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So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #4)

by Douglas Adams

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read in May 2018

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Jonathan said: " Douglas Adams’ fourth book, So Long And Thanks For All The Fish in his Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy pentalogy starts off with the main character Arthur Dent back on Earth. Apparently, the Earth was not destroyed, it was just a CIA (Central Intel Douglas Adams’ fourth book, So Long And Thanks For All The Fish in his Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy pentalogy starts off with the main character Arthur Dent back on Earth. Apparently, the Earth was not destroyed, it was just a CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) drug test. Everything appears to be the same, except he notices all the dolphins are missing and the presence of weirdly designed fish bowls. Arthur questions this CIA planet-wide hallucination explanation. In his quest to obtain the truth, Arthur meets two new characters, a woman named Fenchurch and a wacky professor named Wonko the Sane. Together they search for God to ask what really happened to the Earth and where are all the dolphins. During this pursuit, Arthur falls in love with Fenchurch. Will this romance distract Arthur or will he find out what really happened to the Earth?

This book is funny and snarky but a little disappointing compared to Adams’ first three books. It lacks the outlandish outer space comical scenes and zany characters we are accustomed to. Ford Perfect and Marvin the Robot have minor roles, and Zaphod Beeblebrox and Trillian are not mentioned at all. The book resembles a romantic comedy more than a science fiction comedy. The storyline primarily focuses on the romantic relationship between Arthur Dent and Fenchurch.

Though the book has some shortcomings it is still very entertaining and even challenges the reader to follow your heart regardless of the circumstances and to investigate questionable truths. For example, the CIA, Fenchurch’s brother Russell, and everyone else on Earth tells Arthur that the Vogons never destroyed the Earth and that it was just a hallucination. The book also contains many themes or life lessons that exemplify personal struggles amongst the characters: coping with romantic emotions, developing new friendships, understanding others, and the determination to find answers to unbelievable questions. These experiences include Author flying to Florida to talk with Professor Wonko the Sane and Fenchurch, which are both considered mentally unstable, to figure out what happened to the dolphins and why they have bizarre looking fish bowls in their homes.

This book is also philosophical. To quote Jiddu Krishnamurti, a famous 19th-century Indian philosopher, “All authority of any kind, especially in the field of thought and understanding, is the most destructive, evil thing...You have to question everything that man has accepted as valuable, as necessary.” This book talks about questioning authority and to seek out your own truth. Beyond that, it is face-paced and only takes a few hours to read.

So Long And Thanks For All The Fish is not a mandatory read but you should definitely read it if you wish to finish his pentalogy series. If you loved the first three books, you probably will not like this one as much unless you like romantic comedies. I am not saying I hated the book, it is a very good read with some great laughs. I just prefer science fiction comedy using the old cast than a budding romance with new characters. I still believe Douglas Adams is an exceptional writer, and I look forward to reading his fifth and last book in this series. I hope this next book provides more space-filled and interstellar action. ...more "

May 14, 2018 04:55AM · see review

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The Martian Chronicles

by Ray Bradbury

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Reading for the 2nd time

read in January 2018

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Jonathan said: " The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury is a great book if you love science fiction, suspense, and adventure. The book contains many short-stories that describe the colonization of Mars. At first, humans come to Mars to explore, then to flee the viol The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury is a great book if you love science fiction, suspense, and adventure. The book contains many short-stories that describe the colonization of Mars. At first, humans come to Mars to explore, then to flee the violence on Earth, and finally because of a great world war that devastates everything on Earth. The first chapter quickly introduces you to Martian life and their belief that there is no life on Earth due to its oxygen-rich atmosphere. The subsequent chapters throw you into the reasons and challenges of human expeditions to the red planet and contact with its indigenous inhabitants. The results are devastating for both the Martians and humans, with each species nearly becoming extinct. Will people ever live on Mars?

