November 17, 2013

“Good Omens” by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – Rapture’s Mutiny

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Book cover)
The Rapture is about to come to Earth, and everything is set in position, with the Antichrist being confided into the caring hands of Crowley and Aziraphale, a demon and an angel respectively.

However, what the forces of Heaven and Hell do not suspect is that across the eons, the demons and angels have gotten to know each other pretty well, and what’s more, they have come to care for the humans more than for their bosses.

In other words, they aren’t exactly happy with the rapture happening in the first place, and that’s when Crowley and Aziraphale are found to have somehow misplaced the Antichrist, delaying the whole thing and basically giving their masters the finger.

Indeed, Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is far from being your ordinary story, being akin to a grand comedy of errors and a satire which touches upon a lot of religious beliefs and popular culture.

There are plenty of jabs taken at Christianity (quite understandably), just like there are many references to movies such as The Exorcist. Though it is possible that some people may be offended by it, I would urge you to remember that it is, after all, simply a comedy and not meant to be taken as gospel, or even seriously in the first place.

If you hold the belief that religion is something to be always be taken with utmost seriousness and not to be joked around with, then I would urge you to steer clear of this particular novel.

Though the book is a bit short for my taste and full of laughs, beneath the surface still lies a deeper message, one in regards to the nature of good and evil, and whether or not it is actually important for us to dry and decipher what superior forces reign above us, if there are any.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Book cover)
In my opinion, you are definitely going to get more out of this book (when it comes to symbolism at least) if you are already familiar with the workings of the Christian religion. If not, you will still have a pretty good time tying the way heaven and hell function to life on Earth.

All in all, if you are of the opinion that God can take a joke from time to time and are looking for a laugh-out-loud comedy and satire with religious themes, then this is the perfect book to satisfy your desire.



Neil Richard Gaiman (Author)

Neil Gaiman


Personal site

Neal Gaiman is an English author whose efforts have mostly consisted of short and graphic novels, comic books, audio plays and he even dabbled in films. He received more than 24 awards for his books, including one International Horror Guild Award and one British Fantasy Award.

Some of his better-known books include Stardust, The Alchemy of MirrorMask, and Smoke & Mirrors.
Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett (April 28, 1948 - March 12, 2015)

Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett (April 28, 1948 - March 12, 2015)


Personal site

Terry Pratchett is a British author who dedicated most of his time to writing fantasy novels and comic books. His most famous work is the Discworld series which stretches across 40 volumes.

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