Two of my all-time favourite authors have come together to write this amazing book, and needless to say, I absolutely love it!

The humour in this book is truly quirky and often had me laughing out loud. It's the kind of humour that catches you off guard and makes you smile from ear to ear. Many of the characters are so memorable that they will stay with you long after you've finished reading the book.

Of course, Death makes an appearance, played in his usual lugubrious fashion. And Adam, the eleven-year-old son of Satan, is just wonderful. He's mischievous, charming, and full of personality.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a lighthearted and entertaining read. It's the perfect book to pick up when life is getting you down, as it will surely put a smile on your face again. I have no hesitation in giving this book an easy five stars.

In my personal hierarchy of books, this one holds a very close second place right after Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita. What can I truly say? Well, it's like the old saying goes - like (diabolical) father, like (infernal) son.

\\"It may help to understand human affairs to be clear that most of the great triumphs and tragedies of history are caused not by people being fundamentally good or fundamentally bad, but by people being fundamentally people.\\"

In a certain way, I can look at this book as my own personal therapy session¹ - that is, aside from it being a hilarious dry-humor take on Armageddon and the ever-dual nature of humanity, its highs and lows and our ability to be both, frequently almost at the same time.

¹ As a kid, I had a habit of delving into books clearly not meant for my age - like, for instance, The Omen, featuring the world's most infamous tricycle. My eight-year-old self was petrified. For months on end, I had nightmares, was scared of dogs, mistrustful of tricycles and had an irrational dislike of the number \\"666\\".

Eight-year-olds with overactive imaginations were really NOT the intended audience of *that* book, after all.

WARNING: THERE WILL BE MILD SPOILERS. BECAUSE I CAN.

  

As predicted by the titular 17th century witch Agnes Nutter in her extremely nice accurate book of prophecies, which has been handed down through the centuries to her last living \\"professional descendant\\" Anathema Device, Armageddon is rapidly approaching. The four Horsepersons of the Apocalypse have set out on their way, and that surely means things are getting serious.

  - You're Hells Angels, then? What chapter are you from?\\"[...]
- REVELATIONS, CHAPTER SIX.
-----------
“Death and Famine and War and Pollution continued biking towards Tadfield. And Grievous Bodily Harm, Cruelty To Animals, Things Not Working Properly Even After You've Given Them A Good Thumping but secretly No Alcohol Lager, and Really Cool People travelled with them.”

And this upcoming major event is a source of some serious worry for eternal-enemies-turned-reluctant-friends Aziraphale (An angel, and a part-time rare book dealer) and Crowley (An Angel who did not so much Fall as Saunter Vaguely Downwards). The duo, who, after six thousand years, have \\"gone native\\" and would infinitely prefer this world to the future where either side wins - the future (oh the horror!) without good music or bookshops or sushi restaurants. And so the unlikely allies decide to band together to prevent the end of the world.

\\"That's how it goes, you think you're on top of the world, and suddenly they spring Armageddon on you.\\"

Except things do not unfold as planned.

  

You see, the young 'Adversary, Destroyer of Kings, Angel of the Bottomless Pit, Great Beast that is called Dragon, Prince of This World, Father of Lies, Spawn of Satan, and Lord of Darkness', due to an unforeseen turn of circumstances, happens to grow up outside of the influence of either celestial/underworld force.



Aptly named Adam, he grows up - as his name suggests - perfectly human, in a little corner of paradise - the English village of Lower Tadfield. But Agnes Nutter is never wrong, and as her prophesies suggest, shortly after Adam's eleventh birthday (on which he DOES get a much wanted Hellhound Dog) the events of the end of the world are set in their inevitable, ineffable motion.



But Adam's essential humanity puts a new spin on this old story:

\\"Something was happening inside his head.

It was aching. Thoughts were arriving there without him having to think them. Something was saying, You can do something, Adam Young. You can make it all better. You can do anything you want. And what was saying this to him was ... him. Part of him, deep down. Part of him that had been attached to him all these years and not really noticed, like a shadow. It was saying: yes, it's a rotten world. It could have been great. But now it's rotten, and it's time to do something about it. That's what you're here for. To make it all better.\\"

The problem with the Antichrist Adam is that he, a human eleven-year-old boy, is fueled - unexpectedly - by Love and righteous indignation. He loves this world, and he, coming into his power, wants a very human thing - he wants to make it better. Don't we all? But do (and can?) his good intentions make any difference in the way things have been prophesied to go?

