Shadows in Flight

Shadows in Flight
By: Orson Scott Card
Copyright: 2012
Tom Doherty Associates

4 Bookmarks out of 5

This is probably the most recent book I have ever reviewed on my blog so far - and will probably ever review on my blog. I borrowed this book from the library for reasons that I will get to discuss later in this post. I am a huge fan of the Ender Saga ever since I downloaded it to my nook about a year ago. I loved the universe and characters that Orson Scott Card creates in this saga and Shadows in Flight certainly did not disappoint those of us whom have been anxiously awaiting the release of this book.

For one thing, fans of the Ender universe will love how it continues in this book. The Shadow of the Giant really left us wondering what would happen to Bean and his children with the giant gene turned on. Card managed to create a book where the characters were isolated enough to believe that they were traveling through time at a slower rate than humanity, but gave us enough interaction to make us turn the page and continue reading. Shadows in Flight is not a very hard book to read - indeed, I love how Card manages to make his books about children but have those children deal with very real and very adult themes.

That being said, I was also glad to see a continuation and conclusion for Bean's saga. I'll be the first to admit that I was slow to like the character of Bean. It really irked me that he was so sure of himself and how smart he was. But Bean eventually grew on me through the Shadow companions to the Ender Universe. I loved how he commanded forces and was a great person to have in a fight. In this book, though, you get to see the sentimental side of Bean. And, to be honest, I was kind of disappointed. I didn't want to see Bean so incapacitated that he was just a voice in his childrens' ears. I wanted to see him in action - kicking ass, really, just like he did against Achilles. But I guess parenthood changes everyone, including Bean.

Other than Bean, I felt like the characterization of Bean's children is really well done. Whenever a series introduces new characters, it's a hit or a miss on whether or not a reader will buy into those characters enough to accept them as the new direction of the plot. Card did this mainly by giving each character a niche that he or she was best at. The only characterization I couldn't get my mind around was that of Cinninatus - he went from wanting to kill Bean to being one of the team. Although Card got around this by explaining the emotional dilemma inside Cinninatus, I still felt like it was a little forced.

Another few things that didn't sit well with me was the incestuous undertones of starting a new civilization based on Andrew, Carlotta, and Cinninatus. Card brushes this off by saying neither sex is important in creating a civilization - that each person has the ability to create their own offspring but the thought of Bean's grandchildren starting another civilization as half-siblings really creeped me out. Card also had more than a few anti-feminist undertones throughout the novel - one quote being "I wish your mother hadn't given you that special message about feminism. It's made you prickly about nothing" (page 40). Really, Card? You've been good about leaving your personal beliefs out of your novels up until now, why did you have to add this one in so blatantly?

I'd really recommend this book to those who have ever picked up a book dealing with Ender Wiggin and the universe he helped create. One of the things that irked me about this book was the fact that it wasn't released in nook book format - I saved a lot of gift cards from the holidays so that way I could download it when it came out. It turns out that Shadows in Flight is only available in hardback or kindle version. I feel like this is cheating out a lot of people from buying the book. But, luckily the local library had a copy and I was able to enjoy it free of charge. Always trust your local public library to save the day!

Unsolved Mysteries of History

Unsolved Mysteries of History: An Eye-Opening Investigation Into the Most Baffling Events of All Time
By: Paul Aron
Copyright: 2000
Barnes & Noble

2 Bookmarks out of 5

I got this book quite a number of years ago for Christmas. It was probably around four years ago because that was about the time when I realized that I wanted my own personal library and I wanted to do nothing but read all the time. Anyway, my point is that this book was already sort of outdated when I received it in 2008, since it was written in 2000. If I had to guess, my mom probably saw it in the bargain section of Barnes and Noble and decided that I would like it. Based on the title, I even thought that I would like it. However, I was deeply disappointed with this book.

To begin with, some of the essay titles had nothing to do with what was actually written in the essay. To give you an example, there is one essay titled "Who Built the Statues on Easter Island." This seemed like it would be the best essay because the Easter Island statues are on the front cover of the book. However, this essay was mainly arguing who settled Easter Island - South American Indians or Polynesians. It made some rather interesting points but in the end there was no answer to the question of the statues besides, 'the people on Easter Island built them.' Well, obviously they were built by people on the island, unless it was those darn aliens again.

