Mostly Harmless (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

I haven't specialised to DA in terms of science fiction but rather read everything everytime without any prejudices (atleast in my opinion :) ) and as much as others claim (well, atleast some people do, and they have right for their opinion, as do I) it isn't as good as the others or that it actually is a flop, I must disagree, for if it hadn't been written there would have been lots of information that would have gone without explanation. The books ending seems abrupt but on the other hand, there had been hints towards the ending what it would be like. So this book kind of a fills in some blind spots and sums it all up and therefore I recommend you read it too if you have read the others. All in all once again a great book from DA for readers pleasure.

I've seen a couple of negative reviews concerning this book, but it's actually very good. No, it's not the best book in the series, but it's not the worst, either. OK, let's face it: Adams probably didn't really want to write this book. It was probably written as a finality to series so fans would stop clamoring for more sequels. A lot of people are apparently turned off by this fact, but... I don't give a damn! A good book is a good book, period. Mostly Harmless is funnier than the two previous books in the series were. Some of the many humorous elements present are Arthur's stint as "master sandwich maker", the return of Ajragag, and, of course, more of Ford's zany antics (particularly hilarous is his stint with a credit card), and even the King. Yes, THE King! hehe The tone is a bit dark, granted, and the ending is even a bit depressing after having been with the series for so long, but, face it, all good things must come to an end. We begged for another sequel, and Adams gave it to us... but it's over! Get over it, get on with your life. At least the series went out with a bang (no pun intended.)

Arthur Dent is now a sandwhich maker, the Guide has been taken over, and Trillian is doing a documentary on aliens. Arthur Dent relaxs and then… all Heck breaks loose! Ford ends up with Arthur but that dosen't help the fact that for some reason he has a teenage daughter!

The Hitchhiker's "Trilogy" (as Adams wryly likes to put it) comes to an end in this fifth installment in the adventures of earthman Arthur Dent. Although not as thin on laughs as its predecessor, "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish," this book doesn't have the nonstop hilarity that made Adams a bestselling author. My favorite gag in the book centered on the Grebulons, a group of aliens that illustrates the evils of excessive television viewing. Still, I felt that the book mostly limped along, finally reaching a dreary end. I would have expected a series that has given readers so many laughs over the years to have either a funny or a poignant conclusion, but this tale has neither. It felt as though Adams was too tired of writing about his band of interstellar hitchhikers to give them the denouement that they deserved.

I made the mistake of reading other people's online reviews for this book after I had bought it but before I started reading it. I almost put it aside for fear that it would be as disappointing as so many readers have said it is. However, I have to disagree. This is a pretty darn good book. I LOVED the first two books in the series and really think that Adams should have just stopped there. The third and fourth books were, in my humble opinion, alright but not nearly as good. The whole thing with cricket in the third book just got on my nerves and the fourth book just didn't bring the closure that I craved. I thought that this book came much closer to to the flavor of the first two books and I personally did find the closure to the story in this book that I longed for. Recommended by me....as if you care.

It is impossible not to have some mixed feelings about this novel. It does stand as a return to the wild frivolity and cuttingly biting humor of the first three books, yet it is certainly less than upbeat, all things considered. Despite all kinds of evidence to the contrary, I always had the feeling that things would work out, even for poor Arthur Dent-the universe might not make a bit of sense, of course, but these characters I love so much would ultimately at least find a sense of peace if not happiness in some forgotten corner of the cosmos. It's something of a downer to find out this is not really the case. Two characters who very much made up the heart of the series for me, Marvin and Zaphod, are not even present in these pages. Then you have Fenchurch from the fourth book, a character I really came to love, thrown out of the saga like so much spoiled Perfectly Normal Beast meat. It's nice to have Trillian back, albeit in a couple of transdimensional forms, as well as Ford and Arthur, but it's hard to say who the story is really about. Arthur's new life as a Sandwich Maker on a remote planet his ship crashed on is rather pitiful but totally Dent-like. Ford's attempts to undo the tragic consequences of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy company having been taken over by unscrupulous business men is interesting. The introduction of a Tricia McMillan who did not leave the party with Zaphod because she decided to go back for her handbag ends up just muddying the waters of the fictional time stream. Then there is Random, the biological daughter of Arthur Dent by Trillian; she is even more mixed up and generally confused about life than the father she only meets as a teenager dumped by her too-busy mother. It might be said that this is Random's story, but all she really does is provide the means by which the principal actors Ford, Arthur, and Trillian are eventually brought together for the final conclusion.
Adams did do an impressive job of bringing things together in the end-characters and situations not only from this novel itself but from the start of the whole Hitchhiker's saga (think Vogons). Why a pesky number of loose threads were allowed to hang out, though, while so much work went into resolving other looming storylines, is beyond me and did much to mar the satisfaction I got from the rather abrupt, unfortunate conclusion. I am particularly bothered by the fact that Fenchurch, a character important enough for Adams to have written the entire fourth novel about, is summarily dismissed with little thought and even little grief from Arthur Dent himself. I should not complain about the way Adams chose to end this delightful series of novels of his own imaginative creation, yet I cannot help feeling disappointed if not a little cheated by the way in which everything ended. All in all, while I did enjoy parts of this book immensely, I would rather have ended things with the happy note of So Long, and Thanks For all the Fish, and be left free to imagine what kinds of messes Ford and Arthur might be getting themselves into somewhere in the universe and wondering what really ever happened to Trillian and Zaphod.

The ending of Douglas Adams' "Mostly Harmless" was so bad that I vowed never to read another of his books. Adams was obviously sick and tired of the series and used this book to kill it off with absolutely no chance of its ever returning. If you liked the other books in this series, don't go anywhere near this one. I rate it at a terrible 1 star out of 5.

The books in Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series are:

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
2. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
3. Life, the Universe and Everything (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
4. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
5. Mostly Harmless (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

Yes, the ending is rather grim. However, all I could do was smile and think about how wrong it felt... but in a good way. There was a huge sense of irony that I felt a little silly at not seeing a mile away. Also, every loose end I can think of has been tied off.

This story isn't my favorite of the trilogy, but it is the one with, in my opinion, the best ending. I read a lot of books, and no ending has ever stayed in my head so well. Plus, if you're a Ford fan like I am, there's a lot of him in this book. I'm eager to hear the radio dramatization of it.

While this last book in the Hitchhiker's series doesn't exactly end on a high note, I loved it. It seemed as though Douglas Adams was getting a little tired of the series and finished it, but even he said he wasn't satisfied with the ending and would rewrite it... and there was the possibility of a sixth book in the trilogy. I would have loved that, but I'm just as happy with this ending. No book I've ever read, as I've said, has an ending that I can remember so well.

"Mostly Harmless" are the words that now replace all of the writing and research that Ford Prefect has created for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...and he wants to know why. The Vogons are back...still trying to destroy earth, but in a different way than usual. We also find Arthur Dent jumping through alternate universes trying to find his version of his beloved Earth...and learning that he has a moody teenage daughter spawned from his need to get traveling money. The fifth and final (at least from Douglas Adams) entry into the Hitchhiker "Trilogy" is probably the most hilarious and crazy entry in the series. I found myself laughing more at this book than the other ones. The sarcastic and just plain weird subplots (was Elvis kidnapped by aliens? how many "Earths" are there in the mish-mash?) and side-stories are simply hilarious. A great diversion, though I found the ending to be less than satisfying - very Sopranos-like.

It always has to happen eventually. An author gets tired of being pestered about the next sequel and finishes everyone off. Arther Conan Doyle did it to Holmes, and now Douglas Adams does it to the Hitchhikers bunch. While the impulse to pick up his marbles and go home might be easily understandable ("They're my characters and I shall do with them as I like") it does rather ruin the good effect of a solid conclusion, such as "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish" was. This is an awful anticlimax to a wonderful series.
That said, there are a few glimmers of classic Douglas Adams fare. The bit about the sandwiches is arguably the funniest sketch in the series. Unfortunately it is itself sandwiched in among the worst story in the series. if you've read the first four novels in the trilogy, stop there.

I was quite disappointed with this one. First of all the book's ending is very grim. I agree with another reviewer when they said they'd rather be left imagining what kind of messes Arthur and Ford were getting themselves into now. And so many unanswered questions! What happened to Fenchurch and why didn't Arthur care more about what happened to her? What happened to Zaphod? Colin the robot? What is the question to the answer 42? What was Fenchurch's idea that would solve the world's problems? What was the point to the people on Rupert? It's worth reading just to be able to finish off the series and because it's still well written and funny just like the others. But be prepared to be disappointed by the loose ends and finale.

