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"!

[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 ) 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...