Speaking of aliens, not all of the essays were terribly written. One of the better essays was the one titled, "What Were the Nazca Lines". For those of you who are unfamilar with the Nazca lines, these are the lines in South America that look like various animals and geometric shapes from the air. Some groups claim that they are landing sites for alien ships. Aron did a great job with this essay exploring the various reasons why ancient civilizations would have gone through so much trouble to draw such intricate shapes on the ground when they could only be visible from the air. Some of those conclusions include irrigation purposes as well as religious purposes. In the end, even though there is no definite solution, Aron points out the possibilities and that is enough conclusion for the reader.

Most of the essays, though, were just entirely too short to give a proper investigation to the topic in question. This book is more like twenty-five wikipedia articles than any in-depth investigation. Each essay ranges from 5-10 pages in length and feels more like an essay I would have written in undergrad than an essay that should have begun solving the mysteries at hand. This probably comes from the fact that Paul Aron is not a historian himself - he is a reporter and an editor. I'm not saying that this doesn't mean someone can't inform himself/herself about a topic by reading a few books - but reading a few books doesn't make you an expert in a topic. That's what I think was missing from this particular book - an insight that only an expert can give to you.

In the end, I really think that Barnes and Noble should have passed up this particular book idea from Paul Aron. Barnes and Noble should probably stick with what they do best - which is eat up the entire modern book market and leave small, used bookstores few and far between. While there are a few redeeming essays, this book is better used just like wikipedia - look at the books Aron used to write his essay and use those books to do your own analysis. There are other ways to learn more about the unsolved mysteries of history besides reading this book. And if you are doing research on any of these topics, your history teacher would be appalled at your use of this as a reference.

A Golden Age

A Golden Age
By: Tahmima Anam
Copyright: 2007
Harper Collins

5 Bookmarks out of 5

I found this book on my bookshelf, just like Tuesdays with Morrie. Like I've said before, it doesn't bother me when random books that are not mine appear on the bookshelf. As any book lover and avid reader can tell you, some of the best books you read are books that you only accidentally land your hands on. I assume that it came from my older sister, but with this one I can't entirely be sure. One thing is definite, though, I did not expect this book to blow me away as much as it did.

The book is about Rehana Haque, a mother who is living in East Pakistan right before the 1971 war for independence. Just as some background for those who are unfamiliar with geography and history - East Pakistan eventually breaks away from West Pakistan to become the country of Bangladesh. I was worried because I was afraid that the war would be the only part of the plot, but Anam does an amazing job of making sure the plot is about characters as well. You see, Rehana Haque is a mother of a boy and a girl and the story is really about her love for them. The reader also gets to see how Rehana talks to her dead husband Iqbal still, especially when making important decisions.

The character driven book is really what stands out about this read. Anam goes through great efforts to inform the reader of Rehana's motives through every step of the book. Usually, I feel like authors go to some length to develop a solid character and then at the end leaves the reader guessing as to why the character acted in a certain way. In the end, Anam allowed the reader to get lost in the momentum of the plot but made sure to write enough at the end to ensure that the reader knew exactly what was going on. As a reader, I know that I often get lost by vague words and actions but desire a poetic use of words. Anam demonstrates her ability to command the English language by providing beautiful writing that doesn't lose the reader in its vagueness. I found myself re-reading the ending of the book because of the powerful emotional punch. I knew exactly why Rehana acted in the way she did and that was the reason that the ending was so powerful to me.

What I also appreciated in this book was Anam's ability to create a viable love interest with Rehana and the Major. If any of my readers can recall, when I reviewed So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish I let everyone know how much I really dislike love stories when they have nothing to do with, well, anything. With this story, I was afraid that Rehana would fall in love with the Major and it would do nothing to further the plot. I was ecstatic to find that this was not the case. The interactions between the two did a lot to give insight into Rehana as a person and helped further the plot along.

Besides having amazing characters, this book was also a must-read in my eyes because it also gave an interesting history lesson. I am, by no means, saying that this book will tell you everything about the Bangladeshi war for independence. But it will give you an idea about why it was being fought, who the people were who died, and what happened to the people who survived. One of the most gripping parts of the book comes from seeing how the Pakistani army treated Bangladeshi rebels in prison. And on a personal level, stories like these need to come out because so many people feel like genocides and mass murders by a government and army can't happen in the modern day. A Golden Age tells us otherwise, just like Hotel Rwanda gave a stark image on what happened in that country.

