So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

DOUGLAS ADAMS

1 Where have all the dolphins gone?
This fourth novel in the inexplicably inaccurately named "Hitchhiker's Trilogy" is the easiest to read so far, the funniest, and the most down to earth.

Down to earth, that is, once you discount the flying romance into which our hero Arthur Dent willingly throws himself, completely forgetting to come down. Yes, this is a romance novel - Arthur and Fenchurch flying to the sea, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

A Zaphod-free zone, Adams introduces hilarious new characters, such as the Rain God and the raffle ticket lady, with guest appearances by Ford Prefect and my favorite Marvin.

Mysterious fish bowls with cryptic inscriptions, disappearing dolphins, an inside-out house (not an inside out-house) and of course, a final message from God himself, round out this hilarious book.

Unfortunately, you won't appreciate it fully without reading the preceding three novels, so get busy - it's well worth your time.

Amanda Richards, March 25, 2005

2 Thanks for the laughs
This little book is funny. Adams has a satiric style that helps the reader to see how silly some of our conventions and traditions are, or seem to be when set against the backdrop of the entire galaxy.

Adams's style of writing seems to take a "follow your nose" approach. One word or phrase leads him to jump to a different thought, and the effect is that of meandering through a constantly changing environment. The reader's imagination is stimulated by all the images, such as Arthur and Fenchurch gravitating over her home, and watching a bicycle thief attempting, and failing, to steal her bike (he vandalizes it instead).

Arthur and Fenchurch travel to Southern California to attempt to answer the question bothering Fenchurch, "Where did all the dolphins go?" This trip to Southern California may evoke smiles and outright laughter in readers from Southern California (including this reviewer). They catch up there with Wonka the Sane, who had communicated extensively with the dolphins before they disappeared, and was given their final pronunciation, which is the title of the book.

Adams provides the reader with much-needed and much-appreciated comic relief, and because he satirizes the science fiction genre, he has his own special niche, upon which other humor writers (I like Dave Barry) have not yet encroached. Another thing about Adams is his use of what Americans might call Anglicisms, which may seem quaint and different to American readers (me). Much of his local scenery is England. Fenchurch got her name because she was born in Fenchurch train station. If you are a sucker for British writers, like me, you will get a double kick out of Douglas Adams. Diximus.

3 Amazing Novel
People always astound me because I so rarely agree with them. At least, I disagree with a majority on so many important issues, such as just how good a novel So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish is. In my humble opinion, this is the best novel of the series. I love the rest of the novels in the trilogy (though I haven't read Mostly Harmless yet-most people hate it, so I'm sure I'll love it), but then there comes this fourth one. It has the humor of the earlier novels (and for me surpasses them), has superior narrative features, and has a surprisingly profound underlying philosophy.

In this one, Arthur Dent ends up back on Earth which had been destroyed in the first novel. Fate throws his life into contact with Fenchurch, a woman who senses that something on earth is wrong. She's something of a mystic and something of an angel. What follows is a surprisingly affecting love story and the two lovers' search for the meaning of life.

It's funny, it's romantic, and it's profound. Don't ever think of The Hitchhikers series as simply escapist literature but do enjoy it. This is a great series, and contrary to what a lot of other people say (many of them smarter than me), this is definitely the best novel in the series.

4 The series curveball..
"So long.." is the fourth in the classic series, and it seeks to twist you up and down. It blatently contradicts what was learned in the first three, so we can be introduced to new, odd characters. Arthur's romance with Fenchurch is good, but we do wonder what the point is. Wonko's philosophy is interesting, but that's the only real laugh in it.

5 A Great Escape to...Our Own Planet!
Oh, Douglas Adams! What humor! It's been a really really long time since I read him, and I honestly don't remember which books in the Hitch-Hiker trilogy I've read. However, I recently picked up "So Long, and Thanks..." without much trouble. I knew I was missing some references and character development, but it seemed like I could gather enough threads in this random plot to get a gist of his story.

The basic idea of "So Long, and Thanks..." is that Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent both suddenly realize that earth still appears to exist - even though last they knew it was to be demolished for a hyper-space bypass. Neither understands, but both hitch-hike their way back there (er, here) to check it out.

While Prefect gets hung up along the way nabbing free meals, fighting aliens, and setting up inane pranks, Dent makes it back to England fairly quickly. As he walks towards his home, which he hasn't been to in roughly 8 years and a bizillion miles, he hears the phone ringing and so rushes into his house to get it. Just as he picks up the receiver, it stops ringing. And so begins his adventures back on his own planet.