In "Life, the Universe, and Everything" plays heavily into this book for several reasons. The most obvious is Agrajag, which I thought was very clever of Arthur to remember and allowed him to have a rarely seen sense of arrogance in him. But there's another reference that's incredibly subtle and I don't know if Adams even realized it(or maybe I'm just out to lunch and am dead wrong): Arthur had some interestings views in "L,tU,aE," one of which was that the farther things move in space the more they stay in the same place. After Arthur's fantastic journeys throughout the galaxy, he ends up where he came from: Earth. I know many people disliked this book because it didn't have the happy, "they all lived happily ever after," Hollywood-esque ending. I say that this series wasn't meant to be a cute little tale. It was meant to be ridiculously silly and humorous. And that's exactly the way the book ends the series. Imagine! After all these people have gone through it comes to an end because some confused aliens want to change their horoscope! I thoroughly enjoyed Arthur being a "sandwich maker." I found it very quaint and I was glad Arthur was happy(however momentarily). I like the way of ending the tale of these people with a new, ultimate nemesis: A new Guide. An all-powerful Guide. That's what got Arthur and Ford into all the original trouble into the first(or did it save them?) and now it's back and horribly evil. I liked Ford casually breaking into the headquarters and being confused that the floor was 3 centimeters lower than usual from the vent. It gives you a good perspective of Ford. I admit that I did not enjoy Trillian/Tricia McMillan very much in this story, but she(they) were necessary. I thought Random was somewhat funny, but not as much as Ford and Arthur. I liked Ford's ridiculous overspending with his new found credit card and his notions to throw himself out windows. And I absolutely loved Colin. A beautiful contrast to Marvin(although the doors and Eddie from previous books also served the same purpose). I especially enjoyed his "I gurgle with pleasure" line said right after Ford gives him some sternly horrible words. I was not disappointed that Fenchurch was left out or that Arthur wasn't overly depressed about it. He was already at the near peak of depression before meeting her. In this he's depressed that he's lost his love, his planet, his life, any sense of normalcy, and has gained a completely unstable daughter. It took me a while to understand why Elvis was put into this book so much, but after a while, I finally understood. I hope you all understand it too. Because it represents the true closure to the story that this book puts forth. ... It's a good book(despite the fact that Zaphod Beeblebrox is left out, I liked his wonderfully confusing personality.)

When I finished this book, my first reaction was that I wish it had never been written. It seemed to me that Adams was simply sick of the characters, and had to real desire to write this book. He took out his frustration on the characters and the readers. What's worse, I don't think I'll ever be able to enjoy the previous 4 books (yes, I very much liked "So Long...") the same way again, knowing where the series is heading. My advice would be, if you really liked the first 4, don't read this one. I grew up with the Hitchhikers' series, but now when I think about the books, the first thought that comes to mind is how awful "Mostly Harmless" is. I'm hoping that someday Adams will write a new HH book, one he WANTS to write, and give the series the ending it deserves.

When I read this book (a personally autographed large-softcover version) I loved the funny parts, couldn't stop reading to eat my lunch through the exciting guide-building parts, and spent far too much time thinking and rethinking through the concepts of multiple dimensions that were rather frighteningly well created by the author.

The logical updates from the onset of newer technology by the time the author wrote this book work very well... his descriptions of computers and programming fit in charmingly well with the earlier books' general avoidance of such topics, leaving us to feel like it all works out well without any needed corrections to older technology flops introduced in the 1st book.

Random is great - very believable, I think I might have known her actually. The Grebulons are perfect and did bring a smile to my face what with having lost their minds. Trishia McMillan frustrated me with her inability to get good believable footage of the Grebulons - I can imagine this situation being quite possible.

The new guide is excellent - although you must read between the lines a bit to understand much of the concepts the author is presenting. If you can think outside of the box then you will understand this book - if not, please don't bother. It's not written for you I'm afraid. Unless your box has infinitely long sides and one side is inside out... if that is the case then this book is most definitely right for you.

The ending simply floored me. I was shocked, horrified, and quite upset about it for days to come. In fact I listed to the author's reading of the entire 5 book series over the past couple of weeks on my 3 hour/day commute and found Mostly Harmless to be surpassed only by the first book in excitement, creativity and enjoyability, while truly causing shock and bewilderment.

The fact that this is the last book in the series for the rest of eternity is perfect. Much as the author shouldn't have died unexpectedly, neither should the entities in the book have come to such a true, complete, end after their long circular ride through time and space. However that's how life works and this whole situation just proves that the author was right about infinite improbability.

The odds against the trilogy of books and the author's life both ending so abruptly must be 2,312,495 to 1 against...

I was going to give this book 3 stars, but I just couldn't bring myself to give Douglas Adams anything less than four. In fact, I quite liked most of this book, esp. the part about The King, and the pink and chrome ship. What I hated about it was the end; not so much the loss of some of my favorite literary characters, but the abrupt finish of the book. I got the feeling that Mr. Adams just got tired of writing the book, or maybe the series, and ended it. Or maybe it's just that I'm disappointed that there won't be anymore. Still, definitely worth reading if you're a Douglas Adams fan.

Sure, _Mostly Harmless_ isn't the same as the original trilogy. And yes it is substancially darker. The ending is abrupt to say the least. But don't take it personally; read it as a conclusion. There are lots of funny bits (like the Elvis sighting: loved it!) to keep things moving along. We asked for another book, we got one. It's not the greatest of Adams' works, but it is an amusing conclusion to a greatly expanded trilogy. I find its darkness and abruptness rather fitting. Certainly worth looking at, for Hitchhiker fans. (How can you NOT read the final installment, no matter how "bad" people say it is?)

I read the trilogy, and I loved it. »The Hitchhiker's Guide« was the first book I read in English, after already enjoying the German translation, and finished even that one within a day. Then I read the fourth book, which I though boring. But still I desperately waited for No. 5 to be published. I'm cured now. If Adams should write a sixth book, I'll take this as a reason to re-read the trilogy, but I won't read any new books from this serial (not that there could by any, after THIS ending ...). I intended to have fun with »Mostly Harmless«. I didn't. I hoped for cynism and philosophy. There wasn't any, save some hints on the connection between air conditioners and suicide rates. Marvin (who perished tragically in vol.4) is replaced by an enthusiastic android named Kevin, the rest of the cast is who they used to be, plus Arthur's daughter, who doesn't need to have been invented. Finally, we learn about Stavromula Beta. But this would better have reamained a secret. If you are looking for adivse: Take the Hitchhiker's Trilogy. And Enjoy it. But don't read on.

It's not funny, first of all, and how can you call it an HHGG book if it's not funny? But aside from the basic lack of humor, it seems almost like a rebuttal to "So long and thanks for all the fish." It throws Fenchurch (and the retrieved Earth) away like so much used kleenex, and gives Arthur in return a satisfying job making sandwiches... It's as if he (Adams) got upset at himself for having written a book in which Arthur finds love.
But then Arthur finds he has a teenage daughter who's feeling lost and unloved, so maybe love has a chance after all? No. [Spoiler alert] The daughter's last action in life is to try to shoot Arthur, and to accidentally kill an innocent bystander, and then, as she realizes she's murdered someone, the world ends -- not just the one, but all possible Earths. Sweet, huh? I wish I hadn't read it.

