Review on 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'

When Arthur Dent wakes up one morning to find that his house is about to be knocked down by a giant bulldozer, he does not realize that this will soon be the least of his worries. An old friend who goes by the name Ford Prefect reveals that he is from another planet, and that the world is going to end in the next five minutes. Dragged onto a Vogon spaceship by Ford, Arthur escapes mere moments before the world as he knew it is blasted into dust. As Arthur tries to come to terms with the fact that his planet no longer exists, he is thrown into the world of two headed aliens, spaceships and talking white mice. With the aid of Ford, and his new friends Zaphod Beeblebrox, president of the Galaxy, a depressed robot named Marvin, and Ford's copy of the book 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy,' Arthur must traverse the universe in a search for the meaning to his very existence.

I had been meaning to read this book for a while, and finally was able to get round to it. I had heard a few references to this book, and as it has been produced as a radio show, t series and movie as well as a book, I was keen to find out what all the fuss was about. I love sci-fi, and was interested when I found out that Adam's had worked on one of my favourite TV shows, Doctor Who. I thought this was an original story, and although it was published in 1979, it still seemed very modern and futuristic. The copy of 'The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy' that Ford owns in an electronic book, which I found interesting, as although ebooks are popular now, at the time that the book was published, e-readers did not exist. Something that seemed so strange and futuristic becoming a reality in the space of forty years makes you wonder if technology will advance even further in our lifetimes to make other things possible that were once only a reality in sci-fi novels.

I loved the humour in this book, and although it is slightly random at times and other readers may find it silly, I thought certain parts of the story were hilarious. The book makes you laugh, but also makes you question your very existence, as a big part of the plot is trying to find the answer to the question of Life, The Universe and Everything, which gives an unexpected result. The reason why the Earth was created is an interesting part of the story, as this is an answer that we will probably never find the meaning to, but Slartibartfast explains to Arthur that it was created as an experiment. This book is a quick, simple read, perfect for both adults and children alike. If you enjoy both Sci-Fi and humour, then this book is for you. I will definitely be reading the sequels to find out what else Arthur and his friends get up to in their travels around the Galaxy.