In Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett the end of the world is near. That the apocalypse is close at hand comes as a disappointment to both the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale. They have both come to rather enjoy their lives on Earth and, despite their supernatural status, are friends. When the anti-Christ comes into the world, destined to be the son of an American diplomat stationed in Britain, they decide to keep an eye on him, setting up a sort of competition to see who can influence him more. As the time of the apocalypse nears, it becomes obvious that this child is not the the son of Lucifer. Due to a mix up at birth, the actual anti-Christ (named Adam) is living a idyllically ordinary life in Lower Tadfield.

Meanwhile, Anathema Device knows about the impending apocalypse thanks to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, a book of true, but mostly mundane prophesies written by Anathema's ancestor. Just as Agnes predicted, Anathema is joined by Newton Pulsifer and together they track down Adam. But they aren't the only ones-- the Four Horsemen are on their way to play their part in the end of days. Crowley and Aziraphale are also looking for Adam, hoping to find him before their respective bosses find them. With the world on the verge of destruction, Adam must choose how to use his newly identified power-- to destroy the world or save it.

Good Omens is one of those books that I've had on my shelf for years, but never got around to reading until recently and I'm glad I did. This is a humorous look at apocalypse, as anyone would suspect a book authored by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett to be. The friendship of Aziraphale and Crowley is fun to watch as they balance each other out, hinting at the deeper concept of the duality of good and evil. At the core, the angel and the demon are not so different from each other.

My Recommendation
If you're looking for a bit of light reading, that's not just fluff, Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is a perfect fit. It's funny and entertaining, plus a great candidate for a family read along.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Published by Ace
384 pages

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is available at Amazon.com

I reviewed Good Omens from my own personal library