Wossname -- May 2019 -- main issue
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Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
May 2019 (Volume 22, Issue 5, Post 1)
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WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
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Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)
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INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) GOOD OMENS NEWS
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
09) CLOSE
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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"I've found that whilst scoring #GoodOmens that there is really only one tempo that truly matters."
– Good Omens score composer David Arnold (see the Images section below for the accompanying photograph!)
"I got up very early one day, got burnt at the stake and went back to play Mother Courage."
– Josie "Agnes Nutter" Lawrence on fitting her Good Omens role into a very busy schedule
"Can confirm that David Tennant is tall and Scottish,neilhimself is drily hilarious, the chattering_nuns are my favorite, the first two episodes of Good Omens are brilliant... and I think it would all make Terry Pratchett proud."
– Wall Street Journal digital editor Allison Chopin
"Good Omens is worth watching for the dry, witty, madcap style of a thoughtfully put together Gaiman/Pratchett universe. It's worth remembering for the exultant, nuanced performance of its two main characters."
– web journalist Liz Baessler
"If people love this enough, and if the time and the will is there, we could absolutely go back and do a lot more. But we're not building it to do more, we are building this to be itself. At the end of six episodes, it's done."
– Neil Gaiman, speaking to the press on the Good Omens set
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02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
The End Times are upon us! Well, nearly: in a few days' time, the Good Omens miniseries will go out on Amazon Prime (those who have to watch it on the BBC will have to wait a while yet), and there are already a number of reviews from press and prominent pop-culture websites who were given a pre-release look at some or all of the six episodes.
Initial reports (see item 3.7 for a selection) give me the impression that 1) the adaptation has retained its essential Englishness, 2) co-author Gaiman's inclusion of new material – based on his and Sir Pterry's extant notes for a possible second book, we're told – might have been a bit surplus to requirements, 3) the claims from certain quarters of the production team that Good Omens' special effects were the greatest!thing!ever! may have tended to a wee bit of ~coughs~ overenthusiasm, and 4) Americans, for the most part, still won't "get" it. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to seeing Good Omens, not least because David Tennant was my own first choice for Crowley (and for Greebo in human form, should Witches Abroad or Maskerade ever be filmed).
Last week, in preparation for watching Good Omens and for the sheer pleasure of it, I re-read our old hardcover copy the original novel for the first time in many years, and must report that in my opinion it hasn't aged at all. It's still as much fun as it was when I first read it twenty-nine years ago, and still as relevant... and I still want to live in Lower Tadfield.
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Department of ave atque vale: biologist and author Jack Cohen, best known to most of us as one-third of the marvellous Science of Discworld team, has died at the age of 85. His friend and co-author Ian Stewart tweeted, "Jack Cohen died peacefully on 6 May. He was a close friend and colleague for 30 years, and I will always remember him with great affection. So will his many friends in SF, Discworld, and biology."
Wikipedia entry:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Cohen_(scientist)
Obituary from Warwick University, where he taught in the 1990s:
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/general/news/new/may_2019_we/
Brief "In Memoriam" from the Science Fiction Writers of America:
https://www.sfwa.org/2019/05/in-memoriam-jack-cohen/
Entry in the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction:
http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/cohen_jack
...and the last word goes to Rhianna Pratchett, who tweeted, "GNU Jack Cohen. Like to think that he and Dad are still swapping tortoises in the great beyond."
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NADWCON 2019 has kindly posted a link to an interesting old Pterry interview video: https://youtu.be/j4bCh_ViAKc – do have a listen!
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Department of Erm, I Think You Should Check Your Information... this quote comes from an Amazon Adviser article: "Whether you've heard of the original novel or not, you've most definitely heard of the Good Omens authors. Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman have made names for themselves with many other novels, including A Series of Unfortunate Events and American Gods..." And in case you don't believe me – check https://amazonadviser.com/2019/05/22/watch-good-omens-immediately
And now, on with the show! Which is mostly about Good Omens this month...
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) GOOD OMENS NEWS
3.1 FREE SCREENING AT THE EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL
By Alex Johnston for The List:
"And the heavens did open, and the angels came down, and lo, they sang with one voice, and the words they sang were: Rejoice, for the TV adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens is coming very soon. And those fans who can restrain themselves from watching the entire thing in a oner are in for a treat, because the Edinburgh International Film Festival is giving a special free screening of the whole thing on Sat 29 Jun... A film of the book was in development for years, with Terry Gilliam attached at one point, but it fell through. Gaiman started work on the TV version at the request of Pratchett, who died in 2015. The series is directed by Scottish director Douglas MacKinnon (The Flying Scotsman and episodes of Outlander, Sherlock and Doctor Who) and features music by David Arnold..."
https://www.list.co.uk/article/108631-good-omens-to-have-special-free-screening-at-the-edinburgh-international-film-festival/?platform=hootsuite
"Film festival audiences will be able to see all six episodes on the big screen on Saturday June 29, with special guests expected to attend."
https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/xpose/article/entertainment-news/289374/TV-show-Good-Omens-on-big-screen-at-Edinburgh-International-Film-Festival
3.2 NEIL HIMSELF INTERVIEWED
A new Good Omens-centric interview with Neil Gaiman, by Lidija Haas in The Guardian:
"Having made the pledge, Gaiman said when we met recently in New York, he 'knew that I couldn't just invent it, write it down and give it to somebody and go: 'OK, I'm done,' because at that point anything could happen', so he plunged in as showrunner, making all the creative calls himself and cast it partly from 'my address book'. The result is a delightful, hectic and 'ridiculously personal' confection, brimming with jokes and stars – Benedict Cumberbatch is Satan, Frances McDormand plays God – which aspires, despite its lavish Amazon budget, to 'a handmade feel'. Gaiman briefed the designers to bring him all the ideas they might assume were 'a bit too mad, but …' and gleefully embraced 'the little clunky bits': there are pointedly old school graphics and a pre-credit sequence in episode three that spans much of world history and goes on for nearly half an hour... Writing the show alone, Gaiman says, was 'really horrible', especially at those moments when he got stuck on something or 'whenever I did something clever' and Pratchett wasn't there to appreciate it...
Gaiman, craggily charismatic in black denim, thick hair artfully disarranged, English accent undimmed by years in the US, has a touch of the Crowley himself... When he and Pratchett wrote the novel in the late 80s, he recalls, 'we had to put a line in – I don't even remember if it was me or Terry but I remember us talking about it – a line about how weird it is that Armageddon is happening when everybody is getting along so well, because I don't think I'd ever in my life felt less close to Armageddon.' He notes that 'the weirdest thing is how a novel that was written literally 30 years ago feels really a lot more apt now than it did then … I mean, if I could trade, I would have a much duller world in which we had to try and convince people that an apocalypse was likely, instead of having the world that we're in, where the nuclear clock is ticking closer and closer, and where I'm going: 'Actually, as far as I can tell everybody in charge is fucking nuts.' You know, I would like sensible people and an end of history, that was fun.'..."
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/may/24/neil-gaiman-interview-good-omens
On Digital Spy, Neil Gaiman muses on Good Omens' possible "legs":
"Gaiman told Digital Spy that elements from a never-completed follow-up to the 1990 novel have found their way into the TV series. 'I wound up drawing from the planned book follow-up for this," he explained in 2018. "[Things like] expanding into heaven and hell – and we have Jon Hamm as the angel Gabriel, and Gabriel is not in the book, but he and the other angels, and a bunch of the other demons, come from all the conversations Terry Pratchett and I had about what we would do in a second book.' Does that mean, then, that all material has been exhausted and a second season is off the cards? After all, American Gods – based on one of Gaiman's solo novels – has expanded considerably on the source material..."
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a27529400/good-omens-season-2/
3.3 MAKING GOOD OMENS: BELOW THE BONNET
Good Omens score composer David Arnold talks about how he created the music for the series:
"In composing the score for 'Good Omens,' David Arnold asked himself, 'What would happen if Walt Disney was possessed by Satan?' That seemed appropriate for this long-awaited TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's fantasy novel about an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant) teaming up to prevent Armageddon. Watch our exclusive video interview with Arnold above. That initial concept came from a scene where Tennant tries to get the young Antichrist to fall asleep. 'He does it by singing him very sweetly a song about [how] when the world is destroyed, he'll be in charge of it and humanity will be wrought of blood and guts,' Arnold explains. It was 'the opposite of what you would sing to a child in that situation,' but he wrote it as if it were 'the sort of thing that Mary Poppins sang to the kids.' From that tiny piece of music, Arnold conceived of an entire score built around those contradictions. 'Whenever there is anything nice and sweet in this score,' he says, there is 'something alongside it which is bad and dark, and twisted and perverse, and evil and funny and wicked, and vice versa.' This theme was 'born of the two characters, even though they don't have one theme each.' They share common music because, 'to a greater extent, they share similar characteristics.'..."
https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/david-arnold-good-omens-score-composer-interview-amazon-news/
...and you can download the Good Omens theme music here:
https://www.filmmusicsite.com/en/soundtracks.cgi?id=73549
More on the music of Good Omens – an in-depth look at the processes and inspirations, by Adam Sherwin on iNews:
"Staff have reported seeing a ghostly female figure at an upstairs window and there is one corner of the studio where none of the expensive hardware works. It's a suitably ominous backdrop to one of the most hotly-anticipated series of 2019... Arnold, who has written the soundtracks to five James Bond films, blockbuster movies like Godzilla and television series like Sherlock, has the daunting task of producing a coherent musical theme for a TV spectacle which criss-crosses continents and eras. 'The story is labyrinthine and the cast is so massive, the trick is to find something which pulls it all together,' says a somewhat frazzled Arnold, who has barely seen daylight after six weeks in the studio. A soundtrack which careens from devilish heavy metal to spaghetti western and traditional English lute music in the space of a minute, was a challenge. 'It's almost three and a half hours of new music. Often composers re-use music in episodic TV to display something about a character but this never stops moving. We're doing seven-day weeks, working 15 hours a day with the musicians. At this point, we don't exist outside of Good Omens.'... There is one touchstone for the score, however: Queen's theatrical glam-rock. 'It began as a joke between me and Terry which was never intended for publication,' Gaiman said. 'Terry used to joke that you can never remember buying Queen's Greatest Hits. But if you leave any cassette in your car long enough, it turns into Queen's Greatest Hits. I put Crowley listening to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in his Bentley into the novel.' Mackinnon added: 'We're all super-fans and the wonderful Queen have given us permission to use 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and other songs in the score, which is just a joy.'..."
https://inews.co.uk/news/good-omens-creating-the-soundtrack-to-heaven-and-hell-with-a-little-help-from-queen/
...and Good Omens make-up and hair designer Anne Oldham reveals her inspirations:
"Anne Oldham admits she wasn't 'aware' of Neil Gamon[sic] and Terry Pratchett's best-selling fantasy novel 'Good Omens' before signing on to design the makeup and hairstyles for the TV adaptation. In fact, this limited series about an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant) trying to prevent Armageddon was 'very different from anything I'd done before, so I was really flattered that they'd offered it to me.'...
https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/anne-oldham-good-omens-makeup-hair-amazon-prime-news/
The above page includes a short video interview with Oldham: https://youtu.be/YZgIWA_8qqk
3.4 A VERY OMEN-OUS BOOKSHOP
If you're fortunate enough to be in London next month, you can visit Aziraphale's bookshop! By Andrea Smith on Lonely Planet:
"The facade of an immersive experience and exhibition... In celebration of its launch on premium subscription streaming service, Amazon Prime Video, on 31 May, an immersive experience and exhibition will open to the public in London. The house will be disguised as a Soho bookshop, A.Z. Fell and Co., the infamous bookshop at the heart of the novel, Good Omens. Taking over a five-floor Victorian townhouse in the heart of Soho, the event will immerse fans in the weird and wonderful world of Good Omens. The free-to-enter experience will be set in the house on Greek Street, which will be disguised as a Soho bookshop, A.Z. Fell and Co., the infamous shop at the heart of the bestselling novel. Modelled on Sheen's character Aziraphale's run-down bookshop hideout, the unassuming facade might well be overlooked by those not in the know, although the show's 1934 Bentley Derby Coupe parked outside may provide a hint...
"A rich array of props and costumes from the show will be on display. The experience will be open to the public on 1 and 2 June at 19 Greek Street, and entry to the exhibition elements will be through walk-ins. The Escape Room experience, which lasts approx 30 minutes, will be ticketed through EventBrite, and tickets are available to book here: (_https://az-fell-and-co-bookshop666.eventbrite.com/_). The experience will include an escape room, immersive performance and interactive sets..."
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2019/05/21/good-omens-secret-experience-london/
3.5 WHY CROWLEY IS GINGER
Here's the explanation, by Flora Carr in the Radio Times:
"In Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's original novel, the fast-living demon – originally the snake who tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden – has 'dark hair' (in addition to snakeskin shoes and a pristine 1926 Bentley). However, fans were surprised when the first pictures of Tennant in costume were revealed, showing the former Doctor Who star with long ginger locks. Revealing how the make-up and costume department originally conceived his Good Omens look, Tennant said: 'It wasn't in the book, but red seemed quite appealing as he's from the flames. There's also a part of me as an actor who likes to transform.' In the present day, Crowley has a short hairstyle, but during flashbacks we see Crowley sport various haircuts, which Tennant admits was helpful during filming, both in terms of characterisation and figuring out the show's time-jumping plot. 'We talked about whether having it long might make him look like a rocker, rather than of the moment,' Tennant said in an interview for the show's accompanying book, The Nice and Accurate Good Omens TV Companion. 'Eventually we settled on a nice, short funky red cut. Then we see him moving through time with different lengths and styles. When I was reading through the script, just plotting through what happens when was quite tricky, and so it works as a marker. And I felt that Crowley would do that in a way that perhaps Aziraphale [played by Michael Sheen] wouldn't as he's more steady through the centuries. So that shows how a conversation about appearance sparks a few ideas that feed back into the character, and you end up dyeing your hair red for five months! Still, it meant I wasn't wearing a wig every day, and all credit to Neil [Gaiman] who has lived with this but was still able to say, 'Yeah, long red! That's a great idea!'..."
https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2019-05-14/david-tennant-good-omens-crowley-red-ginger-hair/
3.6 HOW GOOD OMENS TRAVELLED THE WORLD
Here be a fascinating look into the "trajectory" of Good Omens from when it was first published, thanks to the preserved information in the Colin Smythe Terry Pratchett Archive!
By Dr Karen Attar, curator of rare books and university art at Senate House Library:
"When Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman produced their first collaborative work, Good Omens, in 1990, it met with instant critical, as well as popular, success. Reviews, collected helpfully in the Colin Smythe Terry Pratchett Archive at the University of London's Senate House Library, consistently say how funny the book is, and frequently compare it with Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for 'the same touch of skewed British humour' (Times Record News, 21–22 October 1990). 'There should be a warning on this book against reading it in public, as serious embarrassment may be incurred from laughing too much', wrote Keith Bell in the Belfast Telegraph (17 November 1994). Nik [sic] Morton in Auguries stated more explicitly, 'Extremely funny throughout, not just in patches and with numerous amusing footnotes.' Praise reaches its pinnacle in an unattributed review in What's On. 'Almost every new novel from Terry Pratchett is acclaimed as the greatest yet, but in this case that claim is justified.' The only more analytical review present is John Clute's in Interzone (July 1990), which can hardly be considered negative: 'It is not, in other words, a comedy. But is it any good? Yes and no and yes. It is very funny indeed (yes), though bedevilled throughout by neurotic nudgings of narrative focus and galumphing tonal shifts (no), and in the end it shines through (yes). It is a very strange book indeed; perhaps all genuine collaborations are.' He continues by praising the collaboration: 'Who conceived or wrote what in this book it would be foolish to guess.'
"Even in the US, there was a sense that not all the humour came across in translation. One needs to know Britain and to appreciate British self-deprecation to appreciate some topographical explanations... To offset the specifically British references and humour which might not be comprehensible elsewhere, the English version first published by Gollancz was revised for the edition published in New York for the American audience. Other twists appealed to speakers of languages other than English. For example, the surname of the witch, 'Agnes Nutter', becomes 'Agnes Spinner' in German and 'Agnès Barge' in French. With such alterations, the book certainly travelled. Editions in the Colin Smythe Terry Pratchett Archive include translations into Chinese, Japanese and Hebrew as well as a range of northern, western and eastern European languages. The collection continues to grow, with audio versions and with a translation into Taiwan expected to arrive. Most translations follow the American text; only the German follows the English. Even the names of the authors do not appear uniformly. By agreement, American editions are attributed to 'Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett', while in England and elsewhere Pratchett's name precedes Gaiman's..."
https://talkinghumanities.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2019/05/23/multifaceted-good-omens-exploring-the-colin-smythe-terry-pratchett-archive/
3.7 GOOD OMENS PRE-BROADCAST REVIEWS
Selected critics were shows the first episode (or more) of the forthcoming Good Omens miniseries. Here are some reactions...
