One for all the hoopy froods out there

The second coming?

A couple days ago, I finished And Another Thing, Book Six of the Hitchhiker's Trilogy. For those who don't know, the first five books of the Trilogy (it's something of an in-joke to call it that) were penned by the late, lamented Douglas Adams, who went on to his final reward in May of 2001. Before his death, Adams had commented that he would like to write another Hitchhiker's book, as Book Five, Mostly Harmless, ended the series on a rather bleak note.

Several years after his death, Adams' widow gave permission for a sixth book to Eoin Colfer, author of -among other things- the Artemis Fowl series of novels. Mr. Colfer was an interesting choice, in my opinion. Hailing from Ireland, a mere stone's throw from Adams' native England, he was well-equipped to give the novel the same idiosyncratic British flavor Adams had injected into the series.

However, and this is an interesting point, up until now, all of Colfer's books had been written for the juvenile/young adult audience. I am a fan of the Artemis Fowl series, and while they're a load of fun and there's many chuckles to be had, They don't have that same gut-busting humor that Adams was so famous for. Adams had a way of describing things (such as the immortal "they hung in the air in exactly the same way that bricks don't") that I can only liken to one other author, Terry Pratchett. It might help that both authors are British.

However, I was heartened by his choice of title. It works on a number of levels. All five of the original books drew their title from the first book. "And another thing..." comes from the fourth book, but it still follows the same theme on drawing a title from a previous work. And having the title come from a different book than all the others helps to set it apart right from the onset. The quote in question the title comes from reads:

"The storm had now definitely abated, and what thunder there was now grumbled over more distant hills, like a man saying 'And another thing…' twenty minutes after admitting he's lost the argument."

Reading the book, it seems that Colfer took greatly to the idea that he was writing this book for adults. He seems to revel in his sudden ability to swear and discuss other adult themes. Not that the book is excessively dirty, but compared to his Artemis Fowl books, which contain no cursing save for an untranslated swear from a non-human language, it's a noticeable change. And, to my American eye, it's even more noticeable due to the fact that the curses are all clearly British/Irish in origin: i.e. "arse," "shite," and "fecking."

The typical American, apparently.

Speaking of which, I noticed that the only character in the novel who's explicitly stated as being American comes from Texas. I realize Texas is a large place, and that the stereotypical Texan (six-shooter, mustachioed, choleric temper) is probably the easiest to recognize of any American culture, but to go by British authors, you'd think they make up 3/4 of our population. It seems any time a British author wants to insert an American character, going as far back as Bram Stoker.

But back to the book. It is certainly written in the spirit of Adams' original novels. The theoretical sciences involved seem to incorporate Adams' Rule of Funny science with Colfer's own Rule of Cool science. For instance (minor spoiler warning, late in the novel it's mentioned that Dark Matter works to enhance a person's emotions. No explanation for why this should be is given, nor, as this is a Hitchhiker's book, is one expected. The series has always involved a large amount of Willing Suspension of Disbelief, and the newest installment is no exception. You're reading these books to have a good time, not to discover the cutting edge of science.

And the book is a good time. It's a hoot, it's a blast. Considering the material he's working with, and the fanbase he has to appease, it can't have been an easy task to write this novel. As a new author covering old, familiar territory, Colfer of course has his own interpretations on the characters he's working with. Sometimes, one person can see a character in a far different light than others do. But Colfer manages to keep the original feel of both the narrative and the characterizations, while still managing to inject his own personality seamlessly into the work.

I've spoken to people who refuse to read the book on account of the fact that Adams didn't write it. In my opinion, they're missing out. Reading it is like being reunited with old friends, friends you were so close to that there's none of that awkward "So, uh...how've you been?" rigmarole. And Another Thing... throws you right into the action, and doesn't give up for a moment. If you're a fan of the series, and you're not a curmudgeon about it, you won't be disappointed by this latest installment in the Hitchhiker's Trilogy.

-Long Days and Pleasant Nights