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By RYAN BROSMER
YOUTH CORRESPONDENT
When it comes to nonfiction literature, the popularity of a book usually comes from how high-profile the subject is.
Fiction, however, is a different game. Be it sci-fi, fantasy or historical fiction, the author must rely on his or her skills to make these imaginary characters seem real.
It has been done many times throughout history, and the modern master of this art is Neil Gaiman. The U.K. native, who is most famous for his graphic novel series "Sandman," has in recent years been storming his way into readers' hearts with his novels, especially with his newest book, "Anansi Boys."
While this latest novel takes place in the same realm as his smash hit "American Gods," it is not a sequel.
"Anansi Boys" is the tale of two brothers, Spider and Charles "Fat Charlie" Nancy.
After both of his parents pass, Fat Charlie is reunited with Spider, the brother he never knew he had. Their father was Anansi, the Greek spider god, who besides being the owner of every story ever told, also had a way of making everything end up in his favor.
Fat Charlie quickly learns that Spider seems to have inherited all of their father's supernatural charm and has decided to use it to dethrone Charlie from his own life, including stealing his fiancee and making him lose his job.
In "Anansi Boys," there are at least two or three other well-defined main characters whose stories all end up in the same place and are ultimately intertwined.
The skill that Gaiman uses in turning his characters into real people is breathtaking and forces the reader to keep the pages turning as more and more is revealed about the lives of the characters.
"Anansi Boys" is not as dark as "American Gods," but it leaves readers with the same feeling of mysticism and the notion that maybe what they just read could be reality.
Gaiman is a master at all types of fiction, but he seems to have found his true niche in the realm of "Anansi Boys" and "American Gods" by blurring the lines of reality and wild fantasy.
RYAN BROSMER is a senior