By Jack Shepherd for The Independent:
"Gaiman holds nothing back, bringing his and Pratchett's wonderfully obscure imaginations to the screen. He made a promise to Pratchett, before the author's death in 2015, that he would make this adaptation happen, and he has fulfilled that promise admirably. Along with evil nuns, antichrists, angels and demons, the opening episode also features scenes in heaven, hell and St James's Park – which God informs us is a favourite location for British intelligence officers to meet undercover. Sheen and Tennant anchor the episode as the central duo, and make for extremely entertaining company. Tennant's portrayal of the reluctantly evil, sunglass-wearing demon is reminiscent of Bill Nighy in Love Actually: a swaggering, eccentric, borderline drunk performance that's carefree. Sheen counters the bravado as the awkward angel, whose face often folds into itself whenever the conversation turns sour. Both actors fully commit to their roles, gamely wearing multiple silly costumes. Some of the wigs and visual effects may slip into uncanny valley territory at times, but director Douglas Mackinnon (Doctor Who) presents this as a stylistic choice..."
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/good-omens-review-episode-1-terry-pratchett-neil-gaiman-david-tennant-michael-sheen-a8920571.html
A typically American culture-puzzled review by Daniel D'Addario for the Chicago Tribune
"Onscreen, this pairing – between a saintly being played by Michael Sheen and a fallen angel played by David Tennant, both seeking to save the world for their own reasons – is the best part of the new 'Good Omens' limited series. But it's not enough: This six-hour journey towards the end of time comes to feel grindingly slow by the end, more anticlimax than fight for Earth's future... The pair's banter can be frustratingly stale – Crowley rejects being called 'nice,' which he calls (wait for it) 'a four-letter word' – or have one beat too many, as when Aziraphale meets a fellow divine creature whom he knew centuries before. 'Yes! Sodom and Gomorrah. You were doing a lot of… smiting people. And turning them into salt.' (The point is made four words in; as is so often the case in this show, what follows is just showing off.) But their partnership, which Crowley openly acknowledges as a vexed but real friendship and which Aziraphale can't acknowledge as more than a working relationship, drives the show forward. It's not a road without obstacles, though: The plot, here, is a mire..."
https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-good-omens-review-20190520-story.html
By Josh Bell on CBR:
"It's impossible to say how the version of Good Omens that arrives May 31 on Amazon compares to the feature Terry Gilliam planned to direct, or the series that Terry Jones had been co-writing. But this take on the material, scripted entirely by Gaiman and directed by TV veteran Douglas Mackinnon, lacks the anarchic spirit a visionary like Gilliam might have brought to the material. It's entertaining, although stretched a bit thin over six hour-long episodes, and it features two appealing and funny lead performances from Michael Sheen and David Tennant. The overall effect is a little underwhelming, but there are plenty of clever, fun moments along the way... The mix of lowbrow humor (a wacky misunderstanding!) and supernatural intrigue is the story's defining trait, but it's also a tricky balance to maintain, and the series sometimes lurches awkwardly from one to the other..."
https://www.cbr.com/review-good-omens-tv/
By Chris Ludovici on The Spool:
"If you're one of those people who find stories about the End Times stressful or upsetting, don't worry, Good Omens is neither. It's funny and charming and very human... The show has some pacing issues, it spends half of the episodes setting the table for the other half, and there's a lot to set up. And it's not always as funny as it wants to be, it sometimes confuses 'quirky' with 'interesting', and teeters on the brink of cleverness. While the show does find a rhythm and catch fire (literally at times, there's a lot of fire) in the second half, the first half is at times laborious as they set up more than a dozen characters and their various backstories and motivations... in each other Aziraphale and Crowley find someone as enchanted by humanity and its foibles as they are. Which brings us back to love. Love, in all its forms, is at the heart of the show, it drives the majority of characters and has the best chance of redeeming humanity in the face of Armageddon (no spoilers if it works out or not). And it's what Aziraphale and Crowley have for the Earth, humanity, and one another. Is that love romantic? Maybe. Could be. The show, adapted by Gaiman, dives more deeply into their relationship than the book did and in so doing gives it more of a solid footing..."
https://thespool.net/tv/2019/05/good-omens-review/
By Akhil Arora for Gadgets360 says "Terry Pratchett Convinced Neil Gaiman to Bring This to the Screen and We're All Better for It":
"With Gaiman at the helm, there's a whimsical charm to Good Omens, which blends eccentric humour that takes pot-shots at everything from religion to Hollywood, historical fantasy and sci-fi happenings that span the Roman Empire and nuclear power plants, and adolescent drama. Most of the jokes are delivered by way of Crowley and Aziraphale's conversations, including jabs at Jeffrey Archer's books, The Sound of Music, and the Reign of Terror in 18th-century France. Some are literal, with the book's running gag about Queen turning into Queen songs playing in the background here. Other jabs are much sillier, about investing in Apple stocks in the 1980s and not buying Betamax in the 1970s. The humour on Good Omens does require you to know your history and pop culture, lest you might miss some one-liners. Others still are delivered with the help of Good Omens' narrator, the voice of God: Frances McDormand, in this case. Many of her lines are verbatim from the book... Sure, it's fun to see Tennant and Sheen dress up in various period-fitting costumes and get in a joke or two that poke fun at religious absurdities, historical figures, or the Nazis. Good Omens does well to mine the 'divine plan' narrative, in that God's workings are 'ineffable', as it gets in several pointed remarks about the great flood and the reason for Christ's death. It also takes aim at Shakespeare's writings and the English-French rivalry. But these asides, worth half an episode of a six-part miniseries, don't much serve a bigger purpose than 'Crowley and Aziraphale have been around forever and share something that might be a little more than friendship.' The scenes would be much more meaningful if parallels were drawn with contemporary events of the main storyline..."
https://gadgets.ndtv.com/entertainment/reviews/good-omens-review-imdb-book-tv-series-trailer-release-date-cast-amazon-prime-video-2039864
By Samantha Nelson on The Verge:
An extended pre-credits sequence in one episode of Amazon's Good Omens displays the best part of the six-episode miniseries based on the book of the same name by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The segment traces the 6,000-year relationship between prissy angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen of The Queen and Frost/Nixon) and swaggering demon Crowley (Doctor Who star David Tennant), who have known each other since the Garden of Eden was a going concern. That sequence also exposes Good Omens' greatest weakness. The scenes are joyous when Crowley and Aziraphale are sparring, commiserating, or teaming up to stop the apocalypse their bosses have been waiting for since the dawn of humanity. Scenes with just one of them still tend to be strong, particularly as Crowley gleefully outsmarts everyone around him. But when neither of them are on-screen, Good Omens grinds to a halt. The supporting cast members are necessary to move the plot forward or provide needed exposition about the series' complicated mythology. But no one else has enough development or agency to make their scenes feel worthwhile unless they're playing off one of the protagonists... The film's antagonists feel similarly flat. War (Mireille Enos of The Killing) and Famine (The Originals' Yusuf Gatewood) both get thrilling introductions showing how the Horsemen of the Apocalypse can cause misery in the modern day. Similar development would have been a huge boon to Pollution (Lourdes Faberes), who is mostly distinguished by looking a lot like the Captain Planet villain Dr. Blight, and Death (Brian Cox of Succession and X2) who seems to have just walked off a production of A Christmas Carol. But it doesn't really matter, because the Horsemen's entire plot ends in a dull climax that's meant to be a big moment for Adam's friends, but doesn't feel earned..."
https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/22/18635845/good-omens-review-amazon-studios-michael-sheen-david-tennant-neil-gaiman-terry-pratchett
By Jay McClenahan on So Many Shows:
"Dogma meets Monty Python? I had visions of Buddy Christ and Holy Grails when I started to screen this show. There's a lot of silliness and oddity throughout. Satanic nuns bumbling a baby's delivery? Yep, it's in there. How about a witch or the 'Four Horsemen'? They're in there too. What about a witch-finder army? Did you even know those exist? Well, they do! Let's not forget the voice of God (Frances McDormand) either. An imposing character just from helpful narration – She assists in bringing the story to life. Things don't always go according to plan for all the various characters in the series and some of their own internal conflicts show off the fun nature of the show. Be prepared to do quite a bit of laughing – and buckle your seatbelts – Crowley is a TERRIBLE driver... David Tennant and Michael Sheen are exceptional. Their overall delivery and their banter is top-notch and you can't help but be entertained with this unlikely duo. Potential low points: The story is a little slow. Supporting cast isn't nearly as exciting or involved as our main antagonists – and while we need them for the story, there are times you're just waiting for more..."
https://somanyshows.com/good-omens-review-at-least-theres-david-tennant-and-michael-sheen
By Liz Baessler on Film School Rejects:
"Good Omens feels much more like a 'true' adaptation. It's very silly, it's very light, and it's very… English. It also stays remarkably close to the book. Given that the bulk of the story takes place over a single week, and all of it has been carefully and accurately foretold in a book of prophecy, it probably makes sense not to stray too far. But that faithfulness sometimes works against the show, as it breezes through elements that are clear in the book with perhaps too light a touch, relying on the merits of an idea to carry a scene that could really benefit from a few more narrative touchstones. Having read the novel, I knew why Death was playing a trivia arcade game and Tibetans were suddenly appearing in tunnels under England, but I'd be curious to know how much someone unfamiliar with the story took in. The only place where the show deviates especially far from the book is in its treatment of Aziraphale and Crowley, an angel and a demon who've been living on earth since the beginning and have gone a little bit native… so much so as to actually become good friends. And in a complete upset of the usual book reader's lament, I can say this departure from the novel is the very best part of the adaptation. Crowley and Aziraphale (David Tennant and Michael Sheen, respectively) are critical players in the book, it's true, but in the miniseries, they are the stars. We see the chronicles of their interactions throughout millennia and focus more on their present relationship and general botching of Armageddon. Jon Hamm is a lovely addition as a disarmingly cruel Archangel Gabriel with a perpetual rictus and dead, purple eyes, but it's hard not to see him as an excuse to give Sheen's angel more opportunities for screen time. In fact, the whole rest of the series, while humorously, carefully, and faithfully done, lumbers on a bit. The who's who of comedians gets a little too unwieldy, and the dialogue a bit too contrived, and you find yourself counting down the minutes until Tennant and Sheen come back. And when they do, it's magic..."
https://filmschoolrejects.com/good-omens-review/
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04) ODDS AND SODS
4.1 THE MERCH CORNER
All from the Discworld Emporium, which is not only far more moral than Amazon[1] but also is the Ankh-Morpork Consulate and therefore completely worth supporting...
* Good Omens: the Nice and Accurate TV Companion!
"The 'Nice and Accurate' guide to 2019's apocalyptic screen adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's literary collaboration! This lavish companion to Amazon Prime Video and BBC's televisual extravaganza this ultimate screen companion! Explore Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's book, Good Omens, as brought to life by a stellar cast including David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Jon Hamm and Jack Whitehall. Join the incredible cast and crew for a feast of interviews and insights into costume design, character profiles and production with photographs and illustrations galore!
"The groundbreaking TV series sees Pratchett and Gaiman's angel and demon double-act Aziraphale and Crowley – played by Sheen and Tennant respectively try to end the end of the world, which is scheduled to happen on a Saturday, just after tea... Featuring incredible photographs, stunning location shots, costume boards, set designs and fascinating character profiles and in-depth interviews with the stars and crew, this behind-the-scenes look into the making of Good Omens is an absolute must for fans old and new - and will shatter coffee tables around the world."
Each Nice and Accurate TV Companion is priced at £25. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/540-good-omens-the-nice-and-accurate-tv-companion
* The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book!
"Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's cult collaboration, reinvented for screen! Gaiman's original shooting scripts for Amazon and the BBC's apocalyptic adaptation are presented in a handsome hardback, featuring a revelatory introduction from Neil himself and unseen, er, scenes! Written for Amazon and BBC's TV adaptation, Neil Gaiman's reinvention of his and Terry Pratchett's cult literary collaboration brings Good Omens to life on screen with help from a cast of stars including David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Jon Hamm and Jack Whitehall. Features an introductory essay detailing Gaiman's experience of reinventing his and Pratchett's literary masterpiece for screen."
Each Good Omens Script Book is priced at £20. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/539-the-quite-nice-and-fairly-accurate-good-omens-script-book
* The Illustrated Good Omens!
"This new illustrated version of Pratchett and Gaiman's cult book has been overhauled to eradicate typos and errors from previous editions, making this the truly 'Nice' and certainly 'Accurate' Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, as wholeheartedly approved by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's estate. Artist Paul Kidby provides truly divine illustrations including twelve full colour artworks and line drawings to accompany Terry and Neil's apocalyptic tale.
Each Illustrated Good Omens is priced at £30. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/541-the-illustrated-good-omens
* The telly tie-in paperback!
"A special paperback edition of Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman's apocalyptic cult novel Good Omens, created to tie in with Amazon Prime and BBC's major television adaptation for 2019 starring David Tennant, Michael Sheen, John Hamm and Frances McDormand! This special paperback edition of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's cult book features cover photography from BBC and Amazon Prime's small screen production."
Each tie-in paperback of Good Omens is price at £8.99. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/538-good-omens-tv-tie-in-edition
For additional Good Omens releases, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/55-good-omens-at-the-discworld-emporium
[1] Not a difficult achievement; there are probably nonsentient 3.5-thousand-million-year-old rocks deep beneath your feet with a greater moral sense – Ed.
Editor's note: remember, you can also source the (very!) special editions (Slipcase, Occult, Ineffable and Celestial) from:
http://goodomensillustrated.com/
4.2 ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
From [a BBC report:
"Millions of elderly people have a form of dementia that has been misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers. One expert called it the most important dementia finding in years. The condition, limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, or Late, shares similar symptoms to Alzheimer's, but it is a distinct disease, the journal Brain reports. It may partly explain why finding a dementia cure has failed so far. Dementia is not a single disease, but is the name for a group of symptoms that include problems with memory and thinking. There are lots of different types of dementia and Alzheimer's is said to be the most common and most researched. But up to a third of Alzheimer's in elderly people may instead be Late, says the international team of researchers, although both dementias can co-exist. Late appears to affect the "oldest old" – people over 80 – according to the work that looked at evidence from thousands of post-mortem results. One in five in this age group has it, meaning the public health impact of the disease will be large, say the researchers. Unlike Alzheimer's, it tends to cause a more gradual decline in memory, they believe. Currently, there is no specific single test for dementia. Signs of it can sometimes be seen in the brain after death. Late appears to be linked to the accumulation of a certain protein, TDP-43, in the brain, while Alzheimer's is linked to two other brain proteins – amyloid and tau.
"Scientists have been striving to find a cure for dementia, but with so many different types and causes of the disease, the goal has proved difficult. Trials of drugs to reduce proteins in the brain that were thought to cause Alzheimer's have failed. There have been no effective new treatments and some pharmaceutical companies have dropped out of the dementia drug race. Having a better understanding of Late might lead to the discovery of new treatments, say the researchers. They have written guidelines to help increase awareness and advance research into the newly defined disease..."
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48092570
4.3 OM ON ROUNDWORLD?
Did you know... that Om has been found on Roundworld? Debunking champions Snopes posted photographs of an interestingly patterned turtle (possibly a tortoise, but your Editor is no chelonianist and apparently in the terms are interchangeable in American English vernacular), and even name-checked: "It's unclear if this turtle's markings are supposed to indicate that the creature IS god, was created by God, or somehow escaped the pages of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series..."
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/god-turtle-image/
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05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
Editor's note: as Wossname normally only comes out once every month, do check the Wossname blog for information on plays that might fall between issue dates! Go to https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/ for interim updates.
* MEN AT ARMS IN CHESHAM (JUNE)
Chesham Bois Catholic Players are back with another Discworld play: Men at Arms! "There is romance, laughter, terror and a good police story all interwoven into one delightful tale."
When: 1st, 7th and 8th June 2019
Venue: Little Theatre by the Park, Church Street, Chesham, Bucks HP5 1HR
Time: 7.30pm on 1st and 8th June, 8pm on 7th June
Tickets: £12 (concessions £10), available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/cbcplayers
www.littletheatrechesham.co.uk
www.cbcplayers.co.uk
https://twitter.com/CBCPlayers
* WYRD SISTERS IN HAMPSHIRE (JULY)
Dynamo Youth Theatre will be staging their first Discworld play, production of Wyrd Sisters, in July!
When: Wed 10th to Sat 13th July 2019
Venue: The Pallant Centre, The Pallant, Havant, Hants PO9 1BE
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £10 and £12, available from http://www.dynamoyouththeatre.com/
http://www.dyt.org.uk/
http://stfaith.com/the-pallant-centre/
* MEN AT ARMS IN CARDIFF (AUGUST)
Peculiar Productions continue the Cardiff tradition of fine Discworld plays with a new production of Men at Arms! "The City Watch needs men! And women, of course. Not to mention dwarfs, trolls, gargoyles, and whatever Nobby Nobbs actually is. Commander Vimes needs to make sure they can all get along, and fast – because no-one else can stop a deadly secret that stalks the streets…"
When: 21st–24th August 2019,
Venue: The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff
Time: 7pm all shows
Tickets: £9 (concessions £7), now available online via https://peculiarproductions.co.uk/tickets/
"Proceeds from this performance will go to Nerve Tumours UK."
https://peculiarproductions.co.uk/
And later this year...
