Douglas Adams
1 Dirk returns
this is yet another wonderous zany journey from Douglas
Adams. If you've ever wondered what humans do with all the brain matter they don't seem to use, what happens to gods when people stop believing in them, or whether it's possible to get pizza delivered in London, this book is for you. Same series as "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency", but I read this one first and the plot didn't suffer. Absolutely incredible.
2 Hugely Entertaining & Refreshingly Funny
THE LONG, DARK TEA TIME is a surprisingly different detective novel in which the hero, Dirk Gently, suffers from a number of humorous personality quirks. Dirk refuses to open his refrigerator, follows cars that seem to know when they're going when he's lost, and prefers to consider impossible scenarios over highly improbable ones. He also has a penchant for taking things that aren't his... although no matter how badly things seem to be going for him, he always seems to manage to end up in the right place at the right time. And perhaps this is the greatest lesson that Dirk Gently has to share.
I laughed out loud so often while reading LONG DARK TEA TIME that I cried, and found myself reading and re-reading passages to savor them again and again. Douglas Adams is truly a master story teller, even when dealing with a plot that ping-pongs back and forth between two main character who are coping with extremely unusual (and dare I say impossible) situations. Keeping track of the plot was challenging at times, but well worth the effort.
I highly recommend this book, and now plan to make sure I read everything Adams has written!
3 Fascinating
I just wanted to add (to all of the other reviews) that, while the Dirk Gently books may not be as hilarious as the Hitchhiker's book (and at times verge toward drama), I would say they are much more interesting. The plots are complicated to be sure, at times esoteric and puzzling, and you may even have to re-read, but I find it is well worth it. Fascinating.
4 Classic Douglas Adams
A check-in counter at London's Heathrow Airport spontaneously explodes in a ball of flame, and is ruled by the authorities as "an act of God." As it turns out, the explosion was an act of *a* god---Thor, the God Of Thunder, trying to catch a plane to Oslo, Norway. But why would an almighty god be trying to catch a plane flight in the first place? Enter holistic detective Dirk Gently to solve the mystery....The second and, sadly, final "Dirk Gently" book written by the late, great Douglas Adams, "The Long Dark Tea Time Of The Soul" is a hysterically funny book, and a major improvement over the decent but unspectacular first book, "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency," which certainly had it's funny moments, but was too long (and long-winded) and confusing. This time around, Adams' writing is a LOT sharper & funnier, and he keeps the book excellently paced. And the character of Dirk Gently really grows here---he's much more concise and focused, and he doesn't ramble on and on about his philosophical views & methods of detective work as he did in the first book. "Long Dark Tea Time" contains many outrageously funny scenes---Dirk's dilemma with his old refridgerator, and his surprising encounter with a young boy watching TV are both particularly memorable---and great characters, too, not only Dirk Gently but also the spunky American girl Kate Schechter, Thor the hot-headed God Of Thunder, and the vile creature named Toe Rag. The story is clever, moves along nicely, and, if I haven't made it clear enough, is very, very funny.I'm saddened that Douglas Adams never got around to writing a third "Dirk Gently" book, as I would've loved to have read further adventures of this most oddball of detectives. But at least Adams wrote a pair of them, and "The Long Dark Tea Time Of The Soul" is a fabulously hilarious book that can proudly sit right alongside Adams' very best "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" books, in particular volumes 1, 2 and 4. "The Long Dark Tea Time Of The Soul" is classic Douglas Adams all the way.
5 Lesser Adams work -title more describes his career
The title "The Long Dark Teatime Of The Soul" comes from a line used to describe the bored and immortal Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged from his novel Life, The Universe, And Everything, who had entered "the long dark teatime of the soul." However, it may also be an accurate reflection of what Adams had entered re his writing career.
Kate Schechter is on her way to Oslo, but that never happens. First, she runs into a tall, angry Norwegian-looking person whom she helps out at the check-in counter at Heathrow Airport. Second, said check-in counter explodes, sending her to the hospital. The papers label the incident an act of God, resulting in several injuries and the disappearance of the apathetic check-in counter clerk who angered the Nord. She recovers, but something leads her to Woodhouse, a hospital for very unusual patients, including a one-eyed old man whose name is Mr. Odwin, has a tiny demonic-looking assistant named Toe Rag, and a certain temperamental son with a hammer named Mjolnir.
So where does Dirk Gently come in this? In his usual "fundamental interconnectedness in all things" way, of course. He wakes up hours after he was supposed to meet his client, who's terrified of a green-eyed giant with a scythe. He arrives at the client's house, only to find the police there, his client's head rotating in the middle of a 33 and 1/3 single "Hot Potato" record that keeps skipping. He goes through a series of misfortunes and incidents, including breaking his nose and being attacked by an eagle.
The premise, and it may require a few re-readings to fully get what's going on, is interesting enough, but not as the ones he explored in his Hitchhiker novels and the previous Dirk Gently novel. They seem to be a series of disconnected ideas that don't click together. Dirk Gently's quirky, eccentric character works as long there's a more straight-laced foil to respond to his ramblings. Here, there is no Richard MacDuff to help out.
Consider those who respond to him. Sally Mills, the nurse whose coffee he steals, isn't too put out by his personality. Kate Schechter, on the other hand, gives him a flea in his ear after he tail-ends her car, but she's more independent-minded than MacDuff, and there's only one segment in the book where she interracts with him.
Some ideas that could be funny or further elaborated include an I Ching calculator, which can add up to 4, but any answer above it equals "a suffusion of yellow." One that works is his theory of finding his way after being lost in traffic, and that's to follow a car that seems to know where it's going, the premise being that somehow, he'll end up where he needs to be.
