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Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett: Good Omens (Paperback, 2010, Corgi) 4 stars

Armageddon only happens once, you know. They don't let you go around again until you …

Review of 'Good Omens' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

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.