DOUGLAS ADAMS
1 Flying : How to Throw Yourself at the Ground and Miss
Written by Douglas Adams, "Life, the Universe and Everything" was first published in 1982 and is the third instalment of his legendary five-part "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" trilogy. It opens around five years after "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" finished, but follows up on what has happened in the previous books - as a result, it's the wrong place to start !! The series started life as a radio show, before becoming a book, a television series, a play and a bath towel. Douglas Adams was born in Cambridge in 1952 and died in May 2001.
Recent years haven't been kind to Arthur Dent. Having seen his home flattened by bulldozers, he barely escaped with his life when the Earth was demolished by the Vogons - officially to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Arthur was rescued by Ford Prefect, a roving reporter for "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy". The pair were later picked up by an old school-friend of Fords, Zaphod Beeblebrox - the two-headed, three-armed, renegade ex-President of the Galaxy and owner of the most powerful and unpredictable ship in the universe. Having met Slartibartfast, the man who designed Norway, and eaten at the restaurant at the end of the universe, an unprogrammed teleport sees Arthur and Ford landing on...a prehistoric Earth.
As the book opens, Arthur has been living alone in a cold, damp, smelly cave for five years. Living alone in what would become Islington roughly two million years later, he hasn't had any company since the surviving Golgafrinchans went on holiday about three years previously. Ford, having spent the last three years in prehistoric Africa, is now responsible for the giraffe and returns just in time to save Arthur from madness. He has detected eddies in the space - time continuum, which he suspects may provide the pair with an escape route. His suspicions are proved correct : the pair catch an over-active Chesterfield sofa which carries them forward through time and deposits them at Lords Cricket Ground - just two days before the Vogons are due to demolish Earth. The arrive just in time to see England defeat Australia in a very important cricket match, a spaceship containing robotic 'cricketers' arriving to kill people and steal the Ashes (the 'trophy' being played for) and Slartibartfast trying to stop them. Slartibartfast kindly agrees to give the duo a lift, meaning they won't have to hitch a ride with the Vogons again. However, he seems to expect them to help him save the universe - a task that involves them discovering that cricket is actually derived from Krikket and that robotic cricketers are generally best avoided. Ford, on the other hand, aims to be exceedingly drunk and would rather visit Eccentrica Gallumbits - a very capable lady of negotiable affections.
This is an extremely silly and very easily read book - though it probably does assume a certain awareness of cricket. Hugely enjoyable and definitely recommended - though only after having read the previous two instalments !
2 More of the same crazy adventures
"Life, the Universe and Everything" is the third volume in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker trilogy, which consists of five installments (!). It is kind of obvious that readers who have reached this level in the series like the characters, the plots, and Adams' sense of humor -- otherwise the reader should have stopped before.
Those who reach "Life, the Universe and Everything" won't be disappointed. The third novel has the same appeal as the two previous books. As a matter of fact they read quite one singe novel, because there isn't much of an ending the first and second one -- and a possible conclusion is reached here.
The main innovation here is the importance of the British game cricket. Adams has found another meaning for this game, and it is hilarious most of the time. New characters and more confusion are developed again, but, unless the two other books, they lead to an ending. Not that everything is connected and tied in the end, but the bring more sauce to the book.
It is curious to think what Adams has done for the fourth and fifth book, since the story sort of concluded here. As long as he has kept the sense of humor, the absurdity and the criticism to the contemporary society they books are still worthy reading.
3 It was all down hill after the first book
I read the trilogy 20 years ago in high school and I remember thinking they were the funniest books I had ever read. Now that I'm 36 I decided to pick them up again for a good read. Either I must be getting old or I have lost my sense of humor (and I love good British humor). The first book is pretty good, it had some good laugh out loud moments. The 2nd book is where it started losing me. Mr. Adams writing style got to be a little irritating. He would end a chapter and start a new chapter that had nothing to do with the previous chapter and you would have no idea what he's talking about, but it would take a few pages to tie into the "sort-of" plot he has going. I found that to be a little annoying. By the 3rd book I was about ready to tear my hair out in sheer frustration with the story. I didn't really find it very funny and the plot started to get even more convuluted. The 4th book of the "trilogy" (now that's funny) I found to be a little more interesting but still not all that funny.
That being said, I am really looking forward to the movie. The trailers make it look to be quite a humorous ride.
4 Sore thumbs
This is my third hitchhiking trip, and although my thumb is getting sore, I have no choice but to keep on truckin'.
Coming from the larger part of the world, where "krikkit" is a national obsession, I found this one particularly clever, even though the aficionados will shudder at the abuse of the hallowed ashes.
Always willing to throw a stinging barb here and there, I also loved the immortal Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged, who is on a quest to personally insult every individual being in the Universe - in alphabetical order.
Add in the flying lessons, the many-times-reincarnated Agrajag (not an Arthur Dent fan by any means), and of course my favorite robot Marvin, and you have an easy reading fun hike across the galaxy, with less of the sci-fi stuff, and more of the humor.
There's less Zaphod Beeblebrox than usual, but as he spends most of this story in a drunken stupor while Trillian flirts with the God of Thunder, we won't bother him at this particular time.
Sticking my sore thumb out now for the next adventure in hitchhiking - see you there!
Amanda Richards, March 12, 2005
5 Life, the Universe and Everything
This book is truly amazing and will leave you crawling on the ground with laughter. As part of a five book series it is my personal favorite. It is full of dry, ironic, and random humor. In this futuristic comedy, the people of Krikkit grow tired of the night sky and decide to destroy it. Only Arthur Dent and his crew can stop the destruction of the universe. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under 12 and even at this age it could be slightly daunting. To understand this third part of the series you must read the previous two. I hope that you will laugh as hard and have as much fun as I did. I believe that this is Douglas Adams greatest piece of literature
6 The synthesized genius of Adams is here again
This is the third book from the famous 'trilogy' (actually consisting of five books) written by his high majesty - Mr. Douglas Adams. Quite an interesting read after all, with no similarities to other famous books. The writing style of Douglas Adams is something that has been (and surely will be) one of the most popular topics when people sit around the table. There are numerous famous citations from his books that act (and will surely act) like pieces of wisdom for rebellios generations. Here is one of my favourites: 'Sounds bad. With little more of luck I hope I will be drunk enough, so that I don't notice it.'
This book is somehow innovative from the previous two, mainly due to the fact that it has a plot and after finishing it you have a story in your head, unlike after reading previous two. Is this bad or good - everyone decides for himself. I like it. The story is about our guys Ford Prefect, Arthur Dent, Zaphod Beeblebrox and the girl Trillian being lead on a mission by the old man Slartibartfast to save the Universe from being distinguished by the people of Krikkit who are as funny as well as every other character in the book (including the thunder god from the Scandinavian mythology - Thor). You will get an alternative look to the popular english sport game cricket after you finish the book.