\\"It's like you said the other day,\\" said Adam. \\"You grow up readin' about pirates and cowboys and spacemen and stuff, and jus' when you think the world's all full of amazin' things, they tell you it's really all dead whales and chopped-down forests and nucular waste hangin' about for millions of years. 'Snot worth growin' up for, if you ask my opinion.\\"

If there is one thing this book gets across, it's the belief in humanity. Not in its wickedness or goodness or anything like that. Just humanity, in all the multifaceted nature of it, in its righteousness and wretchedness, love and cruelty, strengths and weaknesses, stupidity and wisdom.

\\"And just when you'd think they were more malignant than ever Hell could be, they could occasionally show more grace than Heaven ever dreamed of. Often the same individual was involved. It was this free-will thing, of course. It was a bugger.\\"

Sometimes, maybe, when left to our own devices, when not preached to in one way or another, we can perhaps develop into flawed but hopefully decent beings - like Adam, named after the first human in the prophetic fashion, after all. Because what makes life interesting, as a particular angel and demon would loudly attest to, is precisely the combination of good and evil, nice and nasty, mean and kind that we all possess, in the precarious and miraculous balance that is the true treasure of humanity. Because it makes us act like people.

\\"I don't see what's so triflic about creating people as people and then gettin' upset 'cos they act like people,” said Adam severely. “Anyway, if you stopped tellin' people it's all sorted out after they're dead, they might try sorting it all out while they're alive.\\"

And maybe, just maybe, due to our always-balancing nature on the borderline between two conflicting universes that we, humans, inhabit, we will be able to eventually figure it out - without anyone messing with our heads, filling them with the Good or the Evil, endlessly preaching what they believe to be true - but simple letting us be ourselves. Maybe we will figure things out on our own.

\\"Adam stood smiling at the two of them, a small figure perfectly poised exactly between Heaven and Hell.

Crowley grabbed Aziraphale's arm. \\"You know what happened?\\" he hissed excitedly. \\"He was left alone! He grew up human! He's not Evil Incarnate or Good Incarnate, he's just ... a human incarnate.\\"

==============================

  

The brilliant Pratchett/Gaiman duo provides everything these two authors are famous for - easy readability, dry intelligent sarcasm-infused humor, a seamless plot that pushes the limits of imagination while staying perfectly grounded in (albeit fantastical) reality, and first and foremost, very apt observations about human nature, as well as (in a true Pratchett-like way) a complete irreverence for the set-in-stone beliefs and ideas. At times it's easy for those familiar with their respective styles to tell which one of them penned which part, at times it's impossible - but it doesn't matter as their writing styles blend together so well, so seamlessly, so seemingly effortlessly.



This is an excellent book - both funny and serious, at times utterly unpredictable, at times baffling, at times logical. It's a pleasure to read, and a pleasure to seriously reflect upon after having a good laugh. And for all of that it gets the ineffable five stars.

  He stared down at the golden curls of the Adversary, Destroyer of Kings, Angel of the Bottomless Pit, Great Beast that is called Dragon, Prince of This World, Father of Lies, Spawn of Satan, and Lord of Darkness.

\\"You know,\\" he concluded, after a while, \\"I think he actually looks like an Adam.\\"

--------


June 2013: I just listened to this one on audiobook - AGAIN. I love it more and more with each time I do. I have to advise - if you plan to listen to this one, please get the British version with Stephen Briggs as the narrator (Isis Publishing) - it is lightyears better than Harper Audio. Stephen Briggs is amazing!

Is this book perfect?

Not by a long shot. Good Omens has a plethora of problems. In many aspects, it has really not aged well. There are most certainly some bits that meander too far or elements that don't quite hit the mark.

However, there is something so intangibly precious, important, and big (perhaps even ineffable?) about this story - and its characters especially - that transcends itself.

It's no mystery to me why this book is such a cult classic and fan favorite, and why its adaptation has been met with such love and support. There's something about Good Omens that is just undoubtedly loved and lovable.

It's sharp and it's stupid. It's romantic and it's terrifying. It's dated and it's timeless. It's a story that's so full of silly meaninglessness and mundanity; yet it's layered with profundity, magic, and raw brilliance if you choose to look at it just a little bit harder.

