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***** POSSIBLE SPOLIER ALERT ***** If you've not read the rest of the series, this will give some things away. It's even possible I gave some things away about this book that I shouldn't have. I apologize. Read the rest at your own risk. *****
So, we have several Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fans on the board. It's easy to find reference to the 5 book trilogy. It's not so easy to find references to the sixth book in the trilogy.
"And Another Thing" was written by Eoin Colfer at the request of Douglas Adams's widow. When I first heard about this book, I couldn't help but think negative thoughts. After all, it's not by DNA himself. How can it possibly fit with what I know and love?
Before I dig into any discussion of the book itself, allow me to say this: I own every Douglas Adams book ever written that I have ever found any information on. Everything he wrote, edited, co-authored, or slapped his name on in endorsement. I think the man is a genius, and when I read news of his passing, it was one of the very few celebrity deaths that ever moved me. I still feel that the world is a lesser place without him. So, whatever I may think of the book, you know my prejudices up front.
That quote is right after the opening of the book, before chapter 1. It sums up so much of what the whole book is about in a nutshell. Reading that quote, and reading the first few pages, provided a very emotional experience for me. It felt like, possibly, maybe, I would be reading something as good as the rest of the series.
I then got into the story itself. It picked up right where "Mostly Harmless" left off: The Earth, in every dimension, is being destroyed by the Grebulons. Naturally, our band of travellers manages to escape relatively quickly into the book, and thus begins a new set of adventures.
Along the way, Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged makes a return, along with a familiar Norse God. Zaphod and Ford both learn of a drink that, from the descriptions in the book, makes a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster almost look tame. Trillian, Arthur, and Random deal with a whole slew of abandonment and parenting issues, complete with Random being a spiteful teenage goth. And the Vogons continue their mindless adherence to whatever rules are thrown in front of their faces.
If any of that surprises you, you might want to go back and re-read some of the other books. All of these elements are part and parcel of the series in one fashion of another. It's clear that Eoin knows his subject material, and knows his audience. He even managed to sneak in a reference to the planet Brontitall, something which only appeared in the radio play.
The book is not without its flaws. One of the things Douglas Adams is known for is his ability and willingness to create new words: Hooloovoo, Magrathea, Vogons, Jatravartids, Viltvodle, Santraginus, Eccentrica Gallumbits, turlingdrome, frood, hoopy, joojoofloop, the list goes on and on. Possibly because of this, Eoin Colfer's work is littered with new words, sometimes to the point of feeling like they were forced. It doesn't happen often, but in a relatively short novel (it is only 270 pages, after all), having it happen more than once can be a noticeable negative.
After reading the book, I can't help but think that Zaphod's intelligence level went down significantly for this book. Something did happen to him between books, and that could well explain the drop, but that was mildly disconcerting. While he was never exactly known for his ability to concentrate, it seems to have been taken to an extreme here.
The final flaw that comes to mind is that Marvin was not mentioned at all. It was as if the characters forgot he existed. Perhaps, if another book is ever written, Marvin will find his own way home. I hope so.
Still, those flaws were all that spring to mind now that I think about the book afterwards. When I was done reading, I was happy. The characters were alive again, hitchhiking the galaxy, and things felt right.
For the rest of you? Remember: You're not going to get a DNA story. You're going to get someone else writing in that universe. If you can accept that, I think you'll enjoy the story, and enjoy the outcome.
Eoin Colfer is no Douglas Adams. However, he is definitely a quality author. He cared about what he wrote, and it shows. It's not perfect, but it's going to be on the bookshelf next to the rest of the DNA collection. It's worthy of the spot.
So, we have several Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fans on the board. It's easy to find reference to the 5 book trilogy. It's not so easy to find references to the sixth book in the trilogy.
"And Another Thing" was written by Eoin Colfer at the request of Douglas Adams's widow. When I first heard about this book, I couldn't help but think negative thoughts. After all, it's not by DNA himself. How can it possibly fit with what I know and love?
Before I dig into any discussion of the book itself, allow me to say this: I own every Douglas Adams book ever written that I have ever found any information on. Everything he wrote, edited, co-authored, or slapped his name on in endorsement. I think the man is a genius, and when I read news of his passing, it was one of the very few celebrity deaths that ever moved me. I still feel that the world is a lesser place without him. So, whatever I may think of the book, you know my prejudices up front.
Quoth Tenacious D
I then got into the story itself. It picked up right where "Mostly Harmless" left off: The Earth, in every dimension, is being destroyed by the Grebulons. Naturally, our band of travellers manages to escape relatively quickly into the book, and thus begins a new set of adventures.
Along the way, Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged makes a return, along with a familiar Norse God. Zaphod and Ford both learn of a drink that, from the descriptions in the book, makes a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster almost look tame. Trillian, Arthur, and Random deal with a whole slew of abandonment and parenting issues, complete with Random being a spiteful teenage goth. And the Vogons continue their mindless adherence to whatever rules are thrown in front of their faces.
If any of that surprises you, you might want to go back and re-read some of the other books. All of these elements are part and parcel of the series in one fashion of another. It's clear that Eoin knows his subject material, and knows his audience. He even managed to sneak in a reference to the planet Brontitall, something which only appeared in the radio play.
The book is not without its flaws. One of the things Douglas Adams is known for is his ability and willingness to create new words: Hooloovoo, Magrathea, Vogons, Jatravartids, Viltvodle, Santraginus, Eccentrica Gallumbits, turlingdrome, frood, hoopy, joojoofloop, the list goes on and on. Possibly because of this, Eoin Colfer's work is littered with new words, sometimes to the point of feeling like they were forced. It doesn't happen often, but in a relatively short novel (it is only 270 pages, after all), having it happen more than once can be a noticeable negative.
After reading the book, I can't help but think that Zaphod's intelligence level went down significantly for this book. Something did happen to him between books, and that could well explain the drop, but that was mildly disconcerting. While he was never exactly known for his ability to concentrate, it seems to have been taken to an extreme here.
The final flaw that comes to mind is that Marvin was not mentioned at all. It was as if the characters forgot he existed. Perhaps, if another book is ever written, Marvin will find his own way home. I hope so.
Still, those flaws were all that spring to mind now that I think about the book afterwards. When I was done reading, I was happy. The characters were alive again, hitchhiking the galaxy, and things felt right.
For the rest of you? Remember: You're not going to get a DNA story. You're going to get someone else writing in that universe. If you can accept that, I think you'll enjoy the story, and enjoy the outcome.
Eoin Colfer is no Douglas Adams. However, he is definitely a quality author. He cared about what he wrote, and it shows. It's not perfect, but it's going to be on the bookshelf next to the rest of the DNA collection. It's worthy of the spot.