What do you do if you an impoverished Hitchhiker trying to see the marvels of the galaxy for less than thirty Altarian Dollars a day?
For Arthur Dent, a perfectly ordinary Earthman, he is about to find out when his planet (a small blue green world called Earth) is destroyed or rather demolished by a Vogon constructor fleet to make way for a hyperspace bypass. He is also shocked to find that his best friend (the interestingly named "Ford Prefect" turns out to be from a planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse and not form Guilford after all!
After escaping the Earth the two men go through many adventures getting blown out of spaceships by the poetic Vogons before meeting up with Fords semi cousin the two headed Zaphod Beeblebrox who has stolen a spaceship and together they visit the dead planet of Magrathea to find the answer to Life, the Universe and everything (but what is the question!)
The book of the Hitchhiker's Guide was written following the radio and televison series and it can truly be said to be an improvement. This time DOuglas Adams really got to grips with the plot and fitted everything together while keeping the spontanety and humour of the original. I read this book after hearing the radio series for the first time and could only be impressed. After reading this first one I went on to read the other four in what Douglas Adams called his triolgy and couldn't fault them.
The characters are a wonderful mix form Arthur: a man confused in a big Universe, Ford: the wily reporter for the hitchhikers guide, Marvin: the paranoid Android Zaphod Beeblebrox: ex president of the galaxy, inventor of the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster and according to Eccentrica Gallumbits the best bang since the big one!!! Trillan: A rather nice astro physisist from Earth
Along with the other appearing characters such as Slartibartfast who designs coastlines and Gag Halfrunt, Zaphod's private braincare specialist.
The Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy can be difficult to get into at first when you're not sure what to expect but if you role with the punches and get into it, It is entertaining and absolutely hilarious.
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Losing your planet isn't the end of the world . . . the movie tie-in edition of Douglas ... more
Adams's perennially popular novel, with exclusive on-set stories, interviews and pictures. Pan's tie-in edition of this cult classic will include substantial extras...
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Advantages: Very funny, great characters, exciting and original. Disadvantages: Some theories were a little hard to understand, perhaps too random in places
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