* MASKERADE IN BRISBANE (SEPTEMBER)
Brisbane Arts Theatre continue their justified love affair with Discworld plays with a new production of Maskerade!
When: 14th September–12th October 2019 (Thursdays through Sundays)
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace, QLD 4000
Time: all Thursday shows 7.30pm, all Friday and Saturday shows 8pm, all Sunday shows 6.30pm
Tickets: $23–34, available online at https://bit.ly/2IOWLdw or via the box office (phone (07) 3369 2344)
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/maskerade
* MASKERADE IN ELTHAM[1] (OCTOBER)
Eldorado Musical Productions will be staging their production of Maskerade in October!
When: 9th–12th October 2019
Venue: Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road, Eltham SE9 5TG (box office phone 0208 850 3702)
Time: 7.45pm all evening shows; matinee at 2.30pm on the 12th
Tickets: £15 (£13 on opening night), not yet available but will be via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bob-hope-theatre and from the Box Office which is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10am–1pm.
http://www.eldoradomusicalproductions.co.uk/maskerade/4594338795
[1] Note for Fourecksians: that's Eltham in Greater London, not the one in Melbourne – Ed.
* GOING POSTAL IN EMERALD, FOURECKS (OCTOBER)
The Gemco Players will present their production of Going Postal in October! "Moist von Lipwig was a con artist, a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet. It was a tough decision. With the help of a golem who has been at the bottom of hole in the ground for over two hundred years, a pin fanatic and Junior Postman Groat, he's got to see that the mail gets through. In taking on the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer, he's also got to stay alive. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. In the mad world of the mail, can a criminal succeed where honest men have failed and died? Perhaps there's a shot at redemption for man who's prepared to push the envelope..."
Note: there will be a play reading on 25th June, and auditions on 30th June at 2–5pm and 2nd July at 7–10pm. Visit the webpage (below) for details.
June 25, 7-10pm
When: 11th–26th October 2019 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only)
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive, Emerald, VIC 3782
Time: all Friday and Saturday shows 8pm; Sunday matinees 2pm
Tickets: prices TBA. Tickets will be available online via https://www.trybooking.com/BAGWG from 9pm on 11th August
https://gemco-players.squarespace.com/whatson/2018/12/5/going-postal
* JOHNNY AND THE DEAD IN LEEDS (NOVEMBER)
Leeds Children's Theatre will be presenting their production of Johnny and the Dead in November! "Sell the cemetery? Over their dead bodies ... Not many people can see the dead (not many would want to). Twelve-year-old Johnny Maxwell can. And he's got bad news for them: the council want to sell the cemetery as a building site, but they'd better watch out - the dead have learnt a thing or two from Johnny. They're not going to take it lying down ...especially since it's Halloween tomorrow. Besides, they're beginning to find that life is a lot more fun than it was when they were ... well ... alive. Particularly if they break a few rules."
When: 6th–9th November 2019
Venue: Carriageworks Theatre main auditorium, Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 3AD
Time: evening shows 7pm (Wednesday through Friday), Saturday matinee 1pm and afternoon show 5.30pm
Tickets: adults £14.50, concessions £12.50, under-16s £10.50, family £46, available from the Box Office (phone 0113 376 0318; address Leeds Town Hall, The Headroom, LS1 3AD, open 10am–6pm Monday to Saturday), or by by email (boxoffice@leeds.gov.uk), or online via the theatre's website, although their calendar doesn't yet stretch to November: https://www.carriageworkstheatre.co.uk/plan-your-visit/how-to-book-tickets/
"The Box Office will charge a fee for postage if you wish to have your tickets mailed out. Family Tickets, restricted view seats and special offers are rarely sold online and should be purchased over the phone or in person."
www.leeds-childrens-theatre.co.uk
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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will next meet on Monday 3rd June, at 7pm at The Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.
The Drummers are also planning a visit to Kew Gardens on Saturday 8th June, all welcome, to meet at noon outside the main entrance to Kew Gardens Station.
The Drummers' May meet report, as posted by Grace Speaker on Facebook: "Although it is our wont to sit outside for our May afternoon meets, the weather was inconsiderately chilly, so we sat indoors at our normal tables and a number of Drummers were extremely pleased that The Puzzle had a special offer on puddings with their lunch. We caught up with tales from Wincanton from all those who had been down for the Spring Fling and listened with interest as Phil informed us that Bernard had had him in his shed for over 20 minutes. As this statement prompted some fnar fnar teasing, Phil was quick to point out that Bernard was merely teaching him how to rub his finger along the hole below his Alchemist's Balls. This explanation did not necessarily have the effect on the group he was hoping for. Photographic evidence of said hole and Balls was produced for our inspection and we all agreed that Phil did indeed have a magnificent pair. That set the tone for the rest of the meeting, so it's just as well that the Quiz was on the Seamstresses' Guild. As ever, the quiz was 'quite lively' and Alex G. won with an impressive 14 points, with Helen C. coming in second with 10½ points after getting bonus points for suggesting that the Seamstresses' Guild really should have been located on Petticoat Lane rather than Sheer Street, and that if she was in Monstrous Regiment her character name would be General Smuttiness. Our chatter ranged far and wide, starting with the forthcoming TV series of Good Omens and the wonderful singing talents of the sinfully satanic sisters of The Chattering Order of St. Beryl. As some Drummers were unfamiliar with the satanic sisters, Alex G. showed them the video of "Brand New Baby Smell" and we sang along to the chorus of 'Cheeky, cheeky, little Antichrist ...'... As everyone seemed to like Cards Against Humanity, we talked about having a Drummers game – but maybe at a future weekend meet at Draughts (the board game café) rather than The Puzzle as we thought if might get a bit too rowdy and also too rude for The Puzzle. We also thought it would be fun if someone came up with a DW version, although there were no volunteers for this."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10157734768571412/
For more information, email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10156634038566412/
*
Canberra, Australia's Discworld fan group is Drumknott's Irregulars: "The group is open to all, people from interstate and overseas are welcome, and our events will not be heavily themed. Come along to dinner for a chat and good company. We welcome people from all fandoms (and none) and we would love to see you at one of our events, even if you're just passing through. Please contact us via Facebook (_https://www.facebook.com/groups/824987924250161/_) or Google Groups (_https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars_) or join us at our next event."
*
For Facebook users in Fourecks: The Victorian Discworld Klatch is "a social group for fans of Discworld and Terry Pratchett... run by a dedicated team who meet monthly and organise events monthly." "If you'd like to join our events please ask to join the Klatch."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch
*
"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)" is a public Facebook meeting group: "This group, by request of Jo in Bear will continue to be used for future unofficial (not run by the Emporium) fan Gatherings in Wincanton. Look here for information."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/
*
The Pratchett Partisans are a fan group who meet monthly at either Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things Pratchett. We hold events such as Discworld dinners, games afternoons, Discworld photo scavenger hunts. We also attend opening night at Brisbane Arts Theatre's Discworld plays." The Partisans currently have about 200 members who meet at least twice a month, usually in Brisbane.
For more info about their next meetup, join up at https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au
*
The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South Australia: "We have an established Terry Pratchett & Discworld fan group in Adelaide called The City of Small Gods, which is open to anyone who would like to come – you don't have to live in Adelaide or even South Australia, or even be a Discworld fan, but that's mostly where our events will be held, and we do like discussing Pratchett's works. Our (semi-) regular meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm. Every few months, we have a full day's worth of board games at La Scala Cafe, 169 Unley Rd, Unley in the function room starting at 10am. In addition, we will occasionally have other events to go and see plays by Unseen Theatre Company, book discussions, craft, chain maille or costuming workshops or other fun social activities."
The next CoSG events will be the monthly dinner (at the Seven Stars Hotel) on 30th May.
The CoSG also have another identity. Here's the skinny:
Round World Events SA Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated association whose aim is to run fun social Pratchett-themed events for people in South Australia. Our first major event was the Unseen University Convivium held in July 2012. We have also run three successful and booked out Science Fiction and Fantasy themed quiz nights named Quiz Long And Prosper, in 2013, 2014 and 2015! The association will run some events under the City of Small Gods banner, but you do not have to be a Round World Events SA member to be part of City of Small Gods. However, we are always on the look out for new members for Round World Events SA to help us organise future events! Membership is $20 a year (for Adelaide locals) or $5 a year (for those not quite so close) and has the following benefits:
A shiny membership certificate all of your very own
Discounted entry price to some of the events we run
A warm, fuzzy feeling deep down in your chest (no, not quite that deep)
For more information, or to join as a member, please email RoundWorldEventsSA@gmail.com
www.cityofsmallgods.org.au
*
The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 6th June (probably) from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. For more info and any queries, contact broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) next meets on Friday 7th June (possibly) at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. "Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"
*
The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has been meeting on a regular basis since 2005. The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles. Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:
http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/
*
Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet next on Monday 3rd June (possibly) at 6.30pm in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George Street, Sydney 2000. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meet next on Monday 3rd June (possibly) at Old Shanghai, 123 James Street, Northbridge, Perth, Western Australia. For details join their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>
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07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
Plenty of emphasis on Good Omens this month...
Blogger Writing the Blues Away couldn't quite get to grips with Good Omens:
"I was intrigued by the fact that this was a collaborative effort with Terry Pratchett, who I'd heard lots of good things about but never got round to reading any of his work. The show has become eagerly awaited by people across the world and the book is considered a cult classic, so I went in with high expectations. Unfortunately, those expectations for me weren't quite met... The characters of Aziraphale and Crowley were my favourite part about this book as they are so clearly developed and have extreme personalities, working so well together despite their differences. Aziraphale is more anxious and concerned about doing the right thing, whereas Crowley is sarcastic with a mean streak, though this is threatened by his need to stop the end of the world. They are unlikely friends, though they would not admit this. I also liked Adam, the Antichrist, a young boy who quite innocently spends time with his group of friends unaware of who he really is. Their conversations were exactly what conversations between children are like, and it was nice to see that difference between the older characters and them... Speaking of the dialogue, I really liked the literary device of dialectal speech when certain characters would talk. It can be confusing at times trying to work out what they're trying to say, but often it makes it easier for me to imagine their accent and the way they would speak, similar to Hagrid in Harry Potter for example. It gave a better voice and personality to the characters... However, the writing structure and the plot was something I struggled with. Within each chapter there would be a lot of chapter breaks which would switch between different characters. Switching between characters isn't necessarily a bad thing and I was happy to see the various perspectives, but there were way too many and it happened too often. A lot of the time there would be a chapter break, it would have a single paragraph or even a sentence from another character, then it would switch back. I really didn't see much of a point in this... Overall, I was quite disappointed after looking forward to reading it and expecting big things, which is an issue I often have with hyped up books or films. I just think it wasn't the right writing style for me and it is very particular in who would enjoy it, though I do appreciate both authors' writing talent..."
https://writingthebluesaway.wordpress.com/2019/05/24/a-review-of-good-omens/
Blogger Arathi Unni's reactions were more positive:
"This book is a riot and one that I enjoyed. The story starts with the angel Azipharale[sic] and the demon Crowley prepping for the birth of the antichrist. Eleven years later, hell breaks loose, or rather, the earth breaks loose. There are multiple characters and plots that stem to grow in the course of the book but tied together by the same thread of eventuality. In spite of numerous storylines and characters, the writer duo have done a brilliant job of developing all these stories well and with equal intrigue. Whether it's the angel-demon dynamics or the very ET-ish plot of Adam's gang (Them) or the geeky streak of Anathema or even the interesting integration of urban legends and biblical theories, Gaiman & Pratchett have spun all sides of the book in literary and dramatic unison. There aren't many cliffhangers in the book, but there are moments of silent and effective curtain-raisers. However, what drives the tempo is the actual pace of the book and the way characters and plots seamlessly travel from one place to another. The context is dark, but the flow is nothing short of a Tarantino ride. The writing style of the two gentlemen is quick yet descriptive, sprinkled with generous amounts of humour. There is a nerdy boyish charm to the language in the book and the way the people & theories are crafted, which adds a certain texture to the entire experience reading this book..."
https://arathiunni.wordpress.com/2019/05/16/book-review-good-omen-by-neil-gaiman-and-terry-pratchett/
...and blogger Paul's:
I miss Terry Pratchett. I mean I didn't know him, but I miss him in that there will be no more Discworld books. And Neil Gaiman, he's not bad, it's just that, well, he's not Terry Pratchett. I've read all of the Discworld books, but can't quite bring myself to read the Tiffany Aching ones, partly because I'm not sure they are as funny, and partly because of what happens in the last one. But, there's a TV series coming of Good Omens, and Terry Pratchett and someone else is still half Terry Pratchett. And he was definitely in this, you could tell his hilarious cynicism and humour and his Death, although more of a pre-cursor than one of the more human Discworld characters. Pratchett and Gaiman definitely compliment each other. There were times when I laughed out loud and the story rolls along in Pratchett style, barely a breath from the beginning to the end. But it was strange reading a story set in the real world, for some reason I just couldn't quite get used to it, maybe that's just me being set in my ways..."
https://astrangekindofpeace.wordpress.com/2019/05/12/good-omens-terry-pratchett-neil-gaiman/
...and blogger Beas Chatteraj's:
"This book managed to elicit quite a few fits of giggles from me. Good Omens is a truly funny book but don't for a second think that it is shallow or a light read. Every page will make you think, it will make you stop to ponder upon the base on which humankind is built. It is a book about the apocalypse, the Antichrist, angels, demons, witches and everything supernatural- but in a fun grounded matter-of-fact way... Good Omens is not a slapstick comedy. It is a funny book about the apocalypse and the war between heaven and hell, with humanity caught in between. There is a message behind the story, of religion and its implications, of how humans have abused it for their gains and used it to justify their actions... Bits and parts of the book were too fast and confusing. Some pop cultures went over my head and I had to Google them. But the annotations were hilarious. You get to see two different styles, two very different minds working together. Neil keeps you grounded and Terry makes you fly..."
https://beasandbooks.wordpress.com/2019/04/30/good-omens-4-4-5/
...and blogger Penny Wright's:
"This book is hilarious. If you are a fan of funny, absurdist, fantastical novels such as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you will absolutely adore this novel... These characters are all bizarre in their own ways, but their stories weave together wonderfully. Despite the absurdity of the novel, there are bits of wisdom scattered throughout... The novel is a fun adventure and there were so many times when I caught myself laughing out loud while I was reading it at work, which isn't something that happens often. This is one of those books that I know I'll be able to read over and over again without getting tired of it..."
https://readyourselfhappy.net/2019/04/08/good-omens-by-neil-gaiman-and-terry-pratchett-a-review/
...and blogger Daughter of Ben's:
"It turns out that it was exactly the right time to read. It's funny, smart, varied. It moves apace. It has charismatic and distinctive characters. And it's an incredibly warm book. The end of the book, in this edition, features short pieces where Pratchett and Gaiman reflect on their co-author. Gaiman's mini-essay muses that 'Satire is a word that is often used to mean that there aren't any people in the fiction, and for that reason I'm uncomfortable calling Terry a satirist' (411). This line captured a feeling I had through the length of the book. Good Omens certainly includes commentary on the ways on which people treat each other, and our environment, with much less kindness than we should. And the end of the novel certainly has a 'lesson' about the dangers and mis-use of power. The novel is also critical, at moments, about religion, and includes a warning about how close we are to destroying our planet and ourselves. But these lessons and warnings come, not in the form of a bleak dystopia or in a cold cynical blast, but with humour and warmth and hope..."
https://daughterofben.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/good-omens-terry-pratchett-and-neil-gaiman-penguin-1990/
...and blogger Book Buff's Gaiman-centric review:
"It started with a man sitting on my library counter with a coffee cup in his hand, his Mr. Rogers's like sweater on and just a bit of a snark in his tone asking me what I think he thought was a basic question 'Crawly or Aziraphale?' I was getting ready for the day before the kids would scramble their way in and want to check out books. I remember looking at him and saying 'Are those real words?' with equal snark back at him. He hopped off the counter and looked at me with disdain and disappointment and said what would become a common refrain from him 'And you call yourself a librarian…. How can you have not read Good Omens?'... I am a stubborn individual. I am the type of person who if you tell me to do something, it is my nature to do the opposite. I will take the harder road just to prove I can. Mr. Snark leaving me a note to do something just made me want to do the opposite. 'Read it my ass' I thought to myself, like hell I would do what he told me to do. I let it sit on the counter for a couple of days and then misfortune happened. I forgot my book at home and didn't have anything to read at lunch. In a moment of desperation, I picked it up and the rest is history… Good Omens is one of my favorite books. It hits all the things that l love; it's clever, the characters are fantastic, and it pokes fun at how ridiculous humans can be. Thus began my relationship with Neil and Terry, and their rich catalog of writing. It was about a week later in the morning as I was prepping for the kiddos, that Mr. Snark came back. He was leaning in the door frame of the library with his stupid gray cardigan and coffee cup with his eyebrow arched, and he said 'So Crawly or Aziraphale?'..."