Despite owning the least auspicious title in Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy, Mostly Harmless follows in the footsteps of its four predecessors, providing outrageous sci-fi comedy as well as a perfect conclusion to the series.
With Adams, and specifically with the Hitchhiker trilogy, one almost begins to expect the unexpected. So, after four always amusing books following the travels of two Earthlings and a few of their alien friends, what would be a more unexpected, and therefore fitting, conclusion to the series than a novel with dark overtones and a tragic ending?
The premise of the trilogy is this: Arthur Dent is the reluctant main character of the entire series, and one of only two remaining Earthlings. The Earth is actually a giant supercomputer created to find the ultimate question to the ultimate answer of the meaning of life (this answer was previously found to be 42), but was destroyed by Vogons to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Dent escaped moments before Earth's destruction with Ford Prefect, a human-like alien and employee of The Guide. Trillian (short for Tricia McMillian, an English news reporter) managed to escape with Zaphod Beeblebrox, a two-headed alien who was once president of the galaxy, whom she conveniently met at a party on Earth's final night. They then proceed to have a host of wild and crazy times in space, constantly getting into and out of trouble.
This group has since split, however, and Mostly Harmless finds Arthur alone and happy on an isolated planet. He was marooned there when his spaceship crashed, and, upon finding a primitive civilization, settled in and set out to bring high technology to the natives. After some time, Arthur found that the only part of modern civilization he actually understood well enough to impart to these people was the art of sandwich making. And he did so, all the while carving out a pleasant niche for himself.
The plot begins to thicken when Trillian arrives with their daughter, Random, whom Arthur knew nothing about. It turns out that the teenage girl is actually the product of Arthur's donation to a sperm bank, but he is forced to take her in and attempt to raise her when the career-minded Trillian demands that he take responsibility.
After some time, Arthur receives a package addressed to Ford Prefect, which Random opens to reveal a brand new, strangely interactive version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This new Guide, though generally unbeknownst to its user, caters to the beck and call of whomever possesses it. Random uses it to travel to another dimension, one in which the Earth still exists, so she can go home. Ford comes for his package, and he and Arthur are forced to flee the planet in pursuit of Random. The chaotic conclusion that occurs when they find her brings the entire series to a complete, if not altogether cheery, conclusion.
The ultimate strength of Mostly Harmless is in the writing. Every bit of the story is worded perfectly in flowing, complex sentences, and Adams' ability to twist a phrase is the book's finest feature.
"As the Guide folded itself back into a smooth dark dish, Ford realized some pretty hectic stuff. Or at least he tried to realize it, but it was too hectic to take in all in one go. His head was hammering, his ankle was hurting, and though he didn't like to be a wimp about his ankle, he always found that intense multidimensional logic was something he understood best in the bath. He needed some time to think about this. Time, a tall drink, and some sort of rich, foamy oil."
The strange occupants of alien planets and the strange events that the group encounters give the book its depth and its unmatched humor. Arthur's planet of Lamuella, for example, features a strange group of cow/buffalo-like creatures which come out of nowhere, stampede across a few miles, and then vanishing into thin air once again. These animals are known only as Perfectly Normal Beasts, so dubbed because Old Thrashbarg, the village's leader, wanted to convey that image to the people.
" `[Old Thrashbarg] says that they come from where they come from and they go to where they go to and that it's Bob's will and that's all there is to it,'" Arthur explains to Trillian at one point before going on to touch on the Lamuellans' belief in the Almighty Bob.
It is also revealed at one point, in a brilliantly subtle sequence of events, the Elvis really was kidnapped by aliens.
Though every bit as zany as its predecessors, and with a confusing but captivating story involving layers of different dimensions of time and space, Mostly Harmless brings the five-part series to a definite end, and clearly has a much more sobering tone. Almost everything goes wrong for the main characters in this novel, and the final culmination highlights this dark theme.
If you have never read any of Douglas Adams' previous work, Mostly Harmless is not the place to start. Its plot is hard enough to follow even with a thorough knowledge of the characters, and attempting to dive in without such information would make Mostly Harmless confusing at least to the point of no longer being humorous. However, Mostly Harmless is a perfect conclusion to a masterful five-part series, and while it might not provide the ultimate question to the ultimate answer of life, the universe and everything, it is definitely more exciting, more hilarious, and more intense than its ironically cautious title might advertise.

The first three Hitchhikers books are probably the most hilarious books I have ever read. The fourth, _So Long and Thanks for all the Fish_ was a great disappointment, and lacked the brilliant spark of the first three. _Mostly Harmless_ is mean spirited and largely devoid of humor. I think Adams not only has lost interest in these books, but has lost his muse. Sad to see him writing such junk as _Mostly_, I would presume just for the money. I felt cheated for buying this book, and I cannot even recommend checking it out of the library, as surely your time must be worth something

This is a book only for rabid fans of the Trilogy. Adams was obviously tired of the whole feckless Hitchhiker gang and used this last opus to unceremoniously dispose of them. While flashes of the old wit crop up here and there most of the book makes no sense until the end. And at the end you see the whole purpose of the plot line was contrived to vaporize the protagonists. It can best be compared to the second book, which ended on a dark note also. The second book at least had the saving grace of a lighter sense of humor. The fifth book's end is unremittingly black and will leave most fans enraged.

This fifth and unfortunate final installment of the series is the longest of them all. It feels like a 2 1/2 hour film where right in the middle of it, you start to scratch your head and say "When is this going to end?" and then all of a sudden it gets really interesting (right aroung page 147, if you're interested). Yes, as readers have pointed out, the character of Fenchurch (who was introduced in the fourth book) has disappeared in this one, and all matter of things making the whole fabric of the Hitchiker's universe unstable make it hard to get used to. As one of the hidden characters in the book says, "Let it go." There are interesting places in this one, and Arthur, lost and adrift in the universe, has gotten quite weary of them. When the climax of the book finally appears, we are left with an abrupt feeling that Adams himself attributes to "having a lousy year" and that he meant to write a sixth book, but unfortunately had a heartattack at age 49. This is too bad, as the book ends with a bang, and you can almost hear the old theme music from the show coming on with the feel of "I can't wait to see how they got out of this one!" but that will never happen. Still, read it with the knowledge that it wasn't meant to be the end!

Adams aptly named "hitchhiker's trilogy" continues on in this all too short book. The author's focus is on three and a half characters, Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Tricia McMillan....and Arthur and Tricia's daughter Random.

We learn that Arthur is welcomed as a master sandwich maker on a planet similar in make up to Earth. He has also sold his DNA for quick cash to what appears to be the future of sperm banks!

Tricia is Trillian is Tricia.

Ford becomes completely disillusioned due to his employeer selling out to a large corporation. It would appear that even space and time are not safe from capitalism.

Random wants to fit in--and finds solace in Arthur's watch, before she broke it that is...er was.

Everthing, from an Adamsian perspective, is completely normal, as is exemplified by the appearance of the "perfectly normal beasts" that migrate through time and space allowing Arthur to make sandwiches of them after a successful hunt.

As the story shapes and is molded by the storyteller, the one character that is most missed is Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed cosmic leader and pirate. Also, Martin, the manic depressant robot is sorely missed.

It is a shame that Adams is no longer of this Earth to share more about the trials and tribulations of our favorite characters! However, I will re-read this series occassionally as I do my other favorite reads.

A great book! Need I say more?

Well actually yes. Most people seemed not to like this book as much as the first three, so I suppose I should explain my opinion!

Granted, Mostly Harmless does have darker humor, and less light-heartedness than some of Adams' other books, but it is also wonderful for its seriousness. We learn that Ford is a fierce animal rights activist (except for when it comes to geese), that all Tricia wants is another chance, that Random just wants to belong somewhere. And the book does have its lighter moments- Colin, Ford's musings on his life as a hitchhiker, the depiction of Random as the Dr. Jeckle and Miss Hyde of teenagers. And there are the touching bits- Random letting her guard down towards her father (well, for a few minutes), Tricia pouring her heart out to Gail, and, of course, the heart-pounding, breath-taking romance of Random conking Ford on the noggin with a rock.

Granted, Mostly Harmless does have a few disappointments. I missed Zaphod and Marvin in this story, and the ending was completely unnecessary. Still, overall, it's a worthwhile read.

What about a sequel? Impossible, because of the circumstances of the ending? Well, not really. Adams has certainly played around with Time enough in the past. A time machine- or a sudden eddy in the space-time continuum- could either prevent the ending, or save those involved. After all, we need to know how Tricia would react to finally seeing Zaphod again, what Fenny would think of Arthur's daughter, how Ford and Random would see each other, if introduced on a friendlier basis. Hopefully, Adams will realize the potential left in the series, and continue his wonderful work!

This fifth book in the five-book trilogy from great author Douglas Adams doesn't have the silly charm or comic punch of the first three, and instead has the confusing, incoherent narrative of the boring fourth, "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish." The plot is difficult to explain, since this book has virtually no direction or any kind of solid narrative. Not only is it ridiculous, but it's confusing. While the original three were splendid comedy gems, this one is a forced whimper that doesn't hold up and has no memorable qualities. I guess it was time for the series to end.

Not much I can add to most of the other reviews. It seems pretty clear in reading Mostly Harmless than Adams was just playing out the thread, either tying up loose ends, dipping his hand one last time into the till because he knew any continuation of the Hitchhiker series, however mediocre, would sell well, or whatever. And mediocre it is. Adams is an astonishingly funny writer, and his wit is enough to make the book a pleasant read (thus the three stars). But it's clearly lacking the energy that made earlier books in the series such a delight.

Most people i know seem not to like this book, but i loved it. Along with other people i disliked So Long and Thanks For ALL the Fish. But i really liked this one. The best section of the book i think is when Arthur is on Luemella(i think that's the planet's name). It was not as "funny" as the first three were, but i don't think it needed that. I am glad that there was no Zaphod in it, I actually don't care for the Zaphod charactor myself. But whatever Douglas Adams writes in his books are what they should be.
-Burgain

I once asked Douglas Adams why he had written a fifth Hitchhikers book, when he had previously stated that it was a mistake to write a fourth Hitchhikers book. He replied that he did it "to be perverse". I finally got around to reading this "perversion" recently. I actually liked it. It's been almost 30 years since I read the fourth book in the series, but I was able to follow what happened in this book (more or less). Zaphod and Marvin aren't in this book. The main characters here are Arthur, Ford, Trillian, an alternate version of Trillian and a new character that I won't reveal. I found the book to be funny, but I can understand why some people might not like it as much as I did.