From there, you roughly stay with Dent as he settles back in on eart, falls in love, and reconciles the past 30 years of his life. He meets Wonko the Sane, who really does seem quite sane, and learns what happened to all the dolphins. He finishes this installment with a journey to see God's final message to his creation. It probably took guts for Adams to come up with something that's supposed to be God's final message, but he pulls it off quite well.

Overall, I would say that Adam's story-telling nature seems to be so erratic, so creative, so outside the normal bounds that you get transported to another dimension in reading his work. Even though most of this story takes place on earth, you begin to see physics, dolphins and junk mail in a whole new light. You feel witty just catching on to his allusions and subtle writing quirks. For instance,
"["The Hitch Hiker's Guide"] is, essentially, as the title implies, a guide book. The problem is, or rather one of the problems, for there are many, a sizeable proportion of which are continually clogging up the civil, commercial and criminal courts in all areas of the Galaxy, and especially, where possibly, the more corrupt ones, this.
The previous sentence makes sense. That is not the problem. The problem is: Change. Read it through again and you will get it. The Galaxy is a rapidly changing place..."

If you are looking for a good laugh and/or a good escape that essentially deals with the questions of your own world, this book would be a good fit.

6 The REAL Conclusion To The Hitchhiker's Saga
Still hitchhiking his way through the galaxy on an alien spaceship, Arthur Dent passes by the area in the Solar System where his home planet of Earth used to be (before it was blown up by the evil Vogons), and is absolutely astonished to discover that the Earth is still there. He's dropped off by the spaceship nearby his home, where he slowly but surely comes to grips with being back on his home world. Arthur soon discovers that the demolition of Earth by the Vogons has now been written off by the planet's population as a great big, possibly government-induced "hallucination." Arthur also discovers that all of the planet's dolphins have mysteriously vanished. However, there's also love in the air for Arthur, as he soon meets a beautiful young woman named Fenchurch, who may hold the key to the mysterious re-appearance of Earth, and the equally mysterious disappearance of the dolphins. Meanwhile, Arthur's old alien friend Ford Prefect, hitchhiking in a different part of the galaxy, also discovers that the Earth has suddenly re-appeared, and plots a course for Earth to rejoin Arthur. And, for the coup de grace, God's Final Message To His Creation will also be revealed by the book's end...."So Long And Thanks For All The Fish" is Book 4 in Douglas Adams' popular five-part sci fi/comedy series, "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy." Call me a "Hitchhiker's" purist, but as far as I'm concerned, "So Long" is the final "Hitchhiker's" book, as Douglas Adams *originally* intended. I've completely disowned Book 5, "Mostly Harmless," which Adams, by his own admission, only wrote on a whim, and, in my opinion, is the worst book of the bunch, an incredibly disappointing and totally unnecessary extension of the saga. Now, if Adams had stuck to his original plan and left the "Hitchhiker's" series alone after "So Long," it would've been perfect, for "So Long" is a brilliantly funny book that's just as hilarious as Books 1 & 2, "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" and "The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe," and picks up the slack that Adams left with the unspectacular Book 3, "Life, The Universe And Everything." Adams revisits his clever, witty writing style from the first two books, with all of the jokes squarely hitting their targets, and his amusing love story for Arthur and Fenchurch is very nicely done as well (hey, it's about time Arthur got himself a woman!). Many great scenes throughout, such as Arthur's initial road-accident courtship of Fenchurch, the plight of Rob McKenna (who has rainclouds follow him everywhere he goes), Ford Prefect's attempt to pay for a gargantuan drinking bill on another planet with a credit card, Arthur & Fenchurch's flying escapade, their meeting with Wonko The Sane, Ford's drunken reunion with Arthur, the re-appearance of Marvin the android, and, of course, God's Final Message, which really does seem to put all of Arthur's misadventures throughout the galaxy in context in a single sentence.I have an old, leather-bound edition of the "Hitchhiker's" saga, printed in 1987, that only goes up through "So Long," with a forward by Adams in which he refers to "So Long" as the "last" book. I, personally, have chosen to honor Adams' original intentions, and simply refuse to read Book 5, "Mostly Harmless," ever again. In my opinion, "Mostly Harmless" is a hallucination, a hologram, a figment of everybody's imagination. It does not exist. For me, "So Long And Thanks For All The Fish" is the TRUE final "Hitchhiker's" book, a wonderfully funny & touching conclusion to the adventures of Arthur Dent & friends, as Douglas Adams originally intended it to be.

7 just as good as the original trilogy
This is the fourth volume in the Hitchhiker's Trilogy and it is just as good as the first three books of this increasingly inaccurately named trilogy. Douglas Adams brings Arthur Dent back to Earth after a long trip hitchhiking across the universe. Yes, Arthur Dent is back on the same Earth that was destroyed by the Vogons to make an intergalactic highway. Exactly how the Earth and all of its original inhabitants are recreated is teased and hinted at and if you pay attention to what you're reading you'll easily figure out why (more why, than how).

