Good Omens is the most cheerful book about the Apocalypse that I’ve ever read. A collaboration between authors Neil Gaiman (of Sandman and American Gods fame) and Terry Pratchett (most famous for the Discworld series), Good Omens is a World Fantasy Award-nominated detailing the attempts of the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley to avert the oncoming Apocalypse. The book manages to juggle great characterization, plot, and humor all at once. Despite being written by two authors, you can barely detect shifts in style and it comes together as a very cohesive piece of work.

The characters alone make the book worthwhile. From the upstart prophet and ‘witch’ Anathema Device to the Son of the Devil himself, 10-year-old Adam, every character has their own quirks and little things that make them believable, even when put into such a surreal setting.  Their interactions are also always on point . For example, the interaction between the two protagonists – the aforementioned Crowley and Aziraphale, always manages to be fresh and amusing despite the length of the novel. Aziraphale embodies everything that the quintessential Angel should – polite, sophisticated, and moral. On the other hand, Crowley is exactly what one would expect of a demon – rebellious, irreverent, and sometimes, just plain cruel. They argue quite a bit, but the most interesting portions of the book are when Good and Evil agree. Both the characters, having grown attached to humankind (despite its imperfections) during their time serving powers both infernal and angelic, believe that neither side should win the upcoming war.

The plot is a winding, complex, and rollicking thing, full of turns and little scenes that help bring the whole picture together. Although the way the book is written towards the end can be a bit confusing, due to the sheer amount of perspective shifts and plot points that occur in the climax, it holds together very well overall, and can be easily followed. Despite having so many characters, all with their own subplots, it’s very easy to keep track of what characters are doing, making it an easy leisure read. The Apocalypse isn’t an easy thing to stop, and Gaiman and Pratchett do a great job of giving those trying to do so quite a bit to do.

Of course, the most important thing in a comedy novel, is of course, the comedy; in the case of Good Omens, the novel manages to maintain a certain degree of lightheartedness even with the possible implications of the death of all humans on Earth. The authors’ sense of humor is a bit dark and cosmic at times, but even if that sort of comedy isn’t your style, there’s still a fair majority that is well delivered, and of a more bright nature. Accompanying the American edition of the book ( the one that you’re most likely to find at your bookstore ) are witty little footnotes tagged onto the ends of pages that add another sense of depth to the tongue-in-cheek humor of the actual substance of the novel.

Overall, I’d heartily recommend this book to anyone looking for something to read. It’s a good, casual read that remains entertaining despite the fact that it’s been on bookshelves for 35 years.

★★★★☆