Bill H. (simonsaysrebel) reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
This book falls flat. I will not say life was perfect in the HHGG, but I enjoy reading them, over and over. This, I didn't like reading even once. Oh, I finished it. It was not charming. That's the best thing about even the dark Mostly Harmless. I think I got one small laugh out of Colfer's work. I don't hate it. I just don't count it as one of the books in the set. Like a stranger cannot be an enemy or a friend, this is not hate-able. It is not lovable. It is Colfer's book with identically-named characters who are I guess vaguely familiar in a setting one might call the same universe. I don't. I'd like to see other writers start from the same leaping-off point, the ending of earth from Mostly Harmless, much like the multiverse concept of several earths. I'd like to see the insanity of all these different earths and Arthurs and Co. trying to survive the Grebulons with different authorial homages. Perhaps the inimitable but clearly witty Jasper Fforde? I wonder if Neil Gaiman would take a crack at it? Or even someone like Neal Stephenson? Someone who has FUN with writing, not makes fun of it. This was a D- in my gradebook. Not a fan. I miss Adams. The lightest-hearted atheist I ever read.
Michael H. (bearbooks) reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
For Guide fans a real disappointment. What Douglas Adams tried to do but failed-kill the series-Colfer succeeds. Hopefully this will be the last Guide book.
David C. (xcom) - , reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 29 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
A frankly awful continuation of a series which should have been left alone. I read most of it just hoping it would get better or show some creativity. It did not and I want my bargain bin money back.
Stacey C. (angellchild2) reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book took far too long to read. There was no substance to it. The characters were shallow, the plot was transparent, and the humor seemed forced. I have not read any other works by this author, but I got the feeling that he was completely out of his element in this universe. Very disappointing.
Karissa E. (ophelia99) reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 2527 more book reviews
This is the 6th part of 3 in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Douglas Adams always wanted to have a sixth book in the series; and Eoin Colfer (best know for the Artemis Fowl series) was the writer chosen to write this sixth book. Overall it was an okay book. I read the original books so long ago that I had trouble comparing this book to the original. This book was very creative and had a similar tone to it that the previous books had. I found it hard to stay engaged in the story though with all the sidetracking that was going on.
Arthur, Ford, Random, and Trillian have spent a while living a life that they weren't really living. They awake to find that the alternate Earth that they are on is going to be destroyed; very familiar to the first book! They are rescued at the last minute by Zaphod who is piloting the Heart of Gold. Of course, things go wrong on The Heart of Gold and they are then about to die again when they arerescued by the immortal Bowerick. Bowerick agrees to help them if they can find a way to kill him. Zaphod readily agrees. From there they are off to the planet of Gods to convince Thor to kill Bowerick. The other part of the story involves the leader of the planet Nano and his search for a God for his planet; as the last colony of humans this story eventually ties in with the one involving Arthur and folks.
This was an interesting story. The plot is creative and the Guide Notes as intriguing and somewhat useless as they always were. The tone of the book seemed in keeping with the previous books (although my memory on the previous books is a bit vague). Still despite the non-stop action and constant stream of creative prattle, I had trouble staying engaged in this book.
Maybe it is because I haven't been involved with these characters in a long time, but I have trouble staying engaged in the characters or their story. Part of the problem was that it was like the story had ADD, it just couldn't stay going in one direction for very long. I remember the original books kind of being like that, but I think this was worse. With the interruptions of facts from the Guideoccurring almost every page (okay, probably every other page) the continuity of the story was constantly interrupted. The story itself also schizophrenically switches between different characters and different locations.
Overall this was a somewhat interesting read. It kept with the humorous writing of the original series and had the constant splattering of odd andmiscellaneous facts that I remember in previous books. I had trouble getting through the book though because neither the story nor the characters could really keep my interest. I think plot was a little to minced up and unfocused for me. I guess if you are a big fan of the series I would read this book; definitely don't use this book as an entry into the series...you will be totally confused if you do. The original four books still remain the best in my mind. Let's hope that this is the last we see of new books to the HHG2G series.
Arthur, Ford, Random, and Trillian have spent a while living a life that they weren't really living. They awake to find that the alternate Earth that they are on is going to be destroyed; very familiar to the first book! They are rescued at the last minute by Zaphod who is piloting the Heart of Gold. Of course, things go wrong on The Heart of Gold and they are then about to die again when they arerescued by the immortal Bowerick. Bowerick agrees to help them if they can find a way to kill him. Zaphod readily agrees. From there they are off to the planet of Gods to convince Thor to kill Bowerick. The other part of the story involves the leader of the planet Nano and his search for a God for his planet; as the last colony of humans this story eventually ties in with the one involving Arthur and folks.
This was an interesting story. The plot is creative and the Guide Notes as intriguing and somewhat useless as they always were. The tone of the book seemed in keeping with the previous books (although my memory on the previous books is a bit vague). Still despite the non-stop action and constant stream of creative prattle, I had trouble staying engaged in this book.
Maybe it is because I haven't been involved with these characters in a long time, but I have trouble staying engaged in the characters or their story. Part of the problem was that it was like the story had ADD, it just couldn't stay going in one direction for very long. I remember the original books kind of being like that, but I think this was worse. With the interruptions of facts from the Guideoccurring almost every page (okay, probably every other page) the continuity of the story was constantly interrupted. The story itself also schizophrenically switches between different characters and different locations.
