Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy

De Mad Yoke

Was it a milestone in literature?

Bam Bam

De Mad Yoke wrote:

Was it a milestone in literature?

More a side step

De Mad Yoke

Oh think latterally! Think punk literature! Think groundbreaking!

OfflerCrocGod

It was classic, it still is.

Zaph

I took my name from it, so no prizes for guessing what I think.

Sarky

Bam Bam wrote:

More a side step

But one hell of a sidestep, all the same.

supersheep

Less of a milestone, more a towel casually tossed on the floor so you trip over it and bash your nose, curse, and then ponder the mysteries of the universe...

Sleepy

A true work of genius. Break the first rule of writing by making everything completely random, have a decent excuse for it (the probability drive) and free yourself to write anything funny you can think of, incredible! Amazing what lying stoned in a field can do for you!

grimsbymatt

The radio show was good, the book's terrible. It didn't make me laugh once.

supersheep

Really? I pissed myself regularly at the book - I've unfortunately never heard the radio series, grr. The TV was great too, and even the film was good - less so by Adams' standards, but by anyone else's, a gem.

randomhuman

grimsbymatt wrote:

The radio show was good, the book's terrible. It didn't make me laugh once.

Really? I thought the TV show was terrible, and the book was fantastic. I've never heard the radio show, unfortunately.

MrJoeSoap

Haven't heard any of the newer media versions of it, but going solely on the book I'd say its well up there with the best I have ever read. Sheer genius.

Sleepy

Have to admit I'm not a fan of the TV series. Most wooden acting seen this side of a primary school nativity play tbh.

LoneGunM@n

I'd forgotten how funny the books were, so I'm in the process of re-reading them ... literary genius

Dont be at yourself

Best books ever.

ArthurDent

zaph wrote:

I took my name from it, so no prizes for guessing what I think.

Me too

Kingsize

the real star of the TV series was the guide itself & for its time the animation
did a damn good job of looking like a computer generated book.
some of the acting was shyte but acceptable for a BBC scifi tv series on a low (ish ) budget. it was up there with DR who & blakes 7 & day of the triffids.(i.e all pretty bad acting really)
loved the books & ive been meaning to re read since i got the dvd at Xmas.

Tobias Greeshman

I've only gotten round to reading the 1st book of the four, but I have to take my hat off to it (if I had a hat now, which I dont) its the 1st book in god knows how long made me laugh out loud while reading it, its whacky, and really out there. I wouldn't go as far as saying its a milestone or groundbreaking as far as literature is concerned, but its definately made its mark.

Nimrod's Son

silas wrote:

I've only gotten round to reading the 1st book of the four, but I have to take my hat off to it (if I had a hat now, which I dont) its the 1st book in god knows how long made me laugh out loud while reading it, its whacky, and really out there. I wouldn't go as far as saying its a milestone or groundbreaking as far as literature is concerned, but its definately made its mark.

It would've inspire the likes of Pratchett and ultimately allowed him to become more accessible to the mainstream.
It's a fantastic book. One of the greats.

Mordecai

I love Terry Pratchett, but thought that the Hitchhiker books were really forced. I read threee and a half I think.

supersheep

silas wrote:

I've only gotten round to reading the 1st book of the four, but I have to take my hat off to it (if I had a hat now, which I dont) its the 1st book in god knows how long made me laugh out loud while reading it, its whacky, and really out there. I wouldn't go as far as saying its a milestone or groundbreaking as far as literature is concerned, but its definately made its mark.

There are five... Admittedly the fifth one is nowhere near as good as the rest, but I still think they're damn good.
Maybe the acting on TV was wooden, but hey, it was still damn funny.

Earthhorse

Mordecai wrote:

I love Terry Pratchett, but thought that the Hitchhiker books were really forced. I read threee and a half I think.

Turn that opinion on its head and you've got mine. Pratchett is a pain to read. He tries really hard to be funny but he just can't muster it. Adams, on the other hand, is naturally funny at best and mildly amusing at worst.

supersheep

Sometimes Pratchett can be forced, but usually he isn't... Maybe Jingo was the turning point. Books after that seem to be trying too hard to mock our world, and are less funny. Adams, while amazing in the first four Hitchhikers books, isn't all too hot otherwise - I found the Dirk Gently books to be only all right. My opinions, of course. And Adams at his best is better than Pratchett. Although Pratchett has the better quotes:

There was a roar like the scream of a camel who has just seen two bricks.

John

The "How to fly" section of Hitchiker just blows me away. Absolutely priceless!