If you are going to read the complete “Hitchhiker” series then I recommend buying “The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” as it contains all five of the books in the series. Having them in one volume encourages you to read them soon after each other, and I think that enhances the experience.
The collection also contains the horrid story “Young Zaphod Plays It Safe” and it is a waste of space in the text. But, that is a small quibble, and the story is short.
I enjoyed the series, mostly, and I would recommend it to certain readers. For more specifics see below where you will find my review for all five of the novels in chronological order.
1. “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is short and never gives much development (character or plot) but it seems appropriate for this tale. The novel reminds me a lot of Vonnegut in its style and presentation. Short chapters and biting satire mixed with fantastical plot devices. And it all works!
The introduction and first chapter of this novel are funny and pull you into the book. There are moments that are so clever and witty that you will find yourself re-reading certain lines for no reason other than to enjoy them once again. Chapter 23 of the text (perhaps the book’s most famous) is brilliant and to the point. It is very short, funny, and kind of wise. Its opening line, “It is an important and popular fact that things are not often what they seem” could be a thematic statement for the book. One of the novel’s key devices is the idea that Earth is an experiment, and without revealing too much, I will say that it gives the novel its focus.
Also enjoyable are the characters of Marvin the paranoid android and Eddie, the shipboard computer on “The Heart of Gold” (a spaceship that serves as the novel’s main setting). Some of the text’s best moments and lines belong to them, and I was more endeared to them than I was to the novel’s two human characters.
“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is a delightful and quick read and I will be continuing my trip through the galaxy with its sequel, “The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.”
2. “The Restaurant at the End of the Universe” reads like a typical adventure tale, and it is more in this genre than its predecessor “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”. The restaurant of the title is a place where the characters go and can literally watch the end of the Universe during dinner. Trust me, the way Mr. Adams explains it, it makes sense!
The plot of the novel begins right where its predecessor left off, and the set up is that space psychiatrists plot to kill Arthur Dent and Trillian because they are the last survivors from Earth, which we found out in “Hitchhiker” was an experiment designed to answer the purpose of “Life, the universe, and everything.” The psychiatrists do not want that question answered because they would be out of business. And with this clever premise it is off to the races.
In this delightful and quick romp of a novel we get to meet space psychiatrists, rock stars, and the ruler of the universe. And it goes without saying that none of it is as expected. The satire of the rock stars and bands is wonderful, as is the clever jab at rock stars that use to flee tax jurisdictions to record albums. In the book one mega space rock star even goes into “suspended death” for two years for the tax deductions.
The last 20 pages of the book contain some pretty rough satire of modern professions and social dynamics. And then the text ends abruptly, like Mr. Adams was leading you into the next novel. It worked, because I will be continuing my journey with these hitchhikers. You should too!
3. Of the three novels that I have read so far out of the five that compose the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” series, “Life, the Universe and Everything” is the weakest, but it is still incredibly good. The whole book feels like a Monty Python sketch, but the first few chapters especially feel that way. It works, but it does get a little tiresome after a while.
The humor in this text is mostly through wordplay. It serves the book well and is a strength of this novel because in terms of plot “Life, the Universe and Everything” is all over the place. The unity of the wordplay and humor serves to coalesce (as much as it can) a very scattered text. Especially enjoyable is a clever discourse on swear words, their usage and how they evolve and change. In the world of this novel the word “Belgium” is their equivalent of the F-word. This part of the novel is a witty piece of satirical writing, and is very enjoyable.
There are two interesting bits in this novel I would like to share in this review. The first is one of my favorite cameo appearances in this entire series thus far, the character of Wowbagger, the Infinitely Prolonged. He is an alien who through an accident has immortality and is bored to tears. So he makes it a mission to insult everyone in the Universe. His occasional appearances in this story are a joy. Another aspect of the text that I enjoyed is that the ultimate question and answer to everything remains unexplained. There is also a thinly veiled satire aimed at religious symbols where it seems Adams is mocking finding value in such things. It is an engaging section of the text.
I will be moving on to the fourth book in this series soon. I have enjoyed this ride so far!
4. This fourth novel in the series begins exactly as the first one, word for word, with one small twist. You can decide for yourself what you think of that twist. I did not care for it, as it shifts the focus in this text from the ones that preceded it. “So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish” begins with Arthur Dent back on earth, which is no longer destroyed (it was blown up in the first book of the series) but the explanation for how this is so is best glossed over if one wants to fully enter the world of the text. This novel does not feature the other characters from the previous three, so fans of Zaphod Beeblebrox and Trillian will be disappointed. Other series staples such as Ford Prefect and Marvin the Android make cameos in the novel’s final pages, but they seemed forced and not all that interesting in the context Mr. Adams uses here.