There are a lot of funny tales that are not directly connected to the main story but add additional absurd humour that sometimes made me laugh histerically while reading. One of my favourite was about Zaphod getting drunk on his ship and Trillian leaving him, as well as the one about the poet Lallafa and his famous poems that after time travelling was discovered were used for marketing purposes and that changed the past so that these poems had never been written. And not to forget Wowbagger who insists on insulting every living creature personally.
I had great fun while reading this book and am quite enthusiastic to read the forth and fifth part of the 'trilogy'. Douglas Adams proved once again to me that he is unique and his stories are unpredictable.
7 42!
I have no idea why no one seems to give this book good reviews! It is uber funny, just as much as the first two. I liked the exclusive terms for the actions of matresses and the whole Agrajag thing, which was honestly the funniest thing I have ever read! As for the Krikkit peoples, this line is one of Adam's most memorable, besides the number 42: "It's got to go." Also, I have established Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged as an all time favorite literary personality, because, well, seriously people, his dream is to insult the universe! Original. Personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about.
8 Third book starts Hitchhiker slump..
"Life, the Universe, and Everything" is the third book in the five-book series, and it feels that away. It is not quite as great as the first two, but still enough to be good. The puns are great, as Dent and Co. go up against the evil Crikket aliens. Brit-isms abound, and some great moments of humor here, but doesn't get you rolling around in the seats. 42!
9 I love the Universe
Life, the Universe and Everything was interesting to follow the first two. The main theme is obvious same the universes, unlike in the other books it was kind of hidden under what was going on in them. The book was great with the whole time traveling. Plus you get to see what happens to every character one at a time then they all come together at the end to complete a nice third book.
I would have to say I like this book for the plot twists. Also I like how it flowed with the other books nicely unlike some, trilogies if you will, done have a lot to do with each other just the characters. You find out more about the white robots and cricket....
This book, its great... sorry but I believe it is. It doesn't follow the typical style of book writing most people are used too. But I loved the couch (you'll see why if you read the book), also that poor rabbit... so sad. This and many other interesting twist's and turns await you in this book.
10 Alice in Wonderland of the 21st Century
This audiobook is absolutly awesome! The title says it all. This is Alice in Wonderland of the 21st Century. The book is very funny, yet fast paced with plenty of action. I am not going to give you brief content of the plot, read it for yourself. Just take my word for it - the book is awesome. It is the second book in the series, and it is every single bit as good as the first one. Douglas Adams reads it himself, and he is a wonderful narrator (unlike Stephen King, who is a horrible narrator yet still insists on reading his own books). This was very enjoyable. It's aweful that Douglas Adams died so young. I enjoyed his books so much that I take it as a personal loss.
11 Life thhe Universe and Evrything BebOp's review
This book is the third book in a series of five. The two books before are called "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe". If you like random Storie's and a totally bizarre imaginative world, these book's will surely be the best for you to read. Just imagen you're Arthur Dent, a perfectly normal human who has agood friend called Ford Prefect who turns out to be an alien who saves Arthurs life. And thats how it starts. In the third book, they are stranded on prehistoric Earth. and by mere luck they get out and return with the ultimate question to the mice to tell them that they don't need to build earth2 because the question is so mest up that the answer is wrong.
I really enjoyed reading this book for a couple of reasons.
One, I really like random stories and totaly irrelevent litel inputs.
Two, I enjoy science-fiction in any way and detailed explanationof ships and robots e.t.c.
Three I identify with Marvin the depreesed robot who has existied until the end of the Universe and still is depreeded.
I recommend evrbody to read this book. It is very hilarious story and even for peopel who don't like sciece-fiction, it should be fun to read.
12 A step in the wrong direction
Life, the Universe and Everything, book 3 in the hitchhikers trilogy (which actually has FIVE books)was quite different than the first two. While the first books had lighthearted yet well developed plots, the plot in LUE (Life the Universe and Everything)was darker, less well developed and very unorigonal (I mean come on, saving the universe is so passe). I was also very disappointed with the humor. While it had its moments, LUE had fewer humorous portions and most of the humor seemed very out of context and had nothing to do with the plot. The ending was also very anti-climactic, not having a cliffhanger like the previous boooks. Overall it is a dissapointment compared to the rest of the series but is neccessary to read to get the whole plot of the series. I recommend it to only those who are going to read the rest of the series.
13 A step in the wrong direction
Life the Universe and Everything, book 3 in the hitchhikers triogy (which actually has FIVE books)was quite different then the first two. While the first books had lighthearted yet well developed plots, the plot in LUE (Life the Universe and Everything)was darker less well developed, and very unorigonal (I mean come on, saving the universe is so passe). I was also very dissapointed with the humor. While it had it's monents, LUE had less humorous portions and most of the humor seemed very out of context and had nothing to do with the plot. The ending was also very anti-climactic, not having a cliffhanger like the previous boooks. Overall it is a dissapointment compared to the rest of the series but is neccessary to read to get the whole plot of the series. I recommend it to only those who are going to read the rest of the series.
14 Decent Entry In The Hitchhiker's Saga
After being marooned on prehistoric Earth for several years, Arthur Dent and his alien chum Ford Prefect are rescued by the sudden appearance of a runaway sofa, which transports them millions of years into the future to a cricket game in England, a mere days before the Earth is due to be demolished by the evil Vogons. From here, the duo are reunited with their old friend Slartibartfast (from the first book), with whom they must embark on a mission to save the Universe. And yes, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Trillian, and Marvin the paranoid android all have roles to play, too.... Book 3 in Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" series, "Life, The Universe, And Everything," is certainly an amusing, occasionally hilarious entry in the zany intergalactic adventures of Arthur Dent and friends. Unfortunately, it falls short in comparison to the briliantly funny pair of books, "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" and "The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe," that preceded it. This may be because Books 1 & 2 were adapted from Adams' hilarious BBC radio play that started the whole "Hitchhikers" saga, while "Life" is a "Hitchhiker's" work that's not based on any previous material. Therefore, Adams' writing style for "Life" feels very different from the first two books, and doesn't flow as well. It's still funny, it's just not AS funny. The jokes are more fragmented, and Adams breaks apart *many* of the sentences that the characters speak in Book 3, which gets tiresome after awhile (ex: "The difficulty with this conversation," said Arthur, after a sort of ponderous look had crawled slowly across his face like a mountaineer negotiating a tricky outcrop, "is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late."). Therefore, some of the jokes miss the mark. Also, there's less excerpts from the Hitchhiker's Guide book itself, so often quoted in the first two books, so that's missed as well.And yet, "Life, The Universe, And Everything" still has some great comic moments, such as Zaphod Beeblebrox's drinking binge, Arthur's encounter with the creature Agrajag, the chapter on how to play Brockian Ultra Krikkit, and a pretty outrageous dinner party in space that Arthur & the gang crash. Overall, "Life, The Universe And Everything" is a decent entry in the "Hitchhiker's Guide" saga, and it's funny enough for me to give it a passing grade. Thankfully, though, Douglas Adams gets things right back on track with the brilliant fourth book, "So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish"....