https://queenbookbuff.wordpress.com/2019/04/25/sarcasm-disdain-and-common-ground-of-the-ridiculous-how-i-found-neil-gaiman/
...and blogger Karl N Jacobson's:
"As I am re-reading the book on a snowy Minnesota April–ANOTHER SNOWY MINNESOTA APRIL which feels like it may as well be a sign of the end times–I read a little gem about the disappointment of growing up, and thought that it not only caught my mood tonight, but also shows us why what I would call 'apocalyptic imagination' is still alive, vital, and a major player in popular culture. We need wonder. We need awe, terror, and the tumult of confusion that comes, still, no matter how much we learn and think we know. We need perspective. And hope. And that is what Good Omens, even if in many ways it probably is bad apocalyptics, is getting at..."
https://bibpopcult.wordpress.com/2019/04/12/good-omens-like-the-last-day-its-coming/
Blogger The Idle Woman is back with her review of Feet of Clay:
"There's lots going on in this instalment, which features Ankh-Morpork society in all its rich variety, with the notable exception of the wizards up at the University (though we do meet a relative of Ridcully's, who is High Priest of Blind Io). In comparison to Maskerade, its immediate predecessor, Feet of Clay feels much more like part of a series as opposed to a standalone story. As far as I remember, this is part of a growing trend within Discworld, which increasingly moves away from riffs on particular 'contexts' (like the cinema, Ancient Egypt, The Phantom of the Opera) and towards an examination of serious themes through small groups of recurring characters – the Watch and the Witches being foremost among them. Having said that, the next book in the series is a gleeful exception to that rule, with a very particular standalone focus and – to my delight – the triumphant return of Susan Sto Helit. Prepare yourself for Hogfather and the ultimate tale of things that go bump in the night…"
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/05/13/feet-of-clay-terry-pratchett/
...and of Maskerade...:
"I first read this when I was fourteen and obsessed with the musical version of Phantom, to the point of learning the entire libretto off by heart. I adored the fact that Pratchett makes fun of the musical while, at the same time, throwing in the odd Easter egg to delight fans. Massive spoiler ahead, so you've been warned. I can still remember the thrill, at fourteen, of realising who the Ghost was and also realising why I should have known that from the start. Because it's obvious, when you think about it. Who does Walter Plinge remind you of? Frank Spencer from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, of course. And who played Frank Spencer? Michael Crawford. And who played the lead role in the very first Phantom of the Opera…? Yep. You've got it. Moments like that made me so happy. And I adored the fact that the Ghost, down in his subterranean den, isn't writing grand operas but strange new light entertainment of a kind no one has never written before. As one of the characters says in confusion, after being presented with these scores, who would ever want to watch an opera about cats? Basically, there are an awful lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber jokes here too, so it might be one of the best gateway Discworld books for people who don't really think they like fantasy..."
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/05/10/maskerade-terry-pratchett/
Also back, blogger Perpetually Past Due, with a rave review of Snuff:
"Being the sequel to Thud!, Snuff carries over themes and plot points into its narrative. The Summoning Dark is still present in Vimes's psyche and allows him to see in the dark as well as stay one step ahead of the murderer he pursues. However, Vimes questions the difference between himself and those criminals because he has this connection with them. He knows what he is capable due to a rough upbringing on the streets of Ankh-Morpork and struggles to keep the darkness within himself in check. However, Vimes is able to surpass his dark inklings in order to maintain law and . . . order... Snuff is a raucous ride through the countryside with political intrigue, conspiracies, hand to hand fighting, and more poo than you throw children at (you read that correctly). Pratchett's humor flows through the pages and the complex narrative and machinations of the evil aristocrats make for a compelling read with plenty of laughs..."
https://perpetuallypastdue.com/2016/09/07/snuff-review/
Blogger Nephriteon reviews the audiobook of Mort:
"So much of the appeal of Pratchett comes from mixing the unusual, the odd and the strange with the human condition. Taking things you never thought would be connected and interlinking them and just every so often letting out that pearl of wisdom. The kind of thing most people know but either don't realise or refuse to admit. When it comes to specifically the audio version however I'm unsure how to start to be completely honest with you as my readers. The unabridged audio version I'm used to is narrated by Nigel Planer. He had narration duties on most of the early Discworld audiobooks and to be fair to him he definitely does a good job with the majority of voices in most cases. For Mort specifically his Mort, Cutwell and Death are particularly well done. You can definitely believe that Mort is an overly nosy teenager who is curious about everything and how the world works. Especially when he shouldn't be. While his Death certainly seems appropriately beyond human. After all 'There's no justice. There's just me.' When it comes to female characters however like the aforementioned Princess he does seem to struggle in my personal opinion with maintaining the voice and keeping it consistent. However you can definitely tell he is giving the audio his best effort. Especially in terms of trying to match the tone of Pratchett's original novel. My main criticism however isn't the fault of either Pratchett or Planer but the audiobook's publisher. From the information I was able to find online this recording comes from 2001 courtesy of Isis Audiobooks. I'm not sure if it is some kind of error in the original master recording or if they lost the original recording but the version commonly available sounds very muffled at points. Muffled or echoey. The way I described it to a friend of mine was as though they had taken a recording of a recording and made that available instead of the original master..."
https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/05/24/audiobook-review-mort-by-terry-pratchett-a-discworld-novel/
Blogger Professional Moron's review of Wings:
"This is also our favourite entry in the series. Primarily as The Thing returns here and completes various narrative arcs in its usual sardonic way. But as a story, it runs parallel to the events in Diggers and introduces the reader to a spectacular world of nome technology. Last time out, intrepid heroes Masklin, Angalo, and Gurder took The Thing to a local airport to investigate some of the goings on there. They discover that the grandson of the owner of Arnold Brothers store (where the Inside nomes lived for generations) is off to America to watch the launch of a satellite. The Thing realises that if it can get on that, it'll be able to contact the nome's spaceship it keeps banging on about... Right, so it's the most action-packed entry in the series, as you may be able to tell. It has a terrific verve to it, told with manic glee from a brilliant writer clearly revelling in the story. It's imaginative, funny, and once more The Thing proves to be comic gold, landing some brilliant lines... The trilogy is highly recommended, but if you're only going to read one of them then it really has to be Wings. It's proper belting fun for all ages."
https://professionalmoron.com/2019/05/18/wings-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Bambooboned's long and contemplative review of Monstrous Regiment:
"In Terry Pratchett's Discworld, a lot of things are possible. Of course, this is true of most fantasy; after all, isn't that the whole point? Fantasy novels are escapist fiction. They're like the archetype of escapist fiction, to the point of mockery; every lonely, scrawny nerd can be a heroic, folk-famous sword-wielding barbarian, if they roll the right stats and own a few battered Tolkien paperbacks... And therein, I would argue, lies the first thing which sets Pratchett's writing apart from archetypical fantasy fiction. In the Discworld, nobody is a hero, a chosen one destined for greatness. Everybody is a hero, because they all simply do the job that's in front of them... Dragon keeping is charity work, and assassins can't hide in shadows without breaking the rules, and witches are healers whose magic consists mostly of knowing one extra fact, seeing things as they are, and thinking twice again before you speak. Wizards cower before paper money, reliable postage, and printing presses, because power is in everything, in every day. Heroes are found in a myriad ordinary people doing their jobs, living their lives.
"That's the first thing. The second thing which sets the Discworld apart from many other fantasy worlds is that– well, let me ask you this. Have you ever noticed that some fantasy nerds are, maybe, just a little bit sexist? A little bit racist? Fantasy universes not exactly welcoming to the concept of characters being anything other than cis, straight, able-bodied and white, unless maybe they need a villain? Yeah, I've noticed that too. In this piece so far there are more paragraphs than there are speaking female characters in all twelve hours of The Lord of the Rings. And frankly I don't have the time, energy, or willpower right now to devote to an analysis of the unfortunate imperialist undertones present in a lot of fantasy. Don't get me wrong– Not All Fantasy, to parody a truly obnoxious phrase. But enough. Too much. Pratchett's Discworld, in contrast, contains women in every role and every part of society, playing prominent parts in every story, and each their own person with their own life and attitude and interests. There are queer characters, in the plural, and there are carefully crafted allegories for systematic oppression and the issues facing minority groups woven throughout the text...
"I could talk all day about what Pratchett's characters mean to me, but instead of inflicting that upon you I'll summarise with this. Terry Pratchett, the Discworld, and every character who lives in it won't tell you that you are the chosen one. They won't tell you that you're unique, or special, or have some hidden power and some unknown destiny. You can't become a hero. But you can be yourself, and you can carry on doing the job that's in front of you, and you don't have to hide because everyone else is being themselves, too, and it's very rare that you're the most unusual person in a room like that..."
https://oppositeofdogs.home.blog/2019/04/14/and-the-new-day-will-be-a-great-big-fish/
...and blogger A Thoughtful Reveal's less thoughtful, but approving, review:
"I dove right into the writing and found I had to focus on it very closely most of the time to keep things straight since it wasn't my usual sort of book... The characters all had secrets piled on secrets, and most of them revealed their secrets by the end. Some were revealed by the ones with the secrets. Some were revealed by others who knew their secrets. Some were revealed to create bonds among a group of people with similar situations. Some were revealed to gain leverage. Many of the characters we would have said were overacted had they been on stage, I think. Overblown, bombastic, just too big for their parts. People who were covering something up by being themselves more than they really were. Overacting their assumed personas so no one would see their real personality underneath. Yet, they were amazing and funny in their interaction with each other. The whole book was amazing..."
https://athoughtfulreveal.com/2019/04/20/monstrous-regiment/
Blogger Mike Finn muses on the intersection between Jingo and current UK politics:
"I'm re-reading Terry Pratchett's 'Jingo'. I know he's dead and, even if he wasn't, he wrote this book in 1997, when I was twenty and if you'd told me about Brexit I'd have admired your creative imagination… after I stopped laughing, but he seems to have read my mind… in advance. You see, I've been telling myself that Brexit was a conspiracy by THEM, the people I've always hated but who have somehow managed to take something I value away from me. True, 17.4 million people voted for Brexit but that was because THEY conned them. That has to be true because otherwise 17.4 million of my countrymen voted for Brexit with the enthusiasm of lemmings entering a cliff-diving contest because of xenophobia, dreams of empire or because they believed what was written on the side of a bus by an organisation with no other purpose than to say whatever it took to win. So how did Terry Pratchett know I'd be thinking this? Either he was psychic (and I'm much more important in the universe than seems possible) or he had an insight into how people's minds work that must have been so deeply depressing that he'd want to spend as much time as he could escaping into a fantasy world; except, when he got there, he'd dragged the insight along with him because wherever you go, there you are..."
https://mikefinnsfiction.wordpress.com/2019/04/15/terry-pratchett-on-why-we-need-conspirators-in-smoke-filled-rooms/
Blogger Camden Singrey considers The Colour of Magic:
"Freed from my past expectations, I reread The Colour of Magic with the understanding that it was mainly about the jokes and not so much the story. While later Pratchett could be described as satirical, the tone of his first Discworld novel would better be described as parody. It follows the adventures of Rincewind the incompetent wizard and naive tourist Twoflower as they continuously fall out of the frying pan into the fire and back into the frying pan again. The protagonists don't have any real goal besides staying alive, which becomes increasingly difficult as the book goes on. They are consistently entertaining and play off each other well, but it's easy to understand why Terry would go on to say he didn't much like writing Rincewind. There's only so much you can do with a perpetual coward without compromising what makes him funny... There are other discrepancies; the Discworld version of Death, arguably the most famous Pratchett character, is noticeably more vindictive here than he will be in the future. Perhaps he was just having a bad day. But enough of that, why is it good? I did very much enjoy reading it, after all. Well, it's funny. Some of the specific parody might go over my head, but the general mocking of fantasy tradition is always entertaining. And then there are the puns, the wordplay, the characters that seem vaguely self-aware about their place in the story and not entirely satisfied with it. It's all very English, the humor of disappointment and anxiety. That works for some more than others; it's always worked for me. Perhaps it's just that I haven't read any Pratchett in a while, but the book was solidly entertaining all the way through..."
https://camdensingrey.wordpress.com/2019/05/12/discworld-1-the-colour-of-magic/
...and finally, blogger rmartin49 aka SpecFictLit is back, this time with an overview of the Discworld's industrial revolution:
"The main star of each of these books is the new technology it introduces, whether or not that happens to stick around. The clacks – their version of the telegraph just appears but does get significant discussion in Going Postal. Over the course of Moving Pictures and The Truth, we get the respective inceptions of cinema and the newspaper. The industrial revolution of the Discworld will really pick up steam later with the aforementioned Going Postal and, erm, Raising Steam. at the time of writing this, I notice that Monstrous Regiment (which I've now read but am not ready to review), is also classed as Industrial Revolution but I'm not sure why. I suppose it doesn't really fit in anywhere else. It definitely doesn't have any of the new technology of modern warfare (and that's a good thing). In these books, there's always the difficulty of having to establish main-ish (we get cameos from more well-known figures of the Disc like the wizards and Commander Vimes but they're not the main thrust of the action) characters we haven't spent any time with before. In effect, each of these books is like the first in one of the other series, putting its new characters on the map..."
https://specfictlit.wordpress.com/2019/04/25/ranking-my-journey-through-the-discworld-so-far-industrial-revolution/
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08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
The "only tempo that matters" for Good Omens' music:
https://twitter.com/DavidGArnold/status/1029719384091181056/photo/1
...and the composer and recording team hard at work in legendary Air Studios:
https://bit.ly/2K2a36d
Some of the Chattering Nuns, hanging out with some of the Good Omens main cast and crew:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7XhUJJX4AAhXrP.jpg
...and bringing sweet degeneration to Times Square:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7XUQ9hWwAcRL6R.jpg
A drawing of Madame Tracy, Shadwell and Aziraphale, as tweeted by Paul Kidby:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7P97PRX4AU-USk.jpg
...and some excellent iconographs from the re-created sets, as featured in item 3.4 above:
https://lonelyplanetwpnews.imgix.net/2019/05/Good-Omens-6.jpg
https://lonelyplanetwpnews.imgix.net/2019/05/Good-Omen-1.jpg
https://lonelyplanetwpnews.imgix.net/2019/05/Good-Omens-2.jpg
Crowley and Aziraphale, hanging out at the Globe Theatre (the "original" one, of course):
https://bit.ly/2M4hU5R
...and hanging out in the ancient desert:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6IKcdrXkAA-x-O.jpg
...and a nice Good Omens screengrab, from co-Producers Amazon Prime:
https://bit.ly/30Lxqar
The Author and the Co-Author on the eve of original publication of Good Omens:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D5guPuoW4AQXP6e.jpg
Unlike Mister Stuffy Pants Aziraphale, Crowley changes his look to suit the times:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6OFY5VU0AE72Fe.jpg
Agnes Nutter, about to be burnt at the stake by a suspiciously familiar-looking witchfinder:
https://bit.ly/2HVA3h0
Feeling nunny? Here's an application to join the Chattering Order of St Beryl, as posted by the Order on Twitter:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6EMPreUUAE8NJo.jpg
Some lovely Good Omens art by Jiedi Chen:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6J5KJgUcAALTxJ.jpg
Pterry puppetry! These puppets were created in 2012, photo posted by NADWCON 2019 on Twitter:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7OfkJ5XsAYKa_l.jpg
...and the Pterry puppet in current time, also posted by NADWCON:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7NJ_suW0AAMXM6.jpg
Stephen Briggs' photo of himself and Pterry 22 years ago:
https://twitter.com/StephenPBriggs/status/1105424171721474050
...and a note re the Glorious 25th: in a comment on the Wossname blog post for this year's remembrance (_https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/69683.html_), Dreamwidth user Dreaminghylicat offered a link to more versions of the "poster", all by artist Yoodi. Well worth a look when you're thinking of posting in May 2020: https://www.deviantart.com/yoodi/art/Night-Watch-Teaser-Poster-12-33484431
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09) CLOSE
Department of What The Actual Poot: the Discworld Emporium tweeted that Facebook banned the sale of Ankh-Morpork passports due to the policy that prohibits "illegal services, prescription or recreational drugs or items that promote the use of drugs". Sounds like Facebook's administration is on some sort of er, substances themselves: https://twitter.com/Discworldshoppe/status/1124384689744166913
Don't forget to drop by the Chattering Order of St Beryl on Twitter. You'll be glad you did!
https://twitter.com/chattering_nuns
Some sixteen years ago, Good Omens came in at number 68 on a BBC list of Britain's 100 favourite novels. According to Neil Gaiman, it was the only book of the hundred titles that had never been adapted. Now that it has been here's hoping that we'll all love the adaptation as much as we've loved the original novel for all these years!
And that's it for May. Take care, and we'll see you next month with more Good Omens reviews and other news!
