Fantasy Book Club discussion

What in partiular turned you off on this book? Have you read others by the authors?

It's not that I really disliked the book, but I was somewhat disappointing by it. I've read a few books by Gaiman, but only one or two by Pratchett. This book came so highly recommended by so many, I guess I expected too much. Having been a fan of Douglas Adams and everything Monty Python, I found the humor in the book to somewhat unoriginal, maybe contrived would be a better term. I just feel that if each author had wrote the book alone it might have turned out better. The subtle dark humor of Gaiman mixed with the overt comic imagery of Pratchett wasn't the best of mixes for me. Overall I enjoyed the book, and I do believe it would translate well to film if they ever get it off the ground.

There is no doubt that high expectations can ruin things for a person. I've not been into a lot of "British Humor" so for me it was very funny and refreshing.

-- Robin The Crown Conspiracy | Avempartha | Nyphron Rising (Oct 2009)

For those who did not like the book:

There will be a special place in the 6th circle of hell for you. In case you didn't get my totally hilarious and obviously uber-intelligent quip, the 6th circle is the one in Dante's Inferno with heretics, because not liking something Neil Gaiman has done amounts to heresy in my "American Gods" addled mind. Also, you have no sense of humor and you will die unloved and alone.

Seriously though, just because you've watched some Flying Circus and read Douglas Adams shouldn't turn you off of British humor. Don't TRY to enjoy it just to feel classy. Either you laugh or you don't, y'know?

Oh but you miss understand me. I adore British humor, I even have the entire flying circus on dvd. I also like Neil Gaiman a lot. I've never given anything he's done less than 4 stars (except Good Omens). I just didn't jive with this book. It felt uninspired to me, and below the level of originality I've come to expect of both writers. It was by no means a bad book. Anyone looking for a fun light read should most certainly pick it up. If you're a Gaiman fan you have to read it. It's definitely a keeper, it won't be leaving my shelves anytime soon; unless it's to loan it out. When reviewing a book I try to be as honest as possible about how a book made me feel, despite an overall positive impression I found Good Omens to be just ok. I never wrote a full review on Good Omens detailing my likes and dislikes, like I did for American Gods....maybe I should.

Matt wrote: "For those who did not like the book:

Seriously though, just because you've watched some Flying Circus and read Douglas Adams shouldn't turn you off of British humor. Don't TRY to enjoy it just to feel classy. Either you laugh or you don't, y'know? "

Indeed, I do know and, in this instance, more often than not, I did not laugh.

I think I was mostly disappointed in this book because I do like both Gaiman and Pratchett. While I find the Discworld books hit or miss, in general I quite like Pratchett's humor, or should I say humour?

On a sort of side note - I liked Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but never was a huge Monty Python fan (except for the Spanish Inquisition bit. I mean, you never know... anyway... )

It's funny there seems to be this idea that "British humour" is some sort of homogenous thing, though. Much the same as people speak of 'American humor', too. Granted, I don't like most movies which pass as comedies these days, but there are definitely subgenres of humor. I like farce (i.e. Death at a Funeral), but am not a huge fan of the absurd (i.e. most Monty Python). I like wry humor and wit, which is one reason I usually like Pratchett, but not twee humor so much. *shrugs*

That said, I have also been told I have a rather narrow range of humor. My fiance, who is a big fan of the absurd, laments this fact nigh constantly as he inflicts yet another humorous thing on my sad, lonely brain. *wink*

blackrose wrote: "On a sort of side note - I liked Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but never was a huge Monty Python fan (except for the Spanish Inquisition bit. I mean, you never know... anyway... )"

Wow. I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition.