The Hitch Hiker's Guides: A Trilogy in Four Parts

I have read this book many a time, and it has never failed me. I bought my copy on the day of the second 7/7 bombings in London, and after the things calmed down I read it as fast as I possibly could. I became a fan instantly. I believe everyone should read at least the first book to have the chance to enjoy such witty phrases as in "the ships hang in the air exactly as bricks don't" (not word-by-word quote) and to learn the significance of a towel or the number 42. This edition is for those who already know they are ready to immerse themselves in the world of Douglas Adams, as this is an omnibus edition of the first four books (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish). It doesn't contain the fifth book, although it was I believe already available at the time of this edition's publication. This omnibus edition is great value, but currently the complete set of the Trilogy of Five can be bought at the same price (The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide: Five Complete Novels and One Story (Deluxe Edition)). I would opt for the complete version, though with caution: The last part (Mostly Harmless) has an ending unbefitting the series, which even Adams wanted to change. I personally preferred the Radio version (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Quintessential Phase) which has a more sunny ending.

I have been a fan of Douglas Adams since I first read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" when it was released. I have previously read all of these books (though I had not read the short "Young Zaphod Plays it Safe") before, some several times. When I saw this compendium I was compelled to buy it so I could have a volume with all this brilliant insanity in one place. I found Adams' introduction and explanation of the different Hitchhiker's permutations and iterations fascinating and revealing, and found all the books as whimsical and delightful as I had recalled. This edition has the added benefit of being printed on high quality ultra-thin paper, and being quite plushly bound. It definitely looks like an heirloom, but inside it is one hundred percent inspired lunacy. Without question the original book is the crown jewel of the collection, and stands the test of time as one of the most original and brilliant novels written in the twentieth century. More than the plot following our heroes Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect (and a cast of thousands), it is Adams' amazing ability to turn a phrase into something not totally unlike any other book isn't that utterly distinguishes the first volume of the series. While that last sentence is an obvious homage to Adams, his wit and ability to redirect a line to a place that is totally unpredictable is uncanny. The book is not only brilliantly conceived, but glitters with a patina of dark humor which is utterly unique in literature, the only analog being the television and film productions of Monty Python. I enjoyed the other volumes in the series as well, with the first three being my favorites. By "So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish" I started to see a bit of monotony creep into Adams' writing style, occasionally to the point that it almost seemed that he was forcibly imitating himself. Although I did enjoy the final two volumes in the series, I would probably have given them independent ratings of four stars, while the others are clearly five star masterworks. I did find the character of Fenchurch (introduced in "So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish") intriguing, and couldn't agree more with Adams' analogy of Mark Knopfler's guitar style to the effect of Fuolornis Fire Dragons. It is no surprise to me that Douglas Adams was a Dire Straits fan, and I found his brief tribute to the band to be an amusing buried delight. This book is not only great contemporary literature, a level of accomplishment which most sci-fi novels aspire to, but rarely achieve, but is a great value too. The book is over 800 delightful pages long: buy this book and prepare for a wonderful otherworldly journey, but don't forget to bring your towel.

We have all read incredibly moving, life-shaping books, books that challenge your spirit and your intellect to achieve new heights, books written by men and women of deeper thought than anything us mortals could hope to attain...And then there are these great books by Douglas Adams that let you tell all those thinkers to get stuffed, stop taking themselves so seriously and just enjoy life in all its wonders. For anyone that has travelled, really travelled, who loves life, who really loves life, and enjoys a good laugh, these books are for you. Put Monty Python, The Far Side, David Suzuki, an English dictionary and chocolate (for flavour) into a blender and you have something nasty, but not entirely unlike the humour in these wonderful books.Dive in. And above all: Don't Panic.And to see just what a wonderful thinker Douglas Adams actually was, read his posthumous collection "The Salmon of Doubt" which is an excellent and thought provoking (but not in a snooty way) read.

I read this book expecting a lot - I had heard numerous references that were supposedly to this book, so I decided to finally read it and find out what all the hype was about.I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed. Quite to the contrary, the book exceeded my expectations. It's beautifully crafted, and the humor is so whimsical and Pythonesque, that it's both clever and absurd at the same time.It was especially great to read one seemingly absurd part of a story (like a detailed description of a flowerpot hitting the ground), and then, several books later, find out how it ties with the story. Adams does an excellent job and bringing things together - reading these series is like watching a puzzle unfold in front of your eyes.Another great aspect was finally reading about the many references found to the story - you'll never look at number 42 the same way.While many people have given negative reviews to the last book (Mostly Harmless), I thought that while it was a bit hard to follow, it wasn't any different from any other H2G2 book. If you're a Python fan, you owe it to yourself to read this book (Adams wrote several skits with the Pythons and was a close friend). If you're not, you might still like it, if you like whimsical, clever humor.

This is undoubtedly the best sci-fi-comedy ever written, and I say that with confidence. Douglas Adams' wit is unmatched in this genre. I have re-read this series at least 5 times, and it gets better each time. Thanks to Adams's insight, I too am on a continual search for the reason why 42 is the answer (just look how many times it pops up randomly... or not so randomly)In this classic story, Arthur Dent, a lovable and easily-confused Earthling gets dragged on the journey of a lifetime as Earth is destroyed by a group of Vogons to make way for a hyperspace by-pass. He is joined by a host of unforgettable characters: the easy-going researcher for the Hitchhikker's Guide to the Galaxy Ford Prefect; the hyper Two-Headed, Three-Armed President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox; and his sexy companion former-Earth-reporter Trillian; and Marvin, the hopelessly depressed android. Together, they are off to explore the galaxy, battle with pesky mice-geniuses (no, not Pinky and the Brain), eat dinner at the end of the universe, travel through time, meet the man who designed Norway, redefine "improbability," patronize and annoy countless alien races, search for a decent cup of tea in an unforgivig universe, and continue the eternal quest to find out why 42 is so darn important.Adams is a visionary. This is unlike any series I have ever read. Although "Mostly Harmless" was a slightly disappointing conclusion(?) to such an entertaining series, I will always consider the Hitchhikkers' "Trilogy" to be among the greats. If you do not own or have never read these books, then this compilation is a necessity for you. I recommend that you purchase it immediately, call in sick from work, school, or whatever, put up a small Somebody Else's Problem (SEP) field around you, and read it and again and again.