Louiseog Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 Synopsis: According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter -the world's only _totally reliable_ guide to the future - the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just after tea. Which means that Armageddon will happen on a Saturday night. There will be seas of fire, rains of fish, the moon turning to blood and the massed armies of Heaven and Hell will sort it out once and for all. Which is a major problem for Crowley, Hell's most approachable demon and former serpent, and his opposite number and old friend Aziraphale, genuine angel and Soho bookshop owner. They like it down here (or, in Crowley's case, up here). So they've got no alternative but to stop the Four Motorcyclists of the Apocalypse, defeat the marching ranks of the Witchfinder's army* and - somehow - stop it all happening. Above all (or, in Aziraphale's case, below all) they need to find and kill the Antichrist, currently the most powerful creature on Earth. This is a shame. Because he's eleven years old, loves his dog even though it's really a Satanic hellhound under all that hair, really cares about the environment and is the sort of boy anyone would be proud to have as a son. He's also totally invulnerable, and a nice kid. And if that isn't enough, they've still got Sunday to deal with. . . * All two of them. I have been listening to this book and it has blown me away. I laughed...... Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Pestilence retired with the invention of penicillin! I cried. I found it a brilliant reflection on what is good and evil and the enduring power of humans over all else. 6/5 and off to find Coraline! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 I LOVE this book - I must have read it about a dozen times (although I've listened to the audio book too). It takes everything that's best about Pratchett and mizes it with everything that's best about Gaiman - the two were BORN to write together and I wish they'd done another project together since then. Sadly, with Terry's onset of alzheimers, I doubt that will ever happen now. The whole thing is seamless - although you can recognise the humour of the two writers separately, they blend it so well, that either one could have written any of the parts in the novel. It's funny, clever, dark and, well, just brilliant from start to finish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gelfling Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 I loved this book so much! It's hilarious. It completely takes the micky out of the Omen films. I heard Terry Giliam has done a screenplay for it, but says they'll never get the massive amount of funding required for all the special effects. Shame. Loved what they said about Crowley getting the M66 and Azriel getting Milton Keynes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiseog Posted April 19, 2008 Author Share Posted April 19, 2008 I think what made it so great for me was the philosophy of it, that you could use it to think about the battle between good and evil etc. Really thought it went beyond Omen etc although had a laugh at their expense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 I have always thought of this as one of my least favourite Pratchett books, but when I read it for only the second time a few months ago, I remembered just how hilarious it is! I really enjoyed it, so I can't explain why, when someone asks me what my fave Pratchett is, this one never springs to mind. Maybe I just prefer the Discworld ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isidro Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 This is one of my all time fav books, I think I'm on my 3rd copy now after I loaned one out and it never came back and then the ex took the second one when we split up, so, I'm on number 3. Mia - I know what you mean, and I think I don't really see it as a Pratchett as such, because it's Pratchett and Gaiman? Louiseog - Oh yes! The good vs evil and the interplay between Crowley and Aziraphale is fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I love this book too and have it as one of my favourites. I'm currently sorting out a load of boxes in my house (just this minute found my whole Harry Potter colection up to book 5 and around 30 other books, some to add to Mount TBR) and am hoping to come across my copy of this so i can read it again as I've not read it since it came out in paperback. Feels longer than 18 years ago though I love all the massive footnotes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarahrob Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I can't recall ever reading anything by either author, but when a synopsis makes me giggle I reckon the book has got to be worth a go. Next time I buy books this is going on the list - thanks Louise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 My best friend insisted I get this, which I did, but I've just never gotten around to reading it, I don't really know why, and after seeing the positive comments about it, I really should! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 It is very good, though it is a long time since I read it (over 15 years now I think about it . . .). Are you on a mission to revive old threads tonight Lexie?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Yes! Can you tell?! I was bored and thought I'd kick up a couple of old conversations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Let us know when you find the one on the Beatles splitting up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 (edited) It is very good, though it is a long time since I read it (over 15 years now I think about it . . .) *gasps in horror and goes on to remove "Good Omens" from her list of best books written in the past decade* I had no idea it was that old - although it explains why my second-hand copy is quite this mangled! Still, brilliant book. It had me in stitches right from the beginning (the whole "Earth's a Libra" thing is pure genius) 'till the end (the extra bikers of the Apocalypse especially); Crowley and Aziraphale are a charming duo, and it's refreshing for once to see the good angel portrayed as just as layered/interesting as the demon; the strengths of both authors (such as Pratchett's histerical footnotes and Gaiman's surreally dark humour) are plentiful and their few faults virtually cancelled out, as if those two were each other's Nature-intended editor. In one word, unmissable. Especially for fans of Douglas Adams' "Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and people with a Monty Phyton-esque sense of humour. Edited March 20, 2009 by BookJumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 *gasps in horror and goes on to remove "Good Omens" from her list of best books written in the past decade* I had no idea it was that old - although it explains why my second-hand copy is quite this mangled! Yep, first published in 1990! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Quite shameful that (considering how well that's been doing for the past 18 years) Terry and Neil haven't in all that time teamed up to write another one together. I'd like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I'm not sure, but I get the impression from interviews that Terry prefers working on his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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