This are some shining moments in this book, among them chapter 25 in which the author’s persona intrudes into the text to answer the question “Does Arthur Dent f-word?” We also get to see “God’s final message to His creation”, and it is actually not a letdown.
At one point in the novel Arthur tells someone “See first, think later, then test” as the best way to approach something one does not fully comprehend. If you don’t take the last two parts of his advice while you are reading “So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish” you can enjoy the text.
I am anxious to see how the series concludes in installment 5, and I will be traveling that way soon.
5. "Mostly Harmless" is a great example of a writer extending a series by one book too many. Of the five books in the "Hitchhiker" series numbers four and five don't add much to it, and take a lot from it. "Mostly Harmless" just feels out of sync with the books that preceded it. Stylistically it is also very different, the chapters are much longer, the humor is much rarer, etc. It is not a good change.
A big flaw of the text is that our hero Arthur Dent does not even show up until chapter seven, and even when he does there is no transition from how we left him in book four, "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish." From chapter seven to almost the final 40 pages the chapters alternate point of view between Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect. I found Prefect's story boring until his storyline merges with Dent's about 3/4s of the way through the novel.
The book does have some good moments, particularly chapter nine in which it finally feels like the other novels in the series. Arthur Dent goes to the planet Hawalius to seek the advice of the oracles that inhabit it. In this chapter we see sparks of the Douglas Adams from the previous texts and it is a joy to read. There is also a witty cameo appearance by Elvis, which is cleverly woven into the plotline.
As has been stated in previous reviews "Mostly Harmless" is a dark text, almost nihilistic in its themes. The series ends in a uncharacteristic manner. Although as a reader I did not like the ending per se, I do feel it was kind of appropriate. It feels jarring and out of place at the same time. I can't say much more without spoiling it. Regardless it does give the series a sense of definite completion, and I think that is a good thing.
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The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Five Parts
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The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Paperback – April 30, 2002
by
Douglas Adams
(Author),
Neil Gaiman
(Introduction)
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Purchase options and add-ons
In one complete volume, here are the five classic novels from Douglas Adams’s beloved Hitchhiker series.
Now celebrating the pivotal 42nd anniversary of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, soon to be a Hulu original series!
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read)
Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
The moment before annihilation at the hands of warmongers is a curious time to crave tea. It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his comrades as they hurtle across the galaxy in a desperate search for a place to eat.
Life, the Universe and Everything
The unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky– so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals can avert Armageddon: mild-mannered Arthur Dent and his stalwart crew.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Back on Earth, Arthur Dent is ready to believe that the past eight years were all just a figment of his stressed-out imagination. But a gift-wrapped fishbowl with a cryptic inscription thrusts him back to reality. So to speak.
Mostly Harmless
Just when Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life, all hell breaks loose. Can he save the Earth from total obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter from herself?
Includes the bonus story “Young Zaphod Plays It Safe”
“With droll wit, a keen eye for detail and heavy doses of insight . . . Adams makes us laugh until we cry.”—San Diego Union-Tribune
“Lively, sharply satirical, brilliantly written . . . ranks with the best set pieces in Mark Twain.”—The Atlantic
Now celebrating the pivotal 42nd anniversary of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, soon to be a Hulu original series!
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read)
Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
The moment before annihilation at the hands of warmongers is a curious time to crave tea. It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his comrades as they hurtle across the galaxy in a desperate search for a place to eat.
Life, the Universe and Everything
The unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky– so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals can avert Armageddon: mild-mannered Arthur Dent and his stalwart crew.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Back on Earth, Arthur Dent is ready to believe that the past eight years were all just a figment of his stressed-out imagination. But a gift-wrapped fishbowl with a cryptic inscription thrusts him back to reality. So to speak.
Mostly Harmless
Just when Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life, all hell breaks loose. Can he save the Earth from total obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter from herself?
