Gaiman has crafted a thematic vehicle where he can explore the myths and legends that have transformed our culture and have made us who and what we are.
Anyway.
Gaiman catches up with Shadow Moon in the north, north of Scotland. Or is it the southern most region of the Norse land? The reader is taken on a fun ride through the lives and adventures of left behind gods and monsters. The Monarch of the Glen is a must read for those of us who loved American Gods and / or Anansi Boys.
June 12, 2017
This novella is included in my copy of American Gods, and it is a total treat. I loved all the references to Beowulf and I loved that Gaiman engages with one of the most interesting (and most overlooked) thematic threads of medieval epic poetry, that is how the hero, to defeat the monster, has to become a little of a monster himself. I didn't expect any less from Gaiman.
April 30, 2020
I am a fan of the novel American Gods and this is a novella from the same world. It's the centerpiece of the short story collection Fragile Things at about 150 pages.
The story was set in Scotland and there was a fancy party that needed a bodyguard. All very mysterious.
I thought it was a nice entry into the American Gods world.
The story was set in Scotland and there was a fancy party that needed a bodyguard. All very mysterious.
I thought it was a nice entry into the American Gods world.
May 7, 2017
Wow! Novella, novelette - whatever you wish to label it, this is a fantastic trip. Gaiman here returns to the world of American Gods, only this time he's back in the Old World rather than the New, and it works a treat.
While I enjoyed Gaiman's American Gods, I found the meandering vignettes took me away from the chief narrative. Perhaps if the vignettes themselves had been removed from the novel and sold separately they'd have been more effective? This novelette, despite involving Shadow rather than some minor character, feels like one of these vignettes from American Gods, but reads even better.
Shadow is in the Scottish Highlands and soon finds himself in a battle with a monster from the Old World. It all appears part of their destiny, an age old ritual, which neither can escape from.
I love The Monarch of the Glen. It's intriguing, atmospheric, rich in myth, and simply entertaining. For me, it surpasses American Gods. I regard it up there with Gaiman's very best works.
I'd highly recommended The Monarch of the Glen to any lover of myth and fantasy.
While I enjoyed Gaiman's American Gods, I found the meandering vignettes took me away from the chief narrative. Perhaps if the vignettes themselves had been removed from the novel and sold separately they'd have been more effective? This novelette, despite involving Shadow rather than some minor character, feels like one of these vignettes from American Gods, but reads even better.
Shadow is in the Scottish Highlands and soon finds himself in a battle with a monster from the Old World. It all appears part of their destiny, an age old ritual, which neither can escape from.
I love The Monarch of the Glen. It's intriguing, atmospheric, rich in myth, and simply entertaining. For me, it surpasses American Gods. I regard it up there with Gaiman's very best works.
I'd highly recommended The Monarch of the Glen to any lover of myth and fantasy.
February 7, 2017
The more I read Neil Gaiman's books, the more I'm starting to realize that I don't really enjoy his style of writing.
So, two years after the events of American Gods, Shadow is roaming Europe, searching for a cause. While he's in Scotland, he meets a man who offers him a job as a bodyguard and Shadow's like
'Cause that's what you do when a stranger tries to hire you out of nowhere and you know that you have a tendency to get yourself in ridiculously dangerous situations.
Anyway, I did not enjoy this book. Shadow was still the same bland and boring character. But unlike in American Gods where the plot managed to keep me interested, there was nothing in this novella that I enjoyed.
I will read Anansi Boys, because I like to torture myself and it's not like anybody's stopping me from DNFing it, but if I don't like it, which is highly probable, I will bid Mr. Gaiman goodbye and go tackle authors that I actually like.
So, two years after the events of American Gods, Shadow is roaming Europe, searching for a cause. While he's in Scotland, he meets a man who offers him a job as a bodyguard and Shadow's like
'Cause that's what you do when a stranger tries to hire you out of nowhere and you know that you have a tendency to get yourself in ridiculously dangerous situations.
Anyway, I did not enjoy this book. Shadow was still the same bland and boring character. But unlike in American Gods where the plot managed to keep me interested, there was nothing in this novella that I enjoyed.
I will read Anansi Boys, because I like to torture myself and it's not like anybody's stopping me from DNFing it, but if I don't like it, which is highly probable, I will bid Mr. Gaiman goodbye and go tackle authors that I actually like.
January 8, 2015
I ended up reading this kind of by accident (since I'm out of books, I'd planned on getting to the library today, but it was snowing so badly I decided not to). And I had no idea until a few hours ago that Gaiman had written a novella set after American Gods, so I figured why not.