Arthur Dent is back on Earth and pretty confused as to exactly how there is an Earth to be back on. Throughout this novel we learn that all the dolphins are gone (which is old news and no longer newsworthy), and we meet a Rain God, find out what God's Final Message to Creation is, revisit Marvin the robot, and find out that Arthur finds love with a woman named Fenchurch. That's a whole lot to fit into one book. On top of that, we have levitation, a small house that walled in the entire ocean, Ford Prefect, and the world's stupidest dog. All of this is handled with the offbeat humor that we expect from The Hitchhiker's Trilogy.

This novel, for a change, focuses on Arthur Dent and takes place almost entirely on Earth. In this way, it is different from the Universe hopping we got in the first three novels. In both quality and content, this is a worthy addition to Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Trilogy.

8 So long, and good riddens
The infamous "Hitchhiker's trilogy" should have stayed just that, a trilogy. Douglas Adams' first three books were marvelous, if not haphazard and over-the-top goofy, sci-fi adventures. So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish doesn't fit AT ALL. Not only does it take a lot of the happy-go-luckiness away, it doesn't even come into play in the overall trilogy. The book presents many questions, and doesn't answer any of them. And the next book, Mostly Harmless, doesn't play off So Long in any way. This book is worthless. Unless you want to know what God's final message to his creations is, or the fate of Marvin, skip it and go straight to Mostly Harmless. It would be like nothing had happened.

Let's face it, Earth is a boring place. And that's all this book was about.

9 Beautiful
By far, my favorite book in the Hitchhiker's series. It provided a different, almost dark feeling, and to me, a perfect conclusion to the series. (Ignoreing "Mostly Harmless"'s existence") This is Adams at his best, pouring out rip-roaring lines, social commentary, and a wonderfully fun, innovative, and thought-provoking read. May his work live on.

10 Fall in love!
Any fan of the Dirk Gently novels will fall in love with this book - twice.

A romantic tale for the Hitchhiker and a perfect fourth edition to the Hitchhikers trilogy.

As with the rest of his books, a must-have.

11 Best Adams novel of all!
This is by far the best of all of Douglas Adams's novels - including the entire Hitchhiker's series and both Dirk Gently books. It contains all-new material, not just scenes from the radio series rearranged and slightly altered. Adams splits off Arthur Dent from the rest of his friends and throws him into the strangest situation of all: his galactic hitchhiking has led him back to Earth, an Earth which had long ago been destroyed by the Vogons, but is, for some reason, still there.

Adams is at his best here, creating wonderful imagery and great new characters. He perfectly captures the sensations of falling in love. The comedy is gentle, and the science-fiction elements nearly take a back seat to the love story - but come back in a big way when a long-estranged friend shows up.

In M.J. Simpson's Douglas Adams biography "Hitchhiker", he maintains that many DNA fans (including Simpson) regard this as his worst book - an opinion Adams seemed to share (but Simpson points out that Adams had this opinion of most of his books at one point or another.) As a fan from the very first NPR radio broadcasts, I respectfully - and strongly - disagree. This is Adams at his gentlest, and his most poetic, and his best - in fiction, anyway. The nonfiction "Last Chance To See", itself a love story of sorts, is the only long-form Adams that I would rate higher.

12 A hitch-hiker's guide to Love
Here we have the strange, touching love-story between socially challenged bust most humane Arthur Dent and the gentle, Lost-for-an-Answer Fenchurch. This book is different from all the rest, much more poetic and symbolic, celebrating the best in human nature. Then we have God's Final Message to His Creation. Here the series should have ended, but, alas, there was to be "Mostly Harmless".

13 How Arthur Dent sheds the bathrobe and finds true love
So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish, the fourth book in the Hitchhiker's "trilogy," is a much different read than the books preceding it. Gone are the skips and jumps from one galaxy and time to another, the almost constant evasions of certain death, the madcap hilarity that ensued whenever Zaphod, Ford, Trillian, Arthur, and Marvin got together (or split up), and the maddening pace of a well-told tale going happily along with little care whether or not the story ever approached an appropriately witty conclusion. This is basically the story of the young lady who figured out the secret of happiness just seconds before Earth was destroyed by a Vogon fleet preparing the way for a hyperspace bypass. It is also Arthur Dent's story. Sure, we got to now Arthur fairly well in the first three books, but he does spend an inordinate amount of time saying things like: What?, I don't understand, Is it possible to get a cup of tea? and That's it then, we're all going to die. Once you get him out of that well-traveled bathrobe, Arthur Dent turns out to be a real person-a little weird, of course, but real, rather complex, and surprisingly interesting nonetheless.

