Name: Vojtech's review of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Item: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Rating: 5
Author: Vojtech

Douglas Adams

A Trilogy in Four Parts

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Extremely funny . . . inspired lunacy . . . [and] over much too soon.”—The Washington Post Book World Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read Seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. Together, this dynamic pair began a journey through space aided by a galaxyful of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox—the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian (formerly Tricia McMillan), Zaphod’s girlfriend, whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; and Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he’s bought over the years. Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? For all the answers, stick your thumb to the stars! Praise for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy “A whimsical oddyssey . . . Characters frolic through the galaxy with infectious joy.”—Publishers Weekly “Irresistable!”—The Boston Globe

sam kruczek

"Oh, the Paranoid Android," he said. “Yeah, we'll take him.”

À Boleia pela Galáxia

Catarina

Robby

Irreverent, absurd, brilliant, and just so much fun to read.

In this collection of novels, Arthur Dent is introduced to the galaxy at large when he is rescued by an alien friend seconds before Earth's destruction, and embarks on a series of amazing adventures with his new companion.

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

the telephone cleaners weren't so useless were they huh?

Brooke Barnett

virulent disease contracted from a dirty telephone.

There was an accident with a contraceptive and a time machine.

Almost the exact same thing that happened in Chapter 1 with Arthur's house happened in Chapter 3 with Earth! LOL!

Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy

Bethany Jenkins

“But that's not the point!" raged Ford. “The point is that I am now a perfectly safe penguin, and my colleague here is rapidly running out of limbs!" 

“It’s all right, I've got them back now," said Arthur.

This planet has-or rather had-a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

Chaïmae

“That ship hated me,” he said dejectedly, indicating the policecraft.

“That ship?” said Ford in sudden excitement. “What happened to it? Do you know?”

“It hated me because I talked to it.”

“You talked to it?” exclaimed Ford. “What do you mean you talked to it?”

“Simple. I got very bored and depressed, so I went and plugged myself in to its external computer feed. I talked to the computer at great length and explained my view of the Universe to it,” said Marvin.

“Science has achieved some wonderful things, of course, but I’d far rather be happy than right any day.”

“No. That’s where it all falls down, of course.”

“Pity,” said Arthur with sympathy. “It sounded like quite a good life-style otherwise.”

“Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was Oh no, not again. Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the Universe than we do now.”

“You know,” said Arthur, “it’s at times like this, when I’m trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space, that I really wish I’d listened to what my mother told me when I was young.”

“Only six people in the Galaxy knew that the job of the Galactic President was not to wield power but to attract attention away from it.

Zaphod Beeblebrox was amazingly good at his job.”

Vojtech

Itzel

How me and this book came to be is a convoluted story that begins many years ago, when I was young and frequented fandomsecrets @ LJ. There, I saw many times this book being referenced as being a fantastical read from their childhoods and whatnot. I grew interested in it by the constant mention of it.

Around that time, it was announced that Eoin Colfer would be writing a sixth book for the five book trilogy, and seeing how much I enjoy Colfer's writing, my interest increased even more.

Among other factors (Like the fact that Douglas Adams penned scripts for Classic Who), I came to itch having a copy of the book in my hands, and I got it. I ended up losing it twice, also. Somehow, the book still came to me again.

Excitedly I quickly ran through the pages of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, laughing or at the very least giggling at nearly every line, because Douglas Adams certainly had a way with words. The way he more often than not drifts away from the main plot, to make clever remarks on something else may be annoying for some people, but I certainly found it delightful.

I read The Restaurant at the End of The Universe immediately after I had finished the first, and as a direct continuation of the story, it kept being wonderful, some concepts (Meet your meat, was it?) reminding me of Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, or the second episode of New Who (The End of the Earth). 

It took a few tries for me to get started in Life, the Universe and Everything, because real life interfered with my reading, and then I would have to return to the few last pages of Restaurant to understand what was happening. From this book I found especially amusing how Arthur and Ford ended up in the place their adventure started... millions of years before. Oh, and the Somebody Else Problem concept too. 

The book I liked the least (If rated separately, I would have put only a three on it, while a four or five would be for the rest of the books) was So Long and Thanks for All The Fish. Love stories do not sit very well with me, but it was really good how Fenchurch turned out to be the girl who in Hitchhiker's had just discovered the secret to happiness, was it? 