It's probably worth mentioning that I have a weird history with Gaiman. I think of him as a very good writer but an incredibly disappointing one, as despite the incredible ambition in a few of his projects (American Gods, which I think was an excellent novel; and Sandman, which maybe wasn't good but aimed high, despite being sort of like a car that reved its engine for days and never left the parking lot) he's coasted for years on young adult novels that aren't bad exactly, but aren't special either; silly pastiches; twee rewrites of fairy tales that show up in overpriced boutique editions; and the occasional not very good screenplay.
But, to take a step back, I thought American Gods was an incredible novel despite some problems (and it's rare for me to enjoy fantasy with a contemporary setting, since it can be so incredibly hard to pull off), and I've been curious for years to see Gaiman tackle a larger, more complex project, especially one that played with myth in that particular way.
Monarch of the Glen isn't quite that, since it's a novella, but it's as close as we'll get, I think.
The story is set in Scottland, and fascinating for a lot of reasons. I was especially interested in how, despite being so blunt and stylized, there was an incredible amount of character to Gaiman's prose, and there was a subtlety to the scene construction that reminded me a little of Gene Wolfe. The general arc is phenomenal and strange in all the right ways, and it was an amazing reminder of just how good a writer Gaiman can be.
So, I'm sure Gaiman is going to continue disappointing me, but I liked this story enough I'm looking forward to the Ocean at the End of the Lane (which seems good), and it almost makes me want to read Anansi Boys. Anyway, it's a quick novella, which I think is the perfect length for a story, and definitely worth checking out for anyone interested in Gaiman especially if you've read the novel.
It's probably worth mentioning that I have a weird history with Gaiman. I think of him as a very good writer but an incredibly disappointing one, as despite the incredible ambition in a few of his projects (American Gods, which I think was an excellent novel; and Sandman, which maybe wasn't good but aimed high, despite being sort of like a car that reved its engine for days and never left the parking lot) he's coasted for years on young adult novels that aren't bad exactly, but aren't special either; silly pastiches; twee rewrites of fairy tales that show up in overpriced boutique editions; and the occasional not very good screenplay.
But, to take a step back, I thought American Gods was an incredible novel despite some problems (and it's rare for me to enjoy fantasy with a contemporary setting, since it can be so incredibly hard to pull off), and I've been curious for years to see Gaiman tackle a larger, more complex project, especially one that played with myth in that particular way.
Monarch of the Glen isn't quite that, since it's a novella, but it's as close as we'll get, I think.
The story is set in Scottland, and fascinating for a lot of reasons. I was especially interested in how, despite being so blunt and stylized, there was an incredible amount of character to Gaiman's prose, and there was a subtlety to the scene construction that reminded me a little of Gene Wolfe. The general arc is phenomenal and strange in all the right ways, and it was an amazing reminder of just how good a writer Gaiman can be.
So, I'm sure Gaiman is going to continue disappointing me, but I liked this story enough I'm looking forward to the Ocean at the End of the Lane (which seems good), and it almost makes me want to read Anansi Boys. Anyway, it's a quick novella, which I think is the perfect length for a story, and definitely worth checking out for anyone interested in Gaiman especially if you've read the novel.
November 25, 2016
"I’m not a monster,” said Shadow.
“Aye, that’s what monsters always say,” said the little man.
Set about two years after American Gods.
Shadow is just traveling backpacking, knowing places, drifting I say. And in this story ends in the north coast of Scotland when some guy offer him a job as a bouncer for the weekend in some private party.
Well, I'm aware that Gaiman is hit or miss for many. This story , to me, despite the no so big surprises in the run, is really good. Manage to evoke that sensation of timelessness, to blur , relax , the bounds between realities. I mean, when you step in some old places is easy to wonder, to imagine, to awe.
You want to believe him.
And then are all the currents and undercurrents, the hints , the irony ... and though Shadow should have to knew better, it feels like he is still trying to find his place , stumbling in the twilight.
--
Si yo fuera Sombra, me daria yuyu eso de los trabajitos que le ofrecen. Aunque quizas ya esta aburrido de pasar sin estar metido en lios, quien sabe.
SPOILER .
“Aye, that’s what monsters always say,” said the little man.
Set about two years after American Gods.
Shadow is just traveling backpacking, knowing places, drifting I say. And in this story ends in the north coast of Scotland when some guy offer him a job as a bouncer for the weekend in some private party.
Well, I'm aware that Gaiman is hit or miss for many. This story , to me, despite the no so big surprises in the run, is really good. Manage to evoke that sensation of timelessness, to blur , relax , the bounds between realities. I mean, when you step in some old places is easy to wonder, to imagine, to awe.
You want to believe him.
