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scato8's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
devynne_m's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
h4nz1e's review against another edition
Just lost interest after a bit due to getting busy, looking to pick it back up
fatboyguy's review against another edition
4.0
I first read this 20 years ago. I felt it was time for a 2nd reading. I enjoyed it immensely. On to book two!
thaurisil's review against another edition
3.0
Now I've read this, I finally understand cultural references like "don't panic", babel fish, paranoid android, and of course, the answer to life, the universe, and everything, 42.
The story follows Arthur Dent, a normal human who is dragged into a galactic adventure by his friend Ford Prefect after the Earth is destroyed by Vogons intending to build a hyperspace bypass. Given that this book had, and still has, a cult following, I had high expectations. Yet what I got was totally unexpected. It was entertaining in a screwball way. The plot is absurd, and Arthur serves both as the only ground of normality and as a contrast to the insanity of everything else. There are frequent digressions, like one where Arthur's comment about his lifestyle travels down a wormhole in space-time to a meeting between two species. The comment is an insult in their language, causing the two species to launch a war for thousands of years. These digressions are absurd, often contribute nothing to the plot, but play a major role in the don't-take-me-seriously tone of the book.
However I found the book underwhelming. Although it was funny, several times, particularly as the book wore on, the humour seemed forced, as if Adams was only making up more absurd statements because he'd waded too far and knew he had to continue peppering every page with something absurd because the reader expected it. The problem with this is that when you expect the next sentence to be humorously absurd, it's no longer humorous however absurd it may be.
I would have enjoyed this better if the ludicrousness was balanced out by some seriousness, but there was little of that. It is true Adams hinted at serious topics. Zaphod Beeblebrox's presidency raised the issue of the motivations of politicians running for important positions. The planet-creating Magratheans brought up the question of creation and God. In the digression that I mentioned above, there is arguably a message about the repercussions of careless talk. Adams also raised issues like evolution, animal intelligence and the role of robots. Yet every time he raised a serious issues, he would drop it quickly with a joke. With a little more discussion, whether directly or through an analogy or illustration, Adams could have written an intelligent book without losing any of its tone, but as the book is, reading it felt unfulfilling.
Don't get me wrong though, I don't dislike the book. The cast of characters, from the main characters like Arthur, Ford, Zaphod and Trillian, to other characters like the depressed robot Marvin and the ship's overly optimistic computer Eddie, was filled with distinct likeable personalities. I laughed out loud several times, and it was a relaxing read.
The story follows Arthur Dent, a normal human who is dragged into a galactic adventure by his friend Ford Prefect after the Earth is destroyed by Vogons intending to build a hyperspace bypass. Given that this book had, and still has, a cult following, I had high expectations. Yet what I got was totally unexpected. It was entertaining in a screwball way. The plot is absurd, and Arthur serves both as the only ground of normality and as a contrast to the insanity of everything else. There are frequent digressions, like one where Arthur's comment about his lifestyle travels down a wormhole in space-time to a meeting between two species. The comment is an insult in their language, causing the two species to launch a war for thousands of years. These digressions are absurd, often contribute nothing to the plot, but play a major role in the don't-take-me-seriously tone of the book.
However I found the book underwhelming. Although it was funny, several times, particularly as the book wore on, the humour seemed forced, as if Adams was only making up more absurd statements because he'd waded too far and knew he had to continue peppering every page with something absurd because the reader expected it. The problem with this is that when you expect the next sentence to be humorously absurd, it's no longer humorous however absurd it may be.
I would have enjoyed this better if the ludicrousness was balanced out by some seriousness, but there was little of that. It is true Adams hinted at serious topics. Zaphod Beeblebrox's presidency raised the issue of the motivations of politicians running for important positions. The planet-creating Magratheans brought up the question of creation and God. In the digression that I mentioned above, there is arguably a message about the repercussions of careless talk. Adams also raised issues like evolution, animal intelligence and the role of robots. Yet every time he raised a serious issues, he would drop it quickly with a joke. With a little more discussion, whether directly or through an analogy or illustration, Adams could have written an intelligent book without losing any of its tone, but as the book is, reading it felt unfulfilling.
Don't get me wrong though, I don't dislike the book. The cast of characters, from the main characters like Arthur, Ford, Zaphod and Trillian, to other characters like the depressed robot Marvin and the ship's overly optimistic computer Eddie, was filled with distinct likeable personalities. I laughed out loud several times, and it was a relaxing read.
user_3131695191912's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
alyssakr's review against another edition
5.0
I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to read this book. It’s so over the top that it’s hilarious. Will definitely be reading again
feisty_and_fearless's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
legobitar's review against another edition
3.0
I mean ... I’ve seen the movie a couple of times. It’s okay. And judging from the absolute DISGRACE it’s deemed by people who’ve read the book, I expected the book to be [elle woods voice] So Much Better, and it wasn’t. I was debating between 3 and 4 stars but the only reason for 4 would’ve been Stephen Fry’s narration, which was of course excellent.
clc371's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5