From this book, I think Agrajag was the part I liked most, because it was really, really unfortunate, and really wonderful how he basically tells us how the next book will end. A special mention to Marvin in this book.

To be honest, I didn't really appreciate how Fenchurch was quickly erased in Mostly Harmless (Which mind you, this title is one of the parts I enjoy the most about the first book), but in this one Random was certainly an interesting character. Also, ohh, Stavromula Beta. It ended in a very depressing note, certainly.

This collection of books is a great and brilliant journey through a mostly nonsensical universe, with highly fun characters, even minor ones will stick with you. I enjoyed it greatly, and would certainly reread all five of them for many times to come.

Now, all I want to do is to read the Dirk Gently series, and The Salmon of Doubt. And Another Thing... Yes, I want to read that one too, for the sake of completion.

brie

I had put off reading the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy for a long time for reasons unknown to myself. If i had not finally resorted to listening to the audiobook it would have probably been one of those books i knew i would really enjoy reading but never actually got to reading it. And as my first audiobook ever, i think breaking my audiobook virginity with it went pretty well. Me to myself when i see any available audiobooks now:


 The characters were so adorable and profound even when they were being inept and I couldn’t help but laugh whenever Arthur Dent was blindsided by an incident and the manner with which he showed how appalled he was. Foooorrddd! I loved Ford Prefect. He was all sorts of cool and calm one minute and crazy and brilliant the next. He reminded me a lot of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. 
 
He was played by Mos Def in the movie so could he be any more cooler???

 I also thought listening to someone narrate a whole book to me would be daunting but i must say Stephen Fry did an absolutely good job with the narration.
I am not going to launch into a rant about all the characters and how cool I thought they were but i just want to say that they were certainly notable. 
The pace of the story was not bad at all. There were some parts I couldn’t help but guffaw at just because of how silly they were, for example the torture poetry part. That was very brilliantly executed if you ask me. Also, I really liked the way the chapters were arranged and the transitory openings into new chapters.
I can’t talk about the book without talking about how very inventive it was of course ! In terms of simplicity extended into metaphors and its approach to attempting to “not answer” but in its own way answer philosophical questions pertaining to what the meaning of life is and our purpose in the world and so many questions relating to life that if you start thinking about you just might get a headache. Which i think i already do.



 So i think in my own way, what i gained from the book and questions posed in it was , why not just accept the fact that we are “here” and no-one knows the answer and its best to live in the present, learn from the past and stay hopeful about the future?

Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect learn why Earth has been shunned by the rest of the galaxy as they journey through space and time.

Life, the Universe and Everything

Amna A.

The adventures of Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect continue throughout this book, searching for the Ultimate Question.. and learning the art of flying by throwing yourself on the ground and missing the floor x)

Geoffrey Perkins

Presents the complete, unedited scripts from the original BBC radio program

The Original Hitchhiker Radio Scripts

Sarah Sammis

Lindy

The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Qonita

Let's just say that i'm an anti fan of the writer's sense of humor. I get that some remarks were actually quite smart, but it wasn't funny. It's not a bad thing but when things were getting too silly for things not to be a joke, it felt like i was dictated to laugh, with those points as cues, and i hate that. Adams used so many pages joking instead of elaborating that none of the plot engaged me. I feel like i just read a try-hard's practice sheet on bad experimental jokes. so glad it was over.

Per Anhalter Durch Die Galaxis

Wunderbar absurd! Der Anfang war grandios, aber ich muss auch sagen, dass es gegen Ende deutlich an Humor abgenommen hat.

Tabea

First a legendary radio series, then a bestselling book, now a blockbuser movie, the immensely successful Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy needs no introduction. Reissued to coincide with the film's release, this hardback omnibus edition include all five parts of the trilogy, incorporating for the first time, Mostly Harmless, along with a guide to the guide and essential notes on how to leave the planet. This single hardback edition is indispensable for any would-be galactic traveller and for old and new fans of Douglas Adams, Doctor Who and bestselling science fiction books.

A Trilogy in Five Parts

Paula Alonso Ishihara

I'm currently reading this book, recommended by a friend at work and it's turning to be very good.
I like the craziness of the situations and the strange humor. 
So far it's very entertaining!!

Bethany s. 

3.5⭐️
Enjoyable, and certainly different. Odd, as it clearly is supposed to be. I found myself struggling to get through it, mainly because I felt like the plot was revealing itself in bits and pieces. 