He [...] imagined time as something that pooled and puddled, wondered if there were places where time hung heavy, places where it was heaped and held—cities, he thought, must be filled with time: all the places where people congregated, where they came and brought time with them.
And if that were true, Shadow mused, then there could be other places, where the people were thin on the ground, and the land waited, bitter and granite, and a thousand years was an eyeblink to the hills—a scudding of clouds, a wavering of rushes, and nothing more, in the places where time was as thin on the ground as the people . . .
And then are all the currents and undercurrents, the hints , the irony ... and though Shadow should have to knew better, it feels like he is still trying to find his place , stumbling in the twilight.
--
Si yo fuera Sombra, me daria yuyu eso de los trabajitos que le ofrecen. Aunque quizas ya esta aburrido de pasar sin estar metido en lios, quien sabe.
SPOILER .
March 13, 2018
Story is set about two years after American Gods. I iked it, but I don't think it was necessary or made difference to the whole story of Shadow Moon's life.
December 1, 2018
4.75 stars.
Did ya know that Gaiman is my favorite author? Yeah, if it wasn't that obvious before, you know now.
What can I say? I fucking loved this novella. As someone who read American Gods for the first time maybe 4 or 5 years ago, I have no idea how I never picked this novella up before now. I love this world, I love the characters, I love how Gaiman brings mythology to life. I adore how everything he writes is a perfect fairy tale in the end. A scary and strange one, but so beautiful and captivating to experience.
This novella is not a proper sequel to American Gods, but it is a new tale and it's, of course, weird and trippy, otherworldly and full of subtleties, it's deeply atmospheric and so, so wonderful to read.
If you haven't finished American Gods or you don't wanna know about the fates of a certain characters, I'd say stop reading this. If you know how that story ends, then don't worry, it's a spoiler free review.
It follows a new, little, adventure. A battle again not against a God, but against a monster. Not in the new world, but in the old one.
The Highlands are the perfect place to find our hero. Shadow Moon is still a troubled man, a little lost, a little sad, a little wonderful and fantastically human in the end. Two years have passed since the battle of the Gods and Shadow's been running away, dealing with grief and loss, trying to find a place in this broken and wonderful world. It is in Scotland where he will find himself in a new adventure, where his dreams will take him once more to fantastical places and where he will be tested again.
This story is all about the ambience, it is perfectly placed in the Scottish Highlands, there are dark things, bad people lurking around and what definitely add to my reading experience and the enhancing of the tension and atmosphere that I enjoyed very much in this book were the illustrations throughout the whole novella.
This edition, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus is one of the most beautiful books I own and have ever had the pleasure to read. Please, if you are ever interested in reading this, go pick up this hardcover edition, I promise you won't regret it.
Did ya know that Gaiman is my favorite author? Yeah, if it wasn't that obvious before, you know now.
What can I say? I fucking loved this novella. As someone who read American Gods for the first time maybe 4 or 5 years ago, I have no idea how I never picked this novella up before now. I love this world, I love the characters, I love how Gaiman brings mythology to life. I adore how everything he writes is a perfect fairy tale in the end. A scary and strange one, but so beautiful and captivating to experience.
This novella is not a proper sequel to American Gods, but it is a new tale and it's, of course, weird and trippy, otherworldly and full of subtleties, it's deeply atmospheric and so, so wonderful to read.
If you haven't finished American Gods or you don't wanna know about the fate
It follows a new, little, adventure. A battle again not against a God, but against a monster. Not in the new world, but in the old one.
The Highlands are the perfect place to find our hero. Shadow Moon is still a troubled man, a little lost, a little sad, a little wonderful and fantastically human in the end. Two years have passed since the battle of the Gods and Shadow's been running away, dealing with grief and loss, trying to find a place in this broken and wonderful world. It is in Scotland where he will find himself in a new adventure, where his dreams will take him once more to fantastical places and where he will be tested again.
This story is all about the ambience, it is perfectly placed in the Scottish Highlands, there are dark things, bad people lurking around and what definitely add to my reading experience and the enhancing of the tension and atmosphere that I enjoyed very much in this book were the illustrations throughout the whole novella.
This edition, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus is one of the most beautiful books I own and have ever had the pleasure to read. Please, if you are ever interested in reading this, go pick up this hardcover edition, I promise you won't regret it.
November 26, 2017
Very dark...
August 28, 2016
“The Monarch of the Glen” is a novella set after American Gods, featuring the main character from that story. It was only 62 pages, so it wasn’t nearly as meaty of a story as the book it was based off of, but I did enjoy it. We find out what Shadow has been up to in the months following American Gods, and he once again manages to get himself into trouble. Aside from Shadow, the other characters are pretty much new characters. It was entertaining, but quick, and I’m not sure the story will really stick with me aside from maybe blurring together with the original book.
