First time I came across Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy [henceforth to be referred to as H2G2] was way back in 2003 when I was reading Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. I thought H2G2 was another sci-fi novel. Only when I read the first part in 2010 did I realize that it's the most bonkers [in a good way] sci-fi series ever. Here's a brief review of all 5 books in the "trilogy".
1. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – The funniest sci-fi satire ever. Period. [let’s forget for a moment that I never read any other sci-fi satire]. If you haven't read this, you do not exist. There's a movie too with the pretty Zooey [Deschanel] in the role of Trillian. Marvin's voiced by Alan Rickman [aka Severus Snape], Martin Freeman [Peter Jackson's Hobbit, Dr. Watson in BBC's Sherlock Holmes] is Arthur Dent. It helps to envision these people while reading the parts of specific characters.
2. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe – It contains one of my favorite lines: Hey, I’m so cool, you can store a side of meat inside of me for a month. I’m so hip, I have trouble seeing over my pelvis. I hope to use that someday without embarrassing myself. I couldn't finish the book the first time though. I only made it till halfway through and couldn't progress further. Also the space-time thingy completely buggered me off. But I took it up for a second time and it was actually a good read. It needs patient reading to understand how Zaphod, Ford, Arthur and Trillian go to the end of the universe. Do they travel in time or space? Best part of the book: The conversation between Marvin the Paranoid Android and one of the battle ships sent to capture Zaphod.
3. Life, Universe and Everything – Arthur and Ford think they finally made it to the Earth [which Earth was it though? Did they travel in time and reach Earth before it was destroyed by Vogons in first book or was it the new Earth that Slartibartfast created on Margathea? Find out for yourselves!] but they land right in the middle of Lord’s cricket ground during an Ashes test. The Krikkit wars part was entertaining. Also, the concept of Somebody Else’s Problem field was incredibly funny.
4. So Long and Thanks for All the Fish – I think the original intention was to write a trilogy and Douglas Adams was only forced to write 4th and 5th parts as the series became immensely popular. Including 5 books under “trilogy” was understood as part of the satire in the end. Arthur returns to Earth and is surprised why all the dolphins have left the planet. He falls in love with Fenchurch [aka Fenny] and with the help of Wonko the Sane, tries to find out God’s Message [that’s where the book ends and the message is a spoiler]
5. Mostly Harmless – Title comes from the Guide’s definition of Earth. Ford Prefect spent 15 years understanding about the planet and finally comes up with the mostly meaningful definition [though the editors at the Guide seem to be responsible for condensing his work into those two words]. I like this book as it deals with Arthur and a teenage girl called Random who suddenly comes to him out of nowhere [Arthur was happily living on some planet which is not Earth] and says that Arthur is her dad. The mood swings of the girl, the sudden revelation that Arthur is her dad though he can’t ever remember who her mother is and which planet it all actually happened, the stressful efforts by Arthur to try to understand her and act like a parent, all those parts were funny. Contains another of my favorite lines: A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
In the end, parts 1-3 are good with 1st book the best one, while 4 and 5 are not that well rated though I liked 5. It is widely reported that Douglas Adams was going through a low phase in his life when he wrote books 4 & 5 and that is why they aren't that funny. I read parts 2-4 as fillers, the 1 day break I needed between ending a book and starting another huge book [part 2: The Idiot and Last Don, part 3: Last Don and Dangerous Fortune, part 4: State of Fear and Nobody Here Gets Out Alive]. All 5 parts can be read over a weekend!