The story opens with Arthur's return to Earth. I know Earth has already been destroyed, but that's just a minor detail. Why and how Arthur returned is something of a mystery, but he is amazed to find that his home planet not only exists, but that no more than six or eight months have passed since he left suddenly eight years earlier. His readjustment to life back home makes for good reading, but what is really important is that hapless Arthur Dent soon falls in love; it happens at first sight, even though the enchanting Fenchurch is quite unconscious at the time. Lucky enough to accidentally meet her in a more lucid state, Arthur's rather feeble attempts to tell her how and why he is powerfully drawn to her surprisingly meet with some success. Then the type of thing that can only happen to Arthur Dent (or me, in all likelihood) separates the two soon-to-be lovebirds for some time. I found the description of Arthur's dysfunctional romance with Fenchurch to be as touching as it was humorous. Their entwined fates take them on a journey of discovery which culminates in their discovery of God's final message to Creation. Those who want the type of nonstop action found in the preceding books may be somewhat disappointed here. The pace is much slower, but the character development is rich and winsome. Zaphod fans will be disappointed by his total noninvolvement in this book. Ford makes only a glorified cameo appearance, while Marvin makes a brief but quite memorable return. I myself have a special affinity for this novel; unlike its more humorous predecessors this one seems important and meaningful. Additionally, you have to be happy for Arthur's unprecedented feeling of happiness in a universe he can verifiably assert to be quite off its rocker.

14 A step backwards for Adams...
The fourth in the madcap sci-fi/comedy series takes a misstep right from the start. It turns out Earth wasn't really destroyed, and our hero Arthur Dent returns to his Islington flat and falls in love with a woman who once knew the secret to life, but forgot it. This book would almost completely be fluff if it weren't for writer Douglas Adams' telling you how boring the book is, but how exciting the last chapter is. He's right. The book is boring, the laughs are few and far between, but the final chapter is dead-on and the only part of the book that feels like the earlier three. However, the series would only get worse with "Mostly Harmless," the fifth book.

15 a Hitchhiker's love story
"So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish" is without a doubt the best book in the entire Hitchhiker's trilogy (even though its book four).

This book strikes me as having a very similar tone to Adams' Dirk Gently novels--of which I am a huge fan. While there is every bit as much hilarious caper going on in this book as there was in the previous three, we get the added bonus of some great character development, a few of the most poignant moments in the entire series, and Marvin's moving farewell to life, the universe and everything.

We also discover God's final message to his creation.

Woven throughout all the other stuff of this story is a tale of Arthur falling in love. I was surprised by Adams' ability to write a great love story. Rarely have I encountered one as powerful in any form of popular fiction (the only other that deserved to stand with it is Stephen King's "Wizard and Glass"--but that's apples and tank treads).

Now that I've managed to blather ineffectively about this great book...just take my word. Get it. It is more than worth it.

16 Very Fresh Addition
This 4th book in the Hitchhiker's trilogy is very fresh! There are a bunch of new characters, and Arthur's life takes on some new and interesting twists. We haven't seen any romance in Arthur's life yet, but he's about to find some! Fenchurch (the girl friend in question) is mysterious AND funny! And their visit with Wonko the Sane (at least that's what he tells everybody) answers a lot of questions about the dolphins. Then there are the sideline characters that are just plain hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing at Rob McKenna and Will Smithers!

I have to admit I wasn't too anxious to start this book after the last one. I was thinking that Adams was trying to add another sequel to what was at first a genius story, but was beginning to be overplayed. Ever had that sensation going to the umpteenth sequel of a tired movie? You forget how great the first one was because the last one is so boring and repetitive. Well, he DOESN'T do this! This book is like a homer with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth! The setting has changed (primarily to earth). (What, hadn't earth been blown up?) And a few of the mainstay characters don't even appear. It really adds a new dimension to this unique and tremendous series!

Would this book be complete without a visit from Marvin? I think not. Read this book; you may even find a little peace - like he does.

17 This Is Another Great Book By Adams
I loved this book and I see no reason for you not to like it, it stays true to the series and I thought it was the funniest in the series besides the first. You got to read this book and buy twenty-three copies to distribute between your friends and co-workers, the book is that good.

You may ask, "Why should I buy twenty-three copies to distribute between my friends and co-workers?" I have one answer for you. You need to spread the spirit of Douglas Adams, because he can't do it himself anymore. Please show your respect for the series and recruit more hitchhikers.

Earth lost a good person last year. In fact we lost a lot of good authors, Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson just to name a couple. Show your respect by reading a book by an author who died last year. Adams' death came way too soon.

I give "So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish," five stars.