I don’t think you can get this novella by itself anymore. It’s contained in two anthologies: Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders, which contains several stories by Neil Gaiman, and Legends II, which is an anthology of stories by various authors. I really didn’t want to read an entire anthology at this point; I just wanted to read the novella and then move on to the other full-length book in this series, Anansi Boys. So I borrowed Legends II from the library, read just the novella, then turned it back in. If the Neil Gaiman anthology had been available at my library, I might have been more tempted to read the whole thing while I had access to it. I was far less tempted with Legends II, because I think most of those stories are set in established worlds that I haven’t read yet. I’d rather wait and read them as part of the larger series they each belong to.
I don’t think you can get this novella by itself anymore. It’s contained in two anthologies: Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders, which contains several stories by Neil Gaiman, and Legends II, which is an anthology of stories by various authors. I really didn’t want to read an entire anthology at this point; I just wanted to read the novella and then move on to the other full-length book in this series, Anansi Boys. So I borrowed Legends II from the library, read just the novella, then turned it back in. If the Neil Gaiman anthology had been available at my library, I might have been more tempted to read the whole thing while I had access to it. I was far less tempted with Legends II, because I think most of those stories are set in established worlds that I haven’t read yet. I’d rather wait and read them as part of the larger series they each belong to.
July 19, 2017
Gölge ile tekrar bir araya gelmek, onunla yürümek, tekinsiz ve garip yerlerde dolaşmak çok güzel. Oldukça kısa bir kitap olmasına rağmen geleceğe, Amerikan Tanrıları'nın devamına dair küçük ipuçları taşıyor sanki. Kitabı okumayanlar için sorun oluşturabilecek spoilerlar var. Bu yüzden Amerikan Tanrıları okunmadan okunmamalı bence. Neil Gaiman'a taraflı, olumsuz olarak biriyken bu kanaatimi tamamen değiştiren, ne kadar iyi bir ozan olduğunu anladığım eser olan Amerikan Tanrıları devam etmeli.
Read
January 15, 2025Set two years after the final chapters of
American Gods
, in the Highlands of Scotland, this novella follows Shadow Moon, who apparently still hasn't learned his lesson about taking odd jobs from mysterious old men.
I first read this story in Fragile Things, a couple of years ago, and I was left quite cold then. I think I appreciated it more this time around, but it's still pretty forgettable—plus, it spells out something that's only implied in American Gods, and I'm just not a fan of when authors decide to dispel ambiguity.
What's wonderful about this edition are the stunning illustrations by Daniel Egneus, of which there are a lot more of than in the illustrated American Gods edition (understandably—this volume is much slimmer). With that said, I think this particular story would be forgettable if it weren't part of the American Gods series. In fact, I could hardly recall a single thing about it.
I recommend it if you've read and enjoyed American Gods, and want to know what became of Shadow Moon after the epilogue—but you'll probably be hopelessly lost if you read this as a stand-alone.
I first read this story in Fragile Things, a couple of years ago, and I was left quite cold then. I think I appreciated it more this time around, but it's still pretty forgettable—plus, it spells out something that's only implied in American Gods, and I'm just not a fan of when authors decide to dispel ambiguity.
What's wonderful about this edition are the stunning illustrations by Daniel Egneus, of which there are a lot more of than in the illustrated American Gods edition (understandably—this volume is much slimmer). With that said, I think this particular story would be forgettable if it weren't part of the American Gods series. In fact, I could hardly recall a single thing about it.
I recommend it if you've read and enjoyed American Gods, and want to know what became of Shadow Moon after the epilogue—but you'll probably be hopelessly lost if you read this as a stand-alone.
August 29, 2017
The Monarch of the Glen was a novella in the back of my copy of American Gods. My relationship with American Gods was a bit up and down – some elements I was really interested in whereas others I didn’t really care about at all. Despite this relationship, I was interested in giving the novella a try. If nothing else, I’m always happy to dive into stories set in Scotland (especially considering I was outside of Scotland when I was reading this).
Truthfully, I didn’t really care much at all for this little addition to the American Gods story. I was pretty much content with the ending of American Gods, and The Monarch of the Glen left me with more questions rather than providing me with the something more I’d been hoping to receive.
It’s a tale of what happens to Shadow after the ending of American Gods. It is interesting to receive a snippet of the ‘what comes next’, but I do not feel as though it provided me with much. It gives us more detail about the world as a whole, telling us about more than just the Gods of America, but at the same time it didn’t feel as though much happened. I wanted a big bang, I wanted something really powerful, only to be given a story I felt dragged somewhat.