15 LifeUniverseEverything: The worst of the guide.
Of all of the hitchhiking books, I thought that Life, the Universe, and Everything was the worst of them. I can say that it was fairly entertaining, but it was definitely not the best book in the world. I enjoyed Douglas Adams's other books much more than I did this one. This book lacked plot, theme, and revolved around random comments and jokes (that were not very funny). In the other books before it the jokes were much more funny, and fit into the story line better. I am somewhat disappointed in this third book in the marvelous series: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
16 This Might be my Favorite So Far
I've just finished Life, the Universe and Everything, by the late Douglas Adams, and I must say that I loved every page of it. The third novel in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is funny, imaginative and very clever.
Arthur Dent is stuck on prehistoric Earth. Every morning he wakes up with a scream as he realizes that he "is in the middle of Islington, and there is no train due for 10000 years." Just as he decides to go mad, Ford Prefect arrives, and tells him of his adventures in Africa. Arthur, who had just sworn to go mad, is in luck, because a few minutes later he is chasing a couch around prehistoric Earth, and then, suddenly, winds up in the middle of a cricket match. As the story progresses, old characters return, like Slartibartfast from the first novel.
Slartibartfast explains that Arthur must help save the universe from the "ancient horror" that is the Krikkit battle fleet, which had been locked in infinitely slow time for the past 2 billion years and is now back, looking to exterminate all differing life from the galaxy. In Life, the Universe and Everything, Arthur learns to fly, gets in a fist fight with a thunder god, meets the individual that he had been accidently killing all his life, travels to the planet Krikkit, gets insulted, blown up, and all sorts of other crazy and laughable events.
Douglas Adams is, as always, clever and very witty. While his humor may not be laugh out loud funny, its a very pleasant, ironic humor. Adams style of writing is blunt and easy to understand and makes for a good, albiet short, read. Without a doubt, this book is one of the top two in the Hitchhiker's series, beaten by, perhaps, only the first novel. This clever, imaginative satire should definitely be part of everybody's reading list.
17 Contains some classic moments...
Worth buying if only for the SEP ('someone elses problem') field, the Bistromathic drive and Agrajag - 3 examples of just how freakishly gifted Adams was as a humourist.
There is a definite change in tone with this installment of the trilogy as things become a bit more plot based with less emphasis on the guide.
This one is right up there with the 1st 2 books.
18 No real new ground covered...
..but that dosen't mean anything, in the long run. Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker series is, first and foremost, about social commentary and his incredibly sharp wit. Life, The Universe and Everything dosen't really push things forward too much, and almost could be considered filler, but it's filler with fun, and makes for a bit of a lighter and sillier read then the previous books. A great time killer.
19 Seriously Boring in Comparison to the First Two in the Serie
When I was in elementary school, this was a common series read by the male nerds and geeks in my school. After reading it, I can now see how much it shaped their speech patterns and writing styles. I found myself smiling as clouds of nostalgia unexpectedly overtook me while reading the series. I was also surprised to find phrases original to this series that have worked their way into the American culture. For example, in order to understand people who speak other languages, the characters in this series simply put a "Babelfish" in their ear. In real life, Babel Fish is a language translation program available on the internet. Since the book it appears in was published in 1979, there's no question of which came first.
LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, AND EVERYTHING
If the answer to the life, the universe, and everything is "42", what is the question? Unfortunately, the trilogy ends without an answer. In fact, I was glad the trilogy had ended once I finished this book because, frankly, nothing much happened in the last book of the trilogy. The only thing of much significance is that Arthur is threatened assasination by a creature that is killed by Arthur upon each reincarnation (as a flea, rabbit, petunia, ant, ant, ant, etc.). Oh yeah, Arthur learns how to fly (by missing the ground) and finds a flying perpetual party that's been going on for generations.
This series is bizarre comic sarcasm at its best. A smile automatically paints itself on your face as you begin to read. The series reads like a highly improbable dream sequence. I sort of wonder if the author had any conclusion in mind when he wrote it or if he just let the story write itself (not unlike a dream). This third book in the "trilogy" seems to meander along in the beginning with no purpose. I thought that perhaps Douglas Adams wrote such a boring third book so that no one would ask him to write a fourth one with the same characters. Then I discovered that this "trilogy" actually has five books in it. His books always pick up a little in the end.
20 Ho hum...
"Life, the Universe, and Everything" took me months on end to get through. Every time I opened the book I'd think "Ha, ha! What a funny and crazy man that Adams is. Why don't I read this more?", but after a few pages I'd grow weary. This book is genuinely funny, but I think instead of being a five-book trilogy, the Hitchhiker's franchise should have stopped at one. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was one of my favorite books for a time, and still holds a special place in my literary tastes. It's hilarious, and Douglas Adams has undoubtedly the sharpest wit this side of Oscar Wilde! Unfortunately, his abilities in the field of plot propulsion are weak at best. I read through this series, loving the first, liking the second, and by the time I got to this one, I just felt like asking what's the POINT? All this book was was another opportunity for the author to demonstrate his wit, which is, i reiterate, amazing. However, it's not enough to keep me reading, ...
21 Literally great while technically lacking
This is a great read. I would highly recommend that anybody with an interest in science fiction, social observation and satire, or both to read the entire Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy (which is composed of five books). The story is excellent and should be enough to keep anyone interested. The comedy in the series exists at many levels, leaving you to find something new each time you reread it. The fact that Douglas Adamins himself reads his works on this CD set makes it a bonus which shouldn't be turned down. Douglas Adams may be dead, but you can own him forever in mind and voice.
My complaint about this representation of "Life, the Universe and Everything" is technical. Each CD in this set has *ONE* track, making it nearly impossible to stop and restart later. You are forced to use the fast-forward button to skip through minutes of audio instead of just being able to punch the track selection buttons. It is annoying beyond explanation. You would thing anybody who produced Audiobooks would know that you are expected to break your material up into tracks. That is the main benefit over casette tapes!