18 Excellent with titles
Lovely carrying on in the spirit of the "trilogi of 4 " it defines. Not for someone who has not read the others in the trilogy.

19 Read it!
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.

20 So Long humor - stick with the trilogy!!!
The first book was terrific, the second great, the third good. Now, however, I think Adams has lost his thread. Looking back on the plot, I realize that nothing was accompished exept the introduction of Fenchurch - a desperatly normal characture. If you really want to finish the series than read the book but it is wiser just to remember the first three books. Of course, if you're a fan you're not going to take my advice and read it anyway but remember, I warned you!

21 Different, but very good
As the fourth book in the Hitchhiker "trilogy", this is a great novel and a step up from Life, The Universe, and Everything in quality. It starts off very funny, and the first couple of chapters are some of the most hilarous in the series, but gradually the humor slips away (for the most part), and though it is present, the central bit of the plot is, believe it or not, a love story. And a very good one, too. This change from the normal pace of the series makes the book a joy to read, and you'll probably zip through it pretty quickly. Definately read the previous books in this series first, for continuity and coherence (even though it more or less stands on it's own.) The first two books in the series were comedic masterpieces, but the third book started to slow somewhat... So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish is however, an excellent book, and a return to greatness for the series.

22 Different, and superior to the rest
This book, the fourth in the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's Trilogy, is, hands down, the best. You probably wouldn't think that were true from reading some of the reviews on this page. However, I was astonished and amazed by what this volume had to offer.

For starters, if you read Douglas Adams just for the zaniness and offbeatness of it all, you may be disappointed by this novel. While those elements are not absent, they are severely toned down for this installment. The amazing thing, though, is that Adams manages to mix in his humor at all with a very touching romance and somewhat serious quest of rather epic (rather than episodic) proportion.

The best part about this novel is that it virtually almost entirely features Arthur, and that's it... at least out of the main characters. Ford shows up a bit, and Marvin is in the last chapter, but Zaphod and Trillian are missing, but don't worry, it hardly matters. Adams more than makes up for it by introducing a marvelous character named Fenchurch, who becomes a love interest for Arthur. A love interest for Arthur? Yes, you heard me correctly.

This book, in my mind, establishes Adams as a serious heavyweight. The levels of humor, romance, irony, wonder, and adventure are consistently high throughout, and one never detracts from the other. Besides, we finally get to take a really good look at Arthur (who had been shortchanged in the last two books), the most human character I believe I have ever encountered anywhere, and we get to see a bit of the earth, which Adams makes us realize is rather a funny place in itself.

Do not miss out on this book. Please. Read it for Arthur. Read it for Fenchurch. Read it for the Rain God. And definitely, definitely, read it for the most wonderful love scene ever written. Besides, if you make it to the end, you'll be rewarded with God's final message to His creation, written in letters of flame thirty feet high (quite the tourist attraction). It's worlds above all the others.

23 What Happened?
The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy was great. The Resturaunt at the End of the Universe was almost as good. Life, the Universe, and Everything was ok, but long sections of it were incoherent. In contrast, So Long and Thanks For All The Fish is just plain mediocre. For the most part it plods along, not only with too few laughs, but with few of the mind-blowingly original ideas found in the first couple of books. All around, it has less of the distinctive character of the other books in the series. It is also boring.

24 At this point, it all starts to go sadly wrong...
The brilliant trilogy "Hitchhiker's Guide", "Restaurant" and "Life, the Universe" constituted an act which was nearly impossible to follow. With this weak effort, Douglas Adams proves that he cannot follow it. Only occasionally mildly amusing. Its successor, "So long, and thanks for all the fish" is worse. My advice is, don't risk major disappointment, stick to the real trilogy and end with the celestial high note of "Life, the Universe, and Everything".

25 Keep reading till this one, definitely the best.
So Long is the best in the "trilogy of four" of the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, after the unexpected surprise of the first, and the two funny yet low-paced sequels. There, Adams finds out a solid thread to elaborate upon, even if a classic one and at the detriment of his zany humor (there's still the rain god, though).

Arthur gets back on earth where he falls in love with that lady who had a glimpse of the ultimate truth, of the meaning of it all, but just when the earth evaporated under a giant laser beam to make way for an hyperspace bypass. Now she forgot it, and they manage to find it back together.

The love story is touching and incredibly realistic, while of course still and always narrated in this weird, delightful, illogical---or may be too logical for literature---funny D.G.'s free wild style. But most of all, there is a real overall meaning. Whereas 42 means nothing, God's last message to His creation bears a genuine message of tolerance and encouragement to keep satisfied with life and all that comes with it. The allegory of the otter pulling the raft is deep and couldn't explain it best. The laughters of Prax about Arthur illustrates simply how ludicrous can be the metaphysical wonders. This last book is full of metaphors like these.