As for his writing, Adams' description of Gently's fridge, which hasn't been opened for three months, is something: "the fridge no longer merely stood there in the corner of the kitchen, it actually lurked." And the fridge war between he and his housekeeper is a beaut in writing. There are actually some good writing moments, but other than that...
People interested in Adams should, as the chorus to "Hot Potato" goes, "don't pick it up, pick it up, pick it up" and maybe only after they've read Dirk Gently. Getting into it does require a high degree of patience, so only for the most diehard fans. Overall a bit disappointing, like his other work Mostly Harmless.
6 The Gods are alive and kicking
Why would the Norse God Thor be hanging around Terminal Two of Heathrow Airport trying to catch the 15.37 to Oslo? That is exactly the question Dirk Gently, a special kind of detective who uses his spiritual insight for his investigations, needs to get answered as fast as possible. Somehow the exploding Heathrow Airport ticket counter seems to be connected to Dirk's latest -and late- client, found only this morning with his head quite independently revolving atop the hit record "Hot Potato". It is time to get his holistic view on the world in practice, because the hostile attentions of a stray eagle and the murderous dirty refrigerator make the life of our intergalactic sleuth less attractive than he is used to.
When reviewing any book written by Douglas Adams, you are immediately forced -by some unseen intergalactic force- to compare it to the Hitchhiker's Guide series. No need in trying to resist this urge, so here it goes: The Gently books are probably not as hilarious as the Hitchhikers Guide series, yet they are still very funny. Voila!
Now that that has been cleared, it is time to formulate some useful comments. Be warned! When you decide to read The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul know that you will have to immediately reread it once you turn the last page. The storyline is so complex and mind bogglingly absurd that you will conclude more than once that Douglas must have been completely stoned while writing this novel. But don't panic! In the end everything comes together in an apotheosis of pure grandeur. The denouement is so perplexing that you can only continue by rereading the complete novel.
The jokes and gags are not the strongest point of the book, but the absurd situations and the entertaining storyline compensates this easily.
Since The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul is the sequel to Dirk Gently and the Holistic Detective Agency, I guess it is recommendable to start with the first novel, although I did not do this and still had some great fun.
7 Wacky and Fun But Missing Something at the End
Kate Schechter should have taken the signs the universe was trying to give her. That's what she tells herself as she shows up at the airport for a trip to Norway in spite of all the warnings. Still, she is unprepared for the check in desk to be blown through the roof just after she misses her flight.
Meanwhile, Dirk Gently has hit a low. He has almost no money and no clients. Except the one he's forgotten about who promptly gets himself killed. Now Dirk feels responsible for not taking this guy's claims serious and wants to track down the green eyed monster. As if that weren't enough, he and his cleaning lady are having a war over who will open his fridge first, an out of order soda machine keeps appearing and disappearing, and he's being stalked by an eagle. What these seemingly unrelated events have to do with each other provides plenty of wacky entertainment.
I am still only mildly familiar with the books of Douglas Adams, and I simply must correct that. This fantasy novel was wonderfully strange and entertaining. The opening bits about the airport and Kate's trip had me laughing out loud. The laughs slowed down over the course of the book, but they were still plentiful. Maybe it's my normal reading of mysteries, but my only real complaint was an ending that was really more confusing then enlightening of what had gone on before.
Actually, I listened to the audio version of this book, read by the author. These can be hit or miss, depending on the author. Douglas Adams did an exceptional job of reading, throwing just the right tones and inflections in for the best effect. About the only complaint on this part was that the scene changes were so sudden and abrupt that it could confuse you for a few seconds even when you're paying attention.
Whether you get your hands on the audio version of stick with the traditional print version, this is a wonderful title sure to entertain. I must move more of his books higher up my to be read pile.
8 The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
The adventures of Dirk Gently (Svlad Jelly)continues in this second and most unfortunatly last (not including the partially written Salmon of Doubt)book of the series. This book is filled with typical humor of Douglas Adams, from Gods giving up thier power for nice clean sheets, to an advertising agency bent on ruling the world. (Don't forget Thor counting all the rocks...) This is a must read for any DNA fan. What I like best about this book (and indeed most of DNA's books) is how the minutae come together at the end, as Dirk would put it "the fundemental interconnectedness of all things" really plays a part here.
9 A writing genius.
The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul is simply one of the most amazing books I have ever read and the late Douglas Adams is a writing genius. This story mixes his unique--and side stitching--humor with a plot that brings both a modern world and a world of myth to life. This follow up to Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is more than worth the price paid and will keep you howling with laughter no matter how many times you read it. Quite simply: it's brilliant, well-written, funny and farcical. Not many authors can interject their personal opinions of the world into their work and get away with it like Douglas can. Though he may be gone he will forever live on in the hearts and imaginations of his fans world wide.
10 Weak attempt
The Douglas Adams I remember from the first Dirk Gently novel is not present in this one. The storyline feels thrown together, the ending is forced, and the ability of the text to hold an audience is poor. Though there were a few bright spots, this book was a large disappointment. However, the Hitchhikers Guide five book trilogy and the first Dirk Gently novels are wonderful. Don't read this, it just disappoints. At best, it's a B-.
11 Acts of Gods, modern ennui and private hospitals, oh my!
Douglas Adams is amazingly whimsical. If the Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy didn't convince you of that, the Dirk Gently novels will. Gently is a detective, but no Sherlock Holmes. No, rather than ruling out the impossible to leave only the improbable, Gently prefers to believe the impossible, because it makes so much more sense than the improbable. He solves his case through ingenuity, luck, and a belief in the interconnectedness of all things.
A highlight for me is Dirk's method of finding directions. He just follows someone who looks like they know where they are going. This, he says, doesn't always get him to where he wanted to go, but almost always gets him to where he needs to be. If only we all had such faith!