That one technical rant aside, I would highly suggest anybody with an interest in HHGTTG to get this. If you are a HHGTTG collecter, you should especially pick this up if just for the Douglas Adams narration factor.
Anyway... So long, and thanks for all the fish.
22 The Best Book Ever!!
Life, the Universe and Everything, by Douglas Adams, is a story of unmatched proportions, tying in satirical humor with an amazingly complex storyline. The people of Krikkit have been looking at the same features every night in the sky, and are sick of it, simply because there are no features. Krikkit is located inside a dust cloud, and when a mysterious spaceship crash lands on the planet, it puts the people in a sense of panic. They find out there are things out there, and don't like it, they enjoyed their solidarity. It is now that they must destroy the entire universe, and regain that piece of mind.
It is Arthur Dent's job to make sure that none of this happens. Arthur is a human who was rescued from earth, just as it was about to be blown up by blood thirsty mongrels, named Vogons, to make way for a hyper space bypass. Along to help Arthur is the man who rescued him, Ford Prefect, Tricia McMillan (Trillian), the ex-president of the galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox, and a handy man from a planet factory, Slartibartfast.
In this story, the 3rd in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series, it starts out on prehistoric earth, and through the marvels of time travel, Arthur Dent is teetering on the edge of insanity, while living in a cave where his house will be located in another couple billion years. In the mean time, Ford Prefect has decided to resort to animal cruelty in Africa, until he decides that it is time to try to find a way back to their time. Along the way they meet up with Slartibartfast, who tells them of the pending problem. The people from the land of Krikkit are about to escape from a "Slow Time Envelope", which is supposed to only open when all other life in the universe has disappeared. It is now their job to try to keep the inhabitants of Krikkit from attacking the galaxy, and restore peaceful life to all of the people of the universe. Can Arthur do it? To find out, read Life, the Universe and Everything. But be sure to read the other books in the series before to avoid complete confusion.
23 One of the Funniest And Most Bizarre Books Ever
Adam, Douglas, Life The Universe and Everything. United States: Harmony Books, 1982
One of the Funniest and Most Bizarre Books Ever!
Life, The Universe And Everything is the third out of five Hitchhiker books. This hilarious book follows Arthur Dent. Ford Prefect, Slartibartfast, Zaphod Beeblebrox, and Trillian as they try to save the universe from the white killer robots of Krikkit. The dialogue is hilarious, creative, and inventive.
Though this is the fourth one I've read, I can certainly say it's my favorite one, and once you've read them all there's even a movie for the first one. All and all the best thing I can say is to go out and read it. If you've read the other ones or just need a good book, this one's for you. You've read the rest now read the best.
Daniel Edens
24 An odd change of rhythm...
In this book, the charachters are here, there and everywhere, frantically zapping back and forth in time and space,and yet the book appears to proceed in a much more sluggish(must we say squornshellous?)way. Still the book has its good moments, the Agrajag diversion, the "Bistromatic" departure, the Krikkit night, and the all too true-to-life story of "The Reason" (or the way to deceive people whit apparently sound but really senseless phrases).But trying to squeeze "Life, the Universe and Everything" in a single novel has not resulted in a very coherent story. The effect is uneven, like in the Squornshellous episode, when the evocative description gives way to a seemingly Infinitely Prolonged linguistic tour-de force that at the end gets tiresome. Oh,well,the satire is there, and so the delicious absurdity of the exchanges between Ford and Arthur.
I would ive it Three and a half.
25 The Hitchhiker's trilogy loses some of its focus
Life, the Universe, and Everything is rather different from the preceding two books in the Hitchhiker's Trilogy. It's quite funny, particularly in a few rather memorable sections, but it is not consistently funny from beginning to end. Parts of it were so unspectacular that I barely remembered what I had just read, and one aspect of the concluding scenario is still rather incomprehensible to me, a case of deus ex machina I just can't place in the context of the whole story. All of our favorite characters are back: Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Trillian, Marvin the woefully depressed android, and even Slartibartfast; unfortunately, they are rarely together, and I sometimes lost track of Zaphod in particular after reading a number of chapters that ignored him entirely. Much of the action is also rather contrived, such as the sudden appearance of a couch on prehistoric earth upon which Arthur and Ford travel forward in time to the last two days of earth's existence. On several occasions, characters seemed to zap to another place and time by no discernible means. The game of cricket is particularly important here, to the point that I really wish I understood what the sport is all about, but I admit it was a clever plot device to tie the sport to a particularly nasty, universe-threatening planet ten billion years in the past. The planet of Krikkit, you see, set out to destroy the rest of the universe because its people basically just wanted to be left alone. Throughout the novel white Krikkit robots appear out of nowhere to seize special items needed to unlock their planet from the Slo-Time envelope established around it at the end of the Krikkit Wars. This is a bad thing because the people of Krikkit still want nothing more than to destroy the entire universe. In a rather murky way, Arthur Dent is called upon to save the universe, and that is also not a particularly good thing.
There are a few highlights to the story. The subplot involving Agrajag is particularly good. In the course of Arthur Dent's journeys through space and time, he has been responsible for the deaths of a great number of creatures-insects, flies, at least one rabbit, etc. Quite coincidently, as Arthur tries to argue, every single one of these creatures was Agrajag in his multiple reincarnated forms. Naturally, a body develops a hatred for the brute who keeps killing it time and time again, but Agrajag has gone so far as to build a veritable shrine to the entity he hates most in the cosmos, complete with a gigantic statue of Arthur Dent simultaneously killing him in a great number of his past life forms. I also particularly enjoy Adams' take on learning to fly; it takes a special knack, one which consists basically of throwing yourself to the ground and missing-the easily distracted Arthur Dent is a natural at it.
Overall, the plot just meanders too much to suit me. Transitions of characters from one time and place to another make very little sense, major characters are abandoned for too long at a time, and the plot is not laid out neatly enough for it all to make sense to me. On the whole, much less seems to happen in this book than often happened over the course of a few chapters in the first two books of the trilogy. This is still an entertaining read, but even the comedy lacks some of the satirical and witty zest that typified Adams' earlier successes.
26 Life, the Universe and Everything: a great book
Life, the Universe and Everything (LTUAE) is a great book for people (or aliens) of all ages. Douglas Adams really brings his crazy universe alive with vivid descriptions and life-like characters (which life, I don't know). LTUAE is a very funny book that will make you keep reading, and reading, and reading . . .
