Book Review #13 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Good Day,

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy

by Douglas Adams

The most vividly written novel on intergalactic rigmarole is without a doubt "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy" by Douglas Adams.

Disclaimer: This review is on all the five books of the series.

Summary:

Arthur Dent a textbook example of a simpleton/laymen gets to embark on a mind-blasting journey in which he traverses throughout the universe, travels through time, even has the pleasure of visiting parallel universes and the restaurant at the end of the universe(When universe is about to end) just because Earth has been wiped out of existence by a Vogon ship to make an intergalactic highway.

Will Arthur ever be able to settle down in a place and call it home? Will the vagaries of time cease to haunt him and for once he can have a reposeful life?

Review:

Douglas Adams has densely packed his book with a plethora of description about even the most minute objects. These details have had great significance in making this book annoyingly astounding. There are times when you will ponder on a passage trying to decipher different meanings of the same passage or admire the poetic maneuverability of the author of introducing new plots, characters. Yet there are instances when the book is leading you to a revelation, you will be bombarded with relevant and irrelevant information and you will suffer through it as you are engaged with the plot to know "THE TRUTH" and in the end you get nothing. Don't worry in the end you will surely feel conclusive but up-till that point "Don't Panic!".

This book is vanguard in the genre of Comedy Science Fiction. It was first published in the year 1984 it deals with time travel, parallel universes, spaceships working on the concepts of Improbability(INTERESTING), Teleportation, Gadgets etc with a fistful of humour which is commendable. If you are fan of "Rick and Morty" ( Season 4 coming this November) you will love and hate this book. 

Throughout the book author has taken shots on human nature just like a stand-up comedian that is to say he has been subtle and avid in his pursuit. Manipulating the story has been the strong suit of author's writing style. He has been exceptionally creative in exploiting the characters to run his story and drop a message(If you read the pillow section in the book you will surely agree). He has not misguided the readers by giving  some sort of  revelations yet he has made his primary task to let the reader's think their brains out. Every book starts with such concept like knowing the  question to the answer to the ultimate question of life, finding the message written by god etc

Further a lot of weight has been given to  knowing the true purpose in life. As devices such as Pillow, Elevators, Automated doors are shown to be very happy and satisfied by their job as they have limited intelligence and capabilities, while a highly Intelligent robot named Marvin is depressed most of the time as he is employed to tasks which do not challenge his aptitude. Extrapolating this example in real world, those who have limited thinking power tend to be more happier as they are not perplexed by more profound questions of existence. They do not have that appetite or the burning desire or the raging curiosity to know more. And people with better thinking powers(Sukshma Buddhi) are blessed with these traits but may have unfulfilling or life of depression if their intellect is not challenged.

My Opinion: Go for it.(Bill Gates extols the book)