All in all, I try to remain as skeptical as possible when rating books. But this book had it all - amazing characters, a plot that went at a good pace, and it dealt with a major historical moment. Tahmima Anam also demonstrates her mastery of English in her use of words and literary techniques. This is a book that needs to be read by everyone - it is a book about a mother, a lover, and a revolutionary. I think that everyone who reads this book will take something away from it. (And did I mention that I just learned that there is a sequel? So the amazing quality that is this story doesn't have to end here!)

Tuesdays with Morrie

Tuesdays with Morrie
By: Mitch Albom
Copyright: 1997
Broadway Books

3 Bookmarks out of 5

Well, I found myself reading Tuesdays with Morrie for a variety of reasons. One of the first reasons is that it mysteriously found its way onto my bookshelf. This doesn't concern me because there are a lot of books that end up on my bookshelf randomly. My older sister and next door neighbor have also said how much they truly enjoyed the book. Those two aren't exactly voracious readers, so I figured that any book that grabbed their attention must be good. I also have read For One More Day by Mitch Albom and that wasn't a complete disaster of a book. I figured maybe I could gain some sort of life lesson from the book, right? After all it was a made-for-TV movie back in the day and was also a play, right? So I decided to give it a chance.

For those of you who are not familiar with the background of Tuesdays with Morrie, it won't take long to give you a brief synopsis of what the book is about. Mitch Albom had an amazing college professor, Morrie Schwartz. Morrie taught Mitch to open his mind and was a real mentor to him. Fast forward sixteen years after Mitch's graduation and Mitch is caught up in the material life as a journalist. He has forgotten about his favorite professor until he catches Nightline with Ted Koppel about a man who is dying from ALS. It turns out that the man who is dying is Mitch's old college professor, Morrie. So begins a 14 week lesson on dying which takes place every Tuesday in Morrie's Massachusetts home.

Like the other book by Mitch Albom I have read, Tuesdays with Morrie was not a book that took a lot of effort to read. I spread out the reading over 2 days, but in reality it probably only took me 3 hours to read. That's probably why so many people have latched on to it - in my opinion, the general public enjoys picking up books that are easy to digest because they like books that don't require much thinking to get through. I'm not saying that this book doesn't do some thinking - Morrie throws out philosophies on life and death every other chapter. But these philosophies are easy for the reader to digest and it doesn't feel like you are reading a college level textbook on what it means to live and what it means to die.

I guess the reason I felt like this book let me down is because Morrie's advice didn't seem so profound. I already knew that the best things in life aren't money and material things. I already knew that investing in the love of family and friends will bring you joy in life. I also know that accepting death as a natural course of life is an okay thing to do. I have this medical thing where my blood pressure suddenly drops from time to time and I faint. Just from learning how to deal with these occasional episodes, I already related to what Morrie was saying about how to detach from reality in those situations. I always understand how to accept what is happening to my body, even if it is terrifying to know exactly what is happening but being powerless to stop it. I guess some readers who have never experienced a loss of control of their own body would never have thought of that, but for me it is something that crosses my mind on a daily basis.

Another reason why this book didn't stand out to me is the fact that one question kept going through my mind. What makes Morrie so special? People die from terminal illnesses everyday. I'm sure those people have come up with some wonderful life philosophies as well. I'm also sure that they will never have a journalist friend come around and write them all down to get a publishing deal. I'm not trying to offend Morrie in anyway, but I just want to know what makes him so great compared to others' loved ones? I also didn't like when Mitch made a comment that his alma mater only sent him mailings when they wanted money. Now, I fund-raise for higher education, so this part also sort of offended me. Your alma mater sends you mailings to keep you connected with the school and to ask you to give back so that way the school can continue to give quality education to deserving students. If Morrie was all about giving back to the community, I can hardly see an easier way than supporting a scholarship fund from the school that you attended.