In other words, I do not consider this a necessity should you have read American Gods. Whilst it does add a little more to the world, it is not be all or end all read.
Truthfully, I didn’t really care much at all for this little addition to the American Gods story. I was pretty much content with the ending of American Gods, and The Monarch of the Glen left me with more questions rather than providing me with the something more I’d been hoping to receive.
It’s a tale of what happens to Shadow after the ending of American Gods. It is interesting to receive a snippet of the ‘what comes next’, but I do not feel as though it provided me with much. It gives us more detail about the world as a whole, telling us about more than just the Gods of America, but at the same time it didn’t feel as though much happened. I wanted a big bang, I wanted something really powerful, only to be given a story I felt dragged somewhat.
In other words, I do not consider this a necessity should you have read American Gods. Whilst it does add a little more to the world, it is not be all or end all read.
October 21, 2019
Hello i have just realized that this book i had read when i read a George R.R. Martin book The Sworn Sword in the year 2013 for this reason i checked the mistake. I came back to read the 20th of october of 2019 and my rating is three star. I liked it, although i have not read yet American Gods (I was very interested in Neil Gaiman, because he was very influenced by G.K. Chesterton and reading this anthology Fragile Objects i realize he is aware of the worst and the best i will write the review of Fragile Object).
Hola me di cuenta de que este libro lo había leído junto antología de libros que incluía un relato de George R.R. Martin "La espada leal" y un relato de Robin Hobb. Por esta razón he retocado esta crítica, y corregido este error. Este relato lo volví a leer el 20 de octubre de 2019 y me gustó aunque menos que la vez en que lo leí, quizá se deba a que todavía no he leído "American Gods" (el interés que tuve en 2013 para leer a Neil Gaiman se debía a que era uno de los pocos escritores actuales influídos por G.K. Chesterton, y como leí en sus antologías Espejo y Humos y Objetos fragiles es capaz de lo mejor y de lo peor, ya escribiré la crítica de Objetos Fragiles, si Dios quiere).
Hola me di cuenta de que este libro lo había leído junto antología de libros que incluía un relato de George R.R. Martin "La espada leal" y un relato de Robin Hobb. Por esta razón he retocado esta crítica, y corregido este error. Este relato lo volví a leer el 20 de octubre de 2019 y me gustó aunque menos que la vez en que lo leí, quizá se deba a que todavía no he leído "American Gods" (el interés que tuve en 2013 para leer a Neil Gaiman se debía a que era uno de los pocos escritores actuales influídos por G.K. Chesterton, y como leí en sus antologías Espejo y Humos y Objetos fragiles es capaz de lo mejor y de lo peor, ya escribiré la crítica de Objetos Fragiles, si Dios quiere).
April 21, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable follow up to American Gods. A short story that follows Shadow and his legacy.
May 19, 2020
Amerikan Tanrıları kitabının alt kolu niteliğinde uzun öykü olan Vadinin Hükümdarı, bu türü seven kişiler için ara verilecek dönemde okunabilecek çerezlik kitap. Yormuyor, kafa karıştırmıyor ama aynı zamanda merak da uyandırıyor. Elinize alıyorsunuz ve bitiveriyor. Zaten kısacık, su gibi akıyor. Doyurucu değil pekala ama fena da sayılmaz. Ortalama diyeyim. Gölgeyi yeniden okumak güzel geldi.
June 4, 2023
As I've said in my review of American Gods Gaiman's storytelling gift comes to shine when he writes small contained stories, such as this novella set in a post-American Gods world where Shadow Moon is wandering the globe. His journey leads him to Scotland and Gaiman serves us with a modern storytelling of Beowulf. Shadow Moon's story would be a great comic book series.
June 5, 2016
Monarch of the Glen takes us exactly 2 years after the events of American Gods. We find Shadow lurking about and backpacking all through Europe, searching for something he's not quite sure what. All he knows is he hasn't found it yet.
He ends up in Scotland and meets a stranger asking him if he'd like to be employed as a security guard (very similar to Shadow meeting Wednesday in American Gods) for this high-end party about to take place only to find out he's being asked more than just to be a security guard.
As a novella of American Gods, we are once again introduced to other gods and mythologies. And although I enjoyed reading this, I don't think it really adds significance to the overall plot of the American Gods series. I think it's an enjoyable and easy-read side story but not really a vital part a reader would miss out on.
He ends up in Scotland and meets a stranger asking him if he'd like to be employed as a security guard (very similar to Shadow meeting Wednesday in American Gods) for this high-end party about to take place only to find out he's being asked more than just to be a security guard.
