Shadow Moon
An ex-convict who is also the protagonist of the novel. His life changes when his wife dies in a car crash and he becomes the bodyguard of mysterious Mr. Wednesday.
Laura Moon
Shadow's wife who tragically dies in a car crash a few days before Shadow is released from the prison. She is discovered to have been cheating on Shadow with his best friend Robbie. However, soon after Shadow becomes a bodyguard, he is able to resurrect her using a magical coin, but not totally alive.
Pantheon: revenant
Mr. Wednesday
Mysterious character who seems to be pivotal. He wishes to start a war between the Old Gods and the new to regain much of his lost power.
Place in the Pantheon: The all-father. An incarnation of Odin, the old Norse God of War and Wisdom.
Czernobog
He plays a very important role in the story.
Place in the Pantheon: Slavic god of Evil, whose name means "black god."
Chad Mulligan
The Chief of Police in the mysterious town of Lakeside.
Mr. Nancy
He sometimes takes the form of a spider or a man with yellow gloves. He is pivotal to Shadow's decision to hold a Vigil for Mr. Wednesday.
Place in the Pantheon: Ghana trickster otherwise known as Anansi the spider.
Mr. Jaquel
Funeral home owner and mortician, he educates Shadow on the nature of being a god and has a large role in Laura's revival.
Place in the Pantheon. He is the personification of the Egyptian god Anubis.
Hinzlemann
Old man who has lived in the town of Lakeside for a long time. He is later revealed to have created the lake and keeping the town around it prosperous. While Shadow is hidden in Lakeside, he acts as his protector as a favor to Wednesday.
Pantheon: An unnamed ancient tribal deity. He is a kobold – a child raised as a sacrifice, created through great suffering. He demands a sacrifice made to him every winter by the unknowing townspeople that he protects.
Mad Sweeny
An old Gaelic deity similar to a Leprechaun, and possibly the king of them. He is paid by Wednesday to fight Shadow in a bar so Shadow can show his worth. He is also hinted to be responsible for Laura Moon's death.
Technology Boy
A new god, and the modern personification of society's fascination with Technology. He is grotesque in personality and physical appearance, and frequently acts spitefully towards Shadow.
Mr. World
An all powerful god of modern times who personifies the world in its entirety. He later turns to be no more than a ruse created by Mr. Wednesday and Lowkey Lyesmith.
Lowkey Lyesmith
Shadow's ex cell mate in Prison who turns out to be Loki, another Norse god in disguise. He, alongside Mr. Wednesday, trick all the gods into a final battle where the ensuing chaos will empower him once again.
