The Sword and Laser discussion
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Good Omens
2011 Reads
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GO: So, that ending...
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Perhaps the audio version didn't have a clear chapter break. The last chapter was called something "Sunday, the first day of the rest of their lives," so I think you are supposed to assume it as epilogue.It does seem to indicate that Adam's comment that people would be better off if they forgot what happened is coming to pass.
After Adam and the Them defeat the horsemen Metatron and Beelzebub try to convince Adam that he has to play his part in the apocalypse because it is written. Crowley and Aziraphale try to bamboozle which rhetoric on the nature of ineffability and, in response more to Adam's stubbornness that Crowley and Aziraphale double act, Metatron and Beelzebub return to their respective bosses for instructions. Then there's a rumbling and general smoking from the ground and everyone prepares to face off Satan and then"Adam looked around, He looked
down. His face took on an expression of
calculated innocence.
There was a moment of conflict.
But Adam was on his own ground.
Always, and ultimately on his own ground.
He moved one hand
around in a blurred half
circle.
...Aziraphale and Crowley felt the word change."
And suddenly instead of Satan approaching it's Mr. Young, and the noise and smoke is coming from his car. My. Young wants to know what's been going on but Adam just runs off.
Everything after that it happily ever after epilogue stuff.
My understanding of the scene is that Adam's battle with Satan has been a battle of wills rather than a physical battle and Adam has won. He has chosen his human side, and this is illustrated when he changes the world so that it is his human rather than his demonic father coming to get him.
I tried to type this summary up from the audio version and had real trouble following it even though I know the story. I had to dig out my paperback to refresh my memory. There's a lot of scene changes and I think it is fairly confusing without the little symbols to indicate where they are.
The fight between Adam and Satan is fought in less than three lines of text. "He moved one hand in a blurred half circle." The fight ends. The audio book follows with about 40 minutes of the morning after.
I listened again to the audio book but had to pull out my hard copy to find the quote. I forgot how many times the view point changed in this book as evidenced by the little bullets in the text. I would say they should ad a tone there but it would get tiresome quickly.
Mod
OK, so this is an audiobook only ending? Because I don't remember ANY of that!
There might be a possibility that some folks have an abridged form of the audiobook? I dont use the audiobook, but when i (just) went to the Audible website, i noticed there is about a two hour difference in audiobook versions (white cover versus the red cover on the list that comes up.) Unless that difference is caused by the different narrators? Two and a bit hours seems like a pretty big difference though.
I have the unabridged audio book and that is vaguely what I recall from the ending. It is abrupt though. All the shaking and smoking and then...nothing. Many of the breaks in the audiobook are hard to pickup but I recall a pretty clear break for the epilogue. In fact, I was surprised there were still 35 minutes left at the end. There was lots denouement for each set of characters. Not sure what the abridged might have edited out.
Veronica wrote: "Wait... What!?OK, so this is an audiobook only ending? Because I don't remember ANY of that!"
Well what ending do you remember?
From wikipedia:The United States edition of Good Omens had numerous alterations to the text. The most significant alteration to the main text is the addition of an extra 700-word section just before the end, dealing with what happened to the character of Warlock, the American diplomat's son, who was swapped with Adam.[4] The American edition also adds numerous footnotes not found in British editions.
Adrian wrote: "From wikipedia:The United States edition of Good Omens had numerous alterations to the text. The most significant alteration to the main text is the addition of an extra 700-word section just befo..."
I'd totally forgotten about that change, but it's in the epilogue though, towards the end of 'Sunday, The First Day of The Rest of Their Lives' bit.
The 'ending' people seem to be at odds with is the end of the 'Saturday' section when everyone's trying to avert Armageddon which is the same in the UK and the US (I have the UK paperback and the US audiobook).
Cant believe i was not here for the good Omens read - Doh! It is one of my all time favourite books!
I finally finished it two weeks late. I enjoyed parts of the book more than the book as whole if that makes sense. I didn't mind the ending so much. It seemed in line with the general tone of the novel.
Now, I do plan on re-reading that last bit, but what happened? The time between Crowley, Aziraphale, Newts boss and Adam's father went to stand up to Satan and then... he woke up with Anathema, Crowley and Aziphale were at the park and Warlock was in a plane.
Did my audiobook mess up or am I just kinda stupid?