This book is the second of two about the private eye. I don't want to give away too much of the story, as it is definitely a mystery, but it covers some of the same ground as American Gods in a much less sinister manner. Everything has a reason and a rhyme in this book, even if at first encounter, an event makes no sense, neither to the characters nor the reader. While the ending is a bit abrupt for my taste, if you like whimsy, you'll get an ample helping with this book.
12 not his best
I love Douglas Adams's books. I reread them regularly and I'm sorry he isn't around to write more of them. This isn't his best, the plot is aimless, as if he started with a good idea and then didn't know where to go. It ends suddenly, as if the author gave up or couldn't figure a way out.
I still love all Douglas Adams's works, just don't read this one as often as the others.
13 Amazingly captivating read.
This was the first book I read by Douglas Adams, after hearing about his famous Hitchhiker's Guide and only being able to find this one at my local library. The story onfolds as Heathrow Airport explodes just adding to our protagonist Kate Schechter's ridiculously bad luck. She then goes on a search trying to find the tall burly Norwegian man she just met before the explosion. Meanwhile, Dirk Gently; our private investigator begins to investigate the case of the exploding airport. The story keeps unfolding until we are immersed by the Norse Gods whose power and notoriety has diminished in the modern world. This book kept me interested through out the whole story. It also got me hooked on Adams's other novels.
14 Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
This book definitely proved not to be a disappointment as a sequel. This book maintained the same sarcastic humor and odd coincidences that seem to fit in an extremely insane way. It dealt a lot more with gods and science fiction type stuff, so if the first book proves too sci-fi for you, don't even bother with the second. This book has definitely convinced me to paruse for more books by Douglas Adams.
15 Way way out man ! ! !
Of all the Adams books...and I have read the lot several times over, this one is THE BEST!!! I never get tired of re-reading this one. About the only thing I hate about Douglas Adams is that he had to go and die on us! 'So long Doug . . . rip mate and thanks!'
16 Timeless!
The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul is my favourite of Adams' Hitchhikers trilogy of four. I've had it put on and plucked off my shelf countless times and each read is as enjoyable as the first if not better.
I found Adams' wit, insight and preceptions throughly entertaining, utterly hilarious, brilliantly creative and even thought provoking.
This is a book to own and to be reread through your life.
17 Gods walk among us
This is the 2nd Dirk Gently novel and like the first it is good fun , with Adams trademark sense of humour. An explosion at Heathrow is called by the press an Act of God, and it turns out to be more than tabloid hyberbole, as Dirk Gently soon discovers.
The feel of the novel is reminiscient of Thorne Smith's 'The Night Life of the Gods'. But although Adam's style is always enjoyable, the novel seems a little thin; all wit and little substance. Given Adams notorious bouts with writer's block maybe his publishers were unwilling to wait for it to be properly polished.
18 A second, and perhaps more funny, novel in the Dirk Gently's
Summary:
Unlike Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, this book focuses much more on Dirk Gently and his 'detective' efforts. Dirk is hired by Geoff Anstey to do 'something' relating to Mr. Anstey's contract selling his soul to a demon from another dimension. When Dirk remembers that he is supposed to be helping Geoff Anstey and heads towards his home he ends up finding Mr. Anstey's head separated from his body. As are all things in Dirk Gently's world, this job is interconnected with the bolt of lightening that destroyed a service desk at Heathrow airport a few days before. As it turns out, a disgruntled potential passenger who turns out to be the Norse god Thor was so upset by the mistreatment he was receiving that he called a bolt of lightning from the sky to destroy the service desk (a very literal 'act of god'). Though Thor was frustrated by the airline employee, Kate Schechter, an American journalist, actually tried to help him out leading to him wanting her help later on. Well, Kate and Dirk are sucked into a an adventure revolving around the selling of the Norse gods power by their king, Odin, to an advertising executive and a lawyer that happen to live next door to Geoff Anstey. Everything is interconnected in Douglas Adams novels.
My Comments:
The book is hilarious (though not quite as funny as the Hitchiker's Guide). I liked the fact that the focus was on Dirk Gently and we were even more exposed to his bizarre antics. Also, though it is never actually specified, it is hard to distinguish whether or not this book takes place before or after the first book in the series (I believe it takes place before). The only thing I felt was left unresolved, though Adams's resolutions are typically one to two pages and sometimes leaving you wanting, was what happened to Geoff Anstey's son who was spellbound and remarkably violent in his TV watching. Perhaps it was just meant to be funny, but it seemed like it should have more of a role in the book. Other than that small distraction, the book actually tends to stay mostly on track (other than Kate's trip to the mental hospital and the characters she meets there).
As is the case with most of Adams's work, if you like it, you like it. And, I would submit, this could actually be a good introductory book for someone that would like to become familiar with Adams's work. Great book; lots of fun.
19 Summary in 96 words, let the penguins sort this out...
Dirk had.
Dirk knew Lupton Road. "Suicide?" said Dirk.
" thought Dirk. Dirk stared at him.
"Listen," insisted Dirk again.
"Dthraydge!" insisted Dirk.
"Yed," said Dirk. "Straighter," said Dirk. Mr Dirk Gently."
"No," said Dirk. Kate shrugged.
"Yes," said Dirk.
Dirk shrugged. "Chickens?" said Dirk. Dirk frowned.
"Really?" said Dirk. "What?" said Dirk.
Dirk felt very awkward. simmered Kate. Dirk shook his head. Dirk groaned.
"Thor! Thor! Dirk stood speechless. Odin, thought Dirk. Dirk asked him.
Dirk waited.
"Oh ah," said Dirk.
"Contract?" said Dirk. "What?" said Dirk. "Thor - " said Kate.
"Thor - " said Kate.
"Thor -"
Kate shrugged.
