Pajiba

This book is fantastic, if i ever start a band it will be called "The Them".

One of my all-time favorites, although it should be noted that Gaiman has said many times over that this was really a ninety/ten collaboration with Pratchett doing the ninety percent.

mightygodking, that just might be enough for me to finally try out the Discworld series.

I adore this book beyond reason. This was my first introduction to both authors and I've gone on to read both of their independant work. I prefer Gaiman, just because I'm more drawn to the morbid and absurd than the silly, but I love them both. Good Omens perfectly shows what each author is great at and manages to blend their styles together so that the sum becomes greater than the parts. The silly and morbid, the absurdity and the horrible realism balance out in a way that neither author could have created alone.

This is probably my favourite book ever. I was a huge fan of Pratchett's Discworld books before I ever picked this one up, and Good Omens was so good that I actually put off reading any Gaiman for ages because I was convinced there was no way any other book of his could stand up. I finally got round to reading American Gods, and loved it - but Good Omens still holds a special place in my heart.

mightygodking, that just might be enough for me to finally try out the Discworld series.

Good idea, but do not - not - make the mistake of starting at the beginning - The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic are Pratchett very early in his career when he was still finding his feet as a writer and do not reflect the quality inherent to the series as a whole.

If you want the experience closest to Good Omens, start with either Mort or Small Gods. (The other generally recommended starting point is Guards! Guards!, but I think that although the Watch novels eventually become Pratchett's best, the opening is relatively weak. But that's me.)

"Mort" is indeed one of the finest books in the ever, and a fantastick place to start.

If you're going to start with Pratchett's City Watch series, start with Feet of Clay. It isn't the first (I believe it's the second), but it's an excellent introduction to Ankh-Morpork and the guards, and it's just a helluva fun book. It'd make for a great movie. Mort is definitely a great starting point for the Discworld series in general, though.

I think the 90/10 (Pratchett/Gaiman) ratio makes the most sense. It feels very much like a Gaiman story, but it reads like Pratchett. I'd actually be surprised if Gaiman didn't write the more serious bits, with Pratchett writing the bulk of the comedy and narrative. Regardless, it's one of my favorite books, but not my favorite for either writer. Strange...

Love this book! Love Pratchett (though not the earliest Discworld stuff--he got MUCH better). I was trying to get somebody into Discworld, and had a debate about the best place to start. Wyrd Sisters was recommended, but I'd recommend Going Postal myself.

American Gods! Anansi Boys! Unnamed Doctor Who script for series six! Is there anything Gaiman can't do?

Love this book. My sister is a big Gaiman fan, and introduced Good Omens to the entire family, and we read her little paperback until it got dogeared and filthy. She took it to a book signing, and Gaiman wrote "Burn This Book!" on the inside cover. She didn't take his advice. I wanted a copy of my own, so I have the nice hardcover, but that tatty paperback was my first exposure to both Gaiman and Pratchett, and I absolutely fell in love.

To this day, I use their description of newborns -- they really do all look like Winston Churchill.

I cried when I read that Terry Pratchett has developed early-onset alzheimer's disease. The idea of him slowly losing the ability to remember Nobby, Granny Weatherwax and the rest of his creations is so truly heartbreaking. Someone earlier mentioned Going Postal as a great start to Discworld books and I second it. If only for the introduction of his last hero, Moist Von Lipwig. Greatest conman ever.

Listened to Neil Gaiman interviewed on NPR recently, bought "Neverwhere","American Gods", "Anansi Boys" and "Good Omens". Instant infatuation ensued.

Good Omens was so strikingly differnt from the other three Gaiman novels I twigged Pratchett must have had a weightier contribution to this story based on the striking change from Gaiman's darker content in the other novels to pronounced satire laced with satisfying chunks of sheer lunacy. I was absolutely enchanted by this version Revelations in a way I never dreamed was possible. Who knew the end of the world could be so funny?

Good Omens lead me to Pratchett's Discworld series and I've spent all my spare time the last two months devouring one book after the other in the series. I just dread the day when I finish the last page of the last book.

Awesome review of one of my favourite books.

linny The copy of Good Omens that I have is some sort of updated version with a larger foreword from the authors. They both mention signing broken-down copies that had been dropped in the bath or nibbled by the dog, and I believe it's Pratchett who specifically requests for people to get Gaiman to sign their roughed up books. You can practically hear him snickering like a gleeful little imp as he imagines his poor co-author wincing as the lastest taped-together copy is thrust at him.

Can I suggest Nation as an introduction to Pratchett? Okay, it's not Discworld, but it'll give you an idea of his style. And possibly break your heart, just a little.
Otherwise, I echo, eleventy-billion times, DO NOT start with Colour of Magic/The Light Fantastic. In fact, skip at least the first four or so Discworld books, he definitely improved with experience. Small Gods is what sucked me in, and remained my favourite for a long time, while Soul Music was what did it for the ITGeek.

Terry Pratchett is my secret shame, because really, those book covers are terribly designed. Whenever I recommend him, I'm like "ignore the cheesy fantasy cover. This is the SHIT!"

Oh, you had BETTER not be dissing Josh Kirby's art. His art style - deliberately absurdist - set the tone for what's inside the books. It's not "cheesy fantasy."

Unless, of course, you're talking about those horrible American covers instead. Those are bad. Generic design trickery. You may complain about those at will. But if you diss Josh Kirby again we will have WORDS.