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Mostly Harmless

Book 5 in the series:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

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'Mostly Harmless' is the fifth book in 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' series by Douglas Adams. The book follows Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Trillian, and other characters as they navigate through a series of cosmic and comical adventures. Readers encounter parallel universes, time travel, and space-time anomalies, all while experiencing Adams' unique blend of satire, humor, and philosophical musings. The narrative is filled with quirky characters, unexpected plot twists, and the signature absurdity that fans of the series have come to love.

The book explores themes of identity, purpose, and the absurdity of life in the universe. Adams' writing style is characterized by witty dialogues, clever wordplay, and a satirical take on science fiction tropes. The story delves into the existential questions of existence while maintaining a light-hearted and humorous tone, making it a thought-provoking yet entertaining read for fans of the series.

Characters:

The characters are portrayed as older and more complex, facing personal dilemmas, though key figures are missing, altering the dynamic.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style maintains dry humor and clever commentary, but presents darker themes that contrast with earlier, more comedic installments.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features Arthur and Ford navigating through new adventures and existential crises, ultimately culminating in a bleak, nihilistic conclusion that starkly contrasts with earlier installments.

Setting:

The setting spans various alien worlds, changing focus from Earth to more mundane environments.

Pacing:

Pacing fluctuates, starting slowly before developing momentum; however, it culminates in an abrupt and unsatisfactory ending.
The history of the Galaxy has got a little muddled, for a number of reasons: partly because those who are trying to keep track of it have got a little muddled, but also because some very muddling thin...

Notes:

Mostly Harmless is the fifth book in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, often referred to as a 'trilogy of five'.
The plot includes Arthur Dent's struggle with the aftermath of losing his girlfriend Fenchurch, who disappears during a hyperspace jump.
Arthur becomes a sandwich maker on a primitive planet, which serves as a metaphor for the mundane aspects of life after wild adventures.
Ford Prefect attempts to regain control of the Hitchhiker's Guide, which has been bought by a large corporation with sinister motives.
Trillian appears in this book with her daughter Random, who is revealed to be Arthur's daughter as well.
The ending is described as bleak and nihilistic, with many characters dying, which contrasts with the humor of earlier books.
Douglas Adams was reportedly in poor health during the writing, which may have influenced the tone of the book.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of nihilism, loss, death, abrupt endings, and a generally bleak outlook on existence.

From The Publisher:

Now celebrating the 42nd anniversary of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, soon to be a Hulu original series!

"Hitchhiker fans rejoice! . . . [Here's] more of the same zany nonsensical mayhem."-The New York Times Book Review

It's easy to get disheartened when your planet has been blown up and the woman you love has vanished due to a misunderstanding about space/time. However, instead of being disheartened, Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life a bit-and immediately all hell breaks loose.

Can Arthur save the Earth from total multidimensional obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter, Random, from herself? Of course not. He never works out exactly what is going on. Will you?

"Douglas Adams is a terrific satirist. . . . He is anything but harmless."-The Washington Post Book World

Ratings (43)

Incredible (13)
Loved It (14)
Liked It (12)
It Was OK (4)

Reader Stats (60):

Read It (47)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (8)
Not Interested (4)

2 comment(s)

It Was OK
1 month

I did end up liking this more the the last fish one. Still got lukewarm feelings for the series tough. They are entertaining, sure but don't see why is has such massive fan base.

 
Loved It
4 months

This one, last in the series didnt make up to the other books in the series. It is little scientific and less humor compared to the other books in the series.

 

About the Author:

Douglas Adams was born in 1952 and created all the various and contradictory manifestations of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: radio, novels, TV, computer games, stage adaptations, comic book, and bath towel. He was born in Cambridge and lived with his wife…

 
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