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samarei 's review for:
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
by Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams, a staunch atheist, was influenced by scientist Richard Dawkins and British comedy troupe Monty Python. Adams' outlook on life with no God infiltrated his writing as did his environmental and conservation views. At age 49, Adams' died in Santa Barbara, CA where he met his non-existent maker and creator of all things or, for Adams, no things. There he rests in a dark corner, waiting for nothing to happen and perhaps that nothing will happen.
Though I may disagree on his views of God, I cannot deny that his wit and scientifically dense writing style made him a stark-raving mad genius of the unknown Universe. I hope that in my old age, perhaps I too will discover a time machine that I will then be able to undo the whole of mankind on this Earth. However, until then, I must resign myself to discussing the beauty and meaning in writing I have not done and hope that, one day, I may in fact be as accomplished a writer as Adams during his life.
With a mixed bookshelf of religious and scientific texts, I am lucky to have the wherewithal to understand that which Adams' addressed in his book Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. Quantum mechanics of wave patterns which, paradoxically, proves and disproves the source of life (or something like that) is the basis of much of the book. Even so, when it comes to cats disappearing I found it ironical that Svlad Cjelli aka Dirk Gently utilized the cancelation of wave patterns to explain the disappearance of said cat. When, in fact, he himself had disappeared as Svlad Cjelli -though not off the face of the Earth-and reappeared as Dirk Gently. Perhaps, this cat just changed its name and went on looking for a better place to catch mice. Yet, Gently's charm in attempting to convince his client to pay for 7 years of looking for a transmuted pet has been, by far, one of the more amusing pieces of scientific fiction I've read for quite a long time.
Most of the science fiction I have been exposed to lacks genuine comedy. Sure, it has the occasional witty line or event, but Adams produced a piece that was so absurd in its science, as it was used, that it became hilarious. Perhaps this was an evil plot showing how beliefs can be utilized to account for anything that happens, depending on how it’s told and to whom it’s told. Not that the science was wrong, but how Dirk used it to explain everything when, even in the interconnectedness of it all, there could be a simple explanation.
I would not say that this book was the top of my list to have everyone read. Mostly because it is difficult to follow and the character the book is named after doesn’t show up until halfway through. Though the lead up is entertaining in its own dimension, cutting about 75 pages out of it would make it more readable. It wasn’t until the last 50 pages that I felt there was a plot finally coming together. Though it was beautifully done and the writing original and fresh, for me, the lack of knowing a direction drove me to the brink of drinking so, maybe, I would be able to follow. Reading this book was similar to driving through a small town. One blink or one stray thought entering my head, and suddenly it was gone, or should I say, my understanding was gone.
As strange and often confusing as the book was, it also was profound in its approach to beliefs. The idea of having an electric Monk so it would do the believing could be taken in different ways as to why Adams included it. Is it that so many people just follow beliefs mindlessly, with no question? If they do question beliefs, or believe that which others don’t, they are wrong or “broken.” So much can be discussed about the depth of what Adams wrote, and for that there is no doubt he was a true master.
If my review was only based on the ideas and depth, I would give it 4.5 stars, but since it also includes the ability to read it through with clarity, I must give it 3 stars. Then again, that’s just my opinion.
Though I may disagree on his views of God, I cannot deny that his wit and scientifically dense writing style made him a stark-raving mad genius of the unknown Universe. I hope that in my old age, perhaps I too will discover a time machine that I will then be able to undo the whole of mankind on this Earth. However, until then, I must resign myself to discussing the beauty and meaning in writing I have not done and hope that, one day, I may in fact be as accomplished a writer as Adams during his life.
With a mixed bookshelf of religious and scientific texts, I am lucky to have the wherewithal to understand that which Adams' addressed in his book Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. Quantum mechanics of wave patterns which, paradoxically, proves and disproves the source of life (or something like that) is the basis of much of the book. Even so, when it comes to cats disappearing I found it ironical that Svlad Cjelli aka Dirk Gently utilized the cancelation of wave patterns to explain the disappearance of said cat. When, in fact, he himself had disappeared as Svlad Cjelli -though not off the face of the Earth-and reappeared as Dirk Gently. Perhaps, this cat just changed its name and went on looking for a better place to catch mice. Yet, Gently's charm in attempting to convince his client to pay for 7 years of looking for a transmuted pet has been, by far, one of the more amusing pieces of scientific fiction I've read for quite a long time.
Most of the science fiction I have been exposed to lacks genuine comedy. Sure, it has the occasional witty line or event, but Adams produced a piece that was so absurd in its science, as it was used, that it became hilarious. Perhaps this was an evil plot showing how beliefs can be utilized to account for anything that happens, depending on how it’s told and to whom it’s told. Not that the science was wrong, but how Dirk used it to explain everything when, even in the interconnectedness of it all, there could be a simple explanation.
I would not say that this book was the top of my list to have everyone read. Mostly because it is difficult to follow and the character the book is named after doesn’t show up until halfway through. Though the lead up is entertaining in its own dimension, cutting about 75 pages out of it would make it more readable. It wasn’t until the last 50 pages that I felt there was a plot finally coming together. Though it was beautifully done and the writing original and fresh, for me, the lack of knowing a direction drove me to the brink of drinking so, maybe, I would be able to follow. Reading this book was similar to driving through a small town. One blink or one stray thought entering my head, and suddenly it was gone, or should I say, my understanding was gone.
As strange and often confusing as the book was, it also was profound in its approach to beliefs. The idea of having an electric Monk so it would do the believing could be taken in different ways as to why Adams included it. Is it that so many people just follow beliefs mindlessly, with no question? If they do question beliefs, or believe that which others don’t, they are wrong or “broken.” So much can be discussed about the depth of what Adams wrote, and for that there is no doubt he was a true master.
If my review was only based on the ideas and depth, I would give it 4.5 stars, but since it also includes the ability to read it through with clarity, I must give it 3 stars. Then again, that’s just my opinion.