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Review by Jaimie Moore on July 6th, 2009
Having not read much Gaiman or Pratchett and being regularly told that i should fix both of these facts I decided to kill two birds with one stone and read this collaboration.
The first forty or so pages didn't quite get my attention but knowing both of these guy's incredible fan bases I assumed that either I was missing something or there was something else afoot. It turns out that the reason was that both of these authors seemed a bit unsure how to deal with each other's writing styles. I was soon able to conclude that the long sub sub subordinate clause style sentences with numerous asterisks were credit to Mr Pratchett and that the short punchy almost scientifically absolute ones were thanks to Mr Gaiman.
I am not trying to say that this story is difficult to read, nor am I trying to say it is a slow starter because it is a good story and you are already introduced to some of the lords of hell almost from the beginning, I'm just saying that the first quarter of this book doesn't flow with the casual friendliness that the rest of this book does.
I don't want to ruin anything but basically this book is what happens when there is a mix-up with who ends up parenting the Antichrist and as such Armageddon is no longer such a definite. Every is very sure it'll happen, after all, it's part of the 'ineffable plan' just no one has any idea where or how anymore. This book follows a demon and an angel who both feel a little bit too much for the human beings whose souls they are meant to be manipulating.
I would recommend this book but having now read stuff form both of these guys individually I wouldn't say it was as good as their solo work. Still you can sense the enjoyment they had writing it and it does hold your attention from the start.