In my opinion every book I've read by Adams Has failed to let me down. They are all very funny. The only bad thing about LTUAE is that it is hard to follow and anything can happen in a minute, so i do not recomend this book if you like to speed read.
27 At last we have a plot...
It is some time after the second in this great sci-fi/comedy series. Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect are marooned on Earth during the caveman times. It seems they will die in this time period, but this suits them. But suddenly there appears a travelling couch that whisks them away to save the Universe from an evil race of aliens bent on universal destruction. While the first two books are excellent comedy gems, they consist of no real plot. This book does, and also maintains the deadpan humor and absurd realities. It's barrells of fun and a great, quick read. When the book needs to be suspensful, it is. When it needs to be funny, it's hilarious. This is Douglas Adams' very best work and this book is the best in the series.
28 on the road with Slartibartfast...
As far as comedic action goes, you cannot do better in the Hitchhiker's Trilogy than "Life, the Universe and Everything." In this sense, it is tops in its series and has few peers elsewhere.
The book (the third in the five book trilogy) starts off a couple of years after "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe." Arthur is still stranded in his prehistoric "ship of fools" society. By the end of the book, Arthur, Ford, Slartibartfast, Trilian, and Zaphod not only discover the gruesome origins of the game Cricket, but also manage to save the universe.
Possibly the funniest part of the whole series of books comes in chapter sixteen. Arthur encounters a beast named Agrajag who is convinced Arthur has murdered him in all his previous lives. The scene is not only hysterical but it also sets the stage for one of the biggest themes in book five: "Mostly Harmless."
The bit about Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged was really funny too.
Adams was at the pinnacle of his comedic powers in this book. Its possibly the funniest thing he ever wrote. Reading through this series has made me mourn his early passing all the more.
I give "Life, the Universe and Everything" my full recommendation.
29 Book 3: Halfway through the trilogy!
This is anohter fine tale from Douglas Adams, taking us on wild adventures with Arthur, and the rest. The difference in this one is that Arthur is finally starting to actually do things. rather than jsut standing around saying what. In this one we get to see Arthur and trillian save the universe, and we learn to fly, which was my favorite part of the novel. The key is to throw yourself at the ground and miss. I enjoyed it. I am in the process of reading the entire trilogy, but I am putting it down after each book because, not being a fan of Sci - Fi, I do get a little tired of the names and ridiculous situations. If you are going to read the trilogy and you are not a big sci fi fan, take a break in between each novel.
Thanks for your time T.
30 Strong Continuation
Though many criticize this book for not being as strong as the first two, this is an excellent book. For starters, this book has some of the most memorable moments of the entire trilogy: Agrajag(a brilliant idea to have, absolutely hilarious), Arthur learning to fly(another wonderfully hilarious idea to have flying actually just "Falling and missing the ground"), Marvin's conversation with Zem, Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged's quest, and Slartibartifast's new ship. The novel shows some of the character's personalities very well and develops them further(particularly the poor, neglected Trillian). Ford is wonderfully displayed by showing that he doesn't care about saving the universe when he can attend a party. Zaphod's drinking habits was a very nice little section. Marvin's unhappiness was further displayed by showing it infecting an entire army of robots. Arthur is still as dumbfounded by everything as ever, but at least shows some guts and sensibility. And I've always been a big Slartibartfast fan, and thought it was nice to see him back. I particularly likes his dialogue in this novel, where he will begin a very short sentence and after a large amount of description he will finish it. His "Bistromathic" ship was a funny idea also. The book adds well to the series and provides the major events for the next books(So Long, thanks for All the Fish = God's Last Words; Mostly Harmless = Arthur, Ford, and Trillian's final resting place). It's an excellent read and rests well in my heart because it was the first book in the 5-part trilogy that I ever read(I didn't understand much of it, but loved it anyway). And I believe this is the only Adams novel that a character from another SERIES of his novels comes into play(The Thunder God in this may very well be Thor from "The Long, Dark Tea-time of the Soul," which also got its title from this book!)
31 Not Quite "Everything", But Still Very Good
This third effort by Douglas Adams is still in the same funny vein as the first two books in this sci/fi trilogy, but unfortunately, it is a little weaker. We begin finding Arthur and Ford separated from Zaphod and Trillian. This foursome is a big part of the comedy in the first two books, so their separation leaves one without some hoped-for humor. Then we find Arthur and Ford separated on prehistoric earth for a number of years. This giant time lapse takes the reader out the normal, regular interaction with the characters that you're used to for no explained reason. It's seems that their lives suddenly get boring for a few years, then pick up again. This tempo change was distracting for me.
With these negatives out of the way, much praise still has to given. Maybe it seems like I've criticized the book to be worse than my 4 star rating, but the shortcomings are vastly outweighed. The whole planet Krikkit plot is very intriguing: the slow time envelope, the seemingly unrelated cricket game on earth, the small bomb, and Slartibartfast's help. Adams contributes the expected doses of satire and irrational twists to this book, giving it the same funny and unique signature as the first two books. I've read this book a number of times. It's a quick read, just like the others in the series-go for it, it's fun!
32 Life, the Universe and Everything
Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Slartibartfast, and Trillian are back in the third novel of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Trilogy, Life, the Universe and Everything, published in 1982. After being stranded on prehistoric Earth, Arthur and Ford find a rip in the space-time continuum that catapults them through time to one day before the Earth's destruction. Luckily, however, they are rescued by an old friend, Slartibartfast. Once aboard Slartibartifast's ship, Arthur and Ford find out from Slartibartfast that the people of Krikkit are out to destroy the Universe. Their motive: they are sick of looking at the sky above their head, which, according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, is the "...least interesting sight in the entire Universe."
When Arthur is diverted while teleporting to a strange planet, he discovers that he is inside a giant mountain dedicated to the people he has killed. However, these thousands people are, coincidentally, all the reincarnations of the same being named Agrajag. This being was finally going to get his revenge when, accidentally, Arthur killed him yet again. With his last ounce of strength, Agrajag managed to set the countdown for the demolition of the mountain. During his escape, Arthur tripped and, while falling, his attention was drawn by a bag on the ground, which he recognized as his own. He then realized that he was hovering a few inches off the ground and had successfully thrown himself at the ground and missed, and was in fact, flying. Arthur later meets up with Slartibartfast and Ford at the Universe's largest party in search of Trillian. Upon finding her, the head out to Krikkit to try and stop them from using a small bomb that will destroy the entire Universe.