I'd like to point out also how close to Monty Python's Meaning of Life it seems to me, with a development of the whole story before the "secret" much the same, full of idiocies and funny details of life. That shows another connection in this regards (and if we are to believe Yoakum, even 42 stems from Pythons, somehow).

There was a point to this review, but it has temporarily escaped the reviewer's mind.

26 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!

27 So Long, And Thanks for All The Fish
This book was very different, and a lot better, than the last two books in the series. I like how Arthur is depicted a bit more "normal" than before. He seemed to have been deteriorating almost to a state of mental retardation as the series progressed. This book corrects that.

While not as off-the wall as "Hitchhiker's", the humor is still outstanding. It might turn off some readers, as it is more based on Arthur himself than on the wacky space adventures but it is still very funny and entertaining. Wished there would have had more of Ford and Marvin though.

28 Good, but very different from the rest of the series
My theory is that Douglas Adams had 2 worries after the first part of this whole series. First of all, jeez louise, he sure was giving poor Arthur Dent a hard time... couldn't he at least maybe let him have a girlfriend? And second of all, how about the dolphins? Douglas Adams is really into animal rights, the environment, etc, and it just seemed a little perfunctory to have them all totally obliterated along with the Earth just because of that whole business about the interstellar hyperspace bypass. In this book, dolphins, Arthur, and Arthur's (surprise) girlfriend somehow come together, with a variety of mutant plot twists along the way.

As usual with these books, I envy anyone coming to them for the first time. Watch for the "Rain God", he is quite hilarious, and sort of a stand-in for Marvin in some ways. Ford Prefect has sort of a guest appearance, he isn't exactly central to the plot, but he becomes important in some ways at the very end.

I would tell a new Douglas Adams fan to read this as a love story, Adams' gift to the hapless Arthur Dent. The wackiness is MUCH lass omnipresent here than it is in the other books, so be warned. Basically good stuff, but very distinct in tone from the rest of the series.

29 As good as the rest
Really, I do believe that this one should have finished the series. It has a good, fulfilling ending(I don't mind unhappy endings at all, but they should have a point, if nothing else to be tragic. Mostly Harmless most definitely did NOT have a point.), and despite the lack of Zaphod, which I didn't really notice, it's a fun read. Was the Guide ever intended to be more? No! It's got just as much absurdity as the rest, if a bit more sedate and sense-of-wonder-oriented, but that's all right. At least he wrote well for the style, and at least he struck out in a new direction. I don't understand the fans who hate this book. I loved it as a fitting closure(trust me, people! Ignore "Mostly Harmless," or only read it to know what it says. Don't expect much enjoyment, although you might be interested by the scathing indictment of fans.) to a highly enjoyable little set of books.

30 As good as the rest
Really, I do believe that this one should have finished the series. It has a good, fulfilling ending(I don't mind unhappy endings at all, but they should have a point, if nothing else to be tragic. Mostly Harmless most definitely did NOT have a point.), and despite the lack of Zaphod, which I didn't really notice, it's a fun read. Was the Guide ever intended to be more? No! It's got just as much absurdity as the rest, if a bit more sedate and sense-of-wonder-oriented, but that's all right. At least he wrote well for the style, and at least he struck out in a new direction. I don't understand the fans who hate this book. I loved it as a fitting closure(trust me, people! Ignore "Mostly Harmless," or only read it to know what it says. Don't expect much enjoyment, although you might be interested by the scathing indictment of fans.) to a highly enjoyable little set of books.

31 Look what I found!
I found a copy of this book in recording studio. I read the whole thing and was hooked. I was even more surprised to find out there were more of them. This book is funny, weird, and pretty much everything else combined. It has my highest recommendation.

32 Ow this is so boring it hurts!
I am a HUGE Douglas Adams fan I nearly found my self nawing at my own kneecap it was such a disapointment it goes on for so long on Arthur and Fenchurch's relationship but below that it had some jokes even Adams himself in the book said it is boring It has way way way to much cap where there could have been jokes.

33 Ok
This book is the only ok HHGTG book that is not to funny it has some laughs but it is buryed in a blob of junk

34 A real disappointment after the first three.
This book is still good, but it was really disappointing after reading the first three. Adams is running low on ideas for this series. And where's Zaphod? He was one of the best characters.

35 Something Totally Different
If you just finished the first three books in the trilogy and are looking for more of the zany humor that is their trademark, you should read Mostly Harmless. So Long and Thanks for All the Fish will only confuse you. It's an excellent book- my favorite in the trilogy- but it lacks the same intense weirdness such as in "Restraunt at the End of the Universe." It has a more terrestrial feel than the others. Which isn't to say that Adams has no sense of humor in this book- it's just a little less obvious. Read the scene in the pub, and you'll get it.