20 Format issues outweighed by great reader and great story
While I agree with the consensus that the story is, indeed, humorous, convoluted, completely interconnected, and ultimately a confusing but inspired delight, there are plenty of reviews to that effect, so I shall narrow my focus to the specific format in which I purchased it, which is the Abridged Audio CD edition, read by the author, on which there are many fewer comments.
There are a few minor complaints about this edition. The six CDs packaged in a box of the size that, a decade ago, was used for double CDs, is novel, but the spindles hold the CDs to the tray so tightly that, removing them, one feels as if something's about to snap. The dynamic range is so great that, with any background noise at all (such as may be expected if listening in the car), the loud parts must be quite loud in order for the quiet parts to be heard. Though the cover boasts digital mastering, some high-end digital artifacts can be heard, the background squiggly sounds that one might hear in an audio stream at low dialup speeds. And, as in the case of the "Dirk Gently" audiobook, each disc contains only a single track of around 70 minutes. That last may pose a problem for listeners whose players return to the beginning of the track when stopped (luckily for me, my car player resumes where it left off); otherwise, these are, as I've said, minor issues.
On the positive side, it is a great pleasure to hear Adams' voice reading his own work. He may have been a careful and crafty writer, but he also wrote in style often closer to speech than to literate prose. There are a few bits of wordplay that work better when seen on the page; but, on the other hand, his multiple-appositive sentences are much easier to sort out when one can actually hear where the emphasis was intended.
I am not, generally, a fan of audiobooks -- not an opponent, either, but I do prefer the speed and lack of distraction of sitting down to read print. However, when there's time to listen, such as on the road trip for which I bought it, this particular book (and the book to which it is a sequel) is at least as enjoyable when read aloud by this particular reader as when I previously read the paperback. The sum of my experience -- which weighs the unimpressive format against the delight of Adams' performance, and, of course, of the story itself -- is well-represented by a solid four stars.
21 Dirk II: The Stupefying Sequel
Like it's predecessor, "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency", "The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul" demands a second reading. It's complex, often confusing, but never less than amusing. Both books display Douglas Adams' verbal wit, which will remind most of his ever-popular "Hitchhiker" books, but are more concerned with their labyrinthine and well-structured plots. And both books offer an ending that may not make sense if the reader hasn't been paying close (and I mean CLOSE) attention. The main difference between the two is that while the ending of the former was obscure *and* painstakingly logical, the ending here feels contrived and illogical. Like a good mystery novel, the reader should have been able to see it coming given the clues presented. In "Dirk Gently" this was true; it necessitated some research to fathom, but with enough effort the reader could make sense of things. Here, not so much.
That's not to say that "Tea-Time" is a pointless endeavor. It is, after all, a Douglas Adams novel. And now that the man is gone, we should cherish everything he's ever written. In their own ways they're all gems. This gem, however, has less of a sheen.
Once again, Dirk Gently is asked to save the world. Or rather, he's asked to not screw it up so much. He's a detective who believes in the interconnectedness of everything. This point is only sporadically touched on here, but is relayed at great length in the previous book. Pity, because Adams has constructed a narrative whose tentacles dip into a myriad of different subjects and storylines, all for the most part unrelated. But he does draw them all together, seemingly against their will, in the end. The drawback, then, is that the book becomes less a cohesive novel than a collection of eclectic ideas. I'd have loved to see how Adams further involved the electric I Ching calculator (a favourite tool of the Electric Monk maybe?) in the story. But alas it comes and goes all too quickly. The same can be said for The Great Zaganza, a horoscope writer who puts private joke messages to Dirk directly in each day's newspaper. Or Elena, the wayward maid, who's locked in a battle of wills with Dirk to see who will open his refrigerator first (Why? I'll never tell). These are all wonderful ideas, pregnant enough for a whole chapter (or a whole book) in Adams' hands, but nearly wasted here. Thankfully, there are enough of them to make a mild mosaic of mystery on which the narrative balances.
The book shares one of its main themes with Terry Pratchett's "Small Gods". This is not the first time I've favourably compared Adams to Pratchett, and vice versa. I suspect if you like the wicked wit and playful literary structures of one, than you'll adore the other just as much. Adams relies less on puns than Pratchett, and more on cultural mythology, but they were equally adept at deconstructing popular images to their own ends.
Before treading here I recommend a bit of research first. Read the first "Dirk Gently" book. Since Adams doesn't repeat his introduction and explanation of the main character, those unfamiliar with him will find Dirk's methods baffling. They are explained fully, just not here. Also, it might be a good idea to brush up on your Norse mythology before entering. No need to go too deep, just a trip to Valhalla will do. And finally, remember this: pay attention to everything. Nothing is accidental here. Everything matters. Everything is connected. Enjoy!
22 Read it more than once!
I have read all the volumes of THE HITCHHIKERS GUIDE. In fact, I've read all of DNA's books including his nonfiction such as THE DEEPER MEANING OF LIFF and LAST CHANCE TO SEE. Of all the books, THE LONG DARK TEA-TIME OF THE SOUL is by far my favorite. I must add, there is no piece of fiction that I have read as many times as THE LONG DARK TEA-TIME OF THE SOUL.
Why would a person read this novel more that once? First, it is hilarious! The dialogs and interaction among the characters are well honed. This description of airports on the first couple of pages will induce everyone to continue reading. Second, the story and the underlying theoretical principles that guide the novel are quite complex. Thus, a person can read this novel ten times and still undercover an unanticipated wrinkle that sheds new light on the plot and subplots. Third, from an academic perspective, Dirk Gently employs an "ecological system model" as the centerpiece of his investigative tools. Gently's worldview represents an extreme form of a theory that student's commonly learn in college. Teaching the theoretical principles of the ecological system model is a stuffy and arduous enterprise. However, using Dirk Gently as an example opens the door for understanding among many college students. Back in 1991, I emailed DNA about how I was using his novel in class. He replied and was pleased with my efforts.
