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sophw1's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
iceberg0's review against another edition
3.0
Douglas Adams before there was Douglas Adams. Sometimes obtuse for the sake of obfuscation but often very funny. I especially liked the discussion between God and his general contractor about the construction of earth.
careydnelson's review against another edition
5.0
I'll tell you a secret, but please keep this down because if it gets out I will be in big trouble.
I love the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy movie, and I couldn't finish the book. I don't know what it was. I bought the audiobook back in the mid 2000s and I just could not stand it. But Stephen Fry! But, but Douglas Adams!
I know! I prefer Martin Freeman, Zoe Deschanel, Mos Def, Sam Rockwell, and Alan Rickman I guess. Stephen Fry's voice is in the movie too so I guess we can square on that.
But what does that have to do with Robert Sheckley? Turns out, he's the American Douglas Adams and he did it before Adams did! I don't know if that makes John Hodgman the American Stephen Fry, but you could make worse comparisons I think.
Why I adored this book but not Hitchhikers I cannot say. Maybe if I went back to Hitchhikers now things would be different. Maybe it's because I adore John Hodgman, and he does one of my favorite podcasts. Maybe there's something primally American about me. That would be a turn!
Go to Audible. Get yourself this book. Enjoy it.
Neil Gaiman and John Hodgman talk at the end. It's great.
I love the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy movie, and I couldn't finish the book. I don't know what it was. I bought the audiobook back in the mid 2000s and I just could not stand it. But Stephen Fry! But, but Douglas Adams!
I know! I prefer Martin Freeman, Zoe Deschanel, Mos Def, Sam Rockwell, and Alan Rickman I guess. Stephen Fry's voice is in the movie too so I guess we can square on that.
But what does that have to do with Robert Sheckley? Turns out, he's the American Douglas Adams and he did it before Adams did! I don't know if that makes John Hodgman the American Stephen Fry, but you could make worse comparisons I think.
Why I adored this book but not Hitchhikers I cannot say. Maybe if I went back to Hitchhikers now things would be different. Maybe it's because I adore John Hodgman, and he does one of my favorite podcasts. Maybe there's something primally American about me. That would be a turn!
Go to Audible. Get yourself this book. Enjoy it.
Neil Gaiman and John Hodgman talk at the end. It's great.
bkoser's review against another edition
4.0
2016-07-08
"Dimension of Miracles" seems like an obvious influence on Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, except for the fact that Douglas Adams didn't know of it until after he had written his story. When he did eventually read this book, he said, "It's like reading myself." I'd say it's a little more philosophical, a little more measured, and nearly as much fun as H2G2. Apparently one of Neil Gaiman's favorites (he introduced Sheckley and Douglas Adams to each other).
2018-05-30
Read with Melissa. Not quite as good on reread, or maybe not as good reading instead of listening to the audiobook. The structure and characters are great, there's a lot of memorable ideas, but there are parts that drag and places I wish he had fleshed out the story more.
"Dimension of Miracles" seems like an obvious influence on Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, except for the fact that Douglas Adams didn't know of it until after he had written his story. When he did eventually read this book, he said, "It's like reading myself." I'd say it's a little more philosophical, a little more measured, and nearly as much fun as H2G2. Apparently one of Neil Gaiman's favorites (he introduced Sheckley and Douglas Adams to each other).
2018-05-30
Read with Melissa. Not quite as good on reread, or maybe not as good reading instead of listening to the audiobook. The structure and characters are great, there's a lot of memorable ideas, but there are parts that drag and places I wish he had fleshed out the story more.
geekyawesomejen's review against another edition
5.0
I adored this. I fell in love with it. It reminded me of Douglas Adams but was its own separate, quirky thing. I wanted to take away half a star for the town sequence - it went on a little long. But the ending gets the half star back.
rick_k's review against another edition
3.0
It is impossible to separate the experience of reading Dimension of Miracles from it's thematic twin [b:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy|11|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1)|Douglas Adams|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327656754s/11.jpg|3078186]. Robert Sheckley's novel precedes [a:Douglas Adams|4|Douglas Adams|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1189120061p2/4.jpg]' novel by eleven years, but they share the same absurdist humor, twinged with wry wit and social commentary. Specific scenes and plot points converge as well which makes it difficult view Adam's work as entirely original. It is unfair to both to review through this lens because where Sheckley is clever, Adams is genius. I cannot remove my familiarity with Douglas Adams' work, despite the anachronistic comparisons it creates. I enjoyed Dimension of Miracles, and as read by John Hodgman you can almost get the feel of that same irreverent ability to turn a phrase of which Douglas Adams was so brilliant, but in Sheckly's hand it is a bit off, a bit less. I am glad I know of Robert Sheckley and his place in science fiction.
kb_208's review against another edition
4.0
Another series of crazy events for a Sheckley character. He wins a grand prize and is transported to receive it, but then cannot get back home to Earth. He has to travel to many different people who direct him to others. All the while he is being stalked by somehting trying to kill him. Transporting to various Earth's by the planet's original architect, he needs to find HIS Earth.
Full of humor and strange situations. I always wonder why Douglas Adams was as popular, because I find Sheckley to be much more amusing
Full of humor and strange situations. I always wonder why Douglas Adams was as popular, because I find Sheckley to be much more amusing
leovonahn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
amber_faith_27's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5