當神話侵入現實,人生開始失控……
你的老爸是惡作劇之神,
熱愛開玩笑,讓你的童年囧到不行;
有個從沒聽過的兄弟上門來相認,
他擅長假冒你,還把走了你的未婚妻!
衰運連連,一切都是爸爸在搞怪?
切斷父子手足的牽絆,就能順遂一生?
《美國眾神》暢銷作家尼爾.蓋曼與非洲故事之神阿南西攜手合作,獻給讀者最詼諧、機智、溫暖、歡樂的都會奇幻冒險!
體面的死法一定有十萬種,舉例來說,從橋上跳到河裡去拯救快溺斃的小孩;單槍匹馬勇闖歹徒巢穴,死在槍林彈雨下。這些都是體面之極的死法。有些死法雖然不怎麼體面,但也不會太令人難堪,例如人體自燃。
但,胖查理的爸爸偏偏不是其中任何一種死法。他是這麼死的:他正在臺上高歌,同時對臺下的金髮美女大獻慇懃,全場氣氛熱到最高點之際,忽然露出古怪的表情,一手壓住胸口,一手向前伸,然後從臺上摔了下來,倒在一名正妹身上,又從她身上跌到地上,沒人能摔得這麼緩慢、這麼優雅。倒地時,手上還抓著一樣東西──剛剛還穿在正妹身上的無肩帶小可愛。
這麼令人難堪的死法,正是胖查理老爸的正字標記。諸如此類的窘境,充斥著胖查理的童年回憶。
其實胖查理一點也不胖,但這綽號一旦從他老爸口裡冒出,就一直緊黏住他不放,不管他怎麼自我介紹,別人自然而然會開始叫他胖查理。和他同病相憐的是鄰居一條冠軍拳師狗,原本趾高氣昂不可一世,在老爸隨口叫了聲「小笨笨」之後,聲名一蹶不振,人人都說牠一臉蠢相。
父親的葬禮上,難堪指數再度攀升。不過這也不算什麼,隨後揭露的家族祕密才是真正的打擊:一、他老爸是神!卻是個專司說故事、唱歌和作弄人的惡作劇之神!二、他竟然有個親兄弟!為什麼他毫無印象?
無論如何,父母皆已過世,這素未謀面的兄弟是他僅存的親人了。這一相認卻是胖查理人生開始失控的起點!這位兄弟個性跟爸爸如出一轍,享樂至上,缺乏責任感,更冒充他去招搖撞騙!怪的是還處處逢源,不僅唬過他的上司,更把走他的未婚妻!可憐的本尊沒人理會,落魄街頭,連搭計程車也回不了家。
查理只想過平凡安穩的人生,他的兄弟卻繼承了父親的精神,繼續把他的生活搞得一團亂。這麼糟糕的親情關係不要也罷!他實現了願望──卻引來更大的災難。他要如何收拾殘局?老爸與兄弟留給他的,真的只是災難與羞辱嗎?人生究竟是怎麼回事?
本書中譯本《阿南西之子》由繆思出版。
When Fat Charlie's dad named something, it stuck. Like calling Fat Charlie "Fat Charlie." Even now, twenty years later, Charlie Nancy can't shake that name, one of the many embarrassing "gifts" his father bestowed -- before he dropped dead on a karaoke stage and ruined Fat Charlie's life.
Mr. Nancy left Fat Charlie things. Things like the tall good-looking stranger who appears on Charlie's doorstep, who appears to be the brother he never knew. A brother as different from Charlie as night is to day, a brother who's going to show Charlie how to lighten up and have a little fun . . . just like Dear Old Dad. And all of a sudden, life starts getting very interesting for Fat Charlie.
Because, you see, Charlie's dad wasn't just any dad. He was Anansi, a trickster god, the spider-god. Anansi is the spirit of rebellion; he is able to overturn the social order, create wealth out of thin air, baffle the devil, and cheat Death himself.
Exciting, scary, and deeply funny, ANANSI BOYS is a kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth, a wild adventure, and a fierce and unstoppable farce, as Neil Gaiman shows us where gods come from, and how to survive your family.
作者簡介
尼爾.蓋曼(1960~)
當代奇幻大師,被譽為「美國之寶」,史蒂芬.金更封他為「故事寶窟」。
他有如「文壇的達文西」,從漫畫、散文、小說、電影劇本、歌詞創作、兒童故事,到奇幻、科幻、驚悚小說,均無一不精的鬼才作家。
27歲時,他便以漫畫「Sandman」系列崛起,著名的黑暗幽默在九○年代風靡了歐美大眾,更獲獎無數,成為歐美漫畫迷心目中的最愛與經典。小說創作也迭獲佳評:長篇小說《星塵》(Stardust)獲創神獎、中篇故事《第十四道門》(Coraline)獲星雲獎;《美國眾神》(American Gods)堪稱他的文壇代表作,不僅獲得多項大獎,也囊括紐約時報等各大暢銷榜;此外更有不少精彩短篇小說創作。蓋曼才華洋溢,創意驚人,擅長融會現代都市文明與古老奇幻傳說,交織人性的幽暗與瑰麗,想像力大膽豐富,筆觸簡練詼諧。2007年電影《貝武夫》劇作即出自他手。
尼爾.蓋曼專屬網站:www.neilgaiman.com
Neil Gaiman is the author of the New York Times bestselling children's book Coraline and of the picture books The Wolves in the Walls and The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, illustrated by Dave McKean. He wrote the script for the film MirrorMask and is also the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning novels and short stories for adults, as well as the Sandman series of graphic novels. Among his many awards are the World Fantasy Award, the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the Bram Stoker Award. Originally from England, Gaiman now lives in the United States.