I once asked Douglas Adams why he had written a fifth Hitchhikers book, when he had previously stated that it was a mistake to write a fourth Hitchhikers book. He replied that he did it "to be perverse". I finally got around to reading this "perversion" recently. I actually liked it. It's been almost 30 years since I read the fourth book in the series, but I was able to follow what happened in this book (more or less). Zaphod and Marvin aren't in this book. The main characters here are Arthur, Ford, Trillian, an alternate version of Trillian and a new character that I won't reveal. I found the book to be funny, but I can understand why some people might not like it as much as I did.

I read Mostly Harmless after reading the first four books of the HitchHiker's trilogy and I was disappointed. If you thought the others were confusing, this is beyond that. Here's an example. Trillian came to her. Tricia came to her. They are both the same person. This book is very complicated too. My biggest disappointment is the immediate introduction of Random, and the missing Zaphod Bebblebrox, the missing Marvin and the missing Fenchurch. I did like Colin, the security robot. But I didn't get the ending

This book was written to provoke those who wanted Adams to continue the trilogy but I loved it. Aurthor setteled down on a bob fearing planet where he has aquired the prestigous job of "sandwitch maker" and couldn't be happier when Trillian drops his unknown psycho-daughter Random on his doorstep. Aurthor fumbles around differant planet earths chasing Random and the threat to the HGTTG with Ford Prefect. It has all the same Adams humor as the rest of the series even though its not as spectacular as the first 3 books there are still some great moments. Inevidably the joke is on us after we read this book and we choose to laugh it off or get angry for its existance.. I can understand why people get angry, but I thought it was funny.

This, the fifth Hitchhiker's book, is something of a let-down. It's not bad, per se, and there are some really funny moments in it. But on the whole, it's a much darker and more serious book than the rest of the Hitchhiker novels. It seems like Adams wrote it just to shut up the people clamoring for another Hitchhiker book; an impression that's definitely furthered by the ending (which, not to give too much away, makes a sequel nearly impossible). Read it, but don't expect it to measure up to the first four books.

Mostly Harmless is the fifth book of the Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy, and as such, it's worth reading. However, in many ways I think that its title is a little too apt.

This is my least favourite Hitchhiker book, because it left me slightly depressed by both its storyline and its position as the final book of the trilogy. Even so, it has sequences that are too funny to be missed, most notably the story of (and our hero Arthur's confusion about) the King. Furthermore, it answers questions and clarifies some issues, and it also provides some closure for the characters that readers of the books have come to care about.

Probably the worst of the series. It was quirky but never evoked more than a chuckle. It was also more confusing than the other books. So the combination of not that funny and confusing didn't work out so well. I am glad to have finally finished a series I started more than 20 years ago but not sure I really needed to read this one.

At least one of the other reviewers mentioned that the narrator wasn't that great but liked him a lot.

I have been looking through the reviews, and if you're reading this, you are too. Many people love this book, and many hate it. How can you tell which you will be? Let me offer the one thing that could very well decide it; if you thought that 'So Long and Thanks For All The Fish' was the best of the series, then you probably won't like 'Mostly Harmless'. "MH" is a bit less joyous than the rest, but still has it's redeeming qualities (the "King" thing was absolutely hilarious)

I tore through the first four books, and couldn't wait to read the fith and final book. Afterwords, I kinda with I hadn't. It seems tacked on, almost as if it was written without regard for the story up to that point. It lacks much of the humor and sensitivity of the first four. I'll just say it: I did not like this book one bit.
For one thing, it was written in such a manner that it was hard to follow. And yes, I do like happy endings, and this book does not have one. Plus, it doesn't follow with the other books. We all already know that Earthers did not evolve on the planet, and that the Earth was replaced. So why would the HHGTG still say "Mostly harmless", instead of Ford's long-winded review of the planet? Lots of things in this book might make you think that it was written out of a desperate need for money, or by somebody else.
If you love the series as much as I do, just skip this book. It is a disappointing end to a wonderful "trilogy."

There is another big last joke besides God's Final Message to His Creation. It's in Mostly Harmless. About all I can say about it is that you must read the other four books first. Then read through this final volume for a joke that may have you laughing for 10 minutes solid. However, if you read this first and then go through the rest (why anyone would do that, I don't know), the joke will be a completely pointless a-ha as you go through the first four books of the trilogy.

I have long been a fan of the Hitchhikers series as they are comic genius. The book Mostly Harmless, however, should never have come about. It is frustration at its peak. After reading this book I vowed to never read another Douglas Adams book again (not as though he got around to writing any more). This book contains nothing that resembles a story line and never gets past the character development stage. I happened to go to a talk he gave at the University of Texas a few years ago and he was asked about the ending of the Mostly Harmless and his excuse was that the hardest part of writing a new book is getting everyone back together after you scatter them to the ends of the universe in the previous book so this was his answer. If you ask me he wrote this book to pay off his new Porsche and cheat his fans. Go ahead and read the first 4 as they make up a great story by themselves but don't waste your time reading this drivel.

The problem with Mostly Harmless is not how Douglas Adams chooses to end the greatest book series ever, but rather why. Adams is obviously tired of these characters. The rapid wit of the first four novels is muted and characterization is kept to a minimum. It seems as though Adams simply caved to the demand of his fans in producing this disappointing venture. The ending is a cheap way of closing the door to any more sequels (though don't count on it, anything is possible in Adams's universe, and there's always the probability of Zaphod solo stories). The alternate version of Trillian who never left Earth with Zaphod is a concept driven into the ground in sci-fi, and tastes stale here. The aliens who awaken after millenia bring to mind the Krikkiters of LTUAE, though these fail to ellicit any emotion from the reader. Random, Arthur and Trillian's daughter, is completely wasted, both as a character and as an impetus to conflict between Arthur, Trillian and the dearly missed Zaphod. I did like the clever bit about Bob and the sandwich maker, but Adams should never have taken us to Stavro Mueller's Beta. I prefer to think Arthur and Fenchurch (she who was cruelly dispatched, by the by, in an unnecessary space-time accident without even appearing for a scene) are still roaming the cosmos, and that this last episode was but a bad dream

Douglas Adams still does a wonderful job of doing what he does best - entertaining the reader with his off-beat but on-time sense of humor. This book didn't let me down in the least, except for finding myself killed-off in the end, and was entertaining from beginning to end. The sub-plots about the "sandwichmaker" and the short but incredibly thought-inspiring chapter about Arthur finding "Earth" in another universe were in line with Adams' style of wit. I liked it.

The fifth and last book in the `trilogy' is a real return to form after the forth book.

It is very funny at times and more closely plotted than some of the others in the series.

There were some cracking lines and characters and perhaps an unexpectedly darker edge to the proceedings. It was good to see the return of some old and much loved characters and species.

They way that things are tied up and the satirical elements and actually having a workable plot really do leave me in awe of the talents of Douglas Adam's.

There can't be that many authors who could get so many laughs from sandwich making

I loved the first four books of the 'trilogy', but was absolutely floored by how awful this book is. I didn't just loathe the unbelievably bleak ending, the entire thing was completely unfunny from start to finish. At the end I had no idea why I had just wasted my time on this pile of excrement laughingly called a '5th book' of one of my favorite series of all time. The book never elicited anything more than a mild chuckle, if that, and hours of frustration at how annoying Random is and watching a funny author waste his talent. This book is a HUGE disappointment and a waste of ink. I wish Adams had never bothered publishing this crap, just scrapped it and started over with something actually funny.

I haven't read Book 6, but I'm curious as to whether the new guy can capture the tone of the GOOD Hitchhiker's books and avoid the tone of this one. Avoid this book like it's the plague.

at first i hated this book, but now i'm starting to see something subtle. there was a review of starship troopers i read that said the creators made the film bad on purpose, as a subtle jab at the viewers. i also remember douglas adams saying how mad he was when "so long, etc." didn't go over very well because it was different from the other books (people kept wanting more zaphod and more marvin). i think mr. adams wrote this book as a sort of revenge for all the people who were always bugging him to do more with the series, even after he had wanted to lay it to rest. and so, almost a decade after the fourth book he made this. the book has the look of classical adams, but look closer. the characters, previously put-upon but ultimately content, are here subjected to torture and defeat. the grebulons are intended to be wildly boring. all the characters are acting more soulless and unhappy than ever before. the planet arthur lives on is smashingly rural, as opposed to the usual hi-tech worlds, restaurants and spaceports. fenchurch a normal but charming character is replaced by random, a character who is unique. i don't know about you but i wanted to kill her after her first line. to drive home the point the guide itself is now replaced by an evil twin, the same way that mostly harmless is a dark reflection of the first few books. it uses all the classical hitch hiker style and traits, but twist them around. into a dark unpleasant version. the ending perhaps shows this both of all. ultimately, it is a book for all the people who! insist he flog a dead horse. so he did.... with a vengeance. maybe know, with no alternative, people can stop crying for more marvin, more zaphod. people insisted the trilogy continue, and it did. in a way that left a lot of people wishing they'd left well enough alone. or i could be completely wrong. it's just a thought. mr. adams, if you're reading this, you might want to share your opinion. or not. how should i know

