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5 Books to Read If You Love Good Omens

by  | May 29

We are inches away from the release of the Good Omens TV adaptation, and I am quaking! Good Omens, the book, is one of my absolute favorites, because it is so dang funny. There aren’t actually too many of these comic fantasy books around, and they’ve certainly been missing from my reading list as of late, so I had to pull a list together for you (and me)! Perfect for before the show releases, or after you binge-watch everything in half a day and are desperate for more, these books should help bridge that comedy + fantasy gap!

Here are my laugh-out-loud fantasy and science fiction picks! If you find yourself reading any of these fantastic books, definitely let me know!

via GIPHY

Equal Rites

Equal Rites

by Terry Pratchett

First off, I cannot miss mentioning Terry Pratchett’s whole backlist. His comedy stylings in Good Omens are absolutely exemplified in the rest of his work, and it makes for such a fun, enjoyable read. I could go on and on about the whole Discworld series, but the one I’m reading now is Equal Rites, about a young girl named Esk who is bestowed wizard powers at the moment of her birth by a dying wizard. But, problem is, there are no female wizards in Discworld, there are only male wizards and female witches (and, yes, those are two totally separate things). But when Esk’s powers become uncontrollable, there’s only one place to bring her: the school for wizards, Unseen University. And none of those stuffy old wizards are going to be happy about that.

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Stardust

Stardust

by Neil Gaiman

Next off, I definitely have to mention one of Neil Gaiman’s other books, because he is quite funny and definitely fun in a lot of his other work. In this instance, I would have to recommend Stardust, which is one of my favorite books, about a star who falls to earth, and the people trying to snatch her up. With that, there is a ton of hilarity and hijinks, and it’s just a fun story all around!

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Space Opera

Space Opera

by Catherynne M. Valente

Though this next book is definitely more science fiction than fantasy, I had to give a shout-out to Space Opera by Catherynne Valente. A blend of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Eurovision (the TV show), Space Opera has it all, even if you didn’t know you needed it! A competition throughout the galaxy happens once a cycle, where representatives from each race go head-to-head. Starting as a diversion from the horrors of war, the Metagalactic Grand Prix will absolutely have you entertained, with a ton of rich humor, tender emotions, and great fun.

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The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

by Douglas Adams

Of course, you can’t talk about humor and fantasy without bringing up Douglas Adams. A master of both genres, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is the book that everyone brings up (I mean, I just mentioned it in the above paragraph!), but that’s definitely not the only story that Adams wrote! For this list, I certainly wanted to mention The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, a stand-alone novel about a detective named Dirk Gently who has to find out why Heathrow Airport’s check-in desk disappeared into a ball of flame, and why his latest client was murdered. Totally wacky and lots of fun, I definitely would check out the master of humor in this very underrated book!

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John Dies at the End (Volume 1)

John Dies at the End (Volume 1)

by David Wong

Lastly, I have to mention John Dies at the End by David Wong. If you love the absurdity that Good Omens gets into with the themes of good and evil and free will, you’re going to love John Dies at the End. John and his good friend Dave have a reputation for helping out with paranormal incidents. But when they get a call from Shelly to deal with the ghost of her abusive boyfriend, all hell breaks loose. The two get sucked into a crazy adventure with a drug called Soy Sauce, an evil deity, and a former priest who is now an occult expert. This book is crazy and strange and totally out-there, and I think it’s the perfect thing to read once you’re finished watching Good Omens.

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Photo Credit // Chris Raphael | Amazon

Categories // TV

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Cara Nesi is a sales rep at Simon & Schuster who sells to independent bookstores in the Midwest. She grew up in the suburbs of New York and attended the University of Pittsburgh before returning to start her career in publishing. She enjoys reading literary fiction, especially absurdist authors like George Saunders, but she also reads A LOT of fantasy, science fiction and young adult books. Occasionally, she writes some fiction and non-fiction too. You can find her on twitter at @caranesi.
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