Fall is one of my favorite times to read books. This is when I can let my mystery and fantasy nerd run wild in the spirit of spooky season! These books can be read year-round, but there’s a great atmosphere when reading them between the months of September and November. One of the books I love reading this time of year is the classic by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Good Omens. This book is full of attributes that make it a fun read when the leaves start to turn. Not convinced? I have four reasons why you should reconsider!
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- Crowley and Aziraphel’s dynamic
Crowley and Aziraphale are the main characters of this story, and an unlikely duo. Crowley is a demon formerly known as the snake in the garden of Eden, and Aziraphale is angel previously on guarding duty. A demon and an angel? Friends? It’s an interesting dynamic that Gaiman and Pratchett play into well. These two are a bit like a celestial odd couple, sassy remarks and all. Crowley and Aziraphale have known each other for roughly 4,000 years, which adds an interesting layer to their relationship. They make many quips about “my side vs. your side”, but they’re still fond of each other. These two create a good bit of the humor and plot points that make this story exciting. So many quotable moments are ahead of you with these two.
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- The humor
I must give a disclaimer when discussing the humor of Good Omens. This book is written by two English authors. That means the humor is very British, aka dry and sarcastic. If that is not your scene, then the humor of this book may not be for you. As a lover of British content and sarcastic humor, I gravitated towards this book like a moth to flame. A lot of this humor comes from the twists that the authors concoct. I don’t want to give everything away, but the obstacles put in the characters’ paths are both interesting and funny. Another thing that adds to the humor of this book is the character dynamics. There are many characters in this story, all of whom play a part in the coming apocalypse. As the characters come together, you get a fun mesh of different personalities playing off each other. And, of course, the word choices are perfect to add that dry British humor to this story.
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- So many ways to enjoy the story!
Are you a reader? A fan of booktapes? Or maybe you prefer to enjoy storytelling through tv or movies? Well, this story is for you! One of the awesome things about Good Omens is the many ways you can enjoy the story. There’s the classic novel, which is a great way to enjoy the story. If you are more of a book tape fan, Audible has multiple versions that you can enjoy. The BBC has a dramatized version of the book tape told by different actors. It has also been adapted for the screen! Amazon Prime recently released a miniseries version of Good Omens starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen. The miniseries has some changes, but it’s still a very faithful adaptation of the book. Pick one, or all, and you’re sure to have a great time!
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- The world building
While this story is about the end of the world, it still has a great use of world building. The book and the miniseries are great at introducing you to the world Crowley and Aziraphale live in. While the setting is England, the world of these characters involves a good bit of supernatural and otherworldly entities. For example; the story does a great job of describing Heaven and Hell, as well as those who inhabit them. My favorite version of this is when the story goes on to describe how, if ever, angels and demons dance. This is even better in the miniseries, where they use visual gags to add humor and get the point across. They also use verses from Revelations as a jumping off point. Often they flip them on their head as well, which adds a fun depth and twist to the world.
Good Omens has been a fun part of my life since I first read it in college. I was happy to join the multitude of fans who love this book. It’s a fun, satirical book that is a perfect read to enjoy on a cool fall day. Or any day, really. Have you ever read Good Omens? What did you think about it? If you end up watching or reading this story in the future, please let me know. I’m excited to hear more people’s thoughts. Also, if you have any books that you have to read every fall, please let me know in the comments below. I would love some new book recommendations. Thanks so much for checking out my post, and happy reading!
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