Overall this was a somewhat interesting read. It kept with the humorous writing of the original series and had the constant splattering of odd andmiscellaneous facts that I remember in previous books. I had trouble getting through the book though because neither the story nor the characters could really keep my interest. I think plot was a little to minced up and unfocused for me. I guess if you are a big fan of the series I would read this book; definitely don't use this book as an entry into the series...you will be totally confused if you do. The original four books still remain the best in my mind. Let's hope that this is the last we see of new books to the HHG2G series.
fireman57 - , reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 2 more book reviews
This book has as much resemblance to the original Hitchhikers Trilogy as a nice cup of tea has to dregs of rotting leaves suctioned up from the depths of a swamp on a strange and tasteless planet. The idea is the same, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. All the characters are there, and the storyline also, but something in the telling just doesn't evoke a memory of Douglas Adams. It is a tale of Arthur and Ford, but the tone is different. If the reader is just interested in what happened to the characters, then this book may be for you. If you are looking for the heir apparent to Douglas Adams, you probably won't find him here.
Beth J. (Lionors) reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 70 more book reviews
Nice to read another in the adventures of Trillian and Arthur. The world gets destroyed all over again. The writing is good and fun to read.
fireman57 - , reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 2 more book reviews
This book has as much resemblance to the original Hitchhikers Trilogy as a nice cup of tea has to dregs of rotting leaves suctioned up from the depths of a swamp on a strange and tasteless planet. The idea is the same, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. All the characters are there, and the storyline also, but something in the telling just doesn't evoke a memory of Douglas Adams. It is a tale of Arthur and Ford, but the tone is different. If the reader is just interested in what happened to the characters, then this book may be for you. If you are looking for the heir apparent to Douglas Adams, you probably won't find him here.
Gregg S. (epicurus) -
The person has none of the skill that Douglas Adams had in one toenail. This book took over 50 pages to explain what took place to get the characters from a dream world to a ship that was in danger of exploding. Some of you may think that is not a lot of pages but try reading this and see how long that is and how painful. NOTHING that was written was remotely fun, zany or funny. For no real reason at all the writer has Tricia Mcmillian walk of to her death (later an intelligent person knows it is because he has no way of writing around the character meeting herself when the ship comes to save them so he does the cowardly thing and has her commit suicide). Another infuriating part of the book is that on almost every page he injects a 'Guide Note', most make little or no sense and are weak, childish attempts to be funny and or sarcastic, each fail horribly. Despite this site giving Douglas Adams credit as co-author the book was published 8 years after his death so he had NOTHING to do with its writing and that cannot be more evident than when you read the first 50 pages which is as far as I got or ever will. If I am lying may a Ravenous Bugblater Beast visit me.
Robert M. (shotokanchef) reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 813 more book reviews
Billed as Part Six of Three to Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy, this convoluted quickie makes Adams inanity seem as if he was Plato or Aristotle. After a mere twelve pages I am in a state of being on such a tortuous journey that and every twist in the story I am back on Maui attempting to negotiate the treacherous road to Hana in the driving rain and am about to be precipitated over a sheer cliff. If I read any further I shall want to Zaphitate myself into oblivion. Is this guy from Betelgeuse, or what?
This book reminds us what a great comic writer Douglas Adams was and shows us, unfortunately, that Eoin Colfer isn't. Most of the familiar names are there (although Marvin is sadly absent) but the characters aren't. Colfer gets Arthur partly right, but the other characters just don't ring true.
Adams' wit and insightfulness are replaced with labored attempts at humor that mainly misfire. As someone (probably) said about something - this book is both original and good. Unfortunately, the parts that are good are not original and the parts that are original...
Adams' wit and insightfulness are replaced with labored attempts at humor that mainly misfire. As someone (probably) said about something - this book is both original and good. Unfortunately, the parts that are good are not original and the parts that are original...
Gregg S. (epicurus) -
The person has none of the skill that Douglas Adams had in one toenail. This book took over 50 pages to explain what took place to get the characters from a dream world to a ship that was in danger of exploding. Some of you may think that is not a lot of pages but try reading this and see how long that is and how painful. NOTHING that was written was remotely fun, zany or funny. For no real reason at all the writer has Tricia Mcmillian walk of to her death (later an intelligent person knows it is because he has no way of writing around the character meeting herself when the ship comes to save them so he does the cowardly thing and has her commit suicide). Another infuriating part of the book is that on almost every page he injects a 'Guide Note', most make little or no sense and are weak, childish attempts to be funny and or sarcastic, each fail horribly. If I am lying may a Ravenous Bugblater Beast visit me.
Kevin F. reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 211 more book reviews
Its okay it has some really good moments, but it fizzles out.
Im a diehard fan of the Hitchhiker series, and while this is not as good, it has some good things. More importantly its not so bad that it takes away from the original 5 books of the increasingly inaccurate trilogy
Triggers: Its a comedic book*, so nothing, not one thing, is sacred. Lots of cussing but they are all mostly invented words, Ill be saying Zarks, Buffa and Froody for a week. I rate it G, or mostly harmless. *How comedic is the question: sometimes brilliant, but often not: Sometimes I laughed out loud, sometimes I groaned, and sometimes I frowned.
Im a diehard fan of the Hitchhiker series, and while this is not as good, it has some good things. More importantly its not so bad that it takes away from the original 5 books of the increasingly inaccurate trilogy
Triggers: Its a comedic book*, so nothing, not one thing, is sacred. Lots of cussing but they are all mostly invented words, Ill be saying Zarks, Buffa and Froody for a week. I rate it G, or mostly harmless. *How comedic is the question: sometimes brilliant, but often not: Sometimes I laughed out loud, sometimes I groaned, and sometimes I frowned.
Julie W. (wallja99) reviewed And Another Thing... (Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Bk 6) on + 56 more book reviews
What can be said they just get better and better