Alright, so the HHGTTG saga was over two books ago; heck, I have to admit I didn't think all too much of SLATFATF, except for poor Marvin (my all-time favorite of the characters, of course). Mostly Harmless struck me almost like it was written by someone other than Adams... you could almost say it wasn't quite funny enough. But people shouldn't complain about the ending; I thought it was fitting in an odd sort of way. The entire series was one long string of insane humor and nonsensical happenings, and this fit in pretty well, even if the rest of the book was actually starting to make some sense (which, of course, was it's main problem). In the forward to The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide (a HUGE book which is a collection of all five Guides plus a short story), Adams noted how a lot of his stories ended with the destruction of Earth. The Guide series is really little different, and he couldn't have thought up a crazier and more interesting way of doing it. People like me who like ridiculous scientific gobbleteygook dove straight into that Guide Mark ][ with all it's talk about probability axes and whatnot. And that's part of the ending too. Overall, the book is worthwhile, if complicated for the first-time reader. (Don't ask me about Random; she just gives me the shudders...)

Every morning--every school day morning, that is--I make breakfast for my kids, then while they're eating it, I read to them. We've been doing this for years, since before the youngest started school. Mostly Harmless was our latest morning read.

We all loved it, even if the ending had everyone a bit stunned. Mostly about Arthur, but Ford and Trillian were in there, too. We did miss Zaphod. All in all, a satisfying ending to the "increasingly inaccurately named Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy"... since it had to end, that is.

This book was as brilliant as all the rest. I never expected him to give the ending it got. I see some of the reviews are bitter at the fact that he finally ended the trilogy but I got as many laughs out of this one as I did when I first picked my copy of the HGTTG. I especially liked the little overjoyed robot Colin.. although he could never replace Marvin. Its a hilarious book, with a beautiful ending. so give it some credit.

I definitely agree that Adams was writing this as revenge. How can anyone read the description of what the Guide project has become and still not see that Adams is talking about his own series? You think it was an accident? Compare Ford's memories of the way it used to be with the way it is. Also, look at Ford as he runs up "expenses" on his new assignment. Adams is writing about himself. Its amazing that there are people who read this book who didn't see this.

Well it was true that the first Three book in the trilogy could have just been one long
one and Adams was cashing out, they were funny books. When adams came out with
the fourth book, it rather sucked. No Trillian, or Zaphod. This book really ends the
series, and brings back Trillian and a new surprize charater, the best sci fi or comedy
book ever, done it great style. When the book ends, your shocked, but happy.

I notice that most reviewers don't seem to like Mostly Harmless that much. They complain about the unhappy ending and the lack of outright funny jokes.

I, on the other hand, love Mostly Harmless. It's my favorite book of the 'trilogy.' It has the most cohesive plot; everything builds to a well foreshadowed conclusion. Yeah, it's a bit of a downer, but I prefer morose and deeply satisfying to upbeat and meaningless. All these disparate threads finally tie together (and nicely at that). The Agrajag thread concludes. The Vogon thread concludes. The Trillian thread really emerges and concludes. We get a decent amount of good stuff on Earth (like in So Long...), but we also get lots of strange planet stuff (as in the first three books). Plus, we get Ford's adventure at the Guide office and the Sandwichmaker episode (probably my favorite piece of storytelling). "There is an art to making sandwiches..." How can you not give it 5 stars for that alone?

Anyway, I suppose it's like Arthur says to Ford: "I think we have different value systems." And, like Ford, my reply to you naysayers is "Well mine's better."

Definitely the best Adams book yet, the previous ones seemed to continue on with the same plot, but MH brings in a completely new idea, as well as including the last death of Agrajag, Random is a brilliant addition to the ensemble cast, causing Arthur to actually care about someone else (exception: Fenchurch). The Hitch-Hiker Bird shows that nothing you or anyone else can do will stop the insanity of Megadodo Pub. Great work Adams, a brilliant ending to the Trilogy.

It's a long fall when something so anticipated turns out to be so disappointing. After a very charming and wonderful ending to the series (So, Long and Thanks ...) Adams seems to just suddenly grab his characters and put them through an adventure that neither he nor they want very much to go through. The whimsy is forced and the humor is tired. Read the 1st four. Then, read Mostly Harmless at your own peril.

WELL, I THOUGHT THAT THE SERIES WAS PRETTY GOOD, UNTIL ADAMS INTRODUCED FENCHURCH TO THE STORY. IT SEEMS HE GOT TOO DEEPLY INTO THE CHARACTERIZATIONS, AND LOST THAT SUPERFICIAL TONE NECESSARY FOR HIS QUIRKY SENSE OF HUMOR. NOT THAT YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK; I THINK IT IS BETTER THAN THE THIRD, AGREEING WITH THE REST OF THE REVIEWERS THAT THE PART ABOUT THE SANDWICH MAKER IS DEFINITELY A RETURN TO THE OLD, BETTER STYLE. AND I MAINTAIN MY POSITION THAT THE WHOLE SERIES IS FANTASTIC, BUT IT DOES CHANGE STYLE FROM THE FIRST THREE BOOKS TO THE LAST TWO BOOKS, GOING FROM A PLOT BASED STORY TO A MORE CHARACTER BASED STORY.(FUNNY ENOUGH, I DID THINK THAT "THE LONG DARK TEATIME OF THE SOUL" WAS BETTER THAN "DIRK GENTLY'S HOLISTIC DETECTIVE AGENCY", AND IT CAME AFTER THE LATTER...)

While not being the best book in the trilogy, it captivated for for the entire time it took to read it. I've read all five books more times than I can count and will never get sick of any of the. I don't see why people didn't like this book. It's classic Douglas Adams. All of the characters are at their best. Ford is at his zaniest since LTUAE, and Arthur is at his placidist since the "trilogy" began.

When this book was first published, I found it overly grim and, frankly, depressing. It's short, and doesn't include numerous popular characters from earlier in the series, including Zaphod Beeblebrox and Marvin the Paranoid Android. That said, the book has aged well, and in re-reading it I found myself appreciating how much more tightly constructed it is than earlier books in the series. And the first 2/3 provides a fair number of laughs and science-fictional wonders in keeping with the spirit of the series.

Before reading this book, I was extremely cautious to avoid any information/review which might spoil and prejudice my opinion. In that I was successful.

It had been a while since reading the other four books, so they were not on my mind and in fact I worried about forgetting minor plot points and whether that would affect my enjoyment.

I needn't have worried. There was nothing enjoyable about Mostly Harmless. I was overwhelmed by a sense of bitterness coming from the prose, found myself wondering, "Does he even *like* these characters?"

It struck me as the work of a man who hated what he was doing and wanted to kill it in the most complete and irrevocable way possible.

Two stars for occassional flashes of the non-bitter Adams.

It was long awaited, perhaps too long in fact. In the end, it seemed a bit forced. It didn't roll around in your mind like the other books of The Guide series. At times it read chunky and you sat their scratching your head wondering if your babel fish came loose and you were losing something in translation.

Though a big fan of Adams, this read a little like Vogon poetry, you want to like it but can't in fear of being thrown in an airlock and ejected into space. In the end, Panic, it is the weakest of the group.

Though it takes an open mind for longtime Hitchhiker's fans to enjoy this book, I found it the most fascinating and well thought-out book in the series. Adams reaches his high point in this book, loosing none of the hilarious comedy of the previous four, and adding multiple layers of mind-bending complexity. Brilliant, riveting, and more than a little weird, Mostly Harmless is a book worthy of being read many times.

It's not uplifting like the other books in the series. However, the fourth book was unsettling (Fenchurch's feet never touching the ground--talk about freakiness) in ways that may have escaped many fans, and in hindsight really set the stage for this turn of affairs. People often dismiss "Hollywood endings", yet here they are moaning about how sadly this book ends. Yet more than anything else, it is what the series deserves. A brutal ending that ties up all the loose ends.

The ending had my heart racing and mind reeling. But after the initial shock of it. Came a barrage of questions, then a brainstorm(s). Now this may not have been his final book, but a original ending. The Salmon Of Doubt was not continued, and may have lead to a different or continuing conclusion. But over all, this is a great ending, that will have you re-reading almost every third paragraph. A must to complete the series.

As you can probably see from the other comments this book is the probably the most reviled book out of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. However, I actually believe that this was the best book in the entire series.

