Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
This is my second time reading Good Omens and it’s just as good as the first. I decided to re-read it because some actual genius decided to make a TV mini-series and cast David Tennant (Dr Who) and Michael Sheen (Passengers) as Crowley and Aziraphale, respectively. I mean, just take a look at this picture I stole from the web! Was there ever a more perfect casting? No. The answer is definitely no.
It’s almost too perfect
If you haven’t read this book, it’s about the Apocalypse. The biblical one, foretold (“foretold”) in the Book of Revelations, everyone’s favourite pick-me-up chapter of the Bible. A baby has been born, known affectionately in the book as “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”, and it is up to a Satanic order of nuns to switch this baby out with another newborn at the local hospital in order to place him with a family who will raise him to be properly evil and ultimately bring out the End Times on or around his 11th birthday. In a baby-switching mix-up, however, the Adversary winds up with the wrong family, who name him Adam and raise him to be a normal little boy.
Meanwhile, the demon Crowely and the angel Aziraphale have been left to roam the earth with their own orders, from below and above, to facilitate the coming Apocalypse but have second thoughts at the idea of losing their second home. Over the course of the 11 year countdown to destruction, we encounter the four horsemen bikers of the Apocalypse, witches, prophets and a cast of semi-ordinary characters in a narrative that’s chock-full of British wit and humour.
I loved this book. It’s what introduced me to Neil Gaiman, of whom I’m now a big fan (if you want to read some great, funny book, pick this guy up!). I unfortunately didn’t end up reading any Terry Pratchett, but his books seem to be very lengthy fantasy series of books (one, the Discworld series, is comprised of FORTY ONE books!! This is WELL over my limit of five.) However, I believe Pratchett is renowned for writing brilliant and funny fantasy, so maybe I’ve been too dismissive, and perhaps my friend Erin can recommend a starting point?
Rating: Buy it and take it with you to the next Neil Gaiman book tour. (Sadly, to our great loss, Terry Pratchett has since passed away.)