Life, the Universe and Everything
Ratings536
Average rating4
Firstly, I'd like to say that Adams has a great voice in his writing. I like the humor in his writing and the main characters in the series will live in my head forever, which is something that happens mainly in five star books. All that gives this book an extra star.
I did struggle in the middle of this book and wasn't sure I would finish at one point. It may be in part that the game of cricket and a number of equipment associated with it is the basis of so much of the book and I don't know the second thing about cricket.
I would like to see the series made into a film or series with Martin Freeman (yes, he was Arthur in the last movie) and Benedict Cumberbatch as Ford. I'm open to suggestions for Zaphod, but I think Matt Berry from The IT Crowd would pull it off.
Overall, this is a fun read even after struggling through the middle. Paid learning about cricket would help that.
Well I guess I can't complain Trillian gets nothing to do in this one.
Much more plot-heavy than the last two in a way that I think really works even if plot is clearly not Adams's strength. I can almost see a "serious" version of this story instead of one that's mostly cricket puns. SO much of this is about cricket. Did I even get it as a teen?
With this book, the author's inspiration ran out. In its pages, his characters continue to have mind-boggling adventures all over the galaxy, but somehow they've ceased to be memorable or funny.
It's not so bad a book that I can't finish it. It's not actively unpleasant, and it's more entertaining than watching paint dry. However, having finished it, I wonder why I bothered.
It reminds me of the aimless adventures of Rincewind, the least entertaining of Terry Pratchett's principal characters. Arthur Dent differs from Rincewind in some ways, but he has much the same function of escaping from each pointless adventure only to land in another.
I've been reading this series over the course of the past year and then some. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, but the more I read, the more it dissolved into a fever dream. I treaded on because of the comedic absurdity, but I could not have explained the plot to you (if there even was a plot). I also found it kind of sad that for a book dealing with literal aliens, somehow earthly stereotypes and sexist jokes continued to make an appearance. oh well.
Somewhat funny nonsense, but mostly absurd nonsense. Virtually dialogue only.
This is when the cynicism of the series might start to wear out a reader.
Terrible, frightening things happen that threaten all life in the Universe but all the people are either 1) to stupid to understand, 2) too self-involved to care, or 3) too inept to do anything about it.
The story of the planet Krikkit is quite tragic and sad if given consideration. Adams does this in a funny way of course.
Saving the day falls to Arthur, who is apparently the most ordinary man ever, but placed in the extraordinary position of being able to do something.
3.5 stars.
This one was just “OK” much like Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Some of the characters are slowly becoming more endearing, but the pacing is, well, just not enjoyable. There's still the occasional genuine “laugh out loud” moment, though getting rarer.
Not sure if I'm going to be able to push through all 5 books in the trilogy.
Martin Freeman is incredible at reading the audiobooks of these. Legendary performance.
Enjoyed the last quarter. There was a big lull in the middle.
Lacked the pace of the first book, and the fun characters of the 2nd book. Good tho :)
I do not particularly like this series. It starts off very funny and I often lol, but in reality it doesn't hold my attention because so much of it is a setup to a joke
Meteen nadat het ras van de Krikkiters werd geïntroduceerd moest ik aan Doctor Who, en meer bepaald de Daleks, denken. Een korte Google-search leerde me dan ook dat dit verhaal initieel bedoeld was als een Doctor Who aflevering. Zalig!
Life, the Universe and Everything is kort gezegd eigenlijk meer van dezelfde absurditeit en droge humor als de eerste twee Hitchhicker's Guide-boeken. Er stonden weer een paar pareltjes van zinnen en grappen in, maar voor de hoofdmoot werd de absurditeit in dit boek echt een beetje te. Het was zo absurd dat ik eigenlijk echt geen idee meer had wat het plot was. Als ik dit boek niet had geluisterd, was ik er zeker nooit doorheen geraakt. Ik denk dat mijn avontuur met de Hitchhicker's Guide hier zal eindigen.
This one has more of what you would call a plot. My favorite of the series after #1.
No idea what this book is about,
if anything; perhaps it really
is about everything. Lots of fun,
nevertheless.