Includes the bonus story “Young Zaphod Plays It Safe”
“With droll wit, a keen eye for detail and heavy doses of insight . . . Adams makes us laugh until we cry.”—San Diego Union-Tribune
“Lively, sharply satirical, brilliantly written . . . ranks with the best set pieces in Mark Twain.”—The Atlantic
- Print length832 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherDel Rey
- Publication dateApril 30, 2002
- Dimensions6.2 x 1.4 x 9.2 inches
- ISBN-100345453743
- ISBN-13978-0345453747
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Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2014
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2023
On the kindle menu, whether or not being on the computer or the device itself, whenever I've it downloaded the book, it doesn't show the name "Douglas Adams". It simply doesn't show it, as if there is something about the code, a glitch maybe. I have a theory that the ones on the computer and kindle weren't able to display "Adams, Douglas", so they gone with the next best thing, not showing it at all. On my phone is showed it as "Adams, Douglas" leading to my theory. Anything else is great to good writing, the first two books felt like a space Monty Python movie, the other three vibe more or less like "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It as if the mental voice of Adams gotten a sore throat leading to the last three novels to a sound bit different.
Is something I will recommend. Really it's a good book, yes, some might not get it, some do, its absurdist humor in a non-video format. The thing with books you have to generate the visuals yourself from the words in it, unlike other mediums, I.e. video games, video, comic books, etc. Yet it, originally being a radio series, adapted into a series of five books, tv series, a movie, and one of those text adventure games in the 1980s, surely its a accessible fandom to get into. Even though it many go down in quality by the three book, there's one helpful piece of advice, Don't Panic.
TLDR; Good books, bad metadata: authors name not show in menu.
Is something I will recommend. Really it's a good book, yes, some might not get it, some do, its absurdist humor in a non-video format. The thing with books you have to generate the visuals yourself from the words in it, unlike other mediums, I.e. video games, video, comic books, etc. Yet it, originally being a radio series, adapted into a series of five books, tv series, a movie, and one of those text adventure games in the 1980s, surely its a accessible fandom to get into. Even though it many go down in quality by the three book, there's one helpful piece of advice, Don't Panic.
TLDR; Good books, bad metadata: authors name not show in menu.
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2012
Reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is like sleeping with the town slut... everyone tells you she is good, so you give her a try. Afterward, you kick yourself for being so gullible to believe it.
The guys at the bar are like, "You've got to dude... she's awesome!"
"Ehhh..." I says. "She just doesn't look that good to me."
"No really," they insist. "Trust us. She is one of the best ever. Top 10 for sure. You can't go wrong. You'll thank us later."
"Ehhhh," says I again... "She looks kinda stupid with her tongue hanging out like that. Yeah, I suppose I could give it a try, but I still think she looks like trash."
But what the heck I think to myself... I've had so many bad one's lately. How bad can she be? Certainly no worse than the others.
So against my better judgment (impeccable judgment really) I take her home and give her a try. Unfortunately, I was right all along. She looked like she was going to suck, and she did. I knew I was going to regret it by the time I got to first base, but figured I'd better see it through so I went all the way home.
Ohhh.... Where was I again? Oh yeah, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy... anyway, I put off reading this book for a long time. It shows up on "Top" and "Best" frequently, but it just made me nervous. Frankly, I just couldn't see it being very good. It just looked like it was going to suck. The descriptions made me think it was going to suck. All indications pointed to a big `ol batch of suck.
On the other hand thought I to myself, 90% of the stuff out there sucks, so what difference does it make if one more thing sucks? Seriously - the vast majority of everything is garbage... that's why the "good" stuff is so good - because it is rare. Worst of all, you can't trust any "best of all time" lists because the majority of that stuff sucks as well - the lists are usually composed by inbreds who think they are "smarter" than you if they like something that sucks.
Anyway... in order to really get into the groove of this novel, I decided to do some hitchhiking of my own while reading it. Lucky for me, a rough woman on a motorcycle stopped by to pick me up - I think she liked the elephant trunk thong I was wearing. She didn't have a riding car or anything like that, so I had to slip on the back of her cycle and nuzzle up against her back.
Due to the heat, she took off her riding jacket. This was a significant because I found myself mesmerized by the dark hairs on her back. You see Rachel (that was her name... Rachel) was one of those women with really dark - practically jet black hair. As frequently the case with such women, she had a tendency to sport sort of a treasure trail up the front and she had an even coat of fine dark peach-fuzz across her back - thin at the top, but thickening some along her spine and down to the small of her back. Given the heat of the day, the thicker hair at the base had become soaked with sweat.
Well... to make a long and erotic story very short, I finished the book and was very disappointed. I suppose I shouldn't have been in hindsight - going off of recommendations and reviews for these books is a recipe for failure almost every time.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of those rare books that make me think I could actually write a book if I wanted to. Really - if something this bad passes for a novel these days, how hard can it be to write one? This book reads like an 8th grader wrote it. I mean really - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe starts out by stating that some people think that the entire universe was sneezed out of a great bring called The Great Green Arkleseizure. Really? That's the best the author could do?
Hey - you know what this reminds me of? There is an episode of South Park in which the boys write a book called Scrotie McBoogerballs with the intent of writing something so bad it gets banned. However, the book is "discovered" and hailed by critics and book nuts as a literary masterpiece. Just like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! A complete turd that receives undeserved praise.
The simple truth... and you can't get around this... is that the book is just not funny. It's not. I didn't laugh a single time. Ever. Not once. My reaction more often was to think "...really... that is so stupid... does someone somewhere actually think that is funny?"
For example, on page 89, the crew onboard the Heart of Gold spaceship is trying to figure out what happened after they engaged the ship's "improbability drive." Prior to engaging the drive, they were being chased down by two missiles. After engaging the drive, the ship has undergone some changes and the missiles are gone.
Zaphod says, "...what's happened to the missiles?"
A new and astounding image appeared in the mirrors.
"They would appear," said Ford doubtfully, "to have turned into a bowl of petunias and a very-surprised looking whale..."
Ok... and that is funny how? It's not. It's just stupid. Yeah - I realize that there isn't much context for that excerpt. But you know what? It doesn't matter. There is no context for the majority of the stuff in this book. In fact, I think that's the point most of the time. The author throws completely random and crazy stuff out there and it is supposed to be funny, or profound, or groundbreaking or something. No... it's just ridiculous for the sake of being ridiculous.
By around page 130-140, I was beyond any semblance of caring anymore. You know what it reminded me of? Reading this book is like going to a grade school play. Some people find it funny when that one kid on stage jumps around and acts silly at first. It is cute and, frankly, pretty funny to watch. However, the appeal loses its flavor if the behavior keeps going... and going... and going... and going... and going... and going... and going... and going. At some point, the funny kid on stage becomes the naughty kid who acts out and whose parents obviously have no control of their child. It's not funny anymore. It's annoying.
In the case of this book, it wasn't funny in the first place and the act just keeps going... and going... and going. The absurdity never ends. At many points, I wondered if the author just put whatever random thought he had down on paper.
There is definitely a British "Monty Python" sort of feel to this book. I like Monty Python, so I can't even say that if you like Monty Python, then you will like this book. Would Monty Python be as funny if you read it? I don't think so. I think you need to see it. It needs to be acted out. Maybe this book would be funnier on screen. I think the movie was made in 1995, but it got poor reviews from what I saw (not surprising).
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy consistently makes it onto lists of top science fiction books of all time. This is one of those books that reviewers insist that you simply must... MUST... read at some point during your life. Well, based on all of that, I MUST hereby induct The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy into the fabled, enlightened, and often worshiped Hall of Suck... A special place in literary hell reserved for those books that are generally reviewed very favorably, but in reality suck.
The guys at the bar are like, "You've got to dude... she's awesome!"
"Ehhh..." I says. "She just doesn't look that good to me."
"No really," they insist. "Trust us. She is one of the best ever. Top 10 for sure. You can't go wrong. You'll thank us later."
"Ehhhh," says I again... "She looks kinda stupid with her tongue hanging out like that. Yeah, I suppose I could give it a try, but I still think she looks like trash."
But what the heck I think to myself... I've had so many bad one's lately. How bad can she be? Certainly no worse than the others.
So against my better judgment (impeccable judgment really) I take her home and give her a try. Unfortunately, I was right all along. She looked like she was going to suck, and she did. I knew I was going to regret it by the time I got to first base, but figured I'd better see it through so I went all the way home.
Ohhh.... Where was I again? Oh yeah, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy... anyway, I put off reading this book for a long time. It shows up on "Top" and "Best" frequently, but it just made me nervous. Frankly, I just couldn't see it being very good. It just looked like it was going to suck. The descriptions made me think it was going to suck. All indications pointed to a big `ol batch of suck.
On the other hand thought I to myself, 90% of the stuff out there sucks, so what difference does it make if one more thing sucks? Seriously - the vast majority of everything is garbage... that's why the "good" stuff is so good - because it is rare. Worst of all, you can't trust any "best of all time" lists because the majority of that stuff sucks as well - the lists are usually composed by inbreds who think they are "smarter" than you if they like something that sucks.
Anyway... in order to really get into the groove of this novel, I decided to do some hitchhiking of my own while reading it. Lucky for me, a rough woman on a motorcycle stopped by to pick me up - I think she liked the elephant trunk thong I was wearing. She didn't have a riding car or anything like that, so I had to slip on the back of her cycle and nuzzle up against her back.
Due to the heat, she took off her riding jacket. This was a significant because I found myself mesmerized by the dark hairs on her back. You see Rachel (that was her name... Rachel) was one of those women with really dark - practically jet black hair. As frequently the case with such women, she had a tendency to sport sort of a treasure trail up the front and she had an even coat of fine dark peach-fuzz across her back - thin at the top, but thickening some along her spine and down to the small of her back. Given the heat of the day, the thicker hair at the base had become soaked with sweat.
Well... to make a long and erotic story very short, I finished the book and was very disappointed. I suppose I shouldn't have been in hindsight - going off of recommendations and reviews for these books is a recipe for failure almost every time.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of those rare books that make me think I could actually write a book if I wanted to. Really - if something this bad passes for a novel these days, how hard can it be to write one? This book reads like an 8th grader wrote it. I mean really - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe starts out by stating that some people think that the entire universe was sneezed out of a great bring called The Great Green Arkleseizure. Really? That's the best the author could do?
Hey - you know what this reminds me of? There is an episode of South Park in which the boys write a book called Scrotie McBoogerballs with the intent of writing something so bad it gets banned. However, the book is "discovered" and hailed by critics and book nuts as a literary masterpiece. Just like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! A complete turd that receives undeserved praise.
The simple truth... and you can't get around this... is that the book is just not funny. It's not. I didn't laugh a single time. Ever. Not once. My reaction more often was to think "...really... that is so stupid... does someone somewhere actually think that is funny?"
For example, on page 89, the crew onboard the Heart of Gold spaceship is trying to figure out what happened after they engaged the ship's "improbability drive." Prior to engaging the drive, they were being chased down by two missiles. After engaging the drive, the ship has undergone some changes and the missiles are gone.
Zaphod says, "...what's happened to the missiles?"
A new and astounding image appeared in the mirrors.
"They would appear," said Ford doubtfully, "to have turned into a bowl of petunias and a very-surprised looking whale..."
Ok... and that is funny how? It's not. It's just stupid. Yeah - I realize that there isn't much context for that excerpt. But you know what? It doesn't matter. There is no context for the majority of the stuff in this book. In fact, I think that's the point most of the time. The author throws completely random and crazy stuff out there and it is supposed to be funny, or profound, or groundbreaking or something. No... it's just ridiculous for the sake of being ridiculous.
By around page 130-140, I was beyond any semblance of caring anymore. You know what it reminded me of? Reading this book is like going to a grade school play. Some people find it funny when that one kid on stage jumps around and acts silly at first. It is cute and, frankly, pretty funny to watch. However, the appeal loses its flavor if the behavior keeps going... and going... and going... and going... and going... and going... and going... and going. At some point, the funny kid on stage becomes the naughty kid who acts out and whose parents obviously have no control of their child. It's not funny anymore. It's annoying.
In the case of this book, it wasn't funny in the first place and the act just keeps going... and going... and going. The absurdity never ends. At many points, I wondered if the author just put whatever random thought he had down on paper.
There is definitely a British "Monty Python" sort of feel to this book. I like Monty Python, so I can't even say that if you like Monty Python, then you will like this book. Would Monty Python be as funny if you read it? I don't think so. I think you need to see it. It needs to be acted out. Maybe this book would be funnier on screen. I think the movie was made in 1995, but it got poor reviews from what I saw (not surprising).
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy consistently makes it onto lists of top science fiction books of all time. This is one of those books that reviewers insist that you simply must... MUST... read at some point during your life. Well, based on all of that, I MUST hereby induct The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy into the fabled, enlightened, and often worshiped Hall of Suck... A special place in literary hell reserved for those books that are generally reviewed very favorably, but in reality suck.
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2023
What can be said? It's the greatest sci-fi comedy "trilogy" ever written--all in one volume. I had to purchase it because I lost at least two copies of all of the books due to failed relationships or moves. Good to have them all back to share with the rest of the fam.