Most of the people who were dissatisfied with this book complain that it is not funny, or at least not as funny as the other books. I agree that this book was not as funny as the first three books, but I do feel that this book was funny in its own way. The humor in this book was much more grim and bleak than in the earlier books. Mostly Harmless takes has a much darker sense of humor that is deeply pessimistic. It is understandable that many people believe this book to be unfunny, because its comedic value is difficult to understand. However, just because some people do not get the joke, does not mean that it is not funny. It is this gloomy sense of humor that makes Mostly Harmless superior to the other Hitchhiker's books.

Another thing that makes this book a better than the others is that the story is more focused. There are not as many Guide entries in this book. While these were defining characteristics of the Hitchhiker's stories, I always felt that they distracted too much from the plot, and made it hard to follow. Though many of these entries gave clever insights on the human condition, they tended to make the story erratic. With the reduction of the Guide entries, I felt this book flowed more smoothly, and I found it easier to invest myself in this story.

(Spoilers)

The thing that made this book stand out from the rest was the death of Arthur Dent at the end. Many people were upset by this ending because it was too bleak and depressing. They wanted Arthur Dent to receive a heroic ending, or at least a happy one. However, the reason that the Hitchhiker's series is so popular is that it goes against the norm. Arthur Dent is hardly the traditional hero, the Vogons are not traditional villains, and the trilogy is not even a normal trilogy. The ending for Arthur Dent could not have been happy; that would have been to cliché. Plus, there are too many stories out there where the hero saves the day, gets the girl, and lives happily ever after; things that do not happen in real life. It felt refreshing to have a book that ended dismally, where the only reward the "hero" got for his suffering was death. The death of Arthur Dent was the perfect ending to this book, and the series.

This book felt much more real to me, and it showed just how well Douglas Adams understood humanity and the world that it live in. Mostly Harmless may not be for everyone, but those with a dark sense of humor and a pessimistic attitude will certainly enjoy it.

The final wrap-up of the Hitchhiker series with no one truly finding happiness -- just what we've come to expect from Douglas Adams. Megadodo Publications endures a corporate takeover by Vogons, Arthur nearly finds his calling on a planet that just yearns for a good sandwich, and, hey, Trillian's in it too. It is the most chaotic and attitude-pumped Hitchhiker book to date.

I read HHGG many years ago, but never got around to Mostly Harmless when it came out. I saw it at the library the other day, and knew I had a quest to finish. Unfortunate.

Instead of the cutting wit of the first stories, we get Jerry Lewis-esque slapstick, and Dr Seuss-like silly word play. The plot rambles and bumbles, but unlike the comedic diversions of its predecessors MH just fades away into more nothingness.

MH gives us a smile here and a chuckle there, but after a short period of time I simply won't remember anything in particular about Book 5 - with the possible exception of the ending. That was a surprise.

*WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!!*
I loved all of the books,thought the ending to mostly harmless certainly hurt (when I read books, I imagine them to be alive. In addition, I seem to have developed some sort of curse that makes certain that each and every favourite character I ever decide on will die by the end of the book/series/whatever. So Ford dying in the end certainly didn't help my opinion of this book).
A lot of people have brought up questions regarding continuity and loopholes with regards to the ending, and I think that this was intentional - My GUESS, is the Douglas Adams purposely ended the book the way he did to be finished and done with it, but to also give people who couldn't deal with the death a simple way out of having to.
I cannot deal with the death ( ;) ) so I am pretending in my mind that Ford and the others simply hitch-hiked their way out of the situation, and continued on their way, while sorting out Fenchurch, Zaphod, Trillian/Tricia, and Random along the way, and, everyone did indeed live happily ever after.
It could happen.

I guess it had to end this way. The original radio version of "Hitchhiker" was the high-water mark. The television version wasn't as good. The books have gotten worse and worse. There really weren't many jokes here and the miserable ending was so totally lacking in imagination that I was really angry at myself for having read this book. It's as if Mr. Adams was tired of the story and characters but not the revenue stream.

When I gave this edition a listen, I had hoped Martin Freeman would be an entertaining reader, given his involvement with the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" movie. I had previously heard another edition of this book in cassette tape form, read by the author himself (Douglas Adams). Sadly, Freeman doesn't quite stack up to Adams in the narration department; his timing with the humorous text pales in comparison to the author's. I'd recommend (and will) finding the edition read, unabridged, by Douglas Adams. That's not to say that this edition is bad by any means. The material is still great, arguably the best in the Hitchhiker's series, I simply preferred the book-on-tape edition as read by the author.

This book was a decent read, but shy's in comparison to the first four of the series. The wacky zany and highly entertaining universe Adams created is somewhat unsettled by this book. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth for the dedicated fan. I am honestly lead to believe, after having read all of Adams' work, that another book was to follow this one. The issues of Fenchurch as well as there being two Trillian's in the end, plus the lack of Zaphod (with the Heart of Gold) just leaves the door open for a loop hole out of the disturbingly final tone to this book. A loophole I don't Adams was overlooking. While I can appreciate the ideas this book presented, I have to agree with some of the other reviewers here that the previous books filled you with a sort of hope that things would work out for poor and miserable Arthur Dent, as well as, finding it hard to believe that Ford Prefect couldn't find himself out of any difficult situation. While I don't know if I personally could ever get enough of the hitchhiker series, I'm indecisive as which book I would rather have as a finale......

The entry for Earth in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the universe's most complete and exhaustive encyclopedia) reads as follows:

Earth: Mostly harmless.

Mostly Harmless is also the title of the fifth (and final) book in Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's trilogy.

After a series of misadventures, publishing arguments, and sandwiches, Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent find themselves on Earth once again.

Earth is still mostly harmless...although the same cannot be said of the Vogon fleet which has the capability to destroy an entire planet - or of the infinite number of parallel universes and the ensuing consequences when they collide. (Just ask Trillian and Tricia McMillan).

Earth, while mostly harmless, still boasts:
a) oodles of existential angst
2) ravenous media outlets
d) New York City

And as long* as there's an Earth, that's the way it will be.

*As long as.

There was a connection that Arthur Dent made with his readers that carried one seamlessly through the first four books. The state of temporary immortality that he reaches in this book simply makes him less interesting.

The appeal of the Hitchhiker series was always the conflict of normalcy and the extraordinary (like trying to get a spaceship to synthesize tea). This book just didn't find the right balance and the writing in this book gave off the general feeling that you might get from an unsatisfied sexual partner - that they are simply doing what they can to make the event end without hurting your feelings. This is the feeling I got from Adams' novel and it was all the more terrible because I always loved Adams.

This book is not a fit end to the man's career. If you feel as though you have to read this to finish the series then please read the Dirk Gently books afterwards (even if you've already read them).

'Mostly Harmless' is certainly a close rival with 'Restaurant at the End of the Universe' for being the best of the Hitchhiker's series, and indeed of Adams' entire body of work. As he moved away from the radio-script material into fresh territory, Adams gradually dropped the lighter, more trivial and bubbly style of the first novel, and it is in `Mostly Harmless' that his deftness in deploying his unique brand of logical illogicalities, observations on the absurdity of certain behaviour (final disaster occurs as a result of someone acting on his horoscope), and skilled play with language reaches its greatest density and elegance.
Most brilliant is the challengingly dark ending (too challenging for some, resulting in negative reactions from some when 'Mostly Harmless' was first published), towards which the entire story builds with intricate layers of foreshadowing only noticeable on a second reading, demonstrating the growth in the writer's talent that had taken place by that time. Very few readers seem to notice that the boghog which bites Arthur at the beginning is Agrajag.
Adams was planning to write a sixth Hitchhiker's book at the time of his death, having decided to convert his ideas for 'The Salmon of Doubt' into a Hitchhiker's novel. It is a great pity that we cannot now witness the stroke of genius with which he intended to resurrect his characters (though I suspect that Fenchurch, whom the Vogons apparently left out of their calculations, would have been involved).
A magnificent book and a deeply satisfying conclusion to the series.

Like its predecessors in the "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series, "Mostly Harmless" is a very quick and easy read. Douglas Adams' writing style is light and entertaining, containing just enough words to let you know what's going on, rather than going on and on describing each and every detail. In this way, the story flows along quite nicely. While the beginning of the story did tend to drag on a bit, once it picked up, I found it to be very engaging and amusing. The character development of Arthur and Trillian -- both going a little mad at not being able to return to Earth -- along with their surprise daughter Random, is at once hilarious and heart-warming. The supporting details in this installment meshed flawlessly with those in the previous Hitchhiker books, which in my mind produced a story that was both nonsensical and yet made perfect sense at the same time. Don't forget to bring your towel, and if anyone asks you what the meaning of life is, it's still 42!