– Annie Mac
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Copyright (c) 2019 by Klatchian Foreign Legion
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
May 2019 (Volume 22, Issue 5, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) GOOD OMENS NEWS
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
09) CLOSE
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"I've found that whilst scoring #GoodOmens that there is really only one tempo that truly matters."
– Good Omens score composer David Arnold (see the Images section below for the accompanying photograph!)
"I got up very early one day, got burnt at the stake and went back to play Mother Courage."
– Josie "Agnes Nutter" Lawrence on fitting her Good Omens role into a very busy schedule
"Can confirm that David Tennant is tall and Scottish,
neilhimself is drily hilarious, the chattering_nuns are my favorite, the first two episodes of Good Omens are brilliant... and I think it would all make Terry Pratchett proud."– Wall Street Journal digital editor Allison Chopin
"Good Omens is worth watching for the dry, witty, madcap style of a thoughtfully put together Gaiman/Pratchett universe. It's worth remembering for the exultant, nuanced performance of its two main characters."
– web journalist Liz Baessler
"If people love this enough, and if the time and the will is there, we could absolutely go back and do a lot more. But we're not building it to do more, we are building this to be itself. At the end of six episodes, it's done."
– Neil Gaiman, speaking to the press on the Good Omens set
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
The End Times are upon us! Well, nearly: in a few days' time, the Good Omens miniseries will go out on Amazon Prime (those who have to watch it on the BBC will have to wait a while yet), and there are already a number of reviews from press and prominent pop-culture websites who were given a pre-release look at some or all of the six episodes.
Initial reports (see item 3.7 for a selection) give me the impression that 1) the adaptation has retained its essential Englishness, 2) co-author Gaiman's inclusion of new material – based on his and Sir Pterry's extant notes for a possible second book, we're told – might have been a bit surplus to requirements, 3) the claims from certain quarters of the production team that Good Omens' special effects were the greatest!thing!ever! may have tended to a wee bit of ~coughs~ overenthusiasm, and 4) Americans, for the most part, still won't "get" it. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to seeing Good Omens, not least because David Tennant was my own first choice for Crowley (and for Greebo in human form, should Witches Abroad or Maskerade ever be filmed).
Last week, in preparation for watching Good Omens and for the sheer pleasure of it, I re-read our old hardcover copy the original novel for the first time in many years, and must report that in my opinion it hasn't aged at all. It's still as much fun as it was when I first read it twenty-nine years ago, and still as relevant... and I still want to live in Lower Tadfield.
*
Department of ave atque vale: biologist and author Jack Cohen, best known to most of us as one-third of the marvellous Science of Discworld team, has died at the age of 85. His friend and co-author Ian Stewart tweeted, "Jack Cohen died peacefully on 6 May. He was a close friend and colleague for 30 years, and I will always remember him with great affection. So will his many friends in SF, Discworld, and biology."
Wikipedia entry:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Cohen_(scientist)
Obituary from Warwick University, where he taught in the 1990s:
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/general/news/new/may_2019_we/
Brief "In Memoriam" from the Science Fiction Writers of America:
https://www.sfwa.org/2019/05/in-memoriam-jack-cohen/
Entry in the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction:
http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/cohen_jack
...and the last word goes to Rhianna Pratchett, who tweeted, "GNU Jack Cohen. Like to think that he and Dad are still swapping tortoises in the great beyond."
*
NADWCON 2019 has kindly posted a link to an interesting old Pterry interview video: https://youtu.be/j4bCh_ViAKc – do have a listen!
*
Department of Erm, I Think You Should Check Your Information... this quote comes from an Amazon Adviser article: "Whether you've heard of the original novel or not, you've most definitely heard of the Good Omens authors. Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman have made names for themselves with many other novels, including A Series of Unfortunate Events and American Gods..." And in case you don't believe me – check https://amazonadviser.com/2019/05/22/watch-good-omens-immediately
And now, on with the show! Which is mostly about Good Omens this month...
– Annie Mac, Editor
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
03) GOOD OMENS NEWS
3.1 FREE SCREENING AT THE EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL
By Alex Johnston for The List:
"And the heavens did open, and the angels came down, and lo, they sang with one voice, and the words they sang were: Rejoice, for the TV adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens is coming very soon. And those fans who can restrain themselves from watching the entire thing in a oner are in for a treat, because the Edinburgh International Film Festival is giving a special free screening of the whole thing on Sat 29 Jun... A film of the book was in development for years, with Terry Gilliam attached at one point, but it fell through. Gaiman started work on the TV version at the request of Pratchett, who died in 2015. The series is directed by Scottish director Douglas MacKinnon (The Flying Scotsman and episodes of Outlander, Sherlock and Doctor Who) and features music by David Arnold..."
https://www.list.co.uk/article/108631-good-omens-to-have-special-free-screening-at-the-edinburgh-international-film-festival/?platform=hootsuite
"Film festival audiences will be able to see all six episodes on the big screen on Saturday June 29, with special guests expected to attend."
https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/xpose/article/entertainment-news/289374/TV-show-Good-Omens-on-big-screen-at-Edinburgh-International-Film-Festival
3.2 NEIL HIMSELF INTERVIEWED
A new Good Omens-centric interview with Neil Gaiman, by Lidija Haas in The Guardian:
"Having made the pledge, Gaiman said when we met recently in New York, he 'knew that I couldn't just invent it, write it down and give it to somebody and go: 'OK, I'm done,' because at that point anything could happen', so he plunged in as showrunner, making all the creative calls himself and cast it partly from 'my address book'. The result is a delightful, hectic and 'ridiculously personal' confection, brimming with jokes and stars – Benedict Cumberbatch is Satan, Frances McDormand plays God – which aspires, despite its lavish Amazon budget, to 'a handmade feel'. Gaiman briefed the designers to bring him all the ideas they might assume were 'a bit too mad, but …' and gleefully embraced 'the little clunky bits': there are pointedly old school graphics and a pre-credit sequence in episode three that spans much of world history and goes on for nearly half an hour... Writing the show alone, Gaiman says, was 'really horrible', especially at those moments when he got stuck on something or 'whenever I did something clever' and Pratchett wasn't there to appreciate it...
Gaiman, craggily charismatic in black denim, thick hair artfully disarranged, English accent undimmed by years in the US, has a touch of the Crowley himself... When he and Pratchett wrote the novel in the late 80s, he recalls, 'we had to put a line in – I don't even remember if it was me or Terry but I remember us talking about it – a line about how weird it is that Armageddon is happening when everybody is getting along so well, because I don't think I'd ever in my life felt less close to Armageddon.' He notes that 'the weirdest thing is how a novel that was written literally 30 years ago feels really a lot more apt now than it did then … I mean, if I could trade, I would have a much duller world in which we had to try and convince people that an apocalypse was likely, instead of having the world that we're in, where the nuclear clock is ticking closer and closer, and where I'm going: 'Actually, as far as I can tell everybody in charge is fucking nuts.' You know, I would like sensible people and an end of history, that was fun.'..."
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/may/24/neil-gaiman-interview-good-omens
On Digital Spy, Neil Gaiman muses on Good Omens' possible "legs":
"Gaiman told Digital Spy that elements from a never-completed follow-up to the 1990 novel have found their way into the TV series. 'I wound up drawing from the planned book follow-up for this," he explained in 2018. "[Things like] expanding into heaven and hell – and we have Jon Hamm as the angel Gabriel, and Gabriel is not in the book, but he and the other angels, and a bunch of the other demons, come from all the conversations Terry Pratchett and I had about what we would do in a second book.' Does that mean, then, that all material has been exhausted and a second season is off the cards? After all, American Gods – based on one of Gaiman's solo novels – has expanded considerably on the source material..."
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a27529400/good-omens-season-2/
3.3 MAKING GOOD OMENS: BELOW THE BONNET
Good Omens score composer David Arnold talks about how he created the music for the series:
"In composing the score for 'Good Omens,' David Arnold asked himself, 'What would happen if Walt Disney was possessed by Satan?' That seemed appropriate for this long-awaited TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's fantasy novel about an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant) teaming up to prevent Armageddon. Watch our exclusive video interview with Arnold above. That initial concept came from a scene where Tennant tries to get the young Antichrist to fall asleep. 'He does it by singing him very sweetly a song about [how] when the world is destroyed, he'll be in charge of it and humanity will be wrought of blood and guts,' Arnold explains. It was 'the opposite of what you would sing to a child in that situation,' but he wrote it as if it were 'the sort of thing that Mary Poppins sang to the kids.' From that tiny piece of music, Arnold conceived of an entire score built around those contradictions. 'Whenever there is anything nice and sweet in this score,' he says, there is 'something alongside it which is bad and dark, and twisted and perverse, and evil and funny and wicked, and vice versa.' This theme was 'born of the two characters, even though they don't have one theme each.' They share common music because, 'to a greater extent, they share similar characteristics.'..."
https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/david-arnold-good-omens-score-composer-interview-amazon-news/
...and you can download the Good Omens theme music here:
https://www.filmmusicsite.com/en/soundtracks.cgi?id=73549
More on the music of Good Omens – an in-depth look at the processes and inspirations, by Adam Sherwin on iNews:
"Staff have reported seeing a ghostly female figure at an upstairs window and there is one corner of the studio where none of the expensive hardware works. It's a suitably ominous backdrop to one of the most hotly-anticipated series of 2019... Arnold, who has written the soundtracks to five James Bond films, blockbuster movies like Godzilla and television series like Sherlock, has the daunting task of producing a coherent musical theme for a TV spectacle which criss-crosses continents and eras. 'The story is labyrinthine and the cast is so massive, the trick is to find something which pulls it all together,' says a somewhat frazzled Arnold, who has barely seen daylight after six weeks in the studio. A soundtrack which careens from devilish heavy metal to spaghetti western and traditional English lute music in the space of a minute, was a challenge. 'It's almost three and a half hours of new music. Often composers re-use music in episodic TV to display something about a character but this never stops moving. We're doing seven-day weeks, working 15 hours a day with the musicians. At this point, we don't exist outside of Good Omens.'... There is one touchstone for the score, however: Queen's theatrical glam-rock. 'It began as a joke between me and Terry which was never intended for publication,' Gaiman said. 'Terry used to joke that you can never remember buying Queen's Greatest Hits. But if you leave any cassette in your car long enough, it turns into Queen's Greatest Hits. I put Crowley listening to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in his Bentley into the novel.' Mackinnon added: 'We're all super-fans and the wonderful Queen have given us permission to use 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and other songs in the score, which is just a joy.'..."
https://inews.co.uk/news/good-omens-creating-the-soundtrack-to-heaven-and-hell-with-a-little-help-from-queen/
...and Good Omens make-up and hair designer Anne Oldham reveals her inspirations:
"Anne Oldham admits she wasn't 'aware' of Neil Gamon[sic] and Terry Pratchett's best-selling fantasy novel 'Good Omens' before signing on to design the makeup and hairstyles for the TV adaptation. In fact, this limited series about an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant) trying to prevent Armageddon was 'very different from anything I'd done before, so I was really flattered that they'd offered it to me.'...
https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/anne-oldham-good-omens-makeup-hair-amazon-prime-news/
The above page includes a short video interview with Oldham: https://youtu.be/YZgIWA_8qqk
3.4 A VERY OMEN-OUS BOOKSHOP
If you're fortunate enough to be in London next month, you can visit Aziraphale's bookshop! By Andrea Smith on Lonely Planet:
"The facade of an immersive experience and exhibition... In celebration of its launch on premium subscription streaming service, Amazon Prime Video, on 31 May, an immersive experience and exhibition will open to the public in London. The house will be disguised as a Soho bookshop, A.Z. Fell and Co., the infamous bookshop at the heart of the novel, Good Omens. Taking over a five-floor Victorian townhouse in the heart of Soho, the event will immerse fans in the weird and wonderful world of Good Omens. The free-to-enter experience will be set in the house on Greek Street, which will be disguised as a Soho bookshop, A.Z. Fell and Co., the infamous shop at the heart of the bestselling novel. Modelled on Sheen's character Aziraphale's run-down bookshop hideout, the unassuming facade might well be overlooked by those not in the know, although the show's 1934 Bentley Derby Coupe parked outside may provide a hint...
"A rich array of props and costumes from the show will be on display. The experience will be open to the public on 1 and 2 June at 19 Greek Street, and entry to the exhibition elements will be through walk-ins. The Escape Room experience, which lasts approx 30 minutes, will be ticketed through EventBrite, and tickets are available to book here: (_https://az-fell-and-co-bookshop666.eventbrite.com/_). The experience will include an escape room, immersive performance and interactive sets..."
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2019/05/21/good-omens-secret-experience-london/
3.5 WHY CROWLEY IS GINGER
Here's the explanation, by Flora Carr in the Radio Times:
"In Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's original novel, the fast-living demon – originally the snake who tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden – has 'dark hair' (in addition to snakeskin shoes and a pristine 1926 Bentley). However, fans were surprised when the first pictures of Tennant in costume were revealed, showing the former Doctor Who star with long ginger locks. Revealing how the make-up and costume department originally conceived his Good Omens look, Tennant said: 'It wasn't in the book, but red seemed quite appealing as he's from the flames. There's also a part of me as an actor who likes to transform.' In the present day, Crowley has a short hairstyle, but during flashbacks we see Crowley sport various haircuts, which Tennant admits was helpful during filming, both in terms of characterisation and figuring out the show's time-jumping plot. 'We talked about whether having it long might make him look like a rocker, rather than of the moment,' Tennant said in an interview for the show's accompanying book, The Nice and Accurate Good Omens TV Companion. 'Eventually we settled on a nice, short funky red cut. Then we see him moving through time with different lengths and styles. When I was reading through the script, just plotting through what happens when was quite tricky, and so it works as a marker. And I felt that Crowley would do that in a way that perhaps Aziraphale [played by Michael Sheen] wouldn't as he's more steady through the centuries. So that shows how a conversation about appearance sparks a few ideas that feed back into the character, and you end up dyeing your hair red for five months! Still, it meant I wasn't wearing a wig every day, and all credit to Neil [Gaiman] who has lived with this but was still able to say, 'Yeah, long red! That's a great idea!'..."
https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2019-05-14/david-tennant-good-omens-crowley-red-ginger-hair/
3.6 HOW GOOD OMENS TRAVELLED THE WORLD
Here be a fascinating look into the "trajectory" of Good Omens from when it was first published, thanks to the preserved information in the Colin Smythe Terry Pratchett Archive!
By Dr Karen Attar, curator of rare books and university art at Senate House Library:
"When Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman produced their first collaborative work, Good Omens, in 1990, it met with instant critical, as well as popular, success. Reviews, collected helpfully in the Colin Smythe Terry Pratchett Archive at the University of London's Senate House Library, consistently say how funny the book is, and frequently compare it with Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for 'the same touch of skewed British humour' (Times Record News, 21–22 October 1990). 'There should be a warning on this book against reading it in public, as serious embarrassment may be incurred from laughing too much', wrote Keith Bell in the Belfast Telegraph (17 November 1994). Nik [sic] Morton in Auguries stated more explicitly, 'Extremely funny throughout, not just in patches and with numerous amusing footnotes.' Praise reaches its pinnacle in an unattributed review in What's On. 'Almost every new novel from Terry Pratchett is acclaimed as the greatest yet, but in this case that claim is justified.' The only more analytical review present is John Clute's in Interzone (July 1990), which can hardly be considered negative: 'It is not, in other words, a comedy. But is it any good? Yes and no and yes. It is very funny indeed (yes), though bedevilled throughout by neurotic nudgings of narrative focus and galumphing tonal shifts (no), and in the end it shines through (yes). It is a very strange book indeed; perhaps all genuine collaborations are.' He continues by praising the collaboration: 'Who conceived or wrote what in this book it would be foolish to guess.'
"Even in the US, there was a sense that not all the humour came across in translation. One needs to know Britain and to appreciate British self-deprecation to appreciate some topographical explanations... To offset the specifically British references and humour which might not be comprehensible elsewhere, the English version first published by Gollancz was revised for the edition published in New York for the American audience. Other twists appealed to speakers of languages other than English. For example, the surname of the witch, 'Agnes Nutter', becomes 'Agnes Spinner' in German and 'Agnès Barge' in French. With such alterations, the book certainly travelled. Editions in the Colin Smythe Terry Pratchett Archive include translations into Chinese, Japanese and Hebrew as well as a range of northern, western and eastern European languages. The collection continues to grow, with audio versions and with a translation into Taiwan expected to arrive. Most translations follow the American text; only the German follows the English. Even the names of the authors do not appear uniformly. By agreement, American editions are attributed to 'Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett', while in England and elsewhere Pratchett's name precedes Gaiman's..."
https://talkinghumanities.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2019/05/23/multifaceted-good-omens-exploring-the-colin-smythe-terry-pratchett-archive/
3.7 GOOD OMENS PRE-BROADCAST REVIEWS
Selected critics were shows the first episode (or more) of the forthcoming Good Omens miniseries. Here are some reactions...