As a novella of American Gods, we are once again introduced to other gods and mythologies. And although I enjoyed reading this, I don't think it really adds significance to the overall plot of the American Gods series. I think it's an enjoyable and easy-read side story but not really a vital part a reader would miss out on.
February 11, 2017
For me this has many of the virtues of American Gods and none of the drawbacks.
It is a complete, self contained story. Knowing who Shadow is and what he has been through might add a little, but my memory is rubbish and I'm pretty sure one does not need any background to appreciate this story.
Set in a Scotland which has wildness and secrets and accepts this is true it has a lot in common with the atmosphere of "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains" and. Fair bit in common with "Instructions".
This is the story of a traveller and of the secrets and the magic that just might, even today, sit just to the side of the world most of us see every day.
It is a very short story and interestingly presented. A quick read and a good read.
It is a complete, self contained story. Knowing who Shadow is and what he has been through might add a little, but my memory is rubbish and I'm pretty sure one does not need any background to appreciate this story.
Set in a Scotland which has wildness and secrets and accepts this is true it has a lot in common with the atmosphere of "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains" and. Fair bit in common with "Instructions".
This is the story of a traveller and of the secrets and the magic that just might, even today, sit just to the side of the world most of us see every day.
It is a very short story and interestingly presented. A quick read and a good read.
January 7, 2016
This was a fantastic novella. I read it years ago when "Fragile Things" first came out, but honestly, I had forgotten about it. (Which, considering I wrote my thesis on "American Gods" and all the versions of it that came after the original, seems kind of implausible.) However, it is the truth. I forgot about this story. I forgot how much I loved it. I forgot how perfect it was. So I read it again last night to remember. And now, I will read the next installment, which I have NOT yet read... "Black Dog." I am so very excited, and I'm not one to get excited about many things.
August 10, 2014
I just finished reading the wonderful American Gods novella, The Monarch of the Glen, by Neil Gaiman. It picks up smoothly from where that novel left off, without missing a beat, and Shadow traversing the wilds of Scotland, having understandably left America following his death, resurrection, and a bloody cataclysmic war between the gods.
I loved this little story, because though short, it felt mythic and grand in scope; it achieves this effect because Gaiman steeps his work in history, in fable and legend. It should go without saying that it is beautiful, too. Normally, considering its length, I wouldn't feel the need to comment on it, but on updating Goodreads, I saw a few reviews that seemed to miss the mark entirely, so here I am.
A lot of people don’t seem to understand Shadow; that’s okay, Shadow barely understands Shadow. And it is this central question which the novella begins to answer. For those who didn’t gather as much, however, let’s go over some of it. He lacks agency, you say. He is empty. Yes, he is, and that’s the point. He is the empty container through which the forgotten fable, the invisible local legend, snags and is briefly caught, briefly known again. He is the mirror held up to the landscape, dredging up its secret stories.
Shadow has no real interest in this world, and is therefore the perfect medium through which to interact with it. To absorb it. Such interactions take their toll, of course. As with every fairy tale, there is a price, and it is this question – how much? – which the story begins to answer. You need only read the very first line to know. The best short stories set up a question in the first line; granted, it is seldom this literal.
The little man, a man all of grey, is Dr. Glasker, and he hires Shadow to act as security for a party occurring in the coming weekend. Something about it all doesn’t seem right, but Shadow finds himself accepting. Partly because he’s adrift, and partly because the world nudges him to do so, as it always does in these situations. There is a scale that needs balancing in the universe, a question of gods, and Shadow is the feather providing the measure.
Before the party swings round, Shadow walks the countryside, and meets the people he needs to meet, whether he knows it or not, and before you know it, it feels almost as if we’ve always been in Scotland, and as if we’d never leave. Gaiman’s skill is not in making his stories beautiful – anyone can do that – it is in granting them a sense of permanence by drenching the fantastic in the dust of ordinary details, in the ambiguity of memory. Sure, he’ll tell you about the time he met a woman who wasn’t quite a woman (or was she?), a creature of the fey, but he’ll be sure to mention too, the quality of the cup of coffee he had that morning.
He never lets you forget the purpose of it all, though. Later, once Shadow’s discovered the truth behind his trip, behind this job, he stands face to face with this question.
Shadow – and by extension we – comes away from that encounter with an answer, or at least the outline of one. Why do I say that? Because much as it stands on its own, in as much as anything can when it takes place in a continuing world, this story is also a stepping stone. The full weight and meaning of the answer will be given the time and space it most assuredly needs in the next novel, the true sequel to American Gods. And it can’t come soon enough, as far as I’m concerned.
