Book number three of the year is a collaboration between Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett first published in 1990. The plot is, broadly, a parody of the Omen series of apocalyptic movies blended with a light-hearted mockery of of New-Age spiritualism and end-times prophecies in general. The story centers on the life of one Adam Young, a perfectly ordinary boy from Tadford who just happens to be the spawn of Satan.
I’m not going to give away any other plot points. The book is too much fun for me to do that. Terryandneil (the two authors used that name when writing about their work on the novel) have populated their world with a fun assortment of angels and demons, witches and witchfinders, Horsemen of the Apocalypse, part-time psychics and regular children trying to enjoy a nice summer vacation.
There have been recurring rumors of this book being made into a movie – most of these rumors have put Terry Gilliam in the director’s seat – but so far nothing has made it out of the circle of Dante’s Hell where the sign above the door reads “In Development.”
The Omen parody aspects of the book are a little timeworn, but the rest of it stands up very nicely twenty years post-publishing. Go get a copy and enjoy.
Page count: 367 in paperback.
Total page count: 688