36 Eh....
"So Long and Thanks for All the Fish" is a catchy title and worthy of the increasingly ill-named Trilogy of the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but the contents failed to live up to its three predecessors. The reason, perhaps, lies in Adams' attempt to make Arthur Dent less of "a real jerk. An absolute kneebiter." Arthur Dent speaks in coherent sentences, gains a fractured but otherwise normal girlfriend, STAYS ON EARTH. We see Marvin only at the end, Ford infrequently and Zaphod not at all. The "zaniness" just isn't there. If you're sick at home with a cold and have nothing else to read but Volgon poetry, give it a try. Your insides won't strangle you, but you won't be cured as quickly, say, if you read "Life, the Universe, and Everything."

37 Still good, but not the best.
I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as the others in the 'trilogy.'It was often to ordinary with chapter after chapter focusing on the relationship between Arthur and Fenchurch, while this is still a good book I thought it was a bit of a let down after the brilliant 'Life the universe and everything.'

38 Fabulous! Brilliant! (and sweet, too)
I've read the whole series, and though I never thought anything would beat the first one, I was wrong. So Long rounds out Arthur's character a bit, making him seem like less of a clod and more like a, well, man, though all of his delightful quirks are still in place. The absolute funniest scene of the series is in here (I won't spoil it, but you'll know it when you read it...think biscuits), and there's a love story to boot. In my opinion it was nice to see a little less of Zaphod and absolutely NONE of Trillion, who I couldn't stand, and though Arthur is clearly the focus Ford gets his fair share of limelight, though I do wish Marvin had been featured for more than the page or so he was on. All in all, this a great book, perhaps more slowly-paced than the rest, but it makes up for this in charm. I highly reccomend it (and I suggest anyone who likes this book skip Mostly Harmless).

39 Not the best, in my oppinion, but...
...I liked it. Douglas Adams wrote a good book, however you don't get very far in any sort of plot. It kind of drags on and I didn't find it as funny as the first three.It didn't quite have the charm as the others did. I would sugest reading it to anyone who enjoyed any of Adams' other books because it is good.

40 Great Book a must read for all Hichicker Fans
After remembering the charichters other books it was a realy injoyable experience. Over all a Great Book.

41 best of the bunch
This book is absolutely hilarious. The only question I have is: What happened to Fenchurch in Mostly Harmless?

42 not the best of the Hitchhiker books
I've read the entire series, and I certainly love Adams's books. This would have to be my least favorite of the "trilogy," but it's still worth reading. It's amusing and contains several extremely funny scenes. This is a great book for anyone who like humor, offbeat characters (to say the least), and a plot with some really strange twists.

43 If you read "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"...
...you must read this! That's all there is to it. All the good old characters are back, and more importantly, the old style. Meet Fenchurch, who (I swear) is the subject of the Talking Heads hit, "And She Was". Find out why dolphins left Earth, and learn more about Life, the Universe, and Everything!

44 Hahahaha: those are the only words for this book
This was my first experiance with Douglas Adams' writing. It was funny, creative and most (and best) of all...Different. The story about how the two men went through the pack of bisuits was hilarious!

45 Not my favorite
Adams loses, I think, his creativity in this book. It's much harder to read. It also, I think, has much less of a point than the others (which doesn't say much). I do however like his take on God's final message.

46 A book for all times
What can one say but........WOW! Again good ol' Duggie outdoes himself with yet another knee slappin', buckle up for your own safety, hide the good liqour story. The ending did lack somewhat of a meaningful purpose, but after all the laughter and good times one gets from his stories, one can let this slide by. A definite must for all who have a sense of humor (if not, this will help you get started)!

47 Inspired
Quite simply, the most inspired book of the series apart from the original "Hitchiker's Guide." The finale would have been a fitting end of to the series (especially from a Marvin fan's point of view). Not quite as fresh as the original book, but the second best of the five. The Earth-bound perspective is fresh for the series and shows Adams versatility.

48 The least hilarious book in the series
Although this book contained one of the funniest parts in the series it did not live up to the standards set by earlier books. Adams still comes through with a few humorous points but it is not his best work.

One of the most hilarious parts in the Series was god's last message to his creation.

49 Best in the series.
Yes, I know, most of the reviews here seem to suggest that while it's not bad, it's not as good as some as the others. All right, it's not totally in the same vein as the others, and is quite possibly the most serious of the series, but I found it extremely funny. At times it even discards the humor for a few minutes, and gets downright touching, which gives the book something of a message.