It's only knowable in the ways its audience may choose to know it. Perhaps a bit like the universe itself.

CW: war, animal abuse, blood, childbirth, death, ED, f-slur, r-slur, famine, fatphobia, bug stuff, pregnancy, religion, racism, violence, car accident.

No getting around it, it IS funny! This is a clever satire that is harmlessly irreverent. I wasn't rolling on the floor or anything, but I had 4 (yes, I counted) laugh-out-loud moments, a few good giggles, and a smile on my face throughout.

It's a great story that moves along very nicely. Good and Evil, as represented by the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley, join forces to try and avert the apocalypse. This definitely held my interest.

The interplay between these two was what really made the story. I liked it when they put their differences aside and just hung out. Another highlight was the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse: Death, War, Famine, and Pollution (yes, pollution...I know, it's supposed to be Pestilence - read the book:)). They make their appearance as Hell's Angels. Actually, the book is loaded with great characters. There's even a cute little dog, The Hound from Hell, which has morphed into a cat-chasing mongrel.

Literature is defined here. It's simple enough to grasp but complex enough to inspire thought. Yeh, it's that. You might find yourself contemplating some pretty deep stuff, like "the big ineffable plan" or the murky line defining mankind as basically good or evil. Or maybe not. I've been over-thinking everything lately.

"Crowley found devil worshippers a little embarrassing. You couldn't actually be rude to them, but you couldn't help feeling about them the same way that, say, a Vietnam vet would feel about someone who wears combat gear to Neighborhood Watch meetings."

As Fantasy / Humor – 5 well deserved stars.

When I embarked on this reread, a sudden epiphany dawned on me.

Although I was well aware that the authors were British, I had somehow forgotten just how quintessentially British this book was.

However, once you manage to tune into the cadence of the very English humor, this story reveals itself to be wry, touching, and thoroughly enjoyable in every aspect.

What truly makes it resonate with me is the introduction of THEY, a motley crew of kids who possess just a smidgeon too much power for their own good.

This book most definitely deserves to maintain its five-star status without any hindrance!

It's a literary gem that showcases the charm and wit of British storytelling at its finest.

With each page turn, you are drawn deeper into a world filled with unique characters and engaging plotlines that keep you hooked from start to finish.

Whether you're a fan of British literature or simply looking for a great read, this book is sure to satisfy.

This has got to be one of the funniest satires I've ever read.

I suppose the closest comparison I could make is to describe it as a literary sibling to Dogma, but filtered through a distinctly British lense. That description doesn't really do the story justice, but that film definitely hits me in the same place as the book.

The whole premise, and I'm not giving much away here, begins with the accidental "mis-placement" of the infant Antichrist during a complex baby-swapping procedure intended to kick off the Apocalypse. It's all downhill from there.

This book is funny, irreverent, and at times surprisingly insightful. While some parts of the book may seem cliched or even kitschy, the book never puts up the pretense of being revolutionary or edgy. The characters, like any melodrama, are intended to be archetypal, so even the relatively predictable changes that occur seem appropriate in the context of the story. The surprises are really in the details, and in that regard the execution is brilliant.

To give you an example, the devil Crowly drives a car in which the tape-deck will transform any tape placed in it into a copy of "Queen's Greatest Hits" within a very short period of time after one hits the play button. Now I love "Bohemian Rhapsody" as much as the next guy, but an eternity of nothing but THAT particular album?! That's the kind of devilry that works on many levels. It's not just a silly gimmick; it adds a layer of absurdity and charm to the character of Crowly. It also shows the author's ability to think outside the box and come up with unique and memorable details that make the story truly stand out.

Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good satire. It's a quick and easy read that will have you laughing out loud and thinking about the world in a slightly different way.

Según Las buenas y ajustadas profecías de Agnes la Chalada Bruja (el único libro fiable de profecías, escrito en 1655, antes de que ella explotara), el fin del mundo tendrá lugar el sábado. El próximo sábado, de hecho. Justo después de la hora de la cena.

Los ejércitos del Bien y del Mal se están agrupando, la Atlántida está resurgiendo, llueven sapos y los ánimos están algo alterados así que... todo parece ajustarse al Plan Divino. De no ser po un ángel quisquilloso y un demonio buscavidas que han vivido a costa de los mortales desde el comienzo de los tiempos y que no están dispuestos a aceptar tan fácilmente eso del \\"Fin de la civilización tal y como lo conocemos\\".