Overall, I found the book to be an easy read for someone who may be contemplating the meaning of life and what it means to die. I also think this book is a great way for someone who may be grieving. I'm not saying it will lessen your pain, but it may help shed some light on what you can do to help the memory of a loved one live on. Ultimately, I find myself unimpressed with Mitch Albom and I wish he had touched on some heavier subjects - such as religion and God. After all, haven't all religions stemmed from the fact that ultimately, we all will die? Come to think of it, this is not a pick-me-up book. Only read it if you are ready to do some introspective thinking.

Mostly Harmless

Mostly Harmless
By: Douglas Adams
Copyright: 1992
Portland House

4 Bookmarks out of 5


Well, first I have to say that I am terribly sorry that it has taken me a week to get the last book in the Hitchhiker's series up here. I was extremely busy this weekend and didn't get a chance to read at all. But, since I last updated I also signed up for my local public library's adult reading program for the winter. If I read five books, then I get to have a mug! So Mostly Harmless is book one in this challenge to myself. I hope there are still mug supplies by the time I finish all five of the books!

Anyway, Mostly Harmless is the last book in the Hitchhiker's trilogy of five books. By far, this is the most intricate plot out of all the other books. It is also probably the most serious book out of the entire series. It begins with Trillian - or rather the Trillian that would have been if she had never left with Zaphod after that one party. Tricia is a news reporter looking for the next big thing and is in constant regret for not following Zaphod. Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, Ford is still a field reporter for the Guide (and actually is downgraded to the restaurant reviewer). Arthur is wandering around because Fenchurch disappeared in a hyperspace accident and the Earth disappeared as well. I have to admit, I am quite glad Fenchurch didn't make an appearance in this particular book (and Arthur doesn't seem that depressed to have her gone either). The reader has a difficult time keeping all these parallel universes in order, but it's well worth it for how the plot turns out.

It's no secret that Douglas Adams was not a huge fan of religion, but he makes it blatantly apparent in this novel through the character of Old Thrashbarg. Old Thrashbarg is in charge of all knowledge in his particular  village and when he makes up various reasons as to why he needed to buy the first sandwich (because Bob said so). That's right Bob - not God. And I have to admit, when Arthur goes, "For Bob's sake!" I laughed out loud. It was such an ingenious way to approach the controversial topic of religion that I couldn't help but applaud Adams. (As for the sandwich part, you're just going to have to read the book yourself to understand the meaning.)

Furthermore, although this book is extremely serious, it holds the funniest interaction between characters out of the entire Hitchhiker's series. This happens with Ford Prefect meets back up with Arthur Dent. Let's have a sample of the dialogue, eh? This is a scene where Ford is explaining to Arthur about how he survived jumping out of a window on two different occasions:

"The first time I managed to save myself by the most astonishing and - I say this in all modesty - fabulous piece of ingenious quick thinking, agility, fancy footwork, and self-sacrifice." 

"What was the self-sacrifice?"

"I jettisoned half of a much-loved and I think irreplaceable pair of shoes." 

"Why was that self-sacrifice?" 

"Because they were mine!" said Ford, crossly. 

"I think we have different value systems." 

"Well, mine's better."

It's like Douglas Adams finally got the characters of Arthur and Ford down to perfection and the banter they have is quite literally, priceless. It is witty, quick, and will make anyone who is in the room with you quite annoyed with how much you are laughing at the book. Meanwhile, the character of Trillian is barely touched on and Tricia is having a serious identity crisis. We don't once see Zaphod in this book, which I think is a real shame. I would have loved to know what Zaphod was up to.

One of my biggest peeves with the book was the character of Random. She was annoying. All she cared about was the fact that Trillian (her mother) always left her places and that she never belonged anywhere. Now, this pretty much sounds like the annoying ramblings of any teenager going through extreme hormonal changes. But Random understands time travel and how the universe works. How Random didn't understand that when she visited Earth (which didn't exist in her universe) that Tricia was not her real mother (because Tricia never left Earth) is beyond me. Adams portrays her as a teenager who understands the technology of the universe, but she is unable to understand this important concept. Adams makes up for this annoying character by bringing Agrajag's ramblings of Arthur's future back into the plot. I take back my before mentioned hatred of this scene in Life, the Universe, and Everything and will go on to say that I really appreciated the intricacy that this brought to the plot.