By Jack Shepherd for The Independent:
"Gaiman holds nothing back, bringing his and Pratchett's wonderfully obscure imaginations to the screen. He made a promise to Pratchett, before the author's death in 2015, that he would make this adaptation happen, and he has fulfilled that promise admirably. Along with evil nuns, antichrists, angels and demons, the opening episode also features scenes in heaven, hell and St James's Park – which God informs us is a favourite location for British intelligence officers to meet undercover. Sheen and Tennant anchor the episode as the central duo, and make for extremely entertaining company. Tennant's portrayal of the reluctantly evil, sunglass-wearing demon is reminiscent of Bill Nighy in Love Actually: a swaggering, eccentric, borderline drunk performance that's carefree. Sheen counters the bravado as the awkward angel, whose face often folds into itself whenever the conversation turns sour. Both actors fully commit to their roles, gamely wearing multiple silly costumes. Some of the wigs and visual effects may slip into uncanny valley territory at times, but director Douglas Mackinnon (Doctor Who) presents this as a stylistic choice..."
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/good-omens-review-episode-1-terry-pratchett-neil-gaiman-david-tennant-michael-sheen-a8920571.html
A typically American culture-puzzled review by Daniel D'Addario for the Chicago Tribune
"Onscreen, this pairing – between a saintly being played by Michael Sheen and a fallen angel played by David Tennant, both seeking to save the world for their own reasons – is the best part of the new 'Good Omens' limited series. But it's not enough: This six-hour journey towards the end of time comes to feel grindingly slow by the end, more anticlimax than fight for Earth's future... The pair's banter can be frustratingly stale – Crowley rejects being called 'nice,' which he calls (wait for it) 'a four-letter word' – or have one beat too many, as when Aziraphale meets a fellow divine creature whom he knew centuries before. 'Yes! Sodom and Gomorrah. You were doing a lot of… smiting people. And turning them into salt.' (The point is made four words in; as is so often the case in this show, what follows is just showing off.) But their partnership, which Crowley openly acknowledges as a vexed but real friendship and which Aziraphale can't acknowledge as more than a working relationship, drives the show forward. It's not a road without obstacles, though: The plot, here, is a mire..."
https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-good-omens-review-20190520-story.html
By Josh Bell on CBR:
"It's impossible to say how the version of Good Omens that arrives May 31 on Amazon compares to the feature Terry Gilliam planned to direct, or the series that Terry Jones had been co-writing. But this take on the material, scripted entirely by Gaiman and directed by TV veteran Douglas Mackinnon, lacks the anarchic spirit a visionary like Gilliam might have brought to the material. It's entertaining, although stretched a bit thin over six hour-long episodes, and it features two appealing and funny lead performances from Michael Sheen and David Tennant. The overall effect is a little underwhelming, but there are plenty of clever, fun moments along the way... The mix of lowbrow humor (a wacky misunderstanding!) and supernatural intrigue is the story's defining trait, but it's also a tricky balance to maintain, and the series sometimes lurches awkwardly from one to the other..."
https://www.cbr.com/review-good-omens-tv/
By Chris Ludovici on The Spool:
"If you're one of those people who find stories about the End Times stressful or upsetting, don't worry, Good Omens is neither. It's funny and charming and very human... The show has some pacing issues, it spends half of the episodes setting the table for the other half, and there's a lot to set up. And it's not always as funny as it wants to be, it sometimes confuses 'quirky' with 'interesting', and teeters on the brink of cleverness. While the show does find a rhythm and catch fire (literally at times, there's a lot of fire) in the second half, the first half is at times laborious as they set up more than a dozen characters and their various backstories and motivations... in each other Aziraphale and Crowley find someone as enchanted by humanity and its foibles as they are. Which brings us back to love. Love, in all its forms, is at the heart of the show, it drives the majority of characters and has the best chance of redeeming humanity in the face of Armageddon (no spoilers if it works out or not). And it's what Aziraphale and Crowley have for the Earth, humanity, and one another. Is that love romantic? Maybe. Could be. The show, adapted by Gaiman, dives more deeply into their relationship than the book did and in so doing gives it more of a solid footing..."
https://thespool.net/tv/2019/05/good-omens-review/
By Akhil Arora for Gadgets360 says "Terry Pratchett Convinced Neil Gaiman to Bring This to the Screen and We're All Better for It":
"With Gaiman at the helm, there's a whimsical charm to Good Omens, which blends eccentric humour that takes pot-shots at everything from religion to Hollywood, historical fantasy and sci-fi happenings that span the Roman Empire and nuclear power plants, and adolescent drama. Most of the jokes are delivered by way of Crowley and Aziraphale's conversations, including jabs at Jeffrey Archer's books, The Sound of Music, and the Reign of Terror in 18th-century France. Some are literal, with the book's running gag about Queen turning into Queen songs playing in the background here. Other jabs are much sillier, about investing in Apple stocks in the 1980s and not buying Betamax in the 1970s. The humour on Good Omens does require you to know your history and pop culture, lest you might miss some one-liners. Others still are delivered with the help of Good Omens' narrator, the voice of God: Frances McDormand, in this case. Many of her lines are verbatim from the book... Sure, it's fun to see Tennant and Sheen dress up in various period-fitting costumes and get in a joke or two that poke fun at religious absurdities, historical figures, or the Nazis. Good Omens does well to mine the 'divine plan' narrative, in that God's workings are 'ineffable', as it gets in several pointed remarks about the great flood and the reason for Christ's death. It also takes aim at Shakespeare's writings and the English-French rivalry. But these asides, worth half an episode of a six-part miniseries, don't much serve a bigger purpose than 'Crowley and Aziraphale have been around forever and share something that might be a little more than friendship.' The scenes would be much more meaningful if parallels were drawn with contemporary events of the main storyline..."
https://gadgets.ndtv.com/entertainment/reviews/good-omens-review-imdb-book-tv-series-trailer-release-date-cast-amazon-prime-video-2039864
By Samantha Nelson on The Verge:
An extended pre-credits sequence in one episode of Amazon's Good Omens displays the best part of the six-episode miniseries based on the book of the same name by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The segment traces the 6,000-year relationship between prissy angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen of The Queen and Frost/Nixon) and swaggering demon Crowley (Doctor Who star David Tennant), who have known each other since the Garden of Eden was a going concern. That sequence also exposes Good Omens' greatest weakness. The scenes are joyous when Crowley and Aziraphale are sparring, commiserating, or teaming up to stop the apocalypse their bosses have been waiting for since the dawn of humanity. Scenes with just one of them still tend to be strong, particularly as Crowley gleefully outsmarts everyone around him. But when neither of them are on-screen, Good Omens grinds to a halt. The supporting cast members are necessary to move the plot forward or provide needed exposition about the series' complicated mythology. But no one else has enough development or agency to make their scenes feel worthwhile unless they're playing off one of the protagonists... The film's antagonists feel similarly flat. War (Mireille Enos of The Killing) and Famine (The Originals' Yusuf Gatewood) both get thrilling introductions showing how the Horsemen of the Apocalypse can cause misery in the modern day. Similar development would have been a huge boon to Pollution (Lourdes Faberes), who is mostly distinguished by looking a lot like the Captain Planet villain Dr. Blight, and Death (Brian Cox of Succession and X2) who seems to have just walked off a production of A Christmas Carol. But it doesn't really matter, because the Horsemen's entire plot ends in a dull climax that's meant to be a big moment for Adam's friends, but doesn't feel earned..."
https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/22/18635845/good-omens-review-amazon-studios-michael-sheen-david-tennant-neil-gaiman-terry-pratchett
By Jay McClenahan on So Many Shows:
"Dogma meets Monty Python? I had visions of Buddy Christ and Holy Grails when I started to screen this show. There's a lot of silliness and oddity throughout. Satanic nuns bumbling a baby's delivery? Yep, it's in there. How about a witch or the 'Four Horsemen'? They're in there too. What about a witch-finder army? Did you even know those exist? Well, they do! Let's not forget the voice of God (Frances McDormand) either. An imposing character just from helpful narration – She assists in bringing the story to life. Things don't always go according to plan for all the various characters in the series and some of their own internal conflicts show off the fun nature of the show. Be prepared to do quite a bit of laughing – and buckle your seatbelts – Crowley is a TERRIBLE driver... David Tennant and Michael Sheen are exceptional. Their overall delivery and their banter is top-notch and you can't help but be entertained with this unlikely duo. Potential low points: The story is a little slow. Supporting cast isn't nearly as exciting or involved as our main antagonists – and while we need them for the story, there are times you're just waiting for more..."
https://somanyshows.com/good-omens-review-at-least-theres-david-tennant-and-michael-sheen
By Liz Baessler on Film School Rejects:
"Good Omens feels much more like a 'true' adaptation. It's very silly, it's very light, and it's very… English. It also stays remarkably close to the book. Given that the bulk of the story takes place over a single week, and all of it has been carefully and accurately foretold in a book of prophecy, it probably makes sense not to stray too far. But that faithfulness sometimes works against the show, as it breezes through elements that are clear in the book with perhaps too light a touch, relying on the merits of an idea to carry a scene that could really benefit from a few more narrative touchstones. Having read the novel, I knew why Death was playing a trivia arcade game and Tibetans were suddenly appearing in tunnels under England, but I'd be curious to know how much someone unfamiliar with the story took in. The only place where the show deviates especially far from the book is in its treatment of Aziraphale and Crowley, an angel and a demon who've been living on earth since the beginning and have gone a little bit native… so much so as to actually become good friends. And in a complete upset of the usual book reader's lament, I can say this departure from the novel is the very best part of the adaptation. Crowley and Aziraphale (David Tennant and Michael Sheen, respectively) are critical players in the book, it's true, but in the miniseries, they are the stars. We see the chronicles of their interactions throughout millennia and focus more on their present relationship and general botching of Armageddon. Jon Hamm is a lovely addition as a disarmingly cruel Archangel Gabriel with a perpetual rictus and dead, purple eyes, but it's hard not to see him as an excuse to give Sheen's angel more opportunities for screen time. In fact, the whole rest of the series, while humorously, carefully, and faithfully done, lumbers on a bit. The who's who of comedians gets a little too unwieldy, and the dialogue a bit too contrived, and you find yourself counting down the minutes until Tennant and Sheen come back. And when they do, it's magic..."
https://filmschoolrejects.com/good-omens-review/
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04) ODDS AND SODS
4.1 THE MERCH CORNER
All from the Discworld Emporium, which is not only far more moral than Amazon[1] but also is the Ankh-Morpork Consulate and therefore completely worth supporting...
* Good Omens: the Nice and Accurate TV Companion!
"The 'Nice and Accurate' guide to 2019's apocalyptic screen adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's literary collaboration! This lavish companion to Amazon Prime Video and BBC's televisual extravaganza this ultimate screen companion! Explore Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's book, Good Omens, as brought to life by a stellar cast including David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Jon Hamm and Jack Whitehall. Join the incredible cast and crew for a feast of interviews and insights into costume design, character profiles and production with photographs and illustrations galore!
"The groundbreaking TV series sees Pratchett and Gaiman's angel and demon double-act Aziraphale and Crowley – played by Sheen and Tennant respectively try to end the end of the world, which is scheduled to happen on a Saturday, just after tea... Featuring incredible photographs, stunning location shots, costume boards, set designs and fascinating character profiles and in-depth interviews with the stars and crew, this behind-the-scenes look into the making of Good Omens is an absolute must for fans old and new - and will shatter coffee tables around the world."
Each Nice and Accurate TV Companion is priced at £25. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/540-good-omens-the-nice-and-accurate-tv-companion
* The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book!
"Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's cult collaboration, reinvented for screen! Gaiman's original shooting scripts for Amazon and the BBC's apocalyptic adaptation are presented in a handsome hardback, featuring a revelatory introduction from Neil himself and unseen, er, scenes! Written for Amazon and BBC's TV adaptation, Neil Gaiman's reinvention of his and Terry Pratchett's cult literary collaboration brings Good Omens to life on screen with help from a cast of stars including David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Jon Hamm and Jack Whitehall. Features an introductory essay detailing Gaiman's experience of reinventing his and Pratchett's literary masterpiece for screen."
Each Good Omens Script Book is priced at £20. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/539-the-quite-nice-and-fairly-accurate-good-omens-script-book
* The Illustrated Good Omens!
"This new illustrated version of Pratchett and Gaiman's cult book has been overhauled to eradicate typos and errors from previous editions, making this the truly 'Nice' and certainly 'Accurate' Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, as wholeheartedly approved by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's estate. Artist Paul Kidby provides truly divine illustrations including twelve full colour artworks and line drawings to accompany Terry and Neil's apocalyptic tale.
Each Illustrated Good Omens is priced at £30. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/541-the-illustrated-good-omens
* The telly tie-in paperback!
"A special paperback edition of Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman's apocalyptic cult novel Good Omens, created to tie in with Amazon Prime and BBC's major television adaptation for 2019 starring David Tennant, Michael Sheen, John Hamm and Frances McDormand! This special paperback edition of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's cult book features cover photography from BBC and Amazon Prime's small screen production."
Each tie-in paperback of Good Omens is price at £8.99. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/538-good-omens-tv-tie-in-edition
For additional Good Omens releases, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/55-good-omens-at-the-discworld-emporium
[1] Not a difficult achievement; there are probably nonsentient 3.5-thousand-million-year-old rocks deep beneath your feet with a greater moral sense – Ed.
Editor's note: remember, you can also source the (very!) special editions (Slipcase, Occult, Ineffable and Celestial) from:
http://goodomensillustrated.com/
4.2 ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
From [a BBC report:
"Millions of elderly people have a form of dementia that has been misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers. One expert called it the most important dementia finding in years. The condition, limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, or Late, shares similar symptoms to Alzheimer's, but it is a distinct disease, the journal Brain reports. It may partly explain why finding a dementia cure has failed so far. Dementia is not a single disease, but is the name for a group of symptoms that include problems with memory and thinking. There are lots of different types of dementia and Alzheimer's is said to be the most common and most researched. But up to a third of Alzheimer's in elderly people may instead be Late, says the international team of researchers, although both dementias can co-exist. Late appears to affect the "oldest old" – people over 80 – according to the work that looked at evidence from thousands of post-mortem results. One in five in this age group has it, meaning the public health impact of the disease will be large, say the researchers. Unlike Alzheimer's, it tends to cause a more gradual decline in memory, they believe. Currently, there is no specific single test for dementia. Signs of it can sometimes be seen in the brain after death. Late appears to be linked to the accumulation of a certain protein, TDP-43, in the brain, while Alzheimer's is linked to two other brain proteins – amyloid and tau.
"Scientists have been striving to find a cure for dementia, but with so many different types and causes of the disease, the goal has proved difficult. Trials of drugs to reduce proteins in the brain that were thought to cause Alzheimer's have failed. There have been no effective new treatments and some pharmaceutical companies have dropped out of the dementia drug race. Having a better understanding of Late might lead to the discovery of new treatments, say the researchers. They have written guidelines to help increase awareness and advance research into the newly defined disease..."
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48092570
4.3 OM ON ROUNDWORLD?
Did you know... that Om has been found on Roundworld? Debunking champions Snopes posted photographs of an interestingly patterned turtle (possibly a tortoise, but your Editor is no chelonianist and apparently in the terms are interchangeable in American English vernacular), and even name-checked: "It's unclear if this turtle's markings are supposed to indicate that the creature IS god, was created by God, or somehow escaped the pages of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series..."
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/god-turtle-image/
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05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
Editor's note: as Wossname normally only comes out once every month, do check the Wossname blog for information on plays that might fall between issue dates! Go to https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/ for interim updates.
* MEN AT ARMS IN CHESHAM (JUNE)
Chesham Bois Catholic Players are back with another Discworld play: Men at Arms! "There is romance, laughter, terror and a good police story all interwoven into one delightful tale."
When: 1st, 7th and 8th June 2019
Venue: Little Theatre by the Park, Church Street, Chesham, Bucks HP5 1HR
Time: 7.30pm on 1st and 8th June, 8pm on 7th June
Tickets: £12 (concessions £10), available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/cbcplayers
www.littletheatrechesham.co.uk
www.cbcplayers.co.uk
https://twitter.com/CBCPlayers
* WYRD SISTERS IN HAMPSHIRE (JULY)
Dynamo Youth Theatre will be staging their first Discworld play, production of Wyrd Sisters, in July!
When: Wed 10th to Sat 13th July 2019
Venue: The Pallant Centre, The Pallant, Havant, Hants PO9 1BE
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £10 and £12, available from http://www.dynamoyouththeatre.com/
http://www.dyt.org.uk/
http://stfaith.com/the-pallant-centre/
* MEN AT ARMS IN CARDIFF (AUGUST)
Peculiar Productions continue the Cardiff tradition of fine Discworld plays with a new production of Men at Arms! "The City Watch needs men! And women, of course. Not to mention dwarfs, trolls, gargoyles, and whatever Nobby Nobbs actually is. Commander Vimes needs to make sure they can all get along, and fast – because no-one else can stop a deadly secret that stalks the streets…"
When: 21st–24th August 2019,
Venue: The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff
Time: 7pm all shows
Tickets: £9 (concessions £7), now available online via https://peculiarproductions.co.uk/tickets/
"Proceeds from this performance will go to Nerve Tumours UK."
https://peculiarproductions.co.uk/
And later this year...