This has slowly become my favorite book of the series. But then, i also think "The Cable Guy" was one of Jim Carrey's better flicks. The whole madcap insane story generates enough superficiality and disconnectedness to really shock your system when something truly serious and sad happens, with real repurcussions -- as in, Random.
and another thing -- what with all the "axes of probability" and whatnot, who's to say Adams couldn't continue the series with Arthur, Ford, Zaphod, and hell even Marvin, just incarnations of them along a very slightly modified probability axis? (or whatever)
of course, only if he wanted to. i, for one, would welcome another tale with open arms. why not?

Most of the reviews of "Mostly Harmless" have centered on the fact that "So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish" had such a perfect ending. That is a valid point, but one that should not detract from the fact that the fifth book does have a very clever ending that is very provocative and keeping with the offbeat humor of the series. If there had never been a fourth book, fans of the series like myself would be perfectly happy with "Harmless." The real problem here is that Adams has torn apart a perfectly contained entity to establish the jumping-off point for this book. This upsets people who have invested emotional energy. They may tolerate the universe yanking Arthur around, but they get iritated at the author yanking him around for no good reason. But if "Fish" did not exist, it would play like Adams' trademark absurdity.

In the process of reading his bio, I discovered there's been a fifth Hitchhiker installment for 15 years that I didn't know about. I've read it now. It's excellent. It's interesting to know how painful it was for him to write, because it reads so smoothly. Very funny, and insightful. We find out what "42" means, among other things. It's like one of the cover blurbs say, when all the pieces suddenly click into place and you realize there was a method to the madness, or at least a plan, all along.

In many ways this book is just as interesting as previous books in the series. Adams humor is in tact and will have you snickering fairly often.

The main problem is that of the overall plot. It is unsatisfying and pessamistic. Not just the ending. Tricia Mcmillian or Trillan turns from being a likable and symathetic character to somone who uses people and makes them clean up her mess. It is a heartbeakingly unfit end to a series I have such fondness for. This is compounded by the fact that the late Douglas Adams wished to write a sixth book after this one but never got around to it.

At this point it is better to consider the fourth book the final guide since it has such a satisfyingly beautiful end. For those who love the works of Adams should read it anyway, since it is well... a douglas adams book. Just dont be to dissapointed when you are dissapointed.

Douglas Adams sends the Trilogy packing in a great and wonderful book. The witty character of Arthur Dent once again tremendously reminds me of me. From cover to cover, the fifth book in the trilogy ends the trilogy in the best way possible. The greatest way to end the inaccurately named Hitchhiker Trilogy

If you're a fan of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series, this is a book you can't afford to read. It will ruin what would otherwise be fond memories of a wonderful series.
"Hitchhiker" is one of the most tightly-woven stories ever written. Sometimes you'll only get a joke when you read the next book. The thought and love Douglas Adams put into the series are quite evident.
With this travesty, however, one gets the feeling that his heart just wasn't in it. Like someone else said, you can almost hear him saying, "there, here's your damn book, now leave me alone".
The whole tone of the series, of British melancholy humour, is simply absent. It's just depressing.

In his most recent addition to the Hitchhiker's series,
Douglas Adams stays true to form with witty humor and
thoughtful, though unlikely, ideas. Though like the other
four Hitchhiker's novels it focuses on the amusingly dull
life of Briton-turned-space-traveller Arthur Dent and his
streetwise friend Ford Prefect, Mostly Harmless also
includes Adams' ideas on such subjects as dimentional
mechanics. Also surprising is the fact that, unlike many
of his other books, Mostly Harmless seems to have a true
ending, raising questions about future novels in the series.
All in all, Mostly Harmless is an excellent showcase of Adams'
writing talent. (NOTE: See also Terry Pratchett for fantasy
novels written in a similar style.)

I'm amazed my the number of people who either love this book blindly because it's Douglas Adams or hate it because of the downer ending. I have no problem with downer endings. Unfortunately the book was simply not very good. Douglas Adams is past his prime. He should take up painting or golf.

I am a huge fan of the other four Hitch Hiker books and was first in line to buy this book when it first came on sale. However I soon discovered that the origional books were very far removed from Mostly Harmless both by syle and humour. Occasionally during the origional series, most notably in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, the story would meander from the plot following what appeared to be the whim of the author. In Mostly Harmless the entire plot seems to be an ill thought out whim, a weak idea extended far beyond its humour or its point. It cashes in on the popularity of the series without giving any of its fans credit for being able to spot bad writing when they see it. Extremely disappointing.

I'm a sixth grader and I loved Mostly Harmless. Even though I haven't read the first four books in the series I could understand the story and enjoy the characters. There were parts that I really didn't like very much but they were small. Mostly I loved reading it and would recommend it to my friends. It was hilarious and weird at the same time. I thought it was nice that Arthur, Trillian and Ford came together in the end. Overall it was an great book and I can't wait to read the first four.

...in that the last one usually isn't all that appealing. I liked it fine, with some of Adams's wit, but it was a bit disappointing. While I was a bit let down with Fenchurch's complete disappearance (I preferred her over Trillian), I was glad when, mercifully, Marvin was not present. Probably the only reason I read it was because it was included in my copy of the Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide, and also just to know that I read them all.

I've had <u>Mostly Harmless</u> on my shelf for many years. I can't remember when I got it, nor could I remember reading it. A couple of weeks ago, I started with <u>Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"</u> and read through the series. <U>Mostly Harmless</u> ostensibly the 5th book in the trilogy (this <i>is</i> Douglas Adams, RIP).
The book is fast paced...leading you to an ending that closes the series for good (although you could argue that there's certainly an opening after the <u>So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish</u> shenanigans.
Anyway, if you've read the other four books in the trilogy, you'll enjoy this last one, until the very end, much like Mr. Adams' life.

...loved it. I don't think this was a cop-out on Adams' part at all, and far from being the worst in the series, I think this very well might be one of the best, if not *the* best. Hitchhiker's fans especially, do yourself a favor and get a copy of this book

The book was an excellent clinch to the series.

The ironic "It's only Astrology. It's not the end of the world." (chapter 2: 5th last paragraph) really does put humanity into the proper perspective of the universe, at the end of the book.

is one of my favorite authors and he has done it again in this book. the "hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy" saga is truly his epic. if you have read the books in the "trilogy" you can pick up at any point in any book. even people i know who can't re-read books, can read his books over and over. they are exceedingly funny and very easy reading. you do need to be able to laugh at british humor, though.

Multiple planet waxings are dull.

Or, why the hell did we read this book. Ok, the answer to that one is obvious, but anyway, this one can happily be avoided and you aren't missing anything. Even the potential best amusing bits aren't really, with Ford's corporate masters, and Arthur, yet again on Earth putting up with some very strange new behaviour by the people there.

"Mostly Harmless" is the last of the "Hitchhiker" books, and I do wish that it wasn't. The ending did tie off a lot of loose ends, but it did the readers a terrible disservice. Frankly, I hope this was a dream concocted by the dolphins of "So Long...". Anyway, Arthur Dent, the Everyman, and Ford Perfect, the flaky Alien, are at it again. Not a lot of humour in this one. Trillian having a daughter by artifical insemination didn't work at all, and this really set up one of the wrost endings I've ever read. Thanks for nothing, Douglas Adams. You are missed, however.

If Douglas Adams writes a book then he writes a book, who are we to say it's bad or wrong he is the God of the world known as the HHGTTG. He makes the future just accept it. I loved reading this book! I gave it five big stars!! Yeah!

It's quite possibly even more confusing and harder to follow than the previous four books in the series. This time Adams lingers more on some of his wacky anecdotes and punch lines. I enjoyed Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect's strange and absurd encounters with a galaxy that is now all muddled up due to time travel and reverse engineering, among other things. Through some very bizarre twists of fate, Arthur now has a daughter. Ford Prefect has incredible luck with jumping out of office windows, and a new Guide has been developed which has the potential to really screw up all of space/time...

Call me crazy, but I have been very entertained by this series. The first three books were a little more coherent in my opinion, but I would still recommend So Long... and Mostly Harmless to all readers who find themselves amused by Adams' particular brand of humor.

I'm tired of people saying things like, "It was the only fitting end" or "How did you think he would end it?" Hello, people! The series was over! Both LTUAE and SLATFATF are final chapters- this book was entirely unnecessary. Adams didn't need to finish the series, he already had... twice!

Read this novel carefully, try to understand what is being done here. This book is a jab at all of you out there who would not let well enough alone. Adams was upset at the reaction to SLATFATF, and people would not cease begging for yet another installment. So you got what you asked for, and now you're ticked off.

Listen, I would have no problem with the ending, had it been done well and entertainingly. Some of my favorite novels and movies are very dark and feature bad ends for the heros (the Dune books, 12 Monkeys). I have no problem with a change of tone (I personally love SLATFATF), so long as there is a quality story to be told.

I hate wasted characters- If you liked Fenchurch, tough. She is dispatched retro-actively in a space-time accident and doesn't even appear once. Random, Arthur and Trillian's daughter (don't ask), is an entirely pointless character who is best at being annoying. The only thing she is capable of bringing out in other characters is irritation.