I love this book and feel sad that I will not have the pleasure reading more of DNA's work.
23 Confusing, but very funny
Dirk Gently is back! Hooray! I enjoyed Tea-time almost as much as the Holistic Detective Agency but for one thing: It was very, very confusing. The first half of the book is creepy, funny, and really great. Adams is nearly at his best here. But the second half is more confusing. Now that I think about it, many things are left undone as well, unless I missed something, which I most likely did. Ah well. Read it anyway, just read it carefully and you should enjoy it.
24 A phenomenal statement
His best ever. Thor is amazingly depicted running through the planet earth in a most charming and wildly whimsical manner. Dirk Gently was introduced to me in this book and is my favorite fiction character in over 20 years of reading fiction. Simply Brilliant!
25 If you didn't like this book..
Then please take yourself to a doctor-as you have lost your sense of humor! This book is amazingly funny-I found myself laughing out loud in several places-and getting funny looks in the process, but I didn't care. This book is fantastic, and I believe that it is Douglas Adam's best ever.
26 Douglas Adams at his almost best
Humans only use about 10% of their brain power. Ever wonder what the other 90% is used for? Douglas Adams answers this and other random facts of life in this novel. Norse gods vs. lawyers, an opening sentence about the futility of airports, harmless explosions and green monsters hiding behind a molecule are all a part of this, one of Adams better novels.
The only detractions from this novel are the occasionally confusing plot and the end which does not quite satisfy in the manner that the beginning did. Overall this novel will make you laugh, which is all you would expect, or want, of Douglas Adams.
27 Dirk Gently Returns
I did not enjoy this one as much as "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency". I do have to say that Douglas Adams is an incredible writer and I have enjoyed all of his books. His has a wonderful sense of humor and is very intelligent, and it shows through in his Dirk Gently series. Like the first book, the story starts out with several story lines developing and slowly coming together for a climactic ending. It's up to Dirk Gently to solve the mystery of his late clients death and the mysterious explosion in London's Heathrow Airport that was deemed an "act of God". I was left feeling rather dissatisfied by the ending. I didn't understand why some things happened that did, and was left feeling confused and unfulfilled. However, I do not think that this is because of the book itself, but rather that perhaps I didn't devote the attention to this book that it deserves and requires. It has a very intricate plot and was very thought provoking. I will be re-reading this book to better my understanding of it, and I would love to see more of Dirk Gently in the future.
28 Certainly one of the best books ever written
Personally I could not put this book down,if it wasn't for the fact that I had class I would have sat in my dorm and not stopped reading it until I was done.
I wish that there was a way to describe the plot of this book that would do it justice, but the simple fact is that there isn't. I tried to explain it to a friend but got the same confused look as I did when I tried to explain the Hitchhiker's Guide. Aside from the inexplicable nature of this book there is true genius in the characters and the holistic nature of everything in it. And as always Adams provides the reader with a plethora of quotes that you can use to impress your friends, or worry them as to your mental stability or lack there of.
29 Hitchhiker's Guide to Reality
This book, and its predecessor "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency", are heavily under-rated due to the major success of the Hitch Hiker "trilogy" by Douglas Adams. But in a way, they're the better ones. Especially this one.
I won't bother telling the story, because frankly I cannot. Now, I've been reading this book in about monthly intervals for years, but I still find something new each time, and I still have trouble keeping track of the story. Don't let that keep you, though. Yes, it *is* mildly confusing, but it all works out after a couple of times of reading, and it's great fun from first time, page one. Besides, it's worth the effort: there's many a topic for an evening of thinking in there.
But that's not what you buy it for.
Then there's the business of the Norse Gods walking the Earth, just like your average John Smith. Sort of. Thor naturally makes more of a nuisance of himself, but anyway, the notion of everything that the human race ever chose to believe in being true, and staying true long after we've ceased to need it to be true as well, is an astonishingly moving one. "Immortals was what you wanted, and immortals was what you got", complains one of them bitterly. And rightly so. What would you do if you were an immortal, omnipotent being whom no-one believes in anymore? Chances are, you'd sell your immortal soul to appear in a soft-drink commercial. Once you accept the fantasy part of it, it all snaps in place with logical precision, and even going to Asgard becomes an accepted way to spend the evening.
But that's also not what you buy it for.
The most outstandingly entertaining thing about the book is, of course, the humour, which is more like what you buy it for. Douglas Adams is an expert for making a pun in a couple of words and leave you laughing longer, and louder, than many other humourists could in an entire page. The incredible lightness of it all is only apparent if you ever tried to write humourous stuff yourself, and thus know how hard that is. No wonder that there are so precious few books from this author. And no wonder that many try to emulate him, and fail.
Still, this isn't entirely comedy, and that's a good thing, too. Yes, the Hitch Hiker books give a couple of insights into Life, the Universe and Everything as well -- but the Gently books give more of it, and more practically applicable examples of it, even to those of you who know where their towels are.
One of my favourite examples is the way that one of the (mortal) key characters, Kate Schechter, explains how her name is spelled: "Two E's, two C's, two H's, and also a T, an R and an S. Provided they're all there, the bank won't be fuzzy about the order they come in -- they never seem to know themselves." Okay, it's funny, but there's more to it than that: it's the kind of humour you can only really understand with a name like hers -- or mine --, which makes me wonder how someone with an instantly spellable name like Douglas Adams, of all people, found out about it.
All in all, this is everything you could want: Hugely entertaining, but in an intelligent way, and not boring however many times you take to it. A must-have-read!
30 I believed every word of it.
I read this book about 10 years ago and all my friends who were technical writers liked it. We practiced moving our heads ever so slightly to try and slip between the molecules. Well, we were much younger then and lunch hours were much longer.
