Funniest Apocalypse Ever! (Good Omens - Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman)

Member Name: zaksas

Product:	Good Omens - Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman
Date:	24/09/01 (49 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Detailed Satire, Hilarious Style, Plot

Disadvantages: people not having read it yet

My roommate introduced me to Good Omens and Terry Pratchet a few months ago, and I must say that it was not only a highly enjoyable read, but also one of the funniest novels I have ever laid my eyes on.

There is a fair amount of exquisite social satire, taking direct shots at the major world religions and common perceptions of the moral fiber that holds together the artificially constructed ordered sanity of our world.

The story actually revolves around the coming of the Apocalypse as it has been predicted in the Bible. Well, sort of. Actually, the book applies the scripture to the loopholes, exceptions, and mess-ups of modern society.

At the center of the plot are an angel and a demon, representing their respective sides of the good/evil dichotomy, or rather showing its rather blurry border. They are quasi-involved in the ancient battle for the dominion of Earth, but all they really do is pursue personal hobbies and try to maintain the status quo between heaven and hell. Makes for hilarious anecdotes.

As predicted, Satan's seed is planted in the form of a human baby who will orchestrate the Apocalypse, and the only problem for all the main characters becomes the fact that babies sometimes get mixed up at birth, in ways that are mysterious for heaven and hell alike.

As a result, the entire slew of apocalyptic predictions becomes as useful as the Mars Lander, accurate but sadly misdirected. However, higher ineffable forces are at work, and by the end of the book most things are worked out.

But any or all epiphanies could be useless if the Apocalypse is at hand, and all signs point to humanity's fiery demise. So what happens when the four horsemen of the apocalypse ride their bikes into town? Does everything end in a final bout of irony? Or is the Earth saved by some equally humorous happy ending?

What, you expect me to tell you? If you've read my review this far, clearly you are capable of app
lying the same skill toward the book, so go to it.

Summary: