The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

[jebers]

The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy is a fantastic series, highly entertaining and well written. However, one thing I do not understand is why did Douglas Adams write 'Mostly Harmless'? The fourth novel ended so well...and Mostly Harmless seemed to ruin it all. It wasn't even a very good book in itself!
Does anyone know why he wrote it?

[zeowyn]

As I myself am just reading the very book and have not got to the mostly harmless part, i find your message quite depressing,
Should I just stop after the fourth part ?

I havent got any answer just decided to write some nonsense.
(Or was that in fact the answer...hmmmmmmmm) :)

[zeowyn]

I read MOSTLY HARMLESS and didnt quite understand it.
Great book though, even with MOSTLY HARMLESS.
What ever happened to Frenchurch....sad...

[profrandom]

why do you think he added an unnecessary book? for money, of course. also, closure.

[Mirrorshades]

IIRC correctly he says in The Salmon of Doubt that it was a combination of being slightly broke, but also of pressure from his publishers to continue a winning formula. I think he says that he never really viewed it as being part of the HHGTTG series, but more of an addendum. It has been a while since I read Salmon of Doubt though so don't take my word for it on this!!

If you like the hitchhiker books then the Dirk Gently novels are also well worth reading...especially the first one.

[Ickmeister]

Is there anywhere on the net to read it? Because people I know keep talking about the meaning of life in them.

[Shea]

Here's a funny peice of info; there is a program called Ramona where you can ask any question of a computer generated person (I guess it's an artificial intellegence, I'm not sure, my husband knows more about it than I do). When you ask her "What is the meaning of life?" She answers "42"! :D

[Ickmeister]

That's what it is in the book

[Munro]

If you're into the books, the original BBC radio shows are absolutely hilarious as well. Terry Pratchett is a similar writer, except he takes off the Fantasy genre instead of Science Fiction. Are the Dirk Gently books any good? Out of Adams and Pratchett I prefer the former...what do you think?

[Blackadder]

Dirk Gently isn't that bad. It's kind of a take off on the detective novel, but with fantastic and sci-fi elements to it. There are only two of them. The first is Dirk Gently and the Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.

Don't you just love those titles? :)

[Jouzou]

I am a little surprised that Douglas Adams didn't have his own section in the author forums. I read the whole trilogy (all five books :D) in the summer and I liked it. Especially some conversations between Arthur and Ford were hilarious. It was also great how things happened very randomly. Based on my very little knowledge of science fiction, Adams made a good job parodying it.

As an interesting side note, the phrase: "Don't panic!" applies in real life, too. At least it worked for me when I couldn't find my glasses anywhere. The moment I stopped panicking, I found them.

[cuppajoe_9]

I love the hitchhiker's series. Have you read his Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency novels? Douglas manages to have a go at the mystery genre and the science fiction genre at the same time! It's satirical gymnastics.

[bugmasta]

I seem to remember there being 6 books in the trilogy. At any rate, I also found the works to be very entertaining. I always travel with a towel.

[Nick Rubashov]

The more you read a book by Douglas Adams, the funnier it becomes. Every time I read the Hitchhiker series I catch something that seemed to elude my past encounters with the novels. His books always make me smile

[Bookworm89]

We're reading the first book in the five book trilogy (lol) for my book club. I haven't seen the movie or read any of the books, but I'm not a big sci-fi fan. I hope I'll enjoy it...

[~Maude~]

I love the Douglas Adams books, they are too funny to not like and so far everyone I've given them to has enjoyed them too. I just recieved the leather bound Ultimate Hitchikers Guide last christmas:)

[ClaesGefvenberg]

Based on my very little knowledge of science fiction, Adams made a good job parodying it.I have read heaps of the stuff, and I agree. Adams is very entertaining.:thumbs_up

/Claes

[Inez]

We're reading the first book in the five book trilogy (lol) for my book club. I haven't seen the movie or read any of the books, but I'm not a big sci-fi fan. I hope I'll enjoy it...

He really is difficult not to like. He was a beautiful writer, but you are, as is the case with the better writers, unaware of this - there is nothing self-conscious or laboured about his style. He was also the master of comic timing and his aliens and scenarios are a parody of ourselves. He sneaks up on you too, so he improves with re-reading. His writer's block was such a shame in his latter years.

[Idril]

I love Adams, both the Hitchhiker series and the Dirk Gentley series, Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul is seriously, one of the greatest books ever written, I have developed a huge crush on Thor because of that book. :p :blush: Has anyone read Salmon of Doubt? It's random writings and musings found on his computer after his death. It's a fascinating look into the mind of the man, he was freakishly intelligent and he had wonderful taste in music, he picked David Gilmour as the guitarist in his dream rock band...the man has good taste. ;)

[vili]

I'm another Adams fan. I've read the books over and over again (only five of them in the Hitchhiker trilogy, bugmasta -- you may be thinking of the "Young Zaphod Plays it Safe" story that comes with some collections). I also have the original radio play (both recordings, plus the scripts), and various editions of the books. And the video games, of course. And the TV series. And the movie. I'm still trying to find the comic book, the towel, and some recordings of the various theatre performances. ;)

Of Douglas's books, my personal favourite is perhaps Last Chance to See, although I do love and adore most of the things he wrote. Personally, I find only The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul impossible to truly enjoy, but there are those who love it dearly, clearly including Idril here. :)

Only a few weeks ago I gave Salmon of Doubt a bit of a read. I remember reading that Douglas was thinking of changing the title story from being a Dirk Gently book into a sixth Hitchhiker's work before he sadly passed away. I wonder how that might have worked. The short pieces in the book are interesting reading, too, and I definitely recommend the book.

Now, I said that I have all the video games Douglas wrote. I wonder if anyone here has actually ever finished The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the text adventure, that is)? I have the original release, PLUS the official walkthrough guide, and I STILL can't solve it. :lol: It's madly difficult! And I usually find text adventures a breeze.

[Idril]

Personally, I find only The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul impossible to truly enjoy, but there are those who love it dearly, clearly including Idril here. :)

I'm shocked! Someone out there doesn't think of Tea Time as a masterpiece?! My world is shattered...and I'm only half joking when I say that. ;) :lol:


Only a few weeks ago I gave Salmon of Doubt a bit of a read. I remember reading that Douglas was thinking of changing the title story from being a Dirk Gently book into a sixth Hitchhiker's work before he sadly passed away.

You know what I liked about that little exerpt of the new Dirk Gently novel? That Kate and Thor were together, that alone made my day...well, that and the David Gilmour thing. :p

I didn't even know there were video games, are they for the PC?

And have you seen the movie of Hitchhiker's Guide and what did you think of it?

[vili]

I'm shocked! Someone out there doesn't think of Tea Time as a masterpiece?! My world is shattered...and I'm only half joking when I say that. ;) :lol:
I really like the first Dirk Gently novel, but somehow Tea Time, to me, was always a bit directionless. Or maybe it is just that Scandinavian gods are not my thing. Actually, I don't think it is the latter. But, I don't know... I suppose it is just a matter of taste. Although I'd still like to know why I don't like it. Especially since it comes with such a brilliant title. :)


You know what I liked about that little exerpt of the new Dirk Gently novel? That Kate and Thor were together, that alone made my day...well, that and the David Gilmour thing. :p
I actually thought that the description of Kate and Thor's life together was one of the funniest parts of the unfinished manuscript.


I didn't even know there were video games, are they for the PC?
Yep, they are available for the PC. There's three of them, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (doesn't really follow the radio series, the books or the TV series), Bureaucracy (very funny!) and Starship Titanic (related to the Terry Jones book that he wrote since Douglas was too busy to write it). The first two games are Infocom text adventures from the 1980s, while the last one is an adventure/puzzle game much like the Myst and Riven games. The most interesting part of Starship Titanic is the conversation interface, as you can type in natural language and the person you are "talking to" will more often than not answer with something that is at least somehow related to what you said.

All games are available second hand, so if you are interested take a look at eBay or somewhere similar.


And have you seen the movie of Hitchhiker's Guide and what did you think of it?
A quick count would seem to suggest that I have seen it eight times now. :) It is not brilliant, but I think it is still better than many people suggest. I don't really like the direction much, and Sam Rockwell would not have been my choice to play Zaphod. Other actors were good choices, I felt. Marvin was oddly cute, though.

I quite liked the additions to the storyline, although the three romantic plotlines (Arthur & Trillian, Zaphod & Trillian, Zaphod & Questular Rontok) could have been developed much more. Now it was really a bit too packed with mindless action, which sort of works in the books and on the radio, but the movie could have been slower paced.

I didn't like the solution to Zaphod's heads. BBC managed to give Zaphod two proper heads in the early 1980s, and although it didn't look pretty, that's the least they could have done now as well!

I think Vogons are better in the film than they are in the books. I really love the way they are done.

All in all, I think the overall feel was a bit too "campy" for me. It could have been made into a more finished product. But it wasn't horrible. I was actually expecting worse. :)

But what do you think?

[Idril]

I actually thought that the description of Kate and Thor's life together was one of the funniest parts of the unfinished manuscript.

At first, I was going to write that Kate and Thor lived happily ever after and then I thought, no, you really can't say that but they are together and that's enough for me.

You aren't the only person that didn't take a shine to Tea Time. I talked a friend into reading it, telling him it was an incredible book, being as enthusiastic as possible about it and the best critique he could manage after reading it was, "It was ok". I was devastated but I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go 'round. ;) :lol:

Douglas has a knack for Thor though, that little bit in The Guide where Arthur runs into Trillian and Thor at that party in the sky just kills me. The conversation between Thor and Arthur is priceless with Thor uttering one of my favorite lines from the book, "I beg your miniscule pardon". :lol:


All games are available second hand, so if you are interested take a look at eBay or somewhere similar.

I'll have to keep my eyes open for that because I would be very interested to try them out.


I don't really like the direction much, and Sam Rockwell would not have been my choice to play Zaphod. Other actors were good choices, I felt. Marvin was oddly cute, though.

I was really quite disappointed in it at first, the story was so different but then I had read that Adams himself wrote it and that with every genre change, he tweaked the story a little bit and then I was a little more comfortable with it but I agree, Sam Rockwell as Zaphod was an odd choice. He was this weird combination of George Bush and the lead singer from Nickleback that just really didn't work for me. :rolleyes: I liked Arthur and Ford, I was neutural to Trillian but wasn't crazy about the romance between her and Arthur and yes the Vogons were perfect! I liked the narration, I loved the opening song with the dolphins but I really didn't care for Marvin. The voice was spot on but he looked a little too cute and his head reminded me of tennis balls.

It was campy and that was too bad but like you, it didn't think it too terribly bad, it had it's moments and was worth the ticket price...and the dvd price.

[Logos]

I am a little surprised that Douglas Adams didn't have his own section in the author forums.
The only authors with their own specific discussion forums here are the ones who have public domain etexts on the site to read.

[vili]

Douglas has a knack for Thor though, that little bit in The Guide where Arthur runs into Trillian and Thor at that party in the sky just kills me. The conversation between Thor and Arthur is priceless with Thor uttering one of my favorite lines from the book, "I beg your miniscule pardon". :lol:
:lol: I had forgotten all about that line. :) But the party bit is one of my favourite parts of the novels.

How would you, by the way, go on to rank the Hitchhiker novels?


I'll have to keep my eyes open for that because I would be very interested to try them out.

I just remembered that there is an online version of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy text adventure. Enjoy: http://www.xs4all.nl/~pot/infocom/hgg.html


I was really quite disappointed in it at first, the story was so different but then I had read that Adams himself wrote it and that with every genre change, he tweaked the story a little bit
Yeah, the radio series and the novels are quite different, and the computer game again starts similarly as the first two, but then takes a totally different path.

[kathycf]

A.)I loved The Hitchhiker's books.
B.) 42
C.) I am considering renting the movie....I am curious how it turned out, but did not wish to spend the 8 dollars on a bomb. After reading a bit more about it here, I think I will give it a try. :)

[Jouzou]

The movie was OK, I think. Not brilliant, not total crap but "OK". In my opinion, the greatest weakness is the short time. It's impossible to squeeze such a long, wide and twisted story in a couple of hours without cutting out a huge part of the source material. Same thing with the LOTR movie.

By the way, are dolphins known for warning people of disasters in real life as well? I mean, today I saw a document on TV about the tsunami of christmas 2004. The local fishermen said that dolphins tried to warn them by swimming near the fishing boats and hitting water with their tails.

[IrishBlues]

I absolutely loved the entire series. That's strange about Adam's liking Gilmour because I always associate the Dark Side of the Moon with the series.

I personally was so let down by the movie, but still worth the watch I guess.

[Scheherazade]

BBC article "What on earth is 42?" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7283155.stm) :thumbs_up