Although this book is serious, and ends on a dark note, I will say that I appreciated the way the series ended. It brings on so many questions: do parallel universes still exist? What happens to the Grebulons on Rupert? Do the Vogons end up ruling the galaxy? This book is everything lovers of the series will appreciate and even those who only like a good science fiction story will appreciate. I am sad that the series is over, but I am excited to move on to the next book on my list.

So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish

So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish
By: Douglas Adams
Copyright: 1985
Portland House

3 Bookmarks out of 5

Coming off the great story that was Life, the Universe, and Everything, I was certainly curious as to what Douglas Adams was going to make happen in the universe of the Guide. Earth is gone. It is pretty much impossible to know what the question is to the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything. The Krikketmen are not going to blow up the whole universe anytime soon. In fact, it seemed like (to me, at least) going into this novel that there was very little left for Douglas to write about as far as the Hitchhiker's universe was concerned. Well, it certainly felt like this particular novel was grasping at straws when it came to plot ideas.

The story begins out wonderfully. Arthur Dent is dropped off on a mysterious planet in the middle of a rain storm. Slowly, upon wandering to a road, he begins to realize that this particular planet looks like Earth. In fact, it really is Earth! It was at this particular moment during my reading that my inner science fiction nerd began to dork-out hardcore. This plot was getting good! See, Earth had been destroyed, right? That's how the entire series starts off. The reader is drawn in by this perplexing situation and is the main driving force of the plot for the first quarter of the book.

Then, the plot goes from sorta awesome to pretty crappy. Now, I am not against love. Nor am I against love stories in any way, shape, or form. But, I also happen to be of the mindset that it is impossible for someone to fall in love at first sight. This, unfortunately, happens to Arthur Dent while he is hitchhiking back to his old house. There is a girl in the front passenger seat whose name is Fenchurch and she apparently seems to be off her rocker. She raves about yellow ships in the sky. So, while the reader has to muddle through with Arthur's infatuation, the reader also does begin to realize that the Earth really was blown up. So, while the reader just really wants to figure out how Arthur can be on Earth when it was blown up some odd years ago, Douglas Adams forces the reader to delve into a superficial love story between Arthur and Fenchurch. Not only does Arthur obsess over Fenchurch, Arthur also sits on the roof of his house and seems to feel the Earth as a living being and is somehow able to sense what he believes is Fenchurch in the hospital. Give me a break here, Adams. The Arthur Dent I know does not commune with the Earth. In fact, he spent 5 years on prehistorical Earth and never managed to build anything for himself and lived in a cave. When did this revelation come to Arthur? What happened on his travels to make him able to sense a person's mind in the hustle of the Earth?

Furthermore, the book actually starts out the exact way that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy happened to begin. So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish is a story that is supposed to be about Fenchurch. Instead, we still manage to get a story that is mostly centered around Arthur. The only in-depth look into Fenchurch's life is the fact that she floats. But even that is left hanging (full pun intended) in the air for the reader to guess at. Is it because she had an epiphany that she forgot about and is constantly trying to remember, therefore leading her to not remember to hit the ground? The bottom line that I am trying to make is that the romance seems too forced. I would have believed an Arthur/Trillian hook-up because at least Adams made some references to it throughout the series. Ford evens asks Arthur in this book about what happened to Trillian.

Really, So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish leaves the reader with more questions than answers. I actually missed the reasoning for why Earth was where it should be even though it exploded. It wasn't until I read a brief synopsis online that I was told what it was and I had to go back and re-read that part in the book to actually understand it. Why are John Watson, Arthur, and Fenchurch the only ones on Earth to receive the message from the dolphins? But, there are some redeeming qualities. Arthur and Fenchurch meet up with Marvin, who dazzles us yet again with how depressed he his. Really, Marvin is my favorite character in the entire series and the one character I feel like has some depth to him (in a really twisted way). Arthur and Fenchurch also managed to find God's last message to his creation, which will hopefully make the reader laugh out loud. And to end on a positive note, in my volume of The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide, Douglas Adams adds a 10-page short story entitled Young Zaphod Plays it Safe which put a much better taste in my mouth because you get to see a snapshot of Zaphod before he alters his own brain. I can't wait to end my journey through the universe with Mostly Harmless.