Though the main purpose or aim of the book is mostly entertainment, it also teaches us about space travel and coping with real-world personal and social battles. It educates readers on the issues of colonizing a new world similar to what happened several hundred years ago when Europeans settled in North America. The book also illustrates many themes or life lessons, such as; racial prejudice, colonization of a new world, religious tolerance, the devastation of war, the struggle between men and women, and, the conquest of the human spirit. These experiences include a Martian named Spender who went on a killing spree because of humans’ “nature to destroy”, religious disagreements between two human priests, and the many divergences between Martians and humans.

This book is well written, engaging, and a total success. To quote Ray Bradbury, “In your reading, find books to improve your color sense, your sense of shape and size in the world”, and this book definitely heightens your senses. The scenes and characters came alive as if I was a character in the book. My sense of touch, sight, and smell was enhanced by each sentence. I could keenly visualize each scene. This book also uses many literary devices. Two most prominent ones are allusions and simile. The book makes references to Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Many times I find myself thinking about both the humans’ and Martians’ sides of the story. The only time I was disappointed was when the book did not go into greater detail in describing the first three expeditions to Mars compared to the fourth expedition. Along with Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles is probably the best-known and most-loved book by Ray Bradbury.

The Martian Chronicles should be a mandatory reading for middle school students mainly because it provides many opportunities to debate and discusses everyday personal struggles in a fascinating futuristic setting. This book is great for aspiring science fiction writers or anyone who loves to write and read. Rad Bradbury is a fantastic writer, and I am excited about reading his other books. ...more "

Jan 31, 2018 05:25PM · see review

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The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #2)

by Douglas Adams

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Jonathan said: " The Restaurant at The End of The Universe by Douglas Adams is outstanding and out of this world! This is Adam’s second book in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy comedy science pentalogy. The book starts right where it left off. The main characters The Restaurant at The End of The Universe by Douglas Adams is outstanding and out of this world! This is Adam’s second book in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy comedy science pentalogy. The book starts right where it left off. The main characters Ford Prefect, Arthur Dent, Trillian, Zaphod Beeblebrox, and Martin were on the Heart of Gold. Since Zaphod stole the Heart of Gold, the only ship with an improbability drive. A Vogon ship was sent to destroy the ship and the main characters within it. Their lives are unexpectedly saved by the ghost of Zaphod’s great-grandfather. He saves them by teleporting them to the headquarters of The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy in Light City on the planet Ursa Minor Beta. That was until it was attacked by the intergalactic government to find Zaphod. With the main characters under attack by the government, Ford Prefect, Arthur Dent, Trillian, Zaphod Beeblebrox, and Martin begin another exciting, parallelize, unusual and humorous trek throughout the universe.

Though the main purpose or aim of the book is mostly entertainment, it also challenges the reader with facts we usually wish to forget. For example, the Total Perspective Vortex shows how insignificant you are in the grand scheme of the universe and everyone else in it. The book contains outlandish and funny characters, such as The Man who Runs the Universe, a person who doesn’t believe in anything he is told and only speculates things. It educates readers on the vastness of the universe and how people believe what others say just because they think they know the answer. The book also contains many themes or life lessons that exemplify personal struggles amongst the characters: coping with insignificance, understanding others, and loyalty to friends. These experiences include the main characters going to get Marvin after thousands of years and the aloof and philosophical Ruler of the Universe who only precipitates that things exist.

This book is both philosophical and funny. To quote Fernando Pessoa, famous 18th Century writer, poet, and literary critic, “Literature exists because the world isn’t enough.” This book talks about things larger than the Earth and people. Beyond that, it is face-paced, action-packed, and only takes a few hours to read. Sometimes what is said in the past book makes sense and you can almost guess what is going to happen next. The only time I was disappointed was when the book did not have a way to make Marvan feel happy or appreciated. The good news is this book is the second of a pentalogy written by Douglas Adams. I cannot wait to read the other three books.

The Restaurant at The End of The Universe should be a mandatory reading for middle school students mainly because it is short, funny, and the vocabulary can be at times challenging. This book is great for aspiring science fiction writers or anyone who loves reading amazing short stories. Douglas Adams is an exceptional writer, and The Restaurant at The End of the Universe will never because too weird to read over. ...more "

Dec 01, 2017 05:00AM · see review

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