Good Omens

Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman

Synopsis

The irreverant, hilarious, touching and philosophical caper about the end of the world.

'Still makes me laugh 25 years later' Ben Aaronovitch

There is a hint of Armageddon in the air. According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (recorded, thankfully, in 1655, before she blew up her entire village and all its inhabitants, who had gathered to watch her burn), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. So the Armies of Good and Evil are massing, the four Bikers of the Apocalypse are revving up their mighty hogs and hitting the road, and the world's last two remaining witchfinders are getting ready to Fight the Good Fight. Atlantis is rising. Frogs are falling. Tempers are flaring, and everything appears to be going to Divine Plan.

Except that a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon are not particularly looking forward to the coming Rapture. They've lived amongst Humanity for millennia, and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle. So if Crowley and Aziraphale are going to stop it from happening, they've got to find and kill the AntiChrist (which is a shame, really, as he's a nice kid). There's just one glitch: someone seems to have misplaced him.

Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's brilliantly dark and funny take on mankind's final judgment is back, in a new hardcover edition which includes an introduction by the authors.

Readers can't get enough of Good Omens:

'This is actually a profound philosophical and theological treatise, exploring good and evil, nature versus nurture, free will, war, pollution, and organised religion . . . The writing is so like Douglas Adams that it could be mistaken for a missing volume of Hitchhiker's' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Good Omens is a hysterically funny book . . . It is also a love letter to humanity and to the power of free will and choice in a world desperate to wrench it away. You should read it' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'If I were to pick a setting for a comedy, I'm not sure it would be Armageddon. However, in the talented minds of Pratchett and Gaiman, it's the perfect setting . . . just the right mix of clever, deadpan, sarcasm, innuendo, and self-deprecation' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Has got to be one of the funniest satires I've ever read . . . This book is funny, irreverent, and at times surprisingly insightful' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'No getting around it, it IS funny! . . . The book is loaded with great characters, there's even a cute little dog, The Hound from Hell morphed into a cat chasing mongrel' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman

Summary

Chapter 1: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

* Introduces Agnes Nutter, a 17th-century witch whose prophecies predict the birth of the Antichrist and the end of the world.
* Includes prophesies like, "Ye shall know of his coming when he is born on a Tuesday in a year that is not a leap year" and "His name shall be Anathema Device."

Chapter 2: The Word

* Introduces the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley, who have lived on Earth for centuries and become skeptical of their roles.
* They learn about Agnes Nutter's prophecy and decide to prevent the birth of the Antichrist.

Chapter 3: Thou Shalt Not Kill

* Agnes Nutter's great-great-great-grandson, Thaddeus, unwittingly becomes the Antichrist.
* A pair of Satanists, Crowley's associates, try to kidnap Thaddeus, but are stopped by Aziraphale.

Chapter 4: In Which the Interfering Hosts Confront Each Other

* Representatives from Heaven and Hell intervene, demanding that Aziraphale and Crowley surrender the Antichrist.
* They refuse, arguing that he is an innocent child.

Chapter 5: The Four Horsepersons of the Apocalypse

* The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (War, Famine, Pollution, and Death) are summoned to Earth but are surprised to find that the Antichrist is not evil.
* They decide to question their purpose.

Chapter 6: The Four Horsepersons of the Apocalypse Ride Forth

* The Horsemen begin to unleash their powers on Earth, causing chaos and destruction.
* Adam Young, an eleven-year-old boy, is chosen to oppose them.

Chapter 7: Those Who Stand in the Way

* Various individuals, including Agnes Nutter's descendent Anathema Device and the witch's cat Beelzebub, try to prevent the Antichrist's defeat.
* Aziraphale and Crowley ally with them to protect Thaddeus.

Chapter 8: The Angels of the Apocalypse

* The armies of Heaven and Hell prepare for a final battle.
* Aziraphale and Crowley stage a diversion, giving Adam and his allies time to confront Thaddeus.

Chapter 9: The Death of Agnes Nutter

* Agnes Nutter appears posthumously, using her last words to guide Adam and Anathema.
* She reveals that Thaddeus is not the Antichrist but a demon posing as a human.

Chapter 10: The Judgment Day

* Adam confronts the demon, forcing it to reveal its true identity.
* The battle between Heaven and Hell is averted, and the world is saved.

Chapter 11: The Future

* Aziraphale and Crowley continue to live on Earth, observing the world with a renewed sense of purpose.
* They reflect on the lessons they have learned from the Antichrist incident.