Neil Gaiman

This is a tremendous work. Gaiman breathes life and character into the history of America, mythology and folklore from all over the world, and creates a hypnotically believable world in which anything can happen--but it all has a logic that you begin to understand as you go along.

The protagonist goes by the strange name of Shadow, and his co-adventurer on this journey has an even stranger name: Wednesday, though you can discover the reason for this one. 

Shadow is in prison when the story starts, and seems to be a regular guy who gets released early for good conduct. He's waiting to go back home to his wife, and even has his old job waiting for him--or so he thinks. His wife and his employer are killed a few days before he's released. 

But Shadow has a different job waiting for him, from an employer he doesn't like or trust, but can't shake off: an old man who is his neighbour on the plane, a man who calls himself Wednesday. The job he offers: protect the old man, do what he tells Shadow to do, and don't ask questions. Not the kind of job Shadow wants just after getting out of jail, but try as he might, he can't get rid of the gruff-voiced man who seems to have some kind of power--and not just the earthly kind...

The tale--and the journey--is long and filled with many characters, most of them hard to forget, with names like Whiskey Jack, Mr. Ibis, Mr. Nancy, and Mad Sweeney. 

The story has mystery, magic, adventure and will send shivers down your spine just as it will make you bite your nails waiting to know what will happen next. It makes you think about people and their beliefs, their mindset.

Keeps you turning pages, but although you want to know the end, you don't want it to end. This is a book I'll want to read again.

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Review by Anitha Murthy

I have this habit of reading forewords and prefaces and everything else that comes before the actual story begins. The first page of this book had notes about the authors. When I read that Terry Pratchett “likes people to buy him banana daiquiris (he knows that people don’t read author biographies, but feels this might be worth a try)”, I was favourably disposed towards the book. Similar nuggets about Neil Gaiman (who prefers money, if you’re interested), made me instantly develop a warm affection for the book

If you’re a person who takes the Apocalypse and Armageddon and religion very seriously, this book is definitely not for you. If however, you’re a Douglas Adams fan kind of person, then hey, join the club of readers who have been advised not to read this book in bed for fear they will awaken their spouse with the guffaws. I had to interrupt my own reading several times to read aloud to my spouse. It is utterly selfish and rude not to share the hilarity.

When a chattering (Satanist) nun makes a mistake while switching babies in order to place the baby Antichrist, all Hell does not immediately follow. It takes time for Crowley (An Angel who did not so much Fall as Saunter Vaguely Downwards) and Aziraphale (An angel, and part-time rare-book dealer) to track the young Antichrist, Adam Young, who unfortunately, is the epitome of humanity or human-ness. Add to this Anathema, the last living descendant of the witch Agnes Nutter – author of the amazingly accurate book: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter. And Newt (Wages Clerk and Witchfinder Private) whose weapon of witch detection is a pin, amongst other things. You have the Four Horsemen (DEATH, War - as a drop-dead gorgeous redhead, Pollution, and Famine) riding bikes, and wearing jackets on which Hell’s Angels is emblazoned.