I didn’t realise just how much I’d missed that voice, that character and world, until I was immersed in it once again. Gaiman’s writing has that sing-song quality I just can’t get enough of, and it is that element he’s mastered which sets him apart from other fantasists, from other writers. As a poet, it is the quality I prize above all else, the tide which guides my course: rhythm. He’s writing moves, and you with it. Naturally, there’s a whole lot more I could’ve said about this piece, and far more directly too, but as with the poems I recommend, I try to leave enough out that it isn’t spoiled for you.
Now as with those, so too with this: go forth and read!
I loved this little story, because though short, it felt mythic and grand in scope; it achieves this effect because Gaiman steeps his work in history, in fable and legend. It should go without saying that it is beautiful, too. Normally, considering its length, I wouldn't feel the need to comment on it, but on updating Goodreads, I saw a few reviews that seemed to miss the mark entirely, so here I am.
A lot of people don’t seem to understand Shadow; that’s okay, Shadow barely understands Shadow. And it is this central question which the novella begins to answer. For those who didn’t gather as much, however, let’s go over some of it. He lacks agency, you say. He is empty. Yes, he is, and that’s the point. He is the empty container through which the forgotten fable, the invisible local legend, snags and is briefly caught, briefly known again. He is the mirror held up to the landscape, dredging up its secret stories.
Shadow has no real interest in this world, and is therefore the perfect medium through which to interact with it. To absorb it. Such interactions take their toll, of course. As with every fairy tale, there is a price, and it is this question – how much? – which the story begins to answer. You need only read the very first line to know. The best short stories set up a question in the first line; granted, it is seldom this literal.
“If you ask me,” said the little man to Shadow, “you’re something of a monster. Am I right?”
The little man, a man all of grey, is Dr. Glasker, and he hires Shadow to act as security for a party occurring in the coming weekend. Something about it all doesn’t seem right, but Shadow finds himself accepting. Partly because he’s adrift, and partly because the world nudges him to do so, as it always does in these situations. There is a scale that needs balancing in the universe, a question of gods, and Shadow is the feather providing the measure.
Before the party swings round, Shadow walks the countryside, and meets the people he needs to meet, whether he knows it or not, and before you know it, it feels almost as if we’ve always been in Scotland, and as if we’d never leave. Gaiman’s skill is not in making his stories beautiful – anyone can do that – it is in granting them a sense of permanence by drenching the fantastic in the dust of ordinary details, in the ambiguity of memory. Sure, he’ll tell you about the time he met a woman who wasn’t quite a woman (or was she?), a creature of the fey, but he’ll be sure to mention too, the quality of the cup of coffee he had that morning.
“Dr. Glasker kept saying you were a monster,” she said. “Is it true?”
“I don’t think so,” said Shadow.
“Pity,” she said. “You know where you are with monsters, don’t you?”
He never lets you forget the purpose of it all, though. Later, once Shadow’s discovered the truth behind his trip, behind this job, he stands face to face with this question.
“It’s patterns,” he said. “If they think you’re a hero, they’re wrong. After you die, you don’t get to be Beowulf or Perseus or Rama anymore. Whole different set of rules. Chess, not checkers. Go, not chess. You understand?”
“Not even a little,” said Shadow, frustrated.
Shadow – and by extension we – comes away from that encounter with an answer, or at least the outline of one. Why do I say that? Because much as it stands on its own, in as much as anything can when it takes place in a continuing world, this story is also a stepping stone. The full weight and meaning of the answer will be given the time and space it most assuredly needs in the next novel, the true sequel to American Gods. And it can’t come soon enough, as far as I’m concerned.
I didn’t realise just how much I’d missed that voice, that character and world, until I was immersed in it once again. Gaiman’s writing has that sing-song quality I just can’t get enough of, and it is that element he’s mastered which sets him apart from other fantasists, from other writers. As a poet, it is the quality I prize above all else, the tide which guides my course: rhythm. He’s writing moves, and you with it. Naturally, there’s a whole lot more I could’ve said about this piece, and far more directly too, but as with the poems I recommend, I try to leave enough out that it isn’t spoiled for you.
Now as with those, so too with this: go forth and read!
January 5, 2025
Romanian review: O să fiu sincer: Am citit această nuvelă doar pentru că era inclusă în ediția mea de ,,Zei Americani". Mi-a plăcut ,,Zei Americani", dar am fost puțin dezamăgit, așa că nu aveam așteptări prea mari de la nuvelă.
