Rating: 
Summary: MY review of a masterpiece
Review: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a unique book all in itself. It is hard to compare it with any other book because there is nothing like it! It is the tale of Arthur Dent as he escapes Earth's destruction with his friend, Ford Prefect. This would not be possible if Ford himself had been born on Earth; he was from somewhere in the vicinity of Beetlejuice. They manage to get on board one of the construction ships that is destroying Earth to make room for an intergalactic superhighway. From there, the adventure just gets more intersting in later books, traveling through time as well as space, from the dawn of man to the end of the universe in a five star resteraunt. Douglas Adams describes every little thing to great detail, making every little oddity worth reading. This first book of the series is in every way one of the best books I have ever read. It even brings about the meaning of life, the universe, and everything; 42. But what is the question? Read the book to find out.
Rating: 
Summary: The cult series begins...
Review: The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy was just about the hippest book for a lot of us in the early 80's. The cult following begat a franchise of video games, radio programs and a TV series, all of which deal with this dry witted tale of Earthman Arthur Dent and his journey through the galaxy.I'm not sure if the book has aged as well as its most loyal fans would claim it has. Much of the humor that seemed edgy 20 years ago now seems outdated in a Weird Al sort of way. Nonetheless, any book that opens with the destruction of Earth can't be all bad. Following our famous cast of characters through the bizarre events that they mostly seem to have no control over is always a pleasure, even when it's a bit of a corny one. The dialogue is steeped in Adams' very British humor and has always seemed like the best thing about the series. The conversations between such oddball characters as Ford Prefect and galactic president/scoundrel Zaphod Beeblebrox are worth any lapses into the preposterous.
Rating:
Summary: Lives Up To Its Rep
Review: The hook for me, who is no science fiction genre reader, was the bit about the Vogons, the species that tortures its captives by forcing them to listen to bad poetry. Having been promised that, I picked it up and thoroughly enjoyed the high-minded wit and glee that endows THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. That and the book is rather short, making it perfect for when the mood calls for light reading but not junk food. Adams obviously had fun with this, kicking at all matter of conventions, including the genre in which he chooses to phrase his satire. His quintet of travelers are personable, even the self pitying robot. Written some time ago, the book presages some technology that is beginning to appear now; the titular travel guide referenced throughout the book, for which one character is a writer, resembles a Palm Pilot, for instance. My only complaint as an outsider to the genre is that there is no real climax and resolution in the story; after the initial, hilarious exposition, it heads into episodic adventure and just ends en route to another destination. Which means, I have to read the next book. I suppose there are worse punishments out there. This small hardcover edition is quite nice and a bargain. Go for it instead of a paperback.
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