Best Book Ever

Evan Pallor

When I was young, if I was asked what my favorite book was, I would probably say Harry Potter. As I grew older, I went through about twenty different favorite books. Around the time I started my sophomore year I was heavily into the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. I loved Pratchett’s style and his humor, I laughed out loud more often then I had done with any author before. My obsession with his books continued throughout the year, until one day I saw something magical. A unicorn Voldemort pikachu Ms. Diana kid in my English class was reading a book entitled Good Omens. I looked at the author’s name, and lo and behold it was co-authored by Terry Pratchett and another of my favorite authors Neil Gaiman. I asked the student (who shall remain nameless so as to prevent his cover being blown in his clandestine operation) if I could borrow the book when he finished it. He said yes, and two day later I first laid hands on the best book in the known universe. I took the book, I went home, I read it that night. Four hundred and twelve pages in one night. I could not put the book down. I returned the book to the anonymous donor, and spent the next couple months itching to re-read the book. Finally, for my birthday, I got a nook, and you can guess what the first book I bought was. I finally had a copy for myself, and I have been reading it ever since. The most times I ever read Good Omens in a week was five. That’s how much I love this book.

I suppose with my ranting and raving about Good Omens I have probably made you curious about the actual story of the book. It’s about angels, demons, heaven, and hell and why publishing true prophesies doesn’t make a profit. The main characters are a demon named Crowley and an angel named Aziraphale. They are both changed from their six thousand year stay on earth, becoming infernal / celestial beings of the world. When news of the birth of the Antichrist and the impending apocalypse arrives they both decide to try to stop it so they can partake in worldly pleasures for awhile longer. Meanwhile, due to an accidental baby swap, Adam the Antichrist is growing up quite untainted by either ethereal or infernal forces. Anathema Device, a psychic descendant of Agnes Nutter, the author of The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch which contains a completely accurate description of the events leading up to the apocolypse and Newton Pulsifer, witchfinder private and technological genius (not) are two other major characters. The entire story is an absolutely beautiful work of art.

I <3 Good Omens.