Life, The Universe, and Everything

Life, the Universe, and Everything

By: Douglas Adams 

Copyright: 1982
Portland House

5 Bookmarks out of 5

Well, I'm continuing my way through the Hitchhiker's Universe and it never ceases to amaze me how brilliant Douglas Adams is at writing. I love his ability to bring small points of the plot together. I also love how he drops small things in for readers only to bring them back up much later for a wonderful "Aha!" moment. Life, the Universe, and Everything continues with the crazy ride of Zaphod, Trillian, Ford, Arthur, and yes, even the paranoid/super-depressed robot Marvin. By far, this book is the easiest book in the series to pick up and actually follow. I would even gather that anyone who wanted to see a snapshot of what Adams is capable of doing creatively but wanted to bypass the first two books in the series could start with this one no problem.

Why do you say that? I hear many of you wondering to yourselves in your heads. (Or maybe you're not really, but let me just pretend that you're thinking that for the sake of my review). Well, to begin with, this story plot does not skip around nearly as much. This is much more like watching a two-part episode of your favorite science fiction television series or a really great two-hour movie that keeps you laughing and in suspense. Most likely that is because Adams wrote this at a time when he was editor of Doctor Who and wanted to see this actually put into a movie. Instead, when the move idea was scrapped, he used it for the Hitchhiker's universe. Lucky for us readers, this installment is infinitely easier to follow and to read. It's straightforward and the plot of the story involves rescuing the universe from the Krikketmen.

More to the point, Adams seems to do a good job of taming down his humor for this novel. In past Hitchhiker's novels, Adams seems to write in order to see how outrageously funny he can be. (Which, admittedly, I find that Adams can be quite hilarious). Anyway, in Life, the Universe, and Everything, Adams keeps his humor focused on the plot. There are less comedic detours and when they do present themselves, they are so charmingly done that you can't help but laugh. I find that the reader will instantly fall in love with Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged and what his purpose happens to be in the universe.

That being said, it wouldn't be a Douglas Adams book without some sort of oddball detour from the main plot. In Life, the Universe, and Everything, this happens to come with the addition of Agrajag. Unfortunately for Arthur, Agrajag kidnaps Arthur and tells him that Arthur has been killing him for almost all of the lives he has lived in the universe. Unfortunately, Arthur has had no idea about this whatsoever (in typical Arthur Dent fashion, mind you). I can only hope that maybe Agrajag comes back into the picture for the last three books in the series and makes this chapter detour worth my reading.

The characters in this novel continue to charm the reader. It's nice to see that Arthur finally gets a little courage and Trillian gets a little backbone while Zaphod and Marvin continue to be themselves. Ford Prefect was the only character to really get on my nerves for this one. For the entire novel, he complains about how he just wants to go to a party and relax (which is really understandable because it was a pretty stressful first two books). However, Ford just mopes around for most of the plot while Arthur, Slartibartfast, and others attempt to save the universe from certain doom. Call me crazy, but I have a feeling that Ford should be at least slightly interested in saving his own ass so that way he can go to parties in the future. Maybe Adams couldn't really find much use for Ford in this particular book.

Oddly enough, the reader barely encounters the Guide in this novel. This doesn't really bother me at all because I found myself much more interested in if the universe would be destroyed rather than about some weird quirk in galactic history. Once again, though, Adams puts the reader through a hilarious and rather British science fiction plot. I couldn't put this one down and I'm certainly glad that I finally mustered up enough willpower to go through the entire Hitchhiker's series. So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish is next up for my reading pleasure!

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
By: Douglas Adams
Copyright: 1980
Portland House

5 Bookmarks out of 5

So, to be totally honest I have never read another book in the trilogy of five after Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I was pretty excited to see how Trillian, Zaphod, Ford, and Arthur resolve their travels across the galaxy. I was always pretty pumped to see if we ever do get to know what the ultimate question is to the life, the universe, and everything. I was excited to see that the second book was even better than the first one, believe it or not.

There are a lot of reasons behind why this book fared better than the first in the Hitchhiker's Guide saga. The primary reason behind this is because the second one feels like it actually has a plot that is being driving toward. The first book in the series seems a lot like many disjointed scenes placed together by Douglas Adams in order to see how funny he can be. However, in Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Adams attempts to further a major plot line that is introduced in the first book. Zaphod's brain has been altered by none other than himself and in the second book Zaphod begins to give in to his random thoughts that are apparently coming from his old self. Zaphod is driven along a wild ride to find out who the actual ruler of the universe is. This plot line, in of itself, is enough to make the reader turn from page to page rather than the humor in the first book.