Adams' writing style is extremely humorous and descriptive. He uses many literary devices such as simile and personification. Adams colorfully describes a strange being out to kill Arthur Dent, "Each of his three eyes was small and intense and looked about as sane as a fish in a privet bush." I thought that the book was great and lived up to its legacy, the same wacky adventures and all-out mayhem in the previous books is all here. For all of those who couldn't get enough of the craziness of the first two Hitchhiker's books, this one is a must read.
33 Fails Two Surpass its Predecessors
Anyone who has followed the Hitchhiker's series this far, understands the trade-off Adams made to write these books. They are hilarious, imaginatively diverse, and exceedingly satirical; but to be all that, Adams also had to sacrifice seriousness and some aspects of morality. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and its successor The Restaurant at the End of the Universe both exhibited Adams' command of this trade-off, and therefore provided astounding novels to the relatively specific, if underdeveloped, genre of sci-fi/comedy. Life, the Universe and Everything, however, tries to live up to these same expectations, but fails for many reasons.
First off, and most apparent, the third offering in the five-part trilogy is not nearly as funny. A lot of the situations seemed contrived; not to mention some species and characters that didn't possess the idiosyncratic charm that the first two possess. The plot, admittedly, is more epic and complicated than the other novels, and for this reason Adams deserves much applause; unfortunately, it is never developed to a satisfactory extent. I would have gladly settled for a simpler story, if it were presented more coherently and with more insight into a decidedly abrupt climax.
Ultimately, this novel feels as though it was written, if not by a completely different writer, then at least in a completely different setting. Down to the most minute of characteristics--maybe it's the witty banter of its predecessors, or the eccentric commentary of the Hitchhiker's Guide--Life, the Universe and Everything does not live up to the example set by novels one and two. Adams seems to have approached the topic with greater gravity, as though he loved the previous books and characters so much, that he was determined to one up them with all his skill. And because of this, rather than succeed at the task, the whole book becomes so much more serious. One wonders what would have happened if Adams hadn't been as omnipotent in the preparation of this novel; would Life, the Universe and Everything match the tone and success of the original two?
And so after reading Life, the Universe and Everything, one sees how Adams ignored the pact that made a divisive chasm between humor/imagination/satire and serious art. He tried to bridge the gap, and in the end it failed. At this time, I look forward to the fourth book in the series, but I pray that Adams assumes his original approach to the Hitchhiker's Guide, or I may never make it to the fifth. Certainly, the first and second novels in the series were worth all of the applause attributed to them. I can only hope that Life, the Universe and Everything is the outlier in the series.
34 British? Wow!
Well, I didn't much like this book but then I read the Brititish version and it was much different! And better! Tons of swearing which was changed for Americans is intact! Yay! I still only rat it 3 stars because it is still clearly the worst in the series, the best being So Long and Thanks for All tne Fish. The second worst was Mostly Harmless. The first two are tied for second best. Too, bad he died, eh? (...)
35 Another one in the series that'll make you ponder
Authur Dent and his alien companion Henry Ford are stuck on prehistoric earth. From there anything goes. They are then sweep through time only to arrive on earth one day before its obliteration. From there they join Slartibartfast and start on a voyage to save the universe from total destruction. There the possiblities are endless the probablities are high and anything goes.
36 Reunion with old friends
It's been a pleasure once again to read about the adventures of the always ignorant Arthur Dent, party-seeker Ford Prefect and universally cool guy Zaphod Beeblebrox.
This part provides a nice mix of interstellar adventures, English cricket (not to be confused with the destructively peaceful people of Krikkit), random verbal abuse and an excellent floating party.
Douglas Adams provides to be still witty and entertaining. I'm glad this is not the end of the trilogy.
37 Amazing as always
Douglas Adams has done it again. A hysterical addition to the trilogy. If you love comedy and science fiction this is a must read. Ideal for children aged 12-102.
38 Good, But No Classic
The first two books in the Hitchhiker Trilogy are two of the funniest, most entertaining books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. This, the third book, is also enjoyable along those lines, but not as good. Certainly it has it's share of funny moments and clever writing prose, but it's not up to the level of the first two books (especially The Restaurant At The End of the Universe, still the funniest books I have EVER read.) Thankfully, the follow-up, So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish is back up to the stellar level of the first two books. All in all, this is a good and entertaining book, but slightly slow at times and perhaps a bit overlong. You'll have to read it after reading the first two books, and you'll enjoy it, but don't expect a classic.
39 A little off the hook, but the more the merrier.
This book was a rather entertaining book by its principals and characters alone. It's about these ignorant people on their little secluded planet called Krikkit who don't know if anything else is out there. Eventually a ship crashes and arises the curiosity to see what is going on out there. They finally see and the result isn't to their liking so they plan to destroy it... all of it. But best of all, it isn't going to take a super hero to stop these evil plans, as the main characters who have beef with the universe ARE MORONS!! I'm not much of a reader so I wasn't able to relate it to any other books I've read. For the most part though, I thought this book was hilarious. Some of the crazy ideas and actions and even the thought process behind the characters is just wacky. It just seems like Adams sat around thinking of another way to make this whole story crazier and even more out of whack than ever seen before. The brilliance in his 'irrational' ways make this quite the ride for the reader. If you like crazy little things that collaborate and come together to make one blob of a plot that somehow, to someone, makes sense, this is the amusement you've been looking for. If stupid or crazy humor isn't to your liking, this book isn't recommended. Else, this one is in the cart, right?? Look up there, and click the 'ADD THIS TO SHOPPING CART' button at the top right.
40 No people, your wrong!
I give Douglas Adams only 2 stars for this effort, and I'll tell you why:
Of course we are immediately reminded of our heros Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Trilian, and Marvin, the depressed robot - which is cool, but there's no luster surrounding them in this book. I have yet another 20 pages to go with this one, but I'm not expecting anything grand to happen. The lack of effort or failure to create even more abstract views is painfully obvious here. Honestly, I've done nothing but glaze over the pages, and not a single word has caught my eye for more than a millisecond. The only saving grace of this book is where Ford jumps in and out of a gin and tonic - but other than that, this book is a complete bore! The only reason I continue is for clues I might need for the next book in the series, which I allready own.
I'm hoping this next one ain't this bad. The reason Douglas got 2 stars is just praise for the first 2 books, which I can't see myself reviewing anytime soon.
41 epitomizes the series
In my opinion, the third installment of the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's Trilogy is the most well-rounded of them all. It is perhaps the most outright hilarious of the five novels, and actually has a very entertaining plot. While some elements are connected to previous novels (most notably Slartibartfast and Ford and Arthur's exile on prehistoric Earth), the book can basically stand on its own, something I couldn't necessarily say about the first two.
