Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Introduction
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is a dark fantasy satire about the potential coming of the apocalypse. Aziraphale is an angel posing as a rare book dealer in England and Crowley is a demon living like a rock star in England. They like their lives as they are. Crowley learns about the coming of the Antichrist, so he knows the time is near, and he asks Aziraphale to help him. Can Aziraphale and Crowley avoid Armageddon and keep their comfortable lives intact?
Summary of the Novel
There are several Point of view characters in the novel.
The main characters are the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale, who first meet at the Garden of Eden.
Crowley enjoys living in England at the current time. He remembers how bad it was in the 17th century and even worse in the 14th century and is happy now.
The forces of Hell give Crowley the Antichrist to swap with the baby of an American diplomat. The swap is botched unknown to Crowley. Crowley and Aziraphale try to steer the child to avoid Armageddon. But it’s the wrong child, Warlock Dowling.
The Antichrist grows up in England as Adam Young. He and his three friends call themselves The Them. Adam grows in his power as he ages.
Anathema Device is the descendant of the witch Agnes Nutter, who wrote cryptic prophecies. Anathema with the help of Witchfinder Private Newton Pulsifer try to decipher the prophecies and avoid Armageddon.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse arrive, Death War, Famine, and Pollution. All in their human form.
Recommendation
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is a great novel if you like British humor, which I do. Twisting the premise of The Omen is inspired and turning it into a comedy is gold. Aziraphale and Crowley are perfect together. The first season of the Amazon Prime Good Omens show adapted this novel. Their second proposed but unwritten novel was the basis for season two of the show. A movie is scheduled to release in early 2026 to wrap up the story. I’m looking forward to watching that to see how it ends.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44531714-good-omens
My review of American Gods by Neil Gaiman, book 1 of the American Gods series. The Old Gods have lost power. Shadow Moon is caught up in the war between the Old Gods and the New Gods. Will Shadow survive?
Link to my review of Red Prophet by Orson Scott Card. Alvin Miller is the seventh son of a seventh son which gives him special powers in this alternate history tale of America set in 1811. In American Gods and in Red Prophet, the gods are alive and interact with people.
