“I don't see what's so triffic 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.”

Neil Gaiman + Terry Pratchett = Perfection

Let me start this review by stating that if you're a not-so-open-minded hardcore religious person, do yourself a favor and don't read this book because you might end up really, really hating it.

Now, onto the real review.

I can positively assert that (at least in my opinion) this is one of the best books ever written (alright, perhaps I'm being a bit subjective). When reading Gaiman's books, there's always a positive and a negative aspect (at least in my case). The positive is that the book you're reading might just be one of the best you've ever read. And the negative is that the book has to end, and when it does, you have no idea what to do with your life. The humor Pratchett brought to the story made it even more difficult to finish the book and bid farewell to this brilliant tale.

As I've already mentioned, this book was brilliant. I can easily claim that no other book has made me laugh as hard as this one did (I physically laughed my ass off multiple times while reading). However, aside from that, this book was also very dark (and I didn't realize that until the very end). There are quotes in this book that make you stop reading and think for a moment. I feel that through humor, they made some really good points about religion.

Moreover, this book had one of the best characters ever created. Crowley: A demon who always wears glasses, drives a Bentley, and listens to Queen. I mean, what's not to love? I also adored the chemistry between Crowley and Aziraphale. In fact, Aziraphale was my second favorite character.

This was my first Pratchett book (now I feel ashamed to admit that), but it will certainly not be my last. I can already say that Pratchett was as much of a genius as Gaiman is.

I don't think there's anything else to add, except that if you haven't read this book but you like either Gaiman or Pratchett, do yourself a favor and go read it. I can guarantee that you won't regret it.

After initially being unimpressed with Neverwhere and simply dismissing it as Early Gaiman, I was pleasantly surprised when I read Good Omens. To my delight, even though this book was written several years before Neverwhere, it proved to be just as good as Gaiman's later works. Perhaps this can be attributed to Pratchett's influence. At the end of the book, there is a charming afterword where the two authors discuss the process of creating the story and who was responsible for writing which parts. I had never read anything by Terry Pratchett prior to this and was unfamiliar with his work. However, by this point, I was very familiar with Gaiman's writing style, having read five or six of his books. That being said, I was unable to distinguish where Gaiman's writing ended and Pratchett's began, which was ultimately a positive aspect. If two authors are going to co-write a book, they should at least strive to blend their writing in such a way that the reader doesn't notice the book has two authors (unlike what I've seen from some other collaborations).

It's perhaps unfair of me to compare this book to the show Supernatural, considering that the book predates the show by over a decade. But throughout my reading, I couldn't help but think what an amazing season of Supernatural this book would make. Maybe the authors could negotiate some sort of crossover? Both works feature a delightful demon named Crowley, and the potential for a great story practically writes itself. The "Prophecies" referred to in the title are a reference to a book written by a seventeenth-century prophet named Agnes Nutter. She wrote down every single one of her extremely accurate prophecies in a book and passed it on to her descendants, who have been decoding these prophecies ever since. Her most significant prophecy concerns the coming of the Antichrist and the end of the world, and her descendants aren't the only ones involved. Angels and demons are both gearing up for a holy war, with our Crowley, the aforementioned demon, and Aziraphale, an angel, in the mix. Through a series of mix-ups at the hospital, the infant Antichrist is delivered to the wrong family, and neither the angels nor the demons realize there has been a mistake. So the child intended to bring Hell on earth grows up unaware of his role, while the angels and demons are preparing the wrong child for war, and the four horsemen of the apocalypse are gathering.

The writing in this book is humorous, sharp, and as I mentioned earlier, flows seamlessly between the two authors. It offers a very lighthearted take on the end of the world, and the humor is highly reminiscent of Douglas Adams. My only major complaint was the climax. It takes too long to begin (as the story switches between multiple POV characters and we have to repeatedly check in with all of them just as the apocalypse is starting to get interesting) and then ends too quickly, with a conclusion that was a bit too saccharine for my liking. But overall, it was a fun, fast-paced story and a delightful exploration of the apocalypse and all those involved.

This is my book for the "Recommend a Book" challenge.

The book has a profound and thought-provoking quote: “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 evil, but by people being fundamentally people.”

It is available in Paperback & Audiobook (Recommended). The vibes are similar to Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. It is a great read for themes and devils/angels/hell/heaven/world-ending humor, with a reading level of 4-5 out of 5.

My overall thoughts on the book are a solid 4.5. It was an extremely atmospheric read, especially with the classical music in between chapters in the audiobook. The humor hooked me from the start, and towards the end, the book became quite touching. It delved deeply into the idea that people aren't necessarily evil, and I have a soft spot for books that explore morally gray themes. I was completely sold.

I adored Crowley and Aziraphale's relationship. It was a unique "friendship" that had endured for centuries, and I was deeply invested in them. I have to admit that they were the characters I cared about the most, and I wasn't as attached to the others. But I still thoroughly enjoyed the story.

This may be a bit of a heavier read for some, but I can assure you it's worth it. I'm grateful to Jasey and Alex for recommending this book so highly, as I never would have picked it up otherwise. The audiobook is a great option if you're intimidated by the book. I'll probably watch the series and then read the book again to see if my thoughts change.

In terms of the plot, writing style, world building, characters, themes, pacing, and page turner, I rate them all highly, with the characters and themes receiving a perfect 5 out of 5.