La început, m-am gândit să o sar, dar am citit o recenzie în care cineva spunea că ,,Monarhul din Glen" este, într-un fel, un epilog al cărții principale. După ce am citit-o, aș spune că nu este chiar așa. Dacă nu ți-a plăcut ,,Zei Americani" sau ai considerat că e doar o carte ok, poți să treci peste această nuvelă fără să simți că pierzi ceva important.
A fost o lectură rapidă și interesantă, dar, după cum mă așteptam, nu a fost deosebit de impresionantă. Problema mea principală cu ,,Zei Americani" a fost lungimea, iar această nuvelă, evident, nu a avut aceeași problemă. Totuși, nici nu simt că a adus ceva nou sau că a făcut lumea mai complexă în vreun fel.
Cu toate acestea, eram curios să aflu ce a făcut Shadow după ,,Zei Americani", așa că ,,Monarhul din Glen" a fost o poveste scurtă și plăcută pentru a-mi satisface această curiozitate.
English review: Here’s my honest take: I only read this novella because it came bundled with my edition of "American Gods". I liked "American Gods", but it left me a little disappointed, so I didn’t have high expectations for this one.
At first, I thought about skipping it, but I read a review where someone described "The Monarch of the Glen" as sort of an epilogue to the main book. Having read it, I’d say that’s not entirely true. If you didn’t enjoy "American Gods" or found it just okay, you can skip this novella without feeling like you’re missing anything important.
It was a quick and interesting read, but as I expected, it wasn’t particularly impressive. My biggest issue with "American Gods" was its length; obviously, this novella didn’t suffer from that, but I also didn’t feel like it added much to the story or expanded the world in any meaningful way.
That said, I was curious about what Shadow had been up to after "American Gods", so "The Monarch of the Glen" was a nice little story for satisfying that curiosity.
La început, m-am gândit să o sar, dar am citit o recenzie în care cineva spunea că ,,Monarhul din Glen" este, într-un fel, un epilog al cărții principale. După ce am citit-o, aș spune că nu este chiar așa. Dacă nu ți-a plăcut ,,Zei Americani" sau ai considerat că e doar o carte ok, poți să treci peste această nuvelă fără să simți că pierzi ceva important.
A fost o lectură rapidă și interesantă, dar, după cum mă așteptam, nu a fost deosebit de impresionantă. Problema mea principală cu ,,Zei Americani" a fost lungimea, iar această nuvelă, evident, nu a avut aceeași problemă. Totuși, nici nu simt că a adus ceva nou sau că a făcut lumea mai complexă în vreun fel.
Cu toate acestea, eram curios să aflu ce a făcut Shadow după ,,Zei Americani", așa că ,,Monarhul din Glen" a fost o poveste scurtă și plăcută pentru a-mi satisface această curiozitate.
English review: Here’s my honest take: I only read this novella because it came bundled with my edition of "American Gods". I liked "American Gods", but it left me a little disappointed, so I didn’t have high expectations for this one.
At first, I thought about skipping it, but I read a review where someone described "The Monarch of the Glen" as sort of an epilogue to the main book. Having read it, I’d say that’s not entirely true. If you didn’t enjoy "American Gods" or found it just okay, you can skip this novella without feeling like you’re missing anything important.
It was a quick and interesting read, but as I expected, it wasn’t particularly impressive. My biggest issue with "American Gods" was its length; obviously, this novella didn’t suffer from that, but I also didn’t feel like it added much to the story or expanded the world in any meaningful way.
That said, I was curious about what Shadow had been up to after "American Gods", so "The Monarch of the Glen" was a nice little story for satisfying that curiosity.
April 27, 2019
I did not read this one in the proper order of the American Gods series but I am actually quite grateful for that fact. I miss Shadow and I love Gaiman and it is a rainy afternoon and so there is nothing better than a creepy story that invokes the Norse myths, Beowulf, and the "legend" of Sawney Bean. Talk about the perfect storm. I couldn't help but give it four stars.
May 2, 2016
It was a fun story, but didn't really add anything.
September 14, 2017
What was that? It was just pointless and made not a lick of sense.
July 19, 2018
I was really glad to visit the cosmos of American Gods one more time and hang out with Shadow. Probably the best story in the Fragile things compilation. Solid story for sure!
March 21, 2024
The misty Scottish highlands provide an excellent ambiance for this creepy and sinister Novella. I thought the characters were fantastically ominous, Jennie in particular was enigmatically brilliant.
I really enjoy the way Neil Gaiman writes his dream sequences. It’s a recurring leitmotif in American Gods which I think is perfected in this spooky novella.
I really enjoy the way Neil Gaiman writes his dream sequences. It’s a recurring leitmotif in American Gods which I think is perfected in this spooky novella.
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