31 If you liked Hitch Hiker's Guide, you'll like this
Douglas Adams, in my opinion, is really funny. He writes jokes that you have to be pretty smart to get, but not a genius. British jokes. But jokes, nonetheless. He writes strange, off-the-wall, science fiction humor. Sometimes the book can get a little too strange and make you go, "what?" and reread that page, but its still good. I liked it, and I hope you'll like it too.
32 NICE & FUNNY
I loved this book because it's kind of freaky and strange but also focused and, well, funny. Sometimes the book got really REALLY weird but still somehow logic in his special way. The book is recommended to all the fantasy lovers who like good british humor and a little bit Scandinavian mythology.
READ IT!!!
33 A Great Book. two tumbs up!
This is the first book by Douglas Adams that I've read and it won't be the last. The book starts out with a big explosion, which brings us to the main characters Kate, Dirk, Thor, and Odin. Kate was brought into the story by the explosion because almost seconds before she was trying to help Thor buy a ticket to Oslo. Thor is the son of Odin who acts like a child. Dirk is a private detective working on a case that deals with the gods. The book was hilariously funny, the deranged eagle, the street light thing, and Thor being glued to the floor were some of the more amusing things. Adams is a great author, who has a great vocabulary and an imaginative mind, but he writes kind of confusing so you have to read it more than once to get every detail.
34 DO pick it up, pick it up, pick i-
This, I believe, is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I think this may indeed rival Hitchhikers Guide. The style of humor is definitely different, so if you're expecting the same kind of thing, then you may be a bit let down. However, the more earthbound (or Asgard-bound) humor pulls you in. After a while, Adams goes on to throw the characters into some very strange situations, and the result is almost always hilarious (sometimes in a sick kinda way).
Plus, if you read the book, then the heading to my review will make sense.
35 I have read
many of douglas adams' works (the entire hitchhiker's saga and the dirk gently novels). this is not one of his best works, but definitely worth reading. if you want an introduction to douglas adams, i would recommend starting with the "hitchhikers guide to the galaxy" rather than this one. if you are already a douglas adams fan, you will want to read this one.
36 One of Adams's Best books yet
This book is outragously funny, the slightly confusing story line is worth the jokes, It becomes hard only near the end so there is no complain about that. But this book can get one intrersted.
37 men in white coats
Whatever you do, do not read this book in public; you could get taken away by two men in white coats who did not realize the fit you are having is just uncontollable laughter.
38 Pleasantly Surprising
I just started my Literature AP class, so i dont claim to know everything about good literature. But if your in the same boat as me, then you can trust me. Very confusing book, which is all part of the fun! Think about the title for a second, well, the title explain exactly what your in for when you read this book (except my tea-time wasnt too dark) The munedaness (if thats a word) of life, and how us humans take it for granted. Things like resting peacefully under linen sheets, or casually attending parties, these things are what make a person happy, and maybe a god too.... Very intelligent reading, i wouldnt sugest it for 2nd graders :)
39 Pleasantly Surprising
I just started my Literature AP class, so i dont claim to know everything about good literature. But if your in the same boat as me, then you can trust me. Very confusing book, which is all part of the fun! Think about the title for a second, well, the title explain exactly what your in for when you read this book (except my tea-time wasnt too dark) The munedaness (if thats a word) of life, and how us humans take it for granted. Things like resting peacefully under linen sheets, or casually attending parties, these things are what make a person happy, and maybe a god too.... Very intelligent reading, i wouldnt sugest it for 2nd graders :)
40 Brilliant, once again
This is humor as only Mr. Adams would do it- good thing, because his brand of laughs is the best sort. It's not of the same tone of the Hitchhiker's series, but IMHO, I was a bit relieved at the what I found here, which was more sophisticated wit. Still, Adams hasn't lost his ability to make the most mundane things amusing (pizza...penguins...refrigerators) and all of the characters are, of course, delightfully quirky. They also seem to be intelligent and not left to the hands of Fate quite so much as Arthur and his gang. My point- read this, whether you're a new Adams fan or an age-old one. You won't be disappointed. You may even be pleasantly surprised.
41 Some people just don't get it!
I see so many reviews here about how this can't compare to HHGTTG or how the DGHDA books are just too confusing. They just don't seem to understand the sublime humor, complexity, and beauty wrought in these books. Its not the anything-for-laughs absurdity of the HHGTTG series; It tries to acheive a higher plane in humor. This book, spared the somewhat sluggish intro of its previous, works so well. The journey will bewilder you, but hang in and it'll start making sense. A masterpiece! Please, DNA, don't listen to all the whiners wishing for another quick-and-easy book in the HHGTTG series; That horse is long dead, so quit beating it. Continue on producing better books; Don't be dissuaded by the naysayers who can't let go of the past...
42 Great book, but not as good as the first
I came away from this book with the feeling that it was a bit of a comedown after the first Dirk Gently book. It didn't quite deliver the same laugh-out-loud hilarity and intelligent, complex plot as the first one.
Having said that, though, you still can't go very wrong by buying this book. I love all of Douglas Adams' works (yes, even the oft-maligned "Mostly Harmless"), so for me a four-star review just means that it wasn't quite as enjoyable as many of his other books. But it's still a good read, no question about it.
43 As good as the Hitchiker Trilogy
This book, like most of Adams' books, is one of the best ever written. Especially funny were the pizza problem and the whole ordeal with Holistic Detective Dirk Gently's fridge lurking about.
44 More Great Humor from Adams
For fans of his Hitchhiker series, you won't be disappointed! Laugh out loud funny with a twist of science fiction. Something here for everyone. Buy this book or you will never know what is...Douglas Adams.