Here and there, there are little sparks of brilliance, as if for a brief moment Adams allowed himself to actually enjoy writing about this group of characters that he's obviously grown to resent. However, they quickly give way to the relentless mean-spiritedness of this book.

I wish you knew, Douglas, that there are those of us who were (and are) very grateful for what you had given to us and would have been content had you never written about these characters again.

Douglas Adams is now writing the screenplay for the film version of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I only hope he doesn't decide to infect it with the derision and spite that run rampant through this joyless volume.

Three words: welcome to existentialism. :-) As with the rest of the series, in fact....
A clever and surprising book, but it has more in common with Adams' "Dirk Gently" books than with the rest of the "Hitchiker's" series. Read the one with your brain on, and don't think for a second that you'll be able to guess what happens next.

I've read almost all of the reviews and weirdly the biggest plot point in the novel, that's it's an alternate universe, has been missed by everyone. Like Dirk Gently the novel hangs pretty much on one turn of phrase about five leaf clovers and how normal they are throughout the universe. And some planted clues about different dimensions and philosophy talk.

One of the things I liked best about these novels when I was young was how dark they were. 'So Long' was not exactly the same to me, but this one is.

It's not perfect, but the fearless take everybody down a notch including yourself mentality is back. And it belongs there.

I was a fan of the "original" trilogy, but it appears that Mr. Adams has went to the well once too many times. There's no spark and hardly any new insight in this book. It was almost a chore wading through the book to find out what happened to our heroes (and heroine) that we loved in the first three books. It was a very disappointing way to end the series

Well I just finished this book and must say that, though I caught myself laughing aloud many times (thanks to Adams satiristic writing abilities), this book had only two things going for it...1)the closure that we avid Hitchhikers fans wanted and b) Adams satiristic writting abilities. This book is reminisent of the first books in its hummor but gets a liittle bogged down in the storyline, aside from that there is a totaly new way to look - oh just read the book for all I bloody well care, and decide for yourself!

THis book is great. It deals wiht the theory of the multi-dimensional universe and time-space distortion in the most comical way possible. Douglas Adams himself has no degrees in science, yet uses it in his writings surprisingly well. All your favorite characters from the other four books in the trilogy are in this one, but in an entirly different dimentional universe. And of cource, the characters from one universe meet the ones from the other and........ well, just read the book, k?

This was the last book of the series until Eoin Colfer wrote (with Adams’ widow’s approval) the sixth and final title.
There isn’t really anything to add to this review that hasn’t been said in previous reviews - the female characters have a story (Like Fenchurch in So Long and Thanks for All The Fish) which is refreshing, and also have conversations with one another, which is different for a book of this series. I wouldn’t call this feminist literature by a long shot, but there is some...miniscule...headway. Random’s issues mainly stem from her sense of abandonment by her mother, who failed to realize that her job as a reporter for the galaxy would make it impossible to raise a child, especially if she has to cover a war.
A big, blaring issue that really keeps me from calling this anything close to feminist is the fact that Fenchurch is fridged. She vanishes in order to forward Arthur’s plot and to free him up to do things he wouldn’t otherwise do, apparently. It’s annoying, to say the least.
The story is a little less funny then its predecessors and just as sexist. At risk of sounding repetitive, if you liked the previous books, you’ll probably like this one.

Adams's first four books were very good. I just want to get that by first. They were easy to understand and fun to read. This book, though, I have to say, should not be read. Not that it's a particularly bad book, but that the story would have been much better off stopping at the fourth book.

One of my complaints is with Fenchurch. She was, to me, an annoying character, at first, but I eventually found her to be one of my favorites in the series (though there aren't many in the series in the first place.) Between the fourth and fifth books, though, she vanishes with a very weak explanation and is mentioned about 2 times after. Even Arthur seems unphased by her disapperance. He doesn't even go to look for her, he just looks for earth again.

There was also Random, the new character, who brings up one conflict and is rather annoying. The one conflict she does bring up, is never solved. Tricia McMillian was a nice addition, but served no purpose in the end but to be pushed around by Random for one chapter. Zaphod is nowhere to be found. The people on Rupurt also had no purpose and weren't even humorus.

Then the ending. As it would seem, Adams built up a huge climax, and then said none of it ever happened (That's streatching it, though, I don't want to give away the real ending just in case you have the mispleasure of reading this book.)

I'd read this book long before any of these reviews were around, but even if I had seen such negative reviews, I have to stick to my original opinion: Douglas Adams is still as much a genius as he ever was! My only regret is that, yes, the end of it all has come...But it's the best 5-book trilogy I've ever read and this one was just as amazing as the preceding four!

Arthur Dent slips into another universe and quickly finds himself The Sandwich Maker of a primitive planet and the father of a random, obnoxious daughter, named Random. Meanwhile, Ford finds himself a restaurant critic of the new Hitchhiker's Guide that threatens to destroy the very fabric of the universe, all of time, and all the infinite dimensions. Adams finishes his brilliant comedic science fiction adventure with brilliant comedy that is just candy for the mind. Loved this series. Grade: A

Wow! As a longtime fan of Douglas Adams, I can safely say that this book is one of the best. This book is both cofusing and informative at the same time. Once again, Douglas Adams writes something unbelievably brilliant. Full of the same humor found in the other Hitchhiker books, this book will have you laughing out loud at the antics of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, and Arthur's daughter Random as they move between dimensions, meet Elvis, and a rather interesting ending to a remarkably brilliantly funny series

The series started off so well, it's sad to see it end so badly. This book is just a collection of random events, there really isn't a plot. None of the questions raised throughout the series are answered.

The first book was great, I wish I had stopped there.

Mostly Harmless was the most disappointing conclusion to a series since Sienfeld. Adam's seemed to have lost his empathy for the characters. Fans who enjoyed Marvin's grim outlook on life will be pleased to see that it has infected the rest of the group. (kind of like the cyberminds of the cabin robots infected the squirrels on Lamuella)
Too bad it had to end like this...

It's really quite simple: with "Mostly Harmless," Mr. Adams took all the charcater development in the first 4 novels (if you think there wasn't any, read them more carefully) and threw it out the window. This book reads like a tired Hollywood movie sequel (Police Academy XX). Sad, but what can one do? Enjoy all his other books. Avoid this one like 3-day old salmon mousse.

I agree that this was the most disappointing in the Hitchhiker series. Compared to the hillarious antics in the first volumes, I barely chuckled with this one. It really seems rather pointless, and when you finally figure out where Adams was going with the story, it was all over. I'm not even sure he knew where he was going to begin with.

I absolutely love the ending of the five-book "trilogy". It is a down note, yes, but satisfying in that the characters themselves are tired and I am glad to se Arthur and Ford finally find their peace in the whole mess. This beek really helped me understand the concept of finality (in every sense and dimension). Truly brilliant.

I think most of the reviews for this book downplay it seriously. While the ending is kind of disappointing, the book overall is wonderful. It gets a little confusing at times, but Ford's scenes and the Ford/Arthur dialogues are some of the best in the series. So, if you can stand a little confusion and a lot of Trillian, this is a great book.

Books four and five of the Hitchhikers Trilogy were very interesting. They were a heck of a lot different to the first three books. For me they were more about Arthur's personal life than the Universe. But non the less, they were both really cool and surprisingly more confusing than the others. Very good otherwise!

Ok so this wasn't the best of all the Hitch-hiker books DNA has written but you have to give the guy a break. I wouldn't blame him if he was getting sick of these characters. I know I'm not but I don't have to go through all the trouble of writing them. Shame to all of you that put poor Doug down. "Go stick your head in a pig"

Ford Prefect has always been one of my favorite fictional characters, and the powerful image of him "sitting back and laughing wildly" as the book comes to its conclusion is forever burned into my brain.
Thank you, Douglas Adams, for having the courage to end this series appropriately.

I thoroughly recommend "Mostly Harmless"... Douglas Adams takes great delight in driving each carefully crafted nail in to the coffin of the hitch hiker series. My only complaint was that it was too short. Enjoy Arthur one last time, as I don't think your going to get another chance.

The book Mostly Harmless was enjoyable, clever, and funny. I was very entertained even though the book changed its focus frequently, sometimes making it difficult to follow the storyline. I recommend reading the other books in the series before reading this book since the story line builds from the previous books.

This book had me laughing out loud in several chapters. The way the characters matured from the earlier books makes you believe they really exist. The ending was a bit depressing but so is life. On a whole it was a wonderful adventure. Doug Adams mind is truly strange.

I don't agree with the other reviewers. This book is far better than So Long and Thanks For All the Fish, yet maybe not as good as the first two in the trilogy. I have a lot of fun reading it. I encourage you to buy this book and see for yourself.