50 Not exactly the best book in the trilogy of five
With this Hitchhiker's book, Adams hasn't really written his all-time classic. Not as long as any other volume of the trilogy, everything kind of drags in it. But every now and then the typical Adams comes back and God's Final Message to His Creation saved this book its four stars. Nevertheless, it's essential to be read. By anyone, anywhere. Right after Life, the universe and everything and Mostly hermless.

Andre

51 Hey, I thought it was good!
To anyone reading this: Re-read the first page of the original book. Now, if you find yourself wanting to know the story of that girl, then So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish is for you.

52 so long and thanks for all the fish
hey i love this book it is so cool but i do miss the old charaters but oh well . im only 13 and i understand everything and it is such a good book to listen to or read .

53 Character review, environmental commentary
Adams chooses to focus mainly on Arthur Dent in his fourth novel in the Hitchhiker's series. He also begins to make commentary on the environmental damage we are causing our planet. Many Hitchhiker's fans have criticized Adams on this point, but I praise him for having the courage to make this sort of statement in this series. It is still a very funny novel (I mean, we find out that humans are actually only the _third_ most intelligent creature on Earth, somewhere behind...well, I won't ruin it for you), but Adams chooses to tackle some serious topics within it. The ending was slightly disappointing, but mainly because it took him so long to write the fifth book. If you are reading the series, don't let anyone discourage you from reading this book. It is a necessary and natural part of the series, and I feel that it is an excellent novel in and of itself.

Note: For those readers who enjoyed the environmental commentary and are interested in this subject, try reading Adams' "Last Chance To See," a non-fiction work and what I consider to be one of the best books I have ever had the priviledge to read.

54 Disappointing
Hitchhiker fans may be disappointed by this book. It's more of an account of Arthur's life rather than involving all of the characters, and I don't think I ever laughed in reading it...though there are some interesting conclusions to things that happened in the earlier books. The ending was also disappointing.

55 A Fishy Story
Aurthur Dent, a man who has been lost in space for a long time, comes back to his house in England. When he steps into the house dust is everywhere. Then he notices a glass fish bowl. Could this be the missing link to the question "Where did all the dolphins go?"? The answer to this question is very important. I enjoyed this book. However I think some of the other books in the Hichhiker's Guid to the Galaxy series are better. In order to to understand this book, I recobend that you read the books that come before this one in the series. If you enjoy science fiction and love novels, this is the book for you! After reading the books before this one in the series, the book shocked me. Most of the Douglas Adams books are mainly scientific but this one was mainly a romance novel. I recogmend this book to romance novel lovers.

56 I loved this one
I disagree with the other reviewers who didn't rate this one as well. Granted, it is not the frantic roller coaster ride that the other Hitchhiker books are, but it succeeds as a charmingly quirky love story. It has its share of Adams' sublime trademark hilarity, to be sure. But for anyone who has been hopelessly infatuated, Arthur's trials herein will bring knowing smiles along with an oddly tender feeling that no other Adams book approaches

57 Not quite as good as the others.
I didn't write reviews for the first three books, for obvious reasons. Another nine or ten would just be redundant. However, I must say something about this book. I really missed all of the old characters. What happened to them? I would really like to know. Another thing, I could tell by Adams' writing style that he was really burnt out on the trilogy. It did not seem to have the sharp quick-wittedness that permeated the other books. I also just did not laugh hardly as much as I did with the others. This book is just not as good

58 Adams slips a bit
Beginning a trend for the last two novels, So Long and Thanks for all the Fish is not as good as Adams' previous novels. It lacks Zaphod, Trillian, and Marvin, key elements in the comic team of the first three novels. He focuses too much on Arthur and not enough on the plot before him. Still, it is a good read for anyone who liked the previous three novels. There is still that wacky British humor that Adams cultivated so well. Ford and Arthur are still quite funny, as is Wonko the Sane and Fenchurch. Oh yes, Dent finally finds a romantic interest in this novel. Who would have thought? Well, I recommend this novel less that the previous three, but it is still a good read

59 Arthur like we've never seen him before
The fourth installment in the Hitchhiker's Guide Trilogy. Less sci-fi than the rest of them. It contains some terribly new interesting characters like Wonko The Sane and Arhtur's new love interest Fenchurch. Contains the usual doseage of Douglas Adams gags. Extremely funny and must be read twice to fully and thoroughly enjoy. It also contains the secret to flying! It's very easy and it works

60 The best of all five books in the trilogy!!
Douglas Adams did it again. This book was hilarious. It's the fourth book in the trilogy and there's another one after it

61 Arthur Dent, just Arthur Dent
Finally, Arthur Dent gets laid! We've all waited a long time for this! It's nice to see Arthur's character fleshed out a bit more without his constantly being insulted by Zaphod or passing aliens. Ridiculously funny!