45 contractually obliged
Two things must be said:
(1) Douglas Adams shouldn't write sequels. "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and "The Resteraunt at the End of the Universe" are equal in quality because they really comprise one book; later books in the series, the true sequels, rapidly go downhill. "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" was genuinely fresh and funny; the first sequel has gone downhill already. The book is NOT about Dirk Gently's holistic detective agency. At any rate, it oughtn't be. Strange things happen but no holistic explanation is to be found. Try Dirk Gently's Ad Hoc Detective Agency instead.
(PS: "The Meaning of Lif," another original work, is also worth acquiring.)
(2) Adams should start thinking up new titles that aren't pinched from the two hitch-hiker books mentioned above. Honestly! He might as well have a sticker on the cover saying, "No New Ideas".
The second star is awarded because Adams is still funny (although he was much funnier in the previous book), certainly more so than his immitator, Terry Pratchett. It's just that I've never seen him be funny in the service of so little.
46 a favorable review
This book is simply hilarious. This novel brings about the return of Svald, infamously known as Dirk, Gently, who must contend with a coca-cola machine, a client's head found revolving on a record, and an angry thunder god. Don't miss it!
47 Douglas Adams' best
Although the HitchHiker's series was good, this novel truly surpasses all of Adams' other works. "The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul" is far more suttle than most of his other books, and it contains some truly classic moments. I especially enjoyed the bit about the eagle. This is BY FAR THE FUNNIEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ. If you don't have it, get it.
48 Fun, unpredictable, distracting
I only heard this one on a book-on-tape. I was so impressed with the production quality I just had to comment. If Amazon.com can't get it, you should hunt to find it. Its great for long trips.
49 Nowhere near as good as Hitchhiker's
There were funny parts in this story, but they were few and far between, and the plot was intersting on those few occasions when it actually made any sense. The plot is very confusing and takes more than one read-through to understand, but I found the book too boring to re-read, so while reading the book my thoughts were, "When am I going to get to another funny part?" and upon finishing it, "Oh. Okay." To summarize, the plot is too convoluted and boring to be a good mystery, and not funny enough to be good humor.
50 Douglas Adams does it again!!!!
Douglas Adams has done it again. In this sequal to Dirk Gently, are goos old detective is out to solve another baffling case. Adams takes every thing in this book and makes it make sense in the end. One of his best. As humorus as Dirk Gently but with it's own twists. Adams is one of the BEST writers in the world and and can make anything a good read. What are you doing sitting here reading what I have to say. ORDER THIS BOOK. You won't be disappointed. I wasn't
51 A huge Adams fan finally must face reality.
As a long-time Douglas Adams fanatic (read all 5 of the trilogy, at least a dozen time, even wrote down every noun in all 5 for a database,) I read both Last Chance to See and DGHDA and loved them. Then I read this sequel and had to admit that it was likely the worst book I'd ever encountered. I didn't laugh once and literally had to force myself through it with several lapses between readings. Odin and Thor bored me senseless. I can now understand why there's been no third addition to the series. Time wasted on this could have been much better spent working on yet another HHG novel.
52 D. Adams manages to increase the suspense in the reader.
The story opens with an explosion at Heathrow Airport. This introduces the female main character Kate Schechter trying to find the Norwegian man she met there just before the explosion. At the same time, Dirk Gently gets involved in that case. He, as a private detective, firstly wants to find out what has happened to his ex-secretary Janice Smith. Soon, while the plot is unfolding, the Norse gods become the main theme because their power has decreased in modern society. So, one of the gods makes a contract with two human beings in order to be able to enjoy human comfort although he loses his immortal soul. As Dirk Gently believes in the "fundamental interconnectedness of all things", it all makes sense in the end.
Douglas Adams does not hand you the answer on a silver platter, though, so that some parts have to be reread.
The single events of the storyline are unpredictable, which makes the book so exciting, and the reader is guided by Kate and Dirk.
With great skill the author changes the levels of language where necessary and uses his English sense of humour. In the end, Dirk and Kate have improved their knowledge about the workings of the universe. What I liked best while reading were the various lines of action.
53 Yes and Yes!
Actually an improvement over the first Dirk Gently, the stakes not being so high improves the telling of the tale. Whereas the Hitchhiker ultimately disappointed in the last book, Dirk seems to improve and increase. Why Douglas has neglected him since then I wish I knew! There is an odd disjointed beauty in the overall structure, details such as the mental ward Dirk visits, the mystery of Harold Bell, the truck driver followed by a lovesick rain cloud stick in the mind. I found the tape version cleared up some of the more British details (the eagle with RAF marks on its wings, for example) without distracting from the whole. The only writer who seems to whet my appetite for more Adams isthe Japanese Haruki Murakami, who may have drunk from the same spring as Adams. But its not the same! Will Dirk ever solve the mystery of what happened to Fenchurch, from Hitchhikers? Mrsmishima
54 a hard read, but worth it
The first time I read this book, I hardly could understand anything about it, and I left it, pining for the old Dirk Gently. But I picked it up again a month ago, and when I reread it, I loved it. I got more of the jokes and I finally figured out most of the plot. It's not his best, but it's pretty funny. And if you like this book, read Ye Gods! by Tom Holt. Very close premise, except with Greek Gods.
55 Do pick it up, pick it up, pick it up...
Audio can be a wonderful way to experience the Douglas Adams aura. This sequel is much better than its precursor. Dirk Gently is funny and bizarre, yet oh so seriously English. Funny.
56 A Confusing but Humorous Book
A long dark tea-time of the soul. Only the title makes you aware of Adam's genious way of writing. The dark time of our souls... It is written with a British humor which I love, being ‡boring Swede'. Sometimes it really confuses me and I have to read a few parts twice, but it is generally a great novel with a silly sense of humor. He geniously connects to his other books, i.e. by having a sofa from `The hitchhiker's...` (I think) appear. There are lots of encounters with Gods, especially Thor and Oden (Odin in Eng.) If you liked 'The Hitch-hiker's...'you will love this as well as 'Dirk Gently's Holistic Agency`.