Agrajag is one of my favorite parts of the entire novel, as is Arthur's learning how to fly. Unfortunately, there is very little of Marvin, which is particularly depressing seeing as how he's only in the last chapter of the fourth book and entirely absent from the fifth). Basically, what we have here is all the zaniness of the earlier books without the aimlessness.
I feel that this book had an ending satisfying enough to complete the "Trilogy," and am curious as to why Douglas continued the series. However, I'm glad he did, because the final two books are my favorite. Still, if you want to capture what I feel is the quintessential essence of Adams, then this is the quintessential chapter in the Hitchhiker's Saga. Enjoy it!
42 WHOOPDIDOO!
This book is so cool and it is one of the best of the trilogy. The only book that is better is the first book of the trilogy. Adams did a good job of using random events to make up a story that is really funny.
The book is about an alien race called the Krikkits. The planet Krikkit maintains itself within a dust cloud. Krikkit's sun is the only visible thing in the sky. You are not able to see any other thing from within the dust cloud. The people of Krikkit had never thought of "What was out there," because they already knew that there wasn't anything.
One day, a spaceship crashes onto Krikkit and the people of Krikkit decide to see whats out there. They find out that what they thought before was wrong as they saw trillions of stars when they exited the dust cloud in one of their homemade spaceships. They saw it and they automatically became homicidal xenophobes. Their new mission was to destroy every other thing in the known universe. While our heroes are the only thing that can stop them.
I give Life, the Universe and Everything *Falls off the Empire State Building and suddenly sees a big floating five and starts to fly* FIVE STARS!!
43 Adams doesn't dissapoint!
This is the second in the Hitchhiker trilogy. Having already the 3rd back in June, this cleared up a couple of burning questions such as 'How did Arthur Dent learn how to fly?". As always, Adams is truly entertaining in his narration, weaving of unlikely events into a cohesive story line, and cheeky turn of a phrase. Now, I'm hunting for the first of the three to properly finish the trilogy in a sequence Adams would appreciate.
44 Douglas Adams does it again
This was the third book in the trilogy, and it lived up to the expectations placed upon it from the previous books. Some of the concepts (Cricket for instance) may be lost on an American audience, but make it funnier for other audiences. A great read.
45 Hilarious
Brilliant. Witty. Biting. Absolutely Hilarious. The Hitchhiker series is not to be missed; they are the funniest collection of books ever written. I don't think I could decide which one in the series is best, as they're all great. I'm not much for fiction, but I couldn't put these books down. Buy them all!
46 He's just this guy. You know?
All in all I enjoyed this book. Like Adams other works it's as off-the-wall and funny as anything else. Indeed, the core of Adams works are the hilarious little asides that seemingly go nowhere and yet find there way into an integral part of the story in later chapters. If anything the only reason I gave this four stars instead of five was that this novel had a plot.
47 This book was disapointing!
I thought this one fell seriously short of the othes. Very sad considering the other books that Douglas has written
48 Watch for the Anti-War subtext
Another winner from Douglas Adams. Arthur Dent, I increasingly believe, can perhaps best be compared to Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit, from J.R.R. Tolkien's classic books. He is a basically very humdrum guy, who gets pulled into this kaleidoscopic world of adventure through no wish of his own... In this book, at any rate, the references to the game cricket went mostly over, or perhaps under, my American head, but most of this book has to do with the insanity of war, which of course is a pretty universal message.
The White Robots of Krikkit sound a lot like the stormtroopers from Star Wars, but it's probably better to compare then directly with the Nazis from which those stormtroopers themselves were in all likelihood derived. The theme is of how most people from the planet Krikkit want to enjoy life, listen to music, have their own little farm to raise a family on, etc, while the warlords that run their government are constantly trying to get them fanatically worked up to go forth and conquer the universe. Trillian gets some of her first real character development in the whole series, or at least a few solid lines, when she is the one to piece this simple fact together, along with some other, less simple facts. Again, a very cool book, and one which makes you think in a good way about some really important stuff.
49 What happened? The first two where so good.
After two triumphantly funny book, Adams goes insane and writes this terribly dull and UNFUNNY book. I'm not sure if it even deserves 2 stars. The gags fall flat, and the book is every bit as silly as the first two, but they were also funny. Don't bother with this one.
50 More overhyped, absurd, shtick thats not all that funny.
I wish I could have enjoyed the "Hitchhiker" books more than I did. There was definitly some funny moments in the three books, but overall I found the humor to be to absurd and abstract to be taken as funny.
If you like "Monty Python" material then this book and the first two may be for you. If your like me and you only find "Monty Python" to be moderatly funny, then these books may be something to skip.
In summary: I found this third book of the "Hitchhiker" adventures to be like the first two installments - sometimes funny and interesting, but mostly dull and abstract shtick that simply isn't my style.
These books aren't bad, they just aren't all that good either. The second book in the series - "Resturaunt" - was the best.
51 An outstanding edition to a wonderful series.
When I first read this book, I was 12 and in the 6th grade. I understood everything, and have read it over and over again ever since then. When read with the other books in the series, it almost creates a biblical feel, where each book explores different theories of life, such as: Does God exist? Can God prove he doesn't exist? What is God's final message? and many other such questions. This book and series is so well written, that you get the feel that it could go on forever.
52 ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS TO GRACE THIS PLANET !
It is so funny that you should not read this book in 1 day because if you do next thing you'll find yourself in a padded room in a white jacket
53 Wow!
Douglas Adams' out-of-this-world characters and mind-blowing plot twists make this one of the most hilariously side-splitting sci-fi novels I've read.
54 Awesome!
The third book in the trilogy is still full of Adams's crazy, hilarious ideas. It answers questions asked in the previous books, such as "What is the meaning of life?" Ford, Arthur, Zaphod, and the others are are some of the best characters created.
55 unregrettably unsatisfiable
For those of you wondering, Adams' method of writing is this: take the most absurd and irreverend random notions as well as strange stories that lead nowhere and throw them together with oddjob plots that makes you wonder what on earth the point of this whole trip was in the first place, vomit them forth with obnoxious cynical insanity and refuse to apologize along the way. The meaning of life is (Spoilers). Flying is just the art of throwing yourself at the ground and missing. The most efficient form of fuel in the universe is the illogic contained within The mathematics of an Italian restaurant. Huh? Exactly. This is the third book in the five part Hitchhikers' "trilogy", and anyone who read the first two books will notice a big difference between this book and those. The difference is, more or less, the first two books didn't have much of a plot, and were just the random exploits of a confused Englishman hitchiking through the galaxy. This one actually attempts to have a plot, which is its main downfall. But dont let that stand in your way: all of the hitchhiker books are about unabashed insanity, and the author makes no quams about it. So if your worried that it doesn't make sense, its not supposed to. The universe is, after all, infinitely improbable.