With no clear line from beginning to end, the story feels a little like running through a house and opening various doors, exploring the rooms inside and then moving to the next door. I arrived at the end of the hallway able to recognize the shape of the house I’d explored, but still a bit uncertain about the ways in which it all connects. 

Still fun, laugh-out-loud funny at times, and quirky. I will probably read the next book, but I’m not in a rush to do so anytime soon.

Le Guide Du Routard Galactique

elly

A beautifully illustrated edition of the New York Times bestselling classic, timed to celebrate the pivotal 42nd anniversary of the original publication--with never-before-seen illustrations by award winner Chris Riddell SOON TO BE A HULU SERIES * "Extremely funny . . . inspired lunacy . . . [and] over much too soon."--The Washington Post Book World Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read Seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. Together, this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by a galaxyful of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox--the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian (formerly Tricia McMillan), Zaphod's girlfriend, whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; and Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he's bought over the years. Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? For all the answers, stick your thumb to the stars!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition

Erin Darlyn

3.5⭐️ This book is like the screwiest of screwball comedies, set in space and complete with a robot that has the personality of Eeyore. There really isn’t much plot or character development but the writing is so hilarious and full of little brain tickles that I didn’t really mind.

Francesca Starecheski

Not particularly character driven or entirely appealed to emotion, yet enticing nonetheless, and whimsically adventuresome.

Almost painfully British. Solid humour, would recommend.

Simon Crocker

Mostly harmless

Laura Mauler

This book lacks the lightness and zaniness of the previous Hitchhiker books. I basically read it because I wanted to see how the whole thing ended, and now I know. Probably should have stopped at "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish".

Jaden Nelson

** spoiler alert **
           OK JUST SLIGHTLY ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN BECAUSE THEY SAID THE ANSWER TO THE UNIVERSE 42 AND THAT’S BEEN MY FAVORITE NUMBER FOR A LONG TIME AND MAYBE THAT’S A COMPLETE COINCIDENCE BUT THIS WHOLE BOOK IS ABOUT COINCIDENCES SOOOO I MEAN. Besides that, I thought it was generally ok-not quite my humor but I actually laughed out loud a little at some parts and I have to say the audiobook is a great way to take this in because the narration of things like the computer is so funny. I probably won’t read the next book honestly and I was a little annoyed how suddenly the book ended but it was okay as a whole also sorry for bad punctuation.¡

Mostly Harmless

Steve C

It’s a light read filled with comedy . It’s a great book for passing time or get over your reading slump. The characters are peculiar, full with flaws that make them who they are and give the ironic side to the plot,  and the book is very well written! The book has tons of critics to society that still applies to today’s date, but, in the book, they appear on the jokes that are made, giving that comedy / funny side. Love the reading and the author !

'One of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius' – David Walliams Gorgeous 42nd Anniversary gift edition of Douglas Adams's pop-culture classic, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, stunningly illustrated throughout by Costa Award-winner Chris Riddell. It's an ordinary Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards to make way for a new hyperspace express route, and Arthur's best friend has just announced that he's an alien. At this moment, they're hurtling through space with nothing but their towels and a book inscribed in large, friendly letters: DON'T PANIC. The book is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the weekend has only just begun . . . Douglas Adams's mega-selling pop-culture classic sends logic into orbit, plays havoc with physics and twists time, but most importantly it's very, very funny.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Illustrated Edition

Struggled to finish this one. Being a lover of Sci fi I thought I would have really enjoyed this but I just Coul not get in to it. 

Marcus Jeffery

Gwenifer

The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy (Gollancz)

Just fantastic fun with a great sense of humour

Angus Bretherick

DANA

Don’t panic. Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Sarah Schumacher

Longtime fan. Have to read this every 5 years or so. Perhaps an acquired taste, but it combines two of my favorite things; British humour and books. Nonsensical, funny space fiction punctuated by creative word sequences and astute observations.

This one has more of what you would call a plot. My favorite of the series after #1.

Raised on a planet at the remote edge of the universe, the daughter of Arthur Dent sets out on a transgalactic quest to find the planet of her ancestors

A rather unpleasant way to end the series, particularly spoiled by the presence of the surprise daughter; the stereotypical selfish, needy tween girl (which is a solid way to ruin any form of media).

Vojtech &
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

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