35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The only guide to the galaxy you'll ever need to read, 3 Dec 2003
There is just one reason why The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was voted into the BBC's Top One Hundred Books list, and that is because it is simply brilliant. It is a work of science fiction, but the humour contained within the story is not only incredibly witty, but also unusual within its chosen genre. Be prepared to susend your disbelief however, as the series of adventures and coincidences encountered by the characters is nothing short of extrordinary.
The story follows a rather eccentric Englishman by the name of Arthur Dent, as one Thursday morning the Earth is demolished by a group of poetry-loving Vogons who want rid of the planet in order to make way for a Hyper-Spatial Express Route. This sets the scene for Arthur and his extra-terrestial friend, Ford, to journey through space and, amongst other things, come accross the two-headed, three-armed President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox, his one-time girlfriend Trillian, and a paranoid android by the name of Marvin. There are many aspects of the book that contribute towards its status as a cult classic, but I believe primary among these is the way in which Douglas Adams manages to bring accross the personalities of the characters. "Arthur said coldly, 'We've met, haven't we Zaphod Beeblebrox - or should I say... Phil?'" Not only are they resonsible for some of the most amusing lines I have ever had the pleasure of reading, but upon finishing the book I felt a longing to become one of the crew upon the Heart of Gold ship the characters inhabit. Arthur is a particular favourite of mine, and the way in which he looks upon the current events of his life with such fascination is a great source of amusement. "'You know,' said Arthur, 'it's at times like this, when I'm trapped in a Vogan airlock with a man from Betelgeuse and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I'd listened to what my mother told me when I was young.' 'Why, what did she tell you?' 'I don't know, I didn't listen.'" Another part of the writing I found hugely impressive was the way in which Adams managed to create a whole range of fascinating gadgets, including the ships irritatingly cheery Eddie, who is much-loathed by the other characters.
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is only the first in a series of five novels which I am informed started life as a set of radio plays in nineteen seventy-eight (followed by the book, a year later). I would whole-heartedly recommend that any reader has enjoyed the book to set about reading the rest. I have to date read the books three times, and have each time been utterly seduced by the warmth, wit and humour. It truly deserves to be referred to as a classic.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful books, but a word of caution, 16 Aug 2010
I read these books many years ago. I watched the BBC TV series, and unfortunately also watched the movie released a couple of years ago.
The books are fabulous and always bring a smile to my face when I read them, or someone quotes them to me (something my boss seems to like doing a lot ;))
The word of caution relates to the product description currently showing at the top of this page.
"A one-volume edition of the four HITCH HIKER novels"
As of the time of writing this is not the case. Purchasing The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy [Kindle Edition] will get you exactly that. You will not get The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, nor will you get either of the other two books that make up this quadrilogy.
While these books are most definitely worth their individual prices, this page is currently mis-advertising what is actually on offer. Amazon are aware of this (I emailed them to make sure of it, and am told they are now looking into it) and I'm sure in time the page will either be updated with the correct info or the quadrilogy version advertised will eventually be on sale.
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29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
FANTASTIC!, 19 Oct 1999
By A Customer
The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is the best series of books I have ever read. I discovered them courtesy of my brother around 5 years ago, I read the 'trilogy' and have since become a ver avid fan. The chronicles of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect and the rest of the gang are always guaranteed to make me laugh, and the books are always very well-written by Douglas Adams, as the pace never slows and there is never a dull (or unfunny moment). I live my life according to these books, as I'm sure any of my friends will testify. If you're thinking of buying this book, I would definitely recommend it to anyone after a comedy novel, a sci-fi novel or just a new outlook on life as a whole.
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