56 A Good Science Fiction/Comedy book
This is a very good book but it did not live up to the standards of the two that came before it. It is a good way to end an excellent series.
57 Ford's description of time on prehistoric earth=hilarious
For me, the most memorable of all the components in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. As with everything in the series I often had to remind myself that the plot doesn't have to make sense. Once I got past the foolishness of it all I realized that there were moments of warped verasimilitude after all if only I'd look.
But I didn't look. I read it for the scenes of mindless humor instead. That's the way I think it should be read. I will never forget Ford thinking that he is a lemon and entertaining himself by jumping in and out of a lake that thinks it is a gin and tonic. (At least Ford thinks the lake thinks it is.) Or when Arthur realizes in horror during his encounter with Agrahjag that he still has a rabbit bone in his beard (the bone being a remnant of one of Agrahjag's past reincarnations).
58 Laugh out loud funny!
Although the plot has it's down sides, you really don't even notice it compared to the humor.The plain dumbness makes the whole book hysterical.
59 Why!...
This is perhaps the most offbeat and uneven book in the trilogy. The reason is simple: the book has a definite plot. Usually Adams goes off on tangents which is frenetic and wondeful, but this time, he tries to make his feckless and useless characters actually DO something, even when it's painfully obvious they just don't want too.
It's a good thing the plot is frenetic and wonderful anyway. It definitely would not have worked on Dr. Who, which it was originally written for, and it comes dangerously close to not working here. You can see Adams going off on tangents in the storyline but forcing his characters always to return to the plot. Much of this is not self-evident in the text and the whole book merely comes off as being improbably weird, so it's a very good book, anyway.
60 Ho hum...
This wasn't exactly the best book in the series. Though it contains perhaps the best scene in the entire trilogy (remember Agrahjag?) the humor is weak and hard to follw, the scenes with Zaphod and Trillian are inferior, and the ending is much too wierd. Arthur comes across best in this one, but it ends once again with the gang dropping him off. Don't try it. It's not healthy.
61 The best plot of the 'trilogy'
If you ask me (yes, I realize you're not asking me) every book in the Hitchhikers 'trilogy' is damn perfect, but this has the best plot of the five. Two of the best comedic scenes in the series occurr in this one; Arthur learning to fly, and Arthur defeating Thor. READ THIS BOOK!
62 HORRIBLE
This book was terrible, absolutly terrible, the humor was bad, the story very boring. The first book was good but it goes down hill fast after that.
63 A hilarious satire for the open-minded reader.
With the exception of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" this is, in my opinion, Adams' most talented work. The story is amazing, but definitely not for skeptical readers. To fully appreciate his books you should not be asking questions such as "What does an italian restaurant have to do with mathematics?" In short: a great book for those who do not think long and hard about every event in the tale.
64 A hylarious satire for the open-minded reader.
With the exception of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" this is, in my opinion, Adams' most talented work. The story is amazing, but definitely not for skeptical readers. To fully appreciate his books you should not be asking questions such as "What does an italian restaurant have to do with mathematics?" In short: a great book for those who do not think long and hard about every event in the tale.
65 something lacking
Perhaps it was the fact that there was a real plot to this story: trying to save the universe from a bunch of singing idiots. Or maybe, after writing the first two Douglas Adams simply went dry. The highlight of this book is Arthur learning to fly.
66 ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!
I actually read this book before the first two and I thought it was so funny. Adams' off the wall humour makes this book a must have! After Reading it I've purchased the 'Trilogy' of five books and love every one!
67 maddeningly hilarious
if you've ever wondered what it would be like to be a lemon, or how to fly, or how to make a mountain invisible by painting it pink and putting a sign on it that says "someone elses problem" than you HAVE to read this book. my favorite book in the five book trilogy, it has the adams tough and a large glubbering matress.
68 maddeningly hilarious
if you've ever wondered what it would be like to be a lemon, or how to fly, or how to make a mountain invisible by painting it pink and putting a sign on it that says "someone elses problem" you have to read this book. my favorite book in the 5 book trilogy, it has the adams touch and a planet of glubbering matresses (all of the mattresses names being Zem)
69 Not as funny as the first two
This installment is not as funny as the first two... I didn't really laugh at all. A nice bridge to "Thanks for all the fish" (which I think is better), but if you only want to laugh, stop at the first two books. It's not particularily funny, or touching, but it of course has the great Adams touch.
70 This book rivals the original Guide
All who have read the original Guide the following series must admit that Life, the Universe and Everything rivals the great HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy. If you enjoyed the zany fun of the Guide you will find it hard to keep away from this book.
71 More mind-bending brilliant humor
Adams continues his thought-provoking laugh-fest in this third book of the five-book Hitchhiker's series. This book addresses, well...life, the universe, and everything. It is filled with the same colorful characters, scarcastic (but witty) English humor, and subtle analysis of human life that he began in the first book. Reading Adams' work has done me an immeasureable amount of good, and I strongly encourage others to read this series. It is one of the few pieces of literature on the market that truly allows the reader to laugh and really _think_ at the same time.
72 This is a wonderful book
I think that this is one of the funniest books I have ever read. The best part about it is that everything is so real. Who would have thought that the Earth was just a huge computer? Can you prove it isn't???
73 Adams scores a hat trick with his third outstanding book
Amazing! Adams does it again in his third novel! Arthur and Ford are stuck in Earth's past! Zaphod and Trillian are running scared! And let's not forget Slartibartfast, who helped get Arthur into this whole mess. Adams has a wonderful grasp of the English language. Still a must read
74 The Best in the Triliogy
I have read all five books of the HitchHiker's triliogy (Yes, there are five!) and Life, the Universe and Everything was the best (aka if you didn't like it, don't read the next two). That's all
75 A good book for everyone who loves a good book
This book is the best of the "hitchhiker" trilogy. It is written in a typical british style, with enough satire to keep the reader on his toes to attempt to divine the true meaning of every word spoken.
Mr. Adams is unique, styleisticaly, because he bridges a gap in writing in a way that is unparalleled. He brings togther Dr. Who and Calvin and Hobbe
76 This book rocks!
Douglas Adams has done it again with this novel. The 3rd of his 5-book saga about Arthur, Ford, Zaphod, Trillian and Marvin is superb. TONS of laughs. I whole heartedly recommend this and all of the other books in the Hitchhiker's series
77 Hilarious.
When the author is also a talented reader, magic can happen. It does here