Y... ¡vaya por Dios! ¡Parece que alguien ha hecho desaparecer al Anticristo!

Puntuación:

I somehow ended up reading them both simultaneously. So I couldn't help wondering

What Madam Bovary Might Have Thought Of Good Omens

Three days later, a package arrived. There was no return address, but she immediately recognised Rodolphe's hand. It contained a paperback novel, whose title was Good Omens. Feverishly, she cast herself over it. Her English was poor, but, with the aid of a dictionary, she persevered and soon made great progress.

The more she read, the greater her bewilderment became. The book at first reminded her of Candide, which she had surreptitiously read at the convent. But M. Voltaire's ésprit had been replaced by another ingredient she was unable to name. She suspected that it must be the strange English invention they called humour. All the personages were well-meaning and agreeable. The witches, the torturers of witches, the prostitutes, even the Demons of Hell; they were filled with kindness and compassion, and their worst faults amounted to an occasional mild irritability. Where were the indifference and thoughtless cruelty that surrounded her, and which had now become the very air she breathed?

She did not know whether Rodolphe had sent her the book to comfort her or to mock her in her despair. And her futile attempts to resolve this question gradually resulted in an agonising headache. Her husband prescribed an infusion of valerian, and persuaded her to retire for the night. She lay sleepless in her bed a long time, until the drug finally took effect just as the sky was beginning to lighten. She dreamed of apocalyptic prophecies, red-headed women wielding swords, endless circles of horseless carriages, young boys with dogs.

In the morning, she remembered that she should purchase some arsenic.

__________________________________

It seemed unfair for this to be one-way. So, in the spirit of granting a right of reply, here's

What Good Omens Might Have Thought Of Madam Bovary

"I saw this smashin' film yesterday on TV," said Adam, as the Them listened attentively. "It was called Madam Bovver-Boy -"

"She was a lady skinhead?" interrupted Brian.

"No, stupid," said Adam. "It's a French name. Bovver-Boy. By Flow-Bear."

"You mean Madame Bovary, by Flaubert," said Wensleydale. "I read about it in The Encyclopaedia of World Literature."

Adam gave him a withering glance. "That's what I said," he continued. "Madam Bovver-Boy, by Flow-Bear. She's married to this doctor, and he's dead borin', so she starts hangin' around with these two lovers, and then she maxes out her credit card, so she eats arsernick and poisons herself. The bit where she's dyin' of the arsernick is dead good. Her tongue's hanging out and she's screamin' -"

"Why did she max out her credit card?" asked Pepper.

"She was buying presents for her lovers," said Adam. "Roses an' boxes of chocolates an' stuff like that -"

"I thought the lovers were supposed to give her presents?" said Brian dubiously. "My sister's boyfriend gave her this huge bunch of roses on Valentine's Day, and a box of Quality Street, and a balloon with -"

"She gave them presents instead because it was a proto-feminist novel," explained Wensleydale authoritatively. "That's what The Encyclopaedia of World Literature says."

Adam felt that his control of the situation was slipping, and decided to up the stakes. "It's all true," he said, in an exegetical move that would have had Flaubert scholars around the world clutching their foreheads. "Based on a true story," he added prudently, in case the The Encyclopaedia of World Literature happened to have opinions on the subject.

Behind the bushes, Aziraphale raised an eyebrow. Crowley looked defensive. "Very loosely based," he whispered hastily. "I mean, I tempted her, it's my job you know, but Gustave changed the ending for dramatic purposes. Said it didn't work to have Rodolphe sort out her debts and then settle down in a cozy ménage à quatre with her, Léon and her husband. I told him that's what actually happened, but he insisted the arsenic worked better..."

I have really liked Pratchett and Gaiman's vision of the Apocalypse.

4/5
⚡⚡⚡⚡
Currently, I am finishing watching the series. However, as soon as I finish it, I will start working on the review.

This unique take on the end of the world has been both captivating and thought-provoking. The combination of Pratchett's wit and Gaiman's imagination has created a truly remarkable story.

The characters are well-developed and the plot twists keep you on the edge of your seat.

I can't wait to share my thoughts and opinions about this amazing series in my review.