Now, don't get me wrong. There are still plenty of funny parts to be found in this second book of the series. The jokes are still in the British sense, so I will say that if you don't like British humor, you still may not find this book very funny. All things considered, though, the reader feels much less like an outsider in this book. In the first book of the series, the reader is thrown into this crazy universe and spends much of the novel trying to play catch up. However, in the second book the reader is more at ease at how crazy the universe is and begins to accept any weird thing that might be happening in the plot. In this sense, the reader can certainly identify with the character of Arthur Dent and the books seem very bent on making the reader feel sympathetic towards him.

Probably the best part of Restaurant of the End of the Universe is the actual Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Now, I realize I'm not the smartest of people, but for some reason I always assumed this restaurant would be at a particular place rather than a particular time. The restaurant is actually stuck in a time-warp where guests can see the literal end of the universe and everything in it while eating a nice meal and listening to a band play. I have to admit, my imagination ran away with this concept and how absolutely cool it would be to eat at this restaurant. I wish that Adams had included a trip to the Big Bang Burger Bar so I could imagine what the beginning of the universe looked like as well.

Anyway you look at it, I found myself enjoying this book because the characters finally settled in to being themselves, Zaphod himself developed a great portion of his character, the plot had a reason, there were great imaginative scenes, and it still made me laugh out loud. Unfortunately for the my followers, you'll have to read for yourselves to find out what the ultimate question is and you'll also have to read to figure out who is actually ruling the universe. But as long as you understand Douglas Adams' style, you'll find the answer to these two problems to be quite satisfactory.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
By: Douglas Adams
Copyright: 1979
Portland House

4 Bookmarks out of 5

It was brought to my attention from my sister that in my blog I review a lot of serious books. I guess that is true because serious books are usually ones that make me think the most. Especially since I am now out of undergrad, I want books that will continue to make me think and make use of my analysis skills. But, seeing as how not all of my readers are likely to be serious all of the time, I decided to take it upon myself to review Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I have a giant all-encompassing book that contains all the books in the series, but this post is honestly just about the first one. I've read this book probably two times before (and I've also seen the movie) but it honestly never ceases to make me laugh.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction book that is also a laugh-out-loud comedy. The book is centered around this book known in short-hand as the Guide. Ford Prefect, one of the main characters, is an alien who is a researcher for the book. Ford wanders the galaxy in order to make sure that the Guide is up to date. Unfortunately for Ford, he ends up stuck on Earth and becomes friends with Arthur Dent. This turns out to be a stroke of luck for Arthur because Ford saves him from the certain destruction of Earth. Earth, by the way, was destroyed to make room for a inter-galactic superhighway. The rest of the book ensues with what the two encounter, including meeting up with Zaphod Beeblebrox and Trillian who happened to have stolen a highly advanced ship known as the Heart of Gold. On the ship is a wonderful character known as Marvin, who is an ultra-depressed robot.

For those of you who are not normally science-fiction fans, I would recommend making a special exception for this book. While the book does center around being in space, the humor is enough to make you forget it. While never being over-bearing with the space theme, Adams manages to make fun of the science fiction genre itself. Nothing is off limits in Adams' tough humor, including God himself. Now, I should warn you that Adams is a British author with a distinct sense of humor. If you don't usually like British humor, you might find it a bit more dull but still entertaining nonetheless. Adams relies on dialogue between characters to build some situational humor and I often find it more hilarious if you read it out loud. Adams, when it's necessary, does describe some bits about the universe. It's enough to make the reader understand what is going on, but enough to leave you confused as much as Arthur Dent is confused about his new course of life.

This is a short and easy read, to be quite honest. The reason I wouldn't give it 5 out of 5 Bookmarks is because sometimes it takes me a few readings to get everything that happened in a certain passage. It's obvious to me that Adams intended Hitchhiker's Guide to be an audio form of entertainment rather than a written one. However, the reader can move through the book quite easily and it's quite possibly one of the biggest classics in science fiction. After all, it's the only book that tells us that the answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42.