Top reviews from other countries
Roger J S
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very happy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 9, 2023
Good price, fast delivery, item as described
Tomas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recommend
Reviewed in Germany on August 28, 2023
Interesting and funny novel about strange, interesting and funny things in the galaxy.
Tomas
Reviewed in Germany on August 28, 2023
Images in this review
Nicholas Haque
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2023
Can't go wrong with reading it.
David
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Value, Big Size!!!
Reviewed in Mexico on July 6, 2023
It's five books in one. So that's great. Just don't expect to read it while you skate. Which is what I do. It's a huge book. Need to hold it with two hands. So keep that in mind.
harpoon guns to 'safe', please
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's all there on the packaging
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2015
Four stars partly because the books are just not as good as the radio show. The eighteen mile high statue of Arthur Dent throwing the nutrimatic cup and what follows is one of my very favourite passages that gets lost. There are a great number of changes between the radio show and the first two books which cover much of the same ground, and frankly, few if any are improvements, and the books certainly don't flow as well. Each book of course has some enjoyable moments, even if they seem to become progressively more desperate. The real Douglas Adams moments become fewer and father between, but they're still there right up to the end, The King's Place and the Perfectly Normal Beasts, for example.
Is "Read by Stephen Fry and Martin Freeman" a bit misleading. The first book is read by Stephen Fry, and appears to be the film tie in version from a few years ago. That calls itself "mostly unabridged"; this says "complete and unabridged", and I really have not done a detailed comparison, life's too short. The rest are read by Martin Freeman. Stephen Fry was in some ways the perfect choice of reader today, ideal for the Book and for Marvin. Martin Freeman is ok, probably better at the characterisations. However, his reading voice always seems a little monotonous so the book and narration are a bit dull, and of course he's a perpetual reminder of that criminally bad movie. Maybe a combination of the two would be ideal? You could certainly be made o think that's what you're getting. Yes, I do love HHGTTG,and can be pretty sad about it.
You often tend to match best with the first version of something you encounter, so for me it will always be the radio show. However, I did only read that the voices of the mice changed, I didn't spot it.
Overall, these raise the game a little for the books, but in the four incarnations (Radio show, books, TV show and movie- released in that order, at least if you allow the date for the first book), the radio show still wins by a country mile (again, the first two seasons, 3-5 are merely much weaker add ons from the later books), the movie is the ghastly lowest, and the books and TV show vie for the second slot. Because there were some great imagination and visuals, I'll plump for the TV show, although their Trillian, played by Sandra Dickinson, was pretty awful.
For those who seek completeness, the book of the radio show scripts has some fun additions, though I haven't (yet) got the one with the so-called thirteenth episode. And there is a large format "The Illustrated Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy", possibly the most satisfying visual interpretation to date.
Good, but not perfect.
Is "Read by Stephen Fry and Martin Freeman" a bit misleading. The first book is read by Stephen Fry, and appears to be the film tie in version from a few years ago. That calls itself "mostly unabridged"; this says "complete and unabridged", and I really have not done a detailed comparison, life's too short. The rest are read by Martin Freeman. Stephen Fry was in some ways the perfect choice of reader today, ideal for the Book and for Marvin. Martin Freeman is ok, probably better at the characterisations. However, his reading voice always seems a little monotonous so the book and narration are a bit dull, and of course he's a perpetual reminder of that criminally bad movie. Maybe a combination of the two would be ideal? You could certainly be made o think that's what you're getting. Yes, I do love HHGTTG,and can be pretty sad about it.
You often tend to match best with the first version of something you encounter, so for me it will always be the radio show. However, I did only read that the voices of the mice changed, I didn't spot it.
Overall, these raise the game a little for the books, but in the four incarnations (Radio show, books, TV show and movie- released in that order, at least if you allow the date for the first book), the radio show still wins by a country mile (again, the first two seasons, 3-5 are merely much weaker add ons from the later books), the movie is the ghastly lowest, and the books and TV show vie for the second slot. Because there were some great imagination and visuals, I'll plump for the TV show, although their Trillian, played by Sandra Dickinson, was pretty awful.
For those who seek completeness, the book of the radio show scripts has some fun additions, though I haven't (yet) got the one with the so-called thirteenth episode. And there is a large format "The Illustrated Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy", possibly the most satisfying visual interpretation to date.
Good, but not perfect.
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