57 Adams' best so far?
Most people seem to prefer the more obvious slapstick of the early Hitchhiker's books, but I've found myself enjoying Adams more and more as he's matured. Many of the situations in this book are outrageous and silly, and there are plenty of the one-liners that are Adams' trademark ("It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression 'As pretty as an airport,'" the book begins) but there are very few passages intended solely for the purpose of eliciting a laugh. Everything's integral to the story, and it all makes sense in the end, although Adams doesn't hand you the answer on a silver platter. This novel is part social commentary, part Rubik's Cube (how DO those piecses fit together, anyway?), and part humor. It took me several re-readings to get the bit about the concentric circles on the eagle's wings, but it was worth it. If you enjoy exercising your mind through the contemplation of the absurd, you'll enjoy reading -- and re-reading -- "The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul."
58 John Cleese + Isaac Asimov = Douglas Adams
A reader of this book could easily get lost in Douglas Adams' unrelenting British dry humor and overlook the touching tragedy in his brilliant tale about immortal gods who have been cast aside, ignored and all but forgotten by their vapid subjects. His characters spend their time stumbling down a bouncing high-wire, teetering between silliness and profundity. Just when they seem in danger of plummeting off one side or the other, the author pulls them back and sends them down another plot twist that at first seems absurd and then seems absurd that it's all beginning to make sense. Adams has an ability to at once convey both the complexity and the insanity of the post-quantum physics world. This is a book which will help us understand why Einstein always had that bizarre, far-away look in his eyes. Einstein had caught a glimpse of the true nature of the universe -- and so will the reader of this extraordinary story
59 A word or two concerning The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
Much can be said of The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, most of it rather meaningless. After all, how many detective stories have a very dirty refrigerator as the key to the mystery and a detective with an 8th sense? The world of the gods has been drastically altered, and the realm of humanity has been adversely affected. Only one man can save both. Dirk Gently, super-sleuth. As is typical of Douglas Adams's genius, a series of seemingly meaningless and unrelated events turn out to be tremendously important...to the story anyway. Dirk has to relate all of these events to find out what is wrong, and an eagle following him down a street has a goodly amount of anger towards him, causing even more problems. Other...interesting (for lack of a better word) situations confront Dirk while on his quest, including car accidents, a man who had his head cut off and placed on a record player, and navigating a massive party thrown by the gods themselves. The situations, and the dialogue, keep the reader interested, as you end up asking yourself, "What the hell is going on?" Of course, they are also extremely funny. A rather interesting example, when Dirk is talking to Kate, a person nearly killed when the check-in desk at Heathrow Airport explodes, follows. Kate: "Well, this name here is Dennis Hutch, isn't it? See?" Dirk: "Oh, yes. Yes I do. Er, should I know that name?" Kate: "Well, it depends if you're alive or not, I suppose. He's the head of the Aries Rising Record Group. Less famous than the Pope, I grant you, but--you know of the Pope, I take it?" Dirk: "Yes, yes. White haired chap." Kate: "That's him. He seems to be the only person of note this envelope hasn't been addressed to at some time. Here's Stan Dubcek, the head of Dubcek, Danton, Heidegger, Draycott. I know they handle the ARRGH! account." Dirk: "The--?" Kate: "ARRGH! Aries Rising Record Group Holdings. Getting that account made the agency's fortunes." The entire book is full of these crazy, yet meaningful conversations. Put together, they make for a very good mystery, and a humorous one at that (yes, the conversation about the dirty refrigerator does have meaning, the first one with his secretary). Perhaps the greatest achievement of this book is the skill at which Douglas Adams creates situations that show how stupid humans can be, and how callous we are. Although there is not nearly as much of this as in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (also very funny) series, the ideas make you think, the universal trademark of a great book. They can be hard to identify, but they are there, if one looks hard enough. The above is why I like this book. It has real meaning, and it is very entertaining to read, something that can not be said of many books. I can honestly say that there is nothing that I dont like about this book. I would recommend it to anyone, especially to those who have a sense of humor that has been dulled by the daily routine of life. They will benefit most.
60 Well written but confusing story line.
When Dirk Gently, not-so-master-detective, is on the case, who know what can happen? The story opens with an explosion in an airport. This introduces the female lead character and basis of the story. While moving through the story you learn that the old Norse Gods were actually real, but as their human believers dwindled, their powers became less and less. As a large scam between the most powerfull god, a human lawer, and an advitiser rocks the world of the gods, Dirk Gently must smooth everything out, or else the balence between the God's world and the human world will tip, and the angry Gods will run amuck!
While this story is supremely written, a couple parts need to be reread a couple times so you can follow the story line. Adam's familiar humor and observations are just a prevalent, and just as funny as always. If you like this twisted story line as a break from all the other predictable Fantasies, this book is for you!
61 Well written but confusing story line.
When Dirk Gently, not-so-master-detective, is on the case, who know what can happen? The story opens with an explosion in an airport. This introduces the female lead character and basis of the story. While moving through the story you learn that the old Norse Gods were actually real, but as their human believers dwindled, their powers became less and less. As a large scam between the most powerfull god, a human lawer, and an advitiser rocks the world of the gods, Dirk Gently must smooth everything out, or else the balence between the God's world and the human world will tip, and the angry Gods will run amuck!
While this story is supremely written, a couple parts need to be reread a couple times so you can follow the story line. Adam's familiar humor and observations are just a prevalent, and just as funny as always. If you like this twisted story line as a break from all the other predictable Fantasies, this book is for you!
