Paperback, 400 pages
English language
Published Aug. 7, 2007 by Harper Paperbacks.
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch is a 1990 novel written as a collaboration between the English authors Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.The book is a comedy about the birth of the son of Satan and the coming of the End Times. There are attempts by the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley to sabotage the coming of the end times, having grown accustomed to their comfortable surroundings in England. One subplot features a mixup at the small country hospital on the day of birth and the growth of the Antichrist, Adam, who grows up with the wrong family, in the wrong country village. Another subplot concerns the summoning of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, each a big personality in their own right. In 2003, the novel was listed at number 68 on the BBC's survey The Big Read.
A good read, but I didn't understand what made this book stand out. It's zany like I like it though!
3.4 -- almost good enough for a 4. I guess I'm trying to get used to Terry Pratchett's humor. Maybe on a re-listen, I'll bump it up.
Among the funniest books I've ever read, and as far as I can recall, my favorite output from either author.
Ha sido alucinante, no he podido parar de leer. Pensaba que iba a ser una sucesion de gags y que apenas habria cabida para la trama, pero me equivocaba. Sí es cierto que tiene cosas muy hilarantes, pero se entremezclan muy bien con la historia. Ademas no puedes parar de leeer porque de alguna manera quieres saber como acabara el Apocalipsis.
Ineffable.
Oh, man. Why didn't I read this book sooner? Why, oh why, did I pick it up for "idle reading" in the heat of Finals season??
I'm not really sure how to describe this book, except that it's one of those books where you drift around with your eyes unfocused for hours after reading, and you spill a bunch of stuff because you've been well and truly entranced. It's one of those books that you can stare at and squeeze to your chest because the characters, even those that hail from the pits of Hell (especially those) feel like your best mates and the whole book fills you with a kind of existentially ironic warm fuzzy feeling, which I didn't even know was a thing. Laugh-out-loud hilarious, a good read for those who want to stop taking themselves so seriously. The writing was beautiful and I loved the dialogue. In …
Oh, man. Why didn't I read this book sooner? Why, oh why, did I pick it up for "idle reading" in the heat of Finals season??
I'm not really sure how to describe this book, except that it's one of those books where you drift around with your eyes unfocused for hours after reading, and you spill a bunch of stuff because you've been well and truly entranced. It's one of those books that you can stare at and squeeze to your chest because the characters, even those that hail from the pits of Hell (especially those) feel like your best mates and the whole book fills you with a kind of existentially ironic warm fuzzy feeling, which I didn't even know was a thing. Laugh-out-loud hilarious, a good read for those who want to stop taking themselves so seriously. The writing was beautiful and I loved the dialogue. In the beginning (haha, Bible pun, haha) it felt like there were WAY TOO MANY characters for my poor feeble mortal mind to juggle, but it pares down into a glorious semblance of sense.
I also have the hugest crush on Aziraphale, bless his soul.
If I could give this 10 stars I would. Love this book. I read it a couple times a year.
Good Omens has been recommended to me an awful lot. B&N, GoodReads, and Kobo - all at the same time - said this is what people who like what I like like. I guess I can see why. I've liked several Neil Gaiman books and a couple of Terry Pratchetts. (I would probably like more Pratchett but I try to avoid being sucked into series fiction.)
Good Omens seems like a lot of other books and some BBC presentations: satire, silliness disguised as intelligent humo(u)r and vice versa. This novel actually does have some valuable stuff at the center. It's like it's trying to dissuade you from thinking of the nature of good and evil, what role religion plays in it, nature vs. nurture - but it's all there and plenty ponderous if you don't let yourself get distracted.
Other things Good Omens has: too many characters and plot twists, …
Good Omens has been recommended to me an awful lot. B&N, GoodReads, and Kobo - all at the same time - said this is what people who like what I like like. I guess I can see why. I've liked several Neil Gaiman books and a couple of Terry Pratchetts. (I would probably like more Pratchett but I try to avoid being sucked into series fiction.)
Good Omens seems like a lot of other books and some BBC presentations: satire, silliness disguised as intelligent humo(u)r and vice versa. This novel actually does have some valuable stuff at the center. It's like it's trying to dissuade you from thinking of the nature of good and evil, what role religion plays in it, nature vs. nurture - but it's all there and plenty ponderous if you don't let yourself get distracted.
Other things Good Omens has: too many characters and plot twists, as much quirky padding as clever substance (I'm still trying to figure out where the line is that separates those two), and a denouement twice as long as needed.
This is one of the best and funniest books I have ever read. It is beautiful and is written by two kind, thoughtful authors who really really love humanity and so they wrote a book about the end of us all.
I just reread it for the 4th time and it is still as good as it ever was.
"God moves in extremely mysterious, not to say, circuitous ways. God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other players (i.e. everybody), to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time."
"Anathema didn't only believe in leylines, but in seals, whales, bicycles, rain forests, whole grain in loaves, recycled paper, white South Africans out of South Africa, and Americans out of practically everywhere down to and including Long Island. She didn't compartmentalize her beliefs. They were welded into one enormous, seamless belief, compared with which that held by Joan of Arc seemed a mere idle notion."
Red tape in heaven and hell, was surely an interest concept. Started off really well, impressive array of characters. Crowley would probably be rated pretty high in my list. I thought it was a let-down towards the end, was expecting something a little more explosive. Overall a fun read still, and highly recommended.
I liked Time Out's take on this book: "Wickedly funny". Neil Gaiman's twisted sense of humour together with sheer craziness of Terry Pratchett created this unique masterpiece. Only these two authors could put Antichrist, angels, demons, God, devil, witches, aliens, Atlantis and above all...Armageddon in one novel and make it seem like a normal thing. In fact these things together with footnotes full of confusing information make for entertaining experience. Some of the footnotes are even true (which makes me think that world is actually even more twisted than these two lunatics). Great read!
I read this a long time ago when it first came out. I absolutely loved it and it is a book I reread every few years. Great fun and enjoyable. It pokes a lot of fun at organized religion and as a preachers-kid I certainly enjoy that.
Funny.
Right off the bat, a humorous look at the apocalypse that totally delivers on the laughs. Not that I've read any Terry Pratchett yet, but a recommended read for his, and Gaiman's, fans. And both authors write in each other's style so well, you hardly know you're reading a collaboration. It feels like a novel from one author. And as someone who has read no Pratchett and a lot of Gaiman, I cannot tell what part is written by what author. Very well done.
2023-08-04, reread, because what else could I read immediately after [b:The House in the Cerulean Sea|45047384|The House in the Cerulean Sea|T.J. Klune|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569514209l/45047384.SY75.jpg|62945242]?
Why hadn't I read this before? What took me so long?
