Am I the only one who thinks the two Dirk Gently books are better than the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?

[Jordan]

Am i the only one who thinks the Dirk Gently books are better than Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Every time I express this opinion people look at me like I'm crazy.

[Aviram]

Jordan wrote: "Am i the only one who thinks the Dirk Gently books are better than Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Every time I express this opinion people look at me like I'm crazy."

I think it's because Douglas Adams is known more for his crazy humor than anything else, so the funnest thing he wrote- the "hitchhiker's guide"- is considered the best book.

BTW I support this opinion.

[Westcoastsusan]

The Dirk Gently books are definitely better. If you just want isolated snips of silliness, "The Meaning of Liff" is purest Adams.

But the "increasingly inaccurately named" Hitchhiker's Guide "trilogy" was fun because it was also a cultural phenomenon. When the radio series originally aired it was appointment listening for a group of fellow Computer Science students at my University. The H2G2 website was one of the first I ever joined, way back in '99.

The popularity of Hitchiker's Guide has alot to do with boomers remembering youth.

[Olivia]

Westcoastsusan wrote: "The Dirk Gently books are definitely better. If you just want isolated snips of silliness, "The Meaning of Liff" is purest Adams.

But the "increasingly inaccurately named" Hitchhiker's Guide "tri..."
It's so hard to quantify something like that but idk I feel like dirk gently had a clearer goal with their plots. Like hitchhikers is all over the place sometimes, critiquing wholly different things paragraph to paragraph. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but the more set plot of each dirk gently plot with a definite goal does make them feel more organized. Idk if I could choose a favorite but the Gently series is soooo underrated. I wish it got as much recognition as hitchhikers.

[Tony]

I agree completely!

[T.L.]

I like both. I'm not sure I'd have said the Dirk Gently books were better, but actually I think I've reread them more, so maybe they are!

[David]

HHGG is my favorite book of all time. Tea Time came close to claiming that title. I think the Dirk books work so well because they were written as novels. HHGG became a novel later, and then a five part trilogy. It got a little messy. What did you think of the latest TV adaptation of Dirk?

[T.L.]

I hated it, to be honest. I didn't mind the casting, but the writers took nearly all the paranormal out of it. Don't know what they were thinking, actually. Surely those who watched it who loved the books were never going to like it done in that way, and everyone else who hadn't read them wouldn't see why the books were so popular. I tried to re-watch it and just forget it was supposed to be based on the books, as you can sometimes do with some tv or movies, but I still didn't enjoy it.

[David]

T.L. wrote: "I hated it, to be honest. I didn't mind the casting, but the writers took nearly all the paranormal out of it. Don't know what they were thinking, actually. Surely those who watched it who loved th..."

I hated it at first. I decided to give it a chance and ended up really liking it. I had to look at it as "inspired by" rather than "based on" Adams' books. The show was my niece's introduction to Dirk. I bought her the first book, but I had to warn her to not expect it to be a novelization of the show.

[T.L.]

David wrote: "T.L. wrote: "I hated it, to be honest. I didn't mind the casting, but the writers took nearly all the paranormal out of it. Don't know what they were thinking, actually. Surely those who watched it..."

Maybe I'll give it another go in a few years. :)

[Al]

Jordan wrote: "Am i the only one who thinks the Dirk Gently books are better than Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Every time I express this opinion people look at me like I'm crazy."

I enjoyed the humor in all Douglas Adam's novels, but tend to favor the Dirk Gently books. I felt there was more semblance of a plot in that series.

[CW]

Jordan wrote: "Am i the only one who thinks the Dirk Gently books are better than Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Every time I express this opinion people look at me like I'm crazy."

Nope. The DG books retain the zany, irreverent humour in the Hitchhiker's Guide series while having a coherent plot. I prefer them as well.

[Mike]

I agree that the "Dirk" books are better. The HHGTTG are like a stream of consciousness from the mind of Douglas Adams with lots of sidebars, one-liners, and distractions. It's wonderful.

The Dirk Gently books, though, are like actual novels with fewer sidebars. It's more focused, more zany, and (to me, anyway) more fun. I wish there were many more "Dirk" books.

[Zaks]

You are not alone.