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Discussion: The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guideby DOUGLAS ADAMS




Decembers 2004 book of the month


The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide by DOUGLAS ADAMS


All discussions related to this book should be in this thread. To keep readability of posts, there is no need to use spoilers in your posts unless you feel it is absolutely necessary. Anyone reading the posts in this particular thread must be aware that they may contain spoilers about the plot and characters of the book.

I thought everyone wanted this...come on people I want to hear about it already

Riiight I wanted to ask, but I decided to wait for a few days: why did you vote if you don't want to talk about it?

Oh come on!

Is being drunk really that bad a feeling...?

I asked a glass of water but oit didn't answer...

being drunk is a horrible feeling to the water but if you ask the soda I'm sure they'll say it's swell

I say if the 5 shitsticks that voted for this TRIPE dont start talking about it in the next 5 seconds we hunt them down with dogs and have the hounds gnaw off their genitalia.

I think thats fair?

I think we'll be waiting a long time Zee

See, that's why I didn't vote for it. I read it, enjoyed it, and moved on. Adams is alright, but not great. Besides, if I had to choose an Adams book, I'd rather choose one of the Dirk Gently books. Ten gives you one the people that voted for Adams have never read any other science fiction books in their lives. Probably read it and thought "wow, how awesome, and look, they even made a tv series about it. And a computer game!" Or maybe you never actually read the books? Just saw the tv series?

Now if we are talking humorous, I'd rather take Pratchett any time. Dark humour? Pratchett and Gaiman. Epic science fiction? Vernor Vinge. One of Adams' best books I've read is the one where he travels around the world to find out more about endangered animals. And there, Gerald Durrell has him beat pants down. So you Adams fans, tell me, exactly why did you vote for him, and specifically, why did you vote for the Hitchiker's Guide series? Because it's easy to read? Oh, bravo. Because it doesn't require any thought? Yeah, that's why I read books as well - NOT to stimulate my brain. Because it's funny? Well, it might be mildly amusing the first time, but did you really find it holding-your-stomach, tears-rolling-down-your-face funny?

So what exactly do you find so attractive about these highly overrated books?

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa


well I like douglass adams

Wow, I take an extended absence from these forums... and then Hitchhiker's Guide ends up as the book of the month. Back when I nominated this a couple months back, I did so since it wouldn't make sense to pick another later in the series. Personally, I find the latter entries even better. But what is rather amusing looking back at this book is reading through it, watching a couple episodes of Futurama, and seeing so much similarity. Wonder if Groening used Adams' world as part inspiration in creating Futurama.

BTW, Zero... no sending the hounds in my direction. I didn't renominate or vote this time around.

So, what else did I miss?

*growls*

Alrighty then, since nobody wants to step up and argue the virtues of this book, I think I'll wait for next month and see if there is a better choice made available for discussion.

My rating of the Hitchiker's Guide: 5/10.

Good for a first read, especially when you're a kid, boring and predictable the second time around, and as shown in this discussion, not worth discussing.

though i didnt vote i was happy to see that this book won...then i saw this...nobody wants to comment and i just dunno why
i appreciate that you did comment
i read all of the five books and i read dirk gently but i still like the guide more. i havent read that one about animals but i wanna.

"So you Adams fans, tell me, exactly why did you vote for him, and specifically, why did you vote for the Hitchiker's Guide series? Because it's easy to read?"

the hitchikers gudie to the galaxy is NOT easy to read. okay maybe im not a good reader but it was hard for me to follow the plot sometimes that many happenings which follow each other and the jumps in time O.O dunno i think one has to listen hard when reading this book.

"Because it doesn't require any thought?"

it does contains thoughts. okay its true that when you just read it you may not find them on the surface. but it IS about life and universe and everything okay it expresses these questions in a funny or rather grotesque way but this is the point! nobody likes to give things in a spoonfed way (dunno if it is the right word sorry i dunno how to say it in english i hope you understand )
"Because it's funny? Well, it might be mildly amusing the first time, but did you really find it holding-your-stomach, tears-rolling-down-your-face funny?"

no. its english humour.

and i havent read pratchett so i cant say anything about him. if i read some books of him i might find them way better tham adams but until i havent read them i cant say (i wanna read pratchett anyways ive heard about him a lot!)i havent read Vernor Vinge either but i dont really like 'traditional' sci-fi either.

oh and ive read it only one time so far so i dunno what i will feel when reading it next time but i will let you know then

and im not a kid

I'm not really qualified to discuss this.. I still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea...

I read it because I hadn't read something like it before. It was okay, but it tends to generate a "warm home feeling" rathar than a "roller-coaster feeling"

I agree, THH was definnatlly an innfluence

I think Adams is great. I loved Dirk Gently and and Last Chance too See, also the Deeper Meaning of Liff. But especially the The HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy is a greqat book. Yes I know american humour (if there actually is a thing like that) is easier to understand, but Adams humour made me hold my stomach. His message is great, and though I know english is not my first language I don'T think it is a kids book or really easy to read, it might be easier to read than Jane Eyre but not because it is easier written but because it is funny and interesting and therefore much easier to read through. And I read a lot of Science Fiction books and I still think the HitchHikers guide is up there with Childhoods End or Starship Troopers.

I absolutely LOVE the humor and satire within the series. I think the movie will retain these things. I really hope that it does. Any sci-fi/comedy books HAVE to use HHGG as an influence, Adams practically designed the genre.

Starship Troopers the book is so much better than the movie

Yes it is the movie sucked balls but the book was just great.
Like Hitchhikers Guide by the way.

hmmm im rereading hhgttg and i love it even more than first time.
anybody can say anything this book IS a very great book and it does contain a messege...just look the part when they talk with the man who controls the universe or any other parts.

Bardock: i love your avatar and sig

by the way the new hitchhiker movie is coming! im a bit afraid of it but who knows...? it might be good

hmm...and did you know that DA wanted to write another part to the series? coz he said he was not that satisfied with mostly harmless...now we will never know what it could have been like

never forget.... the answer is 42

Bump!

Well it is under a month until this is released. Who is going?! I know I'll be in line with my towel. Reviews are looking good so far:

http://www.empireonline.co.uk/site/incinemas/ReviewInFull.asp?FID=9807

The first book in the series is undoubtfully my favorite book but I'm getting some new books that are expected to be even better. I love the philosophy of how they talk about the universe and stuff. It's so creative. I'll see the movie first day it comes out where I live.

'' On april 29th the answer to life is 42 so take your towels and hitch a ride because somewhere in space an adventure waits that you won't want to miss ''

That's a cool tagline. It's not real. I made it up but isn't it good.