* MASKERADE IN BRISBANE (SEPTEMBER)
Brisbane Arts Theatre continue their justified love affair with Discworld plays with a new production of Maskerade!
When: 14th September–12th October 2019 (Thursdays through Sundays)
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace, QLD 4000
Time: all Thursday shows 7.30pm, all Friday and Saturday shows 8pm, all Sunday shows 6.30pm
Tickets: $23–34, available online at https://bit.ly/2IOWLdw or via the box office (phone (07) 3369 2344)
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/maskerade
* MASKERADE IN ELTHAM[1] (OCTOBER)
Eldorado Musical Productions will be staging their production of Maskerade in October!
When: 9th–12th October 2019
Venue: Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road, Eltham SE9 5TG (box office phone 0208 850 3702)
Time: 7.45pm all evening shows; matinee at 2.30pm on the 12th
Tickets: £15 (£13 on opening night), not yet available but will be via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bob-hope-theatre and from the Box Office which is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10am–1pm.
http://www.eldoradomusicalproductions.co.uk/maskerade/4594338795
[1] Note for Fourecksians: that's Eltham in Greater London, not the one in Melbourne – Ed.
* GOING POSTAL IN EMERALD, FOURECKS (OCTOBER)
The Gemco Players will present their production of Going Postal in October! "Moist von Lipwig was a con artist, a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet. It was a tough decision. With the help of a golem who has been at the bottom of hole in the ground for over two hundred years, a pin fanatic and Junior Postman Groat, he's got to see that the mail gets through. In taking on the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer, he's also got to stay alive. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. In the mad world of the mail, can a criminal succeed where honest men have failed and died? Perhaps there's a shot at redemption for man who's prepared to push the envelope..."
Note: there will be a play reading on 25th June, and auditions on 30th June at 2–5pm and 2nd July at 7–10pm. Visit the webpage (below) for details.
June 25, 7-10pm
When: 11th–26th October 2019 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only)
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive, Emerald, VIC 3782
Time: all Friday and Saturday shows 8pm; Sunday matinees 2pm
Tickets: prices TBA. Tickets will be available online via https://www.trybooking.com/BAGWG from 9pm on 11th August
https://gemco-players.squarespace.com/whatson/2018/12/5/going-postal
* JOHNNY AND THE DEAD IN LEEDS (NOVEMBER)
Leeds Children's Theatre will be presenting their production of Johnny and the Dead in November! "Sell the cemetery? Over their dead bodies ... Not many people can see the dead (not many would want to). Twelve-year-old Johnny Maxwell can. And he's got bad news for them: the council want to sell the cemetery as a building site, but they'd better watch out - the dead have learnt a thing or two from Johnny. They're not going to take it lying down ...especially since it's Halloween tomorrow. Besides, they're beginning to find that life is a lot more fun than it was when they were ... well ... alive. Particularly if they break a few rules."
When: 6th–9th November 2019
Venue: Carriageworks Theatre main auditorium, Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 3AD
Time: evening shows 7pm (Wednesday through Friday), Saturday matinee 1pm and afternoon show 5.30pm
Tickets: adults £14.50, concessions £12.50, under-16s £10.50, family £46, available from the Box Office (phone 0113 376 0318; address Leeds Town Hall, The Headroom, LS1 3AD, open 10am–6pm Monday to Saturday), or by by email (boxoffice@leeds.gov.uk), or online via the theatre's website, although their calendar doesn't yet stretch to November: https://www.carriageworkstheatre.co.uk/plan-your-visit/how-to-book-tickets/
"The Box Office will charge a fee for postage if you wish to have your tickets mailed out. Family Tickets, restricted view seats and special offers are rarely sold online and should be purchased over the phone or in person."
www.leeds-childrens-theatre.co.uk
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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will next meet on Monday 3rd June, at 7pm at The Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ.
The Drummers are also planning a visit to Kew Gardens on Saturday 8th June, all welcome, to meet at noon outside the main entrance to Kew Gardens Station.
The Drummers' May meet report, as posted by Grace Speaker on Facebook: "Although it is our wont to sit outside for our May afternoon meets, the weather was inconsiderately chilly, so we sat indoors at our normal tables and a number of Drummers were extremely pleased that The Puzzle had a special offer on puddings with their lunch. We caught up with tales from Wincanton from all those who had been down for the Spring Fling and listened with interest as Phil informed us that Bernard had had him in his shed for over 20 minutes. As this statement prompted some fnar fnar teasing, Phil was quick to point out that Bernard was merely teaching him how to rub his finger along the hole below his Alchemist's Balls. This explanation did not necessarily have the effect on the group he was hoping for. Photographic evidence of said hole and Balls was produced for our inspection and we all agreed that Phil did indeed have a magnificent pair. That set the tone for the rest of the meeting, so it's just as well that the Quiz was on the Seamstresses' Guild. As ever, the quiz was 'quite lively' and Alex G. won with an impressive 14 points, with Helen C. coming in second with 10½ points after getting bonus points for suggesting that the Seamstresses' Guild really should have been located on Petticoat Lane rather than Sheer Street, and that if she was in Monstrous Regiment her character name would be General Smuttiness. Our chatter ranged far and wide, starting with the forthcoming TV series of Good Omens and the wonderful singing talents of the sinfully satanic sisters of The Chattering Order of St. Beryl. As some Drummers were unfamiliar with the satanic sisters, Alex G. showed them the video of "Brand New Baby Smell" and we sang along to the chorus of 'Cheeky, cheeky, little Antichrist ...'... As everyone seemed to like Cards Against Humanity, we talked about having a Drummers game – but maybe at a future weekend meet at Draughts (the board game café) rather than The Puzzle as we thought if might get a bit too rowdy and also too rude for The Puzzle. We also thought it would be fun if someone came up with a DW version, although there were no volunteers for this."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10157734768571412/
For more information, email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10156634038566412/
*
Canberra, Australia's Discworld fan group is Drumknott's Irregulars: "The group is open to all, people from interstate and overseas are welcome, and our events will not be heavily themed. Come along to dinner for a chat and good company. We welcome people from all fandoms (and none) and we would love to see you at one of our events, even if you're just passing through. Please contact us via Facebook (_https://www.facebook.com/groups/824987924250161/_) or Google Groups (_https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars_) or join us at our next event."
*
For Facebook users in Fourecks: The Victorian Discworld Klatch is "a social group for fans of Discworld and Terry Pratchett... run by a dedicated team who meet monthly and organise events monthly." "If you'd like to join our events please ask to join the Klatch."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch
*
"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)" is a public Facebook meeting group: "This group, by request of Jo in Bear will continue to be used for future unofficial (not run by the Emporium) fan Gatherings in Wincanton. Look here for information."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/
*
The Pratchett Partisans are a fan group who meet monthly at either Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things Pratchett. We hold events such as Discworld dinners, games afternoons, Discworld photo scavenger hunts. We also attend opening night at Brisbane Arts Theatre's Discworld plays." The Partisans currently have about 200 members who meet at least twice a month, usually in Brisbane.
For more info about their next meetup, join up at https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au
*
The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South Australia: "We have an established Terry Pratchett & Discworld fan group in Adelaide called The City of Small Gods, which is open to anyone who would like to come – you don't have to live in Adelaide or even South Australia, or even be a Discworld fan, but that's mostly where our events will be held, and we do like discussing Pratchett's works. Our (semi-) regular meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm. Every few months, we have a full day's worth of board games at La Scala Cafe, 169 Unley Rd, Unley in the function room starting at 10am. In addition, we will occasionally have other events to go and see plays by Unseen Theatre Company, book discussions, craft, chain maille or costuming workshops or other fun social activities."
The next CoSG events will be the monthly dinner (at the Seven Stars Hotel) on 30th May.
The CoSG also have another identity. Here's the skinny:
Round World Events SA Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated association whose aim is to run fun social Pratchett-themed events for people in South Australia. Our first major event was the Unseen University Convivium held in July 2012. We have also run three successful and booked out Science Fiction and Fantasy themed quiz nights named Quiz Long And Prosper, in 2013, 2014 and 2015! The association will run some events under the City of Small Gods banner, but you do not have to be a Round World Events SA member to be part of City of Small Gods. However, we are always on the look out for new members for Round World Events SA to help us organise future events! Membership is $20 a year (for Adelaide locals) or $5 a year (for those not quite so close) and has the following benefits:
A shiny membership certificate all of your very own
Discounted entry price to some of the events we run
A warm, fuzzy feeling deep down in your chest (no, not quite that deep)
For more information, or to join as a member, please email RoundWorldEventsSA@gmail.com
www.cityofsmallgods.org.au
*
The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 6th June (probably) from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. For more info and any queries, contact broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) next meets on Friday 7th June (possibly) at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. "Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"
*
The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has been meeting on a regular basis since 2005. The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles. Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:
http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/
*
Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet next on Monday 3rd June (possibly) at 6.30pm in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George Street, Sydney 2000. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meet next on Monday 3rd June (possibly) at Old Shanghai, 123 James Street, Northbridge, Perth, Western Australia. For details join their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
Plenty of emphasis on Good Omens this month...
Blogger Writing the Blues Away couldn't quite get to grips with Good Omens:
"I was intrigued by the fact that this was a collaborative effort with Terry Pratchett, who I'd heard lots of good things about but never got round to reading any of his work. The show has become eagerly awaited by people across the world and the book is considered a cult classic, so I went in with high expectations. Unfortunately, those expectations for me weren't quite met... The characters of Aziraphale and Crowley were my favourite part about this book as they are so clearly developed and have extreme personalities, working so well together despite their differences. Aziraphale is more anxious and concerned about doing the right thing, whereas Crowley is sarcastic with a mean streak, though this is threatened by his need to stop the end of the world. They are unlikely friends, though they would not admit this. I also liked Adam, the Antichrist, a young boy who quite innocently spends time with his group of friends unaware of who he really is. Their conversations were exactly what conversations between children are like, and it was nice to see that difference between the older characters and them... Speaking of the dialogue, I really liked the literary device of dialectal speech when certain characters would talk. It can be confusing at times trying to work out what they're trying to say, but often it makes it easier for me to imagine their accent and the way they would speak, similar to Hagrid in Harry Potter for example. It gave a better voice and personality to the characters... However, the writing structure and the plot was something I struggled with. Within each chapter there would be a lot of chapter breaks which would switch between different characters. Switching between characters isn't necessarily a bad thing and I was happy to see the various perspectives, but there were way too many and it happened too often. A lot of the time there would be a chapter break, it would have a single paragraph or even a sentence from another character, then it would switch back. I really didn't see much of a point in this... Overall, I was quite disappointed after looking forward to reading it and expecting big things, which is an issue I often have with hyped up books or films. I just think it wasn't the right writing style for me and it is very particular in who would enjoy it, though I do appreciate both authors' writing talent..."
https://writingthebluesaway.wordpress.com/2019/05/24/a-review-of-good-omens/
Blogger Arathi Unni's reactions were more positive:
"This book is a riot and one that I enjoyed. The story starts with the angel Azipharale[sic] and the demon Crowley prepping for the birth of the antichrist. Eleven years later, hell breaks loose, or rather, the earth breaks loose. There are multiple characters and plots that stem to grow in the course of the book but tied together by the same thread of eventuality. In spite of numerous storylines and characters, the writer duo have done a brilliant job of developing all these stories well and with equal intrigue. Whether it's the angel-demon dynamics or the very ET-ish plot of Adam's gang (Them) or the geeky streak of Anathema or even the interesting integration of urban legends and biblical theories, Gaiman & Pratchett have spun all sides of the book in literary and dramatic unison. There aren't many cliffhangers in the book, but there are moments of silent and effective curtain-raisers. However, what drives the tempo is the actual pace of the book and the way characters and plots seamlessly travel from one place to another. The context is dark, but the flow is nothing short of a Tarantino ride. The writing style of the two gentlemen is quick yet descriptive, sprinkled with generous amounts of humour. There is a nerdy boyish charm to the language in the book and the way the people & theories are crafted, which adds a certain texture to the entire experience reading this book..."
https://arathiunni.wordpress.com/2019/05/16/book-review-good-omen-by-neil-gaiman-and-terry-pratchett/
...and blogger Paul's:
I miss Terry Pratchett. I mean I didn't know him, but I miss him in that there will be no more Discworld books. And Neil Gaiman, he's not bad, it's just that, well, he's not Terry Pratchett. I've read all of the Discworld books, but can't quite bring myself to read the Tiffany Aching ones, partly because I'm not sure they are as funny, and partly because of what happens in the last one. But, there's a TV series coming of Good Omens, and Terry Pratchett and someone else is still half Terry Pratchett. And he was definitely in this, you could tell his hilarious cynicism and humour and his Death, although more of a pre-cursor than one of the more human Discworld characters. Pratchett and Gaiman definitely compliment each other. There were times when I laughed out loud and the story rolls along in Pratchett style, barely a breath from the beginning to the end. But it was strange reading a story set in the real world, for some reason I just couldn't quite get used to it, maybe that's just me being set in my ways..."
https://astrangekindofpeace.wordpress.com/2019/05/12/good-omens-terry-pratchett-neil-gaiman/
...and blogger Beas Chatteraj's:
"This book managed to elicit quite a few fits of giggles from me. Good Omens is a truly funny book but don't for a second think that it is shallow or a light read. Every page will make you think, it will make you stop to ponder upon the base on which humankind is built. It is a book about the apocalypse, the Antichrist, angels, demons, witches and everything supernatural- but in a fun grounded matter-of-fact way... Good Omens is not a slapstick comedy. It is a funny book about the apocalypse and the war between heaven and hell, with humanity caught in between. There is a message behind the story, of religion and its implications, of how humans have abused it for their gains and used it to justify their actions... Bits and parts of the book were too fast and confusing. Some pop cultures went over my head and I had to Google them. But the annotations were hilarious. You get to see two different styles, two very different minds working together. Neil keeps you grounded and Terry makes you fly..."
https://beasandbooks.wordpress.com/2019/04/30/good-omens-4-4-5/
...and blogger Penny Wright's:
"This book is hilarious. If you are a fan of funny, absurdist, fantastical novels such as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you will absolutely adore this novel... These characters are all bizarre in their own ways, but their stories weave together wonderfully. Despite the absurdity of the novel, there are bits of wisdom scattered throughout... The novel is a fun adventure and there were so many times when I caught myself laughing out loud while I was reading it at work, which isn't something that happens often. This is one of those books that I know I'll be able to read over and over again without getting tired of it..."
https://readyourselfhappy.net/2019/04/08/good-omens-by-neil-gaiman-and-terry-pratchett-a-review/
...and blogger Daughter of Ben's:
"It turns out that it was exactly the right time to read. It's funny, smart, varied. It moves apace. It has charismatic and distinctive characters. And it's an incredibly warm book. The end of the book, in this edition, features short pieces where Pratchett and Gaiman reflect on their co-author. Gaiman's mini-essay muses that 'Satire is a word that is often used to mean that there aren't any people in the fiction, and for that reason I'm uncomfortable calling Terry a satirist' (411). This line captured a feeling I had through the length of the book. Good Omens certainly includes commentary on the ways on which people treat each other, and our environment, with much less kindness than we should. And the end of the novel certainly has a 'lesson' about the dangers and mis-use of power. The novel is also critical, at moments, about religion, and includes a warning about how close we are to destroying our planet and ourselves. But these lessons and warnings come, not in the form of a bleak dystopia or in a cold cynical blast, but with humour and warmth and hope..."
https://daughterofben.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/good-omens-terry-pratchett-and-neil-gaiman-penguin-1990/
...and blogger Book Buff's Gaiman-centric review:
"It started with a man sitting on my library counter with a coffee cup in his hand, his Mr. Rogers's like sweater on and just a bit of a snark in his tone asking me what I think he thought was a basic question 'Crawly or Aziraphale?' I was getting ready for the day before the kids would scramble their way in and want to check out books. I remember looking at him and saying 'Are those real words?' with equal snark back at him. He hopped off the counter and looked at me with disdain and disappointment and said what would become a common refrain from him 'And you call yourself a librarian…. How can you have not read Good Omens?'... I am a stubborn individual. I am the type of person who if you tell me to do something, it is my nature to do the opposite. I will take the harder road just to prove I can. Mr. Snark leaving me a note to do something just made me want to do the opposite. 'Read it my ass' I thought to myself, like hell I would do what he told me to do. I let it sit on the counter for a couple of days and then misfortune happened. I forgot my book at home and didn't have anything to read at lunch. In a moment of desperation, I picked it up and the rest is history… Good Omens is one of my favorite books. It hits all the things that l love; it's clever, the characters are fantastic, and it pokes fun at how ridiculous humans can be. Thus began my relationship with Neil and Terry, and their rich catalog of writing. It was about a week later in the morning as I was prepping for the kiddos, that Mr. Snark came back. He was leaning in the door frame of the library with his stupid gray cardigan and coffee cup with his eyebrow arched, and he said 'So Crawly or Aziraphale?'..."
