Mostly Harmless (1992)

It has been a good number of years since I last read the earlier books in this series, so I was pleased that the humor and storytelling still held up so well. The material that made up the earlier books started out as a radio program, I believe, so they have a more freewheeling sense about them than the later ones. That's the benefit of having so many successive (and successful) drafts. Still, this final book of the series (leaving aside the Eoin Colfer-penned And Another Thing from 2009, which attempts to extend the "trilogy" from five books to six) brings back many of the series' key characters and themes, providing not a few laughs along the way. Like most other readers, I found the ending an abrupt surprise, but unlike many of those who seem to feel the series went on one book too long, I am willing to go along with the joke. The late author might suggest that it doesn't much matter if I go along or not--the joke is still there and it's still on us all--but that I'm likely to find things a bit cheerier if I do. ( )

A fun story, but it really dragged at certain points. I’m also a bit disappointed with the ending. (It makes me want to read Eoin Colfer’s follow-up And Another Thing... just so the series doesn’t have to end like this.) But, overall, I still enjoyed Mostly Harmless. I would definitely recommend the Hitchhiker’s Guide series as a whole, even if this last installment isn’t my favorite. These books are particularly great in the audiobook format because Martin Freeman is an awesome narrator. ( )

More varying and extreme contradictions here in regards to previous books. Only Arthurt Dent and Ford Prefect remain themselves in the story, and with the exception of Ford's mad escape from The Hitchhiker's Guide offices, I was rather bored with the story. Most of what I loved about the rest of the books is gone. Combine that with the ending, and I just about hated it. ( )

A bit of a damp squib really- not as funny as the other books due to the lack of the comical characters. ( )

Arthur Dent is heartbroken after losing his girlfriend in an unexpected manner. He then sets out to find a planet similar to Earth. At one point, he crash lands on a planet and finds a village in which he becomes the sandwich maker. During this time, Ford Prefect finds out that the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is under new management. The new management is boring and Ford feels the need to revert it back to the original, more fun, way it had been before this drastic change. After leaping out of a building several times, he finds the new version of the Guide called Guide 2.0. He sends this to Arthur to protect, and the plot continues to unfold from there.

Mostly Harmless is the definitive end to the Hitchhikers Guide series. There is quite a bit of theoretical science in this book unlike the previous books. The story is funny and silly that takes the characters through a twisted plot. Zaphod and Marvin are missing from the story though the rest of the regular cast is present along with some new additions. It’s not the same caliber as the first two books in the series, but if you enjoyed the third and fourth books you’ll probably like this one. ( )