Neil Gaiman’s novel American Gods was first published in 2001.
The novel follows Shadow Moon, an ex-convict drawn into a conflict between old deities brought to America by immigrants and newer powers associated with modern life. Its old gods include figures from Norse, Egyptian, Slavic, and other traditions. Mr. Wednesday, one of the central characters, is an Americanized manifestation of Odin.
American Gods won major genre awards, including the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the Nebula Award for Best Novel, and the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel. Readers sometimes confuse the novel’s publication date with the later television adaptation, which premiered in 2017.
The book’s use of Norse mythology is deliberately transplanted into a modern American setting rather than presented as a direct retelling of the medieval sources.