https://queenbookbuff.wordpress.com/2019/04/25/sarcasm-disdain-and-common-ground-of-the-ridiculous-how-i-found-neil-gaiman/
...and blogger Karl N Jacobson's:
"As I am re-reading the book on a snowy Minnesota April–ANOTHER SNOWY MINNESOTA APRIL which feels like it may as well be a sign of the end times–I read a little gem about the disappointment of growing up, and thought that it not only caught my mood tonight, but also shows us why what I would call 'apocalyptic imagination' is still alive, vital, and a major player in popular culture. We need wonder. We need awe, terror, and the tumult of confusion that comes, still, no matter how much we learn and think we know. We need perspective. And hope. And that is what Good Omens, even if in many ways it probably is bad apocalyptics, is getting at..."
https://bibpopcult.wordpress.com/2019/04/12/good-omens-like-the-last-day-its-coming/
Blogger The Idle Woman is back with her review of Feet of Clay:
"There's lots going on in this instalment, which features Ankh-Morpork society in all its rich variety, with the notable exception of the wizards up at the University (though we do meet a relative of Ridcully's, who is High Priest of Blind Io). In comparison to Maskerade, its immediate predecessor, Feet of Clay feels much more like part of a series as opposed to a standalone story. As far as I remember, this is part of a growing trend within Discworld, which increasingly moves away from riffs on particular 'contexts' (like the cinema, Ancient Egypt, The Phantom of the Opera) and towards an examination of serious themes through small groups of recurring characters – the Watch and the Witches being foremost among them. Having said that, the next book in the series is a gleeful exception to that rule, with a very particular standalone focus and – to my delight – the triumphant return of Susan Sto Helit. Prepare yourself for Hogfather and the ultimate tale of things that go bump in the night…"
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/05/13/feet-of-clay-terry-pratchett/
...and of Maskerade...:
"I first read this when I was fourteen and obsessed with the musical version of Phantom, to the point of learning the entire libretto off by heart. I adored the fact that Pratchett makes fun of the musical while, at the same time, throwing in the odd Easter egg to delight fans. Massive spoiler ahead, so you've been warned. I can still remember the thrill, at fourteen, of realising who the Ghost was and also realising why I should have known that from the start. Because it's obvious, when you think about it. Who does Walter Plinge remind you of? Frank Spencer from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, of course. And who played Frank Spencer? Michael Crawford. And who played the lead role in the very first Phantom of the Opera…? Yep. You've got it. Moments like that made me so happy. And I adored the fact that the Ghost, down in his subterranean den, isn't writing grand operas but strange new light entertainment of a kind no one has never written before. As one of the characters says in confusion, after being presented with these scores, who would ever want to watch an opera about cats? Basically, there are an awful lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber jokes here too, so it might be one of the best gateway Discworld books for people who don't really think they like fantasy..."
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/05/10/maskerade-terry-pratchett/
Also back, blogger Perpetually Past Due, with a rave review of Snuff:
"Being the sequel to Thud!, Snuff carries over themes and plot points into its narrative. The Summoning Dark is still present in Vimes's psyche and allows him to see in the dark as well as stay one step ahead of the murderer he pursues. However, Vimes questions the difference between himself and those criminals because he has this connection with them. He knows what he is capable due to a rough upbringing on the streets of Ankh-Morpork and struggles to keep the darkness within himself in check. However, Vimes is able to surpass his dark inklings in order to maintain law and . . . order... Snuff is a raucous ride through the countryside with political intrigue, conspiracies, hand to hand fighting, and more poo than you throw children at (you read that correctly). Pratchett's humor flows through the pages and the complex narrative and machinations of the evil aristocrats make for a compelling read with plenty of laughs..."
https://perpetuallypastdue.com/2016/09/07/snuff-review/
Blogger Nephriteon reviews the audiobook of Mort:
"So much of the appeal of Pratchett comes from mixing the unusual, the odd and the strange with the human condition. Taking things you never thought would be connected and interlinking them and just every so often letting out that pearl of wisdom. The kind of thing most people know but either don't realise or refuse to admit. When it comes to specifically the audio version however I'm unsure how to start to be completely honest with you as my readers. The unabridged audio version I'm used to is narrated by Nigel Planer. He had narration duties on most of the early Discworld audiobooks and to be fair to him he definitely does a good job with the majority of voices in most cases. For Mort specifically his Mort, Cutwell and Death are particularly well done. You can definitely believe that Mort is an overly nosy teenager who is curious about everything and how the world works. Especially when he shouldn't be. While his Death certainly seems appropriately beyond human. After all 'There's no justice. There's just me.' When it comes to female characters however like the aforementioned Princess he does seem to struggle in my personal opinion with maintaining the voice and keeping it consistent. However you can definitely tell he is giving the audio his best effort. Especially in terms of trying to match the tone of Pratchett's original novel. My main criticism however isn't the fault of either Pratchett or Planer but the audiobook's publisher. From the information I was able to find online this recording comes from 2001 courtesy of Isis Audiobooks. I'm not sure if it is some kind of error in the original master recording or if they lost the original recording but the version commonly available sounds very muffled at points. Muffled or echoey. The way I described it to a friend of mine was as though they had taken a recording of a recording and made that available instead of the original master..."
https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/05/24/audiobook-review-mort-by-terry-pratchett-a-discworld-novel/
Blogger Professional Moron's review of Wings:
"This is also our favourite entry in the series. Primarily as The Thing returns here and completes various narrative arcs in its usual sardonic way. But as a story, it runs parallel to the events in Diggers and introduces the reader to a spectacular world of nome technology. Last time out, intrepid heroes Masklin, Angalo, and Gurder took The Thing to a local airport to investigate some of the goings on there. They discover that the grandson of the owner of Arnold Brothers store (where the Inside nomes lived for generations) is off to America to watch the launch of a satellite. The Thing realises that if it can get on that, it'll be able to contact the nome's spaceship it keeps banging on about... Right, so it's the most action-packed entry in the series, as you may be able to tell. It has a terrific verve to it, told with manic glee from a brilliant writer clearly revelling in the story. It's imaginative, funny, and once more The Thing proves to be comic gold, landing some brilliant lines... The trilogy is highly recommended, but if you're only going to read one of them then it really has to be Wings. It's proper belting fun for all ages."
https://professionalmoron.com/2019/05/18/wings-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Bambooboned's long and contemplative review of Monstrous Regiment:
"In Terry Pratchett's Discworld, a lot of things are possible. Of course, this is true of most fantasy; after all, isn't that the whole point? Fantasy novels are escapist fiction. They're like the archetype of escapist fiction, to the point of mockery; every lonely, scrawny nerd can be a heroic, folk-famous sword-wielding barbarian, if they roll the right stats and own a few battered Tolkien paperbacks... And therein, I would argue, lies the first thing which sets Pratchett's writing apart from archetypical fantasy fiction. In the Discworld, nobody is a hero, a chosen one destined for greatness. Everybody is a hero, because they all simply do the job that's in front of them... Dragon keeping is charity work, and assassins can't hide in shadows without breaking the rules, and witches are healers whose magic consists mostly of knowing one extra fact, seeing things as they are, and thinking twice again before you speak. Wizards cower before paper money, reliable postage, and printing presses, because power is in everything, in every day. Heroes are found in a myriad ordinary people doing their jobs, living their lives.
"That's the first thing. The second thing which sets the Discworld apart from many other fantasy worlds is that– well, let me ask you this. Have you ever noticed that some fantasy nerds are, maybe, just a little bit sexist? A little bit racist? Fantasy universes not exactly welcoming to the concept of characters being anything other than cis, straight, able-bodied and white, unless maybe they need a villain? Yeah, I've noticed that too. In this piece so far there are more paragraphs than there are speaking female characters in all twelve hours of The Lord of the Rings. And frankly I don't have the time, energy, or willpower right now to devote to an analysis of the unfortunate imperialist undertones present in a lot of fantasy. Don't get me wrong– Not All Fantasy, to parody a truly obnoxious phrase. But enough. Too much. Pratchett's Discworld, in contrast, contains women in every role and every part of society, playing prominent parts in every story, and each their own person with their own life and attitude and interests. There are queer characters, in the plural, and there are carefully crafted allegories for systematic oppression and the issues facing minority groups woven throughout the text...
"I could talk all day about what Pratchett's characters mean to me, but instead of inflicting that upon you I'll summarise with this. Terry Pratchett, the Discworld, and every character who lives in it won't tell you that you are the chosen one. They won't tell you that you're unique, or special, or have some hidden power and some unknown destiny. You can't become a hero. But you can be yourself, and you can carry on doing the job that's in front of you, and you don't have to hide because everyone else is being themselves, too, and it's very rare that you're the most unusual person in a room like that..."
https://oppositeofdogs.home.blog/2019/04/14/and-the-new-day-will-be-a-great-big-fish/
...and blogger A Thoughtful Reveal's less thoughtful, but approving, review:
"I dove right into the writing and found I had to focus on it very closely most of the time to keep things straight since it wasn't my usual sort of book... The characters all had secrets piled on secrets, and most of them revealed their secrets by the end. Some were revealed by the ones with the secrets. Some were revealed by others who knew their secrets. Some were revealed to create bonds among a group of people with similar situations. Some were revealed to gain leverage. Many of the characters we would have said were overacted had they been on stage, I think. Overblown, bombastic, just too big for their parts. People who were covering something up by being themselves more than they really were. Overacting their assumed personas so no one would see their real personality underneath. Yet, they were amazing and funny in their interaction with each other. The whole book was amazing..."
https://athoughtfulreveal.com/2019/04/20/monstrous-regiment/
Blogger Mike Finn muses on the intersection between Jingo and current UK politics:
"I'm re-reading Terry Pratchett's 'Jingo'. I know he's dead and, even if he wasn't, he wrote this book in 1997, when I was twenty and if you'd told me about Brexit I'd have admired your creative imagination… after I stopped laughing, but he seems to have read my mind… in advance. You see, I've been telling myself that Brexit was a conspiracy by THEM, the people I've always hated but who have somehow managed to take something I value away from me. True, 17.4 million people voted for Brexit but that was because THEY conned them. That has to be true because otherwise 17.4 million of my countrymen voted for Brexit with the enthusiasm of lemmings entering a cliff-diving contest because of xenophobia, dreams of empire or because they believed what was written on the side of a bus by an organisation with no other purpose than to say whatever it took to win. So how did Terry Pratchett know I'd be thinking this? Either he was psychic (and I'm much more important in the universe than seems possible) or he had an insight into how people's minds work that must have been so deeply depressing that he'd want to spend as much time as he could escaping into a fantasy world; except, when he got there, he'd dragged the insight along with him because wherever you go, there you are..."
https://mikefinnsfiction.wordpress.com/2019/04/15/terry-pratchett-on-why-we-need-conspirators-in-smoke-filled-rooms/
Blogger Camden Singrey considers The Colour of Magic:
"Freed from my past expectations, I reread The Colour of Magic with the understanding that it was mainly about the jokes and not so much the story. While later Pratchett could be described as satirical, the tone of his first Discworld novel would better be described as parody. It follows the adventures of Rincewind the incompetent wizard and naive tourist Twoflower as they continuously fall out of the frying pan into the fire and back into the frying pan again. The protagonists don't have any real goal besides staying alive, which becomes increasingly difficult as the book goes on. They are consistently entertaining and play off each other well, but it's easy to understand why Terry would go on to say he didn't much like writing Rincewind. There's only so much you can do with a perpetual coward without compromising what makes him funny... There are other discrepancies; the Discworld version of Death, arguably the most famous Pratchett character, is noticeably more vindictive here than he will be in the future. Perhaps he was just having a bad day. But enough of that, why is it good? I did very much enjoy reading it, after all. Well, it's funny. Some of the specific parody might go over my head, but the general mocking of fantasy tradition is always entertaining. And then there are the puns, the wordplay, the characters that seem vaguely self-aware about their place in the story and not entirely satisfied with it. It's all very English, the humor of disappointment and anxiety. That works for some more than others; it's always worked for me. Perhaps it's just that I haven't read any Pratchett in a while, but the book was solidly entertaining all the way through..."
https://camdensingrey.wordpress.com/2019/05/12/discworld-1-the-colour-of-magic/
...and finally, blogger rmartin49 aka SpecFictLit is back, this time with an overview of the Discworld's industrial revolution:
"The main star of each of these books is the new technology it introduces, whether or not that happens to stick around. The clacks – their version of the telegraph just appears but does get significant discussion in Going Postal. Over the course of Moving Pictures and The Truth, we get the respective inceptions of cinema and the newspaper. The industrial revolution of the Discworld will really pick up steam later with the aforementioned Going Postal and, erm, Raising Steam. at the time of writing this, I notice that Monstrous Regiment (which I've now read but am not ready to review), is also classed as Industrial Revolution but I'm not sure why. I suppose it doesn't really fit in anywhere else. It definitely doesn't have any of the new technology of modern warfare (and that's a good thing). In these books, there's always the difficulty of having to establish main-ish (we get cameos from more well-known figures of the Disc like the wizards and Commander Vimes but they're not the main thrust of the action) characters we haven't spent any time with before. In effect, each of these books is like the first in one of the other series, putting its new characters on the map..."
https://specfictlit.wordpress.com/2019/04/25/ranking-my-journey-through-the-discworld-so-far-industrial-revolution/
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08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
The "only tempo that matters" for Good Omens' music:
https://twitter.com/DavidGArnold/status/1029719384091181056/photo/1
...and the composer and recording team hard at work in legendary Air Studios:
https://bit.ly/2K2a36d
Some of the Chattering Nuns, hanging out with some of the Good Omens main cast and crew:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7XhUJJX4AAhXrP.jpg
...and bringing sweet degeneration to Times Square:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7XUQ9hWwAcRL6R.jpg
A drawing of Madame Tracy, Shadwell and Aziraphale, as tweeted by Paul Kidby:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7P97PRX4AU-USk.jpg
...and some excellent iconographs from the re-created sets, as featured in item 3.4 above:
https://lonelyplanetwpnews.imgix.net/2019/05/Good-Omens-6.jpg
https://lonelyplanetwpnews.imgix.net/2019/05/Good-Omen-1.jpg
https://lonelyplanetwpnews.imgix.net/2019/05/Good-Omens-2.jpg
Crowley and Aziraphale, hanging out at the Globe Theatre (the "original" one, of course):
https://bit.ly/2M4hU5R
...and hanging out in the ancient desert:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6IKcdrXkAA-x-O.jpg
...and a nice Good Omens screengrab, from co-Producers Amazon Prime:
https://bit.ly/30Lxqar
The Author and the Co-Author on the eve of original publication of Good Omens:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D5guPuoW4AQXP6e.jpg
Unlike Mister Stuffy Pants Aziraphale, Crowley changes his look to suit the times:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6OFY5VU0AE72Fe.jpg
Agnes Nutter, about to be burnt at the stake by a suspiciously familiar-looking witchfinder:
https://bit.ly/2HVA3h0
Feeling nunny? Here's an application to join the Chattering Order of St Beryl, as posted by the Order on Twitter:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6EMPreUUAE8NJo.jpg
Some lovely Good Omens art by Jiedi Chen:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6J5KJgUcAALTxJ.jpg
Pterry puppetry! These puppets were created in 2012, photo posted by NADWCON 2019 on Twitter:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7OfkJ5XsAYKa_l.jpg
...and the Pterry puppet in current time, also posted by NADWCON:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7NJ_suW0AAMXM6.jpg
Stephen Briggs' photo of himself and Pterry 22 years ago:
https://twitter.com/StephenPBriggs/status/1105424171721474050
...and a note re the Glorious 25th: in a comment on the Wossname blog post for this year's remembrance (_https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/69683.html_), Dreamwidth user Dreaminghylicat offered a link to more versions of the "poster", all by artist Yoodi. Well worth a look when you're thinking of posting in May 2020: https://www.deviantart.com/yoodi/art/Night-Watch-Teaser-Poster-12-33484431
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09) CLOSE
Department of What The Actual Poot: the Discworld Emporium tweeted that Facebook banned the sale of Ankh-Morpork passports due to the policy that prohibits "illegal services, prescription or recreational drugs or items that promote the use of drugs". Sounds like Facebook's administration is on some sort of er, substances themselves: https://twitter.com/Discworldshoppe/status/1124384689744166913
Don't forget to drop by the Chattering Order of St Beryl on Twitter. You'll be glad you did!
https://twitter.com/chattering_nuns
Some sixteen years ago, Good Omens came in at number 68 on a BBC list of Britain's 100 favourite novels. According to Neil Gaiman, it was the only book of the hundred titles that had never been adapted. Now that it has been here's hoping that we'll all love the adaptation as much as we've loved the original novel for all these years!
And that's it for May. Take care, and we'll see you next month with more Good Omens reviews and other news!
– Annie Mac
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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Copyright (c) 2019 by Klatchian Foreign Legion