It's been a great viewing experience and I'm looking forward to delving deeper into the details and analyzing the various aspects of the show.

Stay tuned for my upcoming review!

"Good Omens" is a wonderful joint book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman! It contains a lot of wisdom, yet it is also super entertaining to read...

The angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley, who are old friends, must help each other to prevent the impending Apocalypse. There is only one copy of the book of the witch Agnes Nutter left in the world, which accurately predicted the events. The book in question is the possession of Anathema Device, who accidentally crosses paths with Crowley and Aziraphale while the two are traveling in the demon's Bentley. The remaining few days until the possible End of the World (scheduled for Saturday) are filled with quite dangerous adventures, told with a great sense of humor by the authors!

"Crowley had known for a long time that he would be present at the end of the world - he was immortal and, one way or another, had no choice. But he hoped there would be a lot of time until then. Because he rather liked people. For a demon, that was a serious drawback."

The Apocalypse is off to a rather chaotic start. Ten years ago, Crowley, a demon, delivered the infant Anti-Christ to a group of Satanic Nuns. However, they ended up swapping the Anti-Christ with a human child. For a decade, Aziraphale, an Angel, and Crowley have been educating this child on the finer points of good and evil.

\\n  \\n  
\\n  
\\n  “DON'T THINK OF IT AS DYING,\\" said Death. \\"JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH.” \\n

When the Anti-Christ was supposed to come into his full powers, Crowley and Aziraphale realized they had the wrong child.

\\n  \\n    SH*T\\n  \\n

Moreover, they both simultaneously realized that they have developed a liking for Earth. If the holy war were to be allowed to finish, everything would be destroyed and divided between the two realms, and that divide would be disastrous.

\\n  Hell may have all the best composers, but heaven has all the best choreographers.\\n

So, it is up to them to find the Anti-Christ and stop the Apocalypse. They only have seven days to do it. It's going to be a crazy week.

This book is absolutely hilarious! There are numerous fun quirks and tangents throughout, making it a great satire. All the little details add to its charm. For example, Crowley's plant-tending method is quite unique.

\\n  
What he did was put the fear of God into them.
More precisely, the fear of Crowley.
In addition to which, every couple of months Crowley would pick out a plant that was growing too slowly, or succumbing to leaf-wilt or browning, or just didn't look quite as good as the others, and he would carry it around to all the other plants. \\"Say goodbye to your friend,\\" he'd say to them. \\"He just couldn't cut it. . . \\"
Then he would leave the flat with the offending plant, and return an hour or so later with a large, empty flower pot, which he would leave somewhere conspicuously around the flat.
The plants were the most luxurious, verdant, and beautiful in London. Also the most terrified.\\n

Definitely one of those off-the-wall fun reads. I really want to read it again to catch all the things I missed.

The 2018 ABC Challenge - G

Audiobook Comments
This one was particularly well-read by Marvin Jarvis. The varied tone and inflection made the story come alive.

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So, in my local Walgreen's, I happened to notice this new copy of Good Omens.

Immediately, I thought it must be something novel. The book carried a piece of advice that read, "Christians beware!"

As a seminary student, having been raised in a conservative home by a Presbyterian minister, I wasn't overly concerned. My faith is firm, liberal, and unyielding. I found nothing in it that was offensive to me, but I could understand how others might perceive it differently.

The premise of the story is essentially that an angel and a demon decide to actively prevent the coming apocalypse. The two main characters, Crowley and Aziraphale, work together quite well. They have been opposing each other since the dawn of time and really don't want to give up their respective "gigs." They have relished in the give and take over the years.

What follows is a comedy of apocalyptic proportions. This novel is a unique blend of satire, slapstick, religious commentary, and raucous silliness. There are times when the humor catches you off guard. I vividly remember reading a passage that seemed like a straightforward and serious narrative exposition, when suddenly a character said something that, when read with a double entendre, made me nearly choke. My dinner almost came spewing out of my mouth. There are indeed moments like that in the book.

I chuckled, giggled, and sometimes simply smiled while reading it. If you're a speed-reader, you can't approach this book in that way and expect to fully appreciate its essence. Sometimes the laughs will creep up on you when you least expect them. Ordinarily, I don't prefer my humor to be so blatant, but I have to say that this book does it extremely well. It is smart, witty, and profoundly charming. I wholeheartedly give it my highest recommendation.