Good Omens
category: fantasy, authors:Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
original copyright 1990
read in March 2012 (and before, possibly...)
Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10
The best part of Good Omens is the series of authors' notes at the end.
Easy to see why it's a cult book, though: it makes fun of the underlying stupidity of bible stories. Create Earth, create humanity, allow free will then destroy everything in a pointless battle of Armageddon... Angels and demons are, well, angels and angels with a different point of view... Heaven and Hell are enormous, unthinking bureaucracies...
Then, after all this, there is still an ineffable god-being who -- possibly -- knows and plans all. A bit of a let down, after all the fallibility of the visible cast of natural and supernatural characters.
An enjoyable romp. Lots of good laughs, mostly of the they're-no-different-to-us variety. A rather weak, not-really-deus ex machina twist at the end. Perhaps a good book for those who believe in God, doubt the basics of religion... and see humanity as the pinnacle of creation.
The authors' notes at the end are the best bit of Good Omens.
As an insight into the authors, interesting. As an description of the approach to shared authorship, entertaining. As an explanation of the non-stop humour, the characters of the children, and an implied explanation of the somewhat haphazard approach to the climax... very good.
If you're a religious cynic, it appeals: as a cynical -- or perhaps ironic? -- view of biblical ideas. A cult book for people who wish to challenge the ideas that were accepted doctrine as they grew up. If you don't care, it has less impact: if you don't care about the ideas, you don't care about challenging the ideas.
Still, it's a very funny book.
Mostly.
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