Mostly Harmless, the final (official) chapter in the 5 part trilogy of The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series. Forget everything you know, this is quite a detour.
What strikes you first finish the book is how the entirety of So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish is practically discarded, dumped and frankly jettisoned into hyperspace. Dent’s female companion barely gets a mention as a contrived solution is provided for her rather odd disappearence. In and out faster than a horny old aged pensioner, and not even a tip for the inconvenience. It’s a babaric execution of a character who’s existence was almost an entire book; which makes you wonder, “What was the bloody point?”.
Stepping away from the illogical nature of such a vast change in direction, the book starts off with the Trillian who didn’t leave for space with Zaphod, and instead remained on Earth trying to head for an anchor position in new broadcasting. She meets up with some robots who have lost their memory due to an accident, and have landed on a planet which is discovered on Earth where much fuss is made as to whether it is a planet, and what might be there. In turns out not a lot; and the leader of these robots has decided to settle on watching Earth broadcasts, TV shows adverts and so on.
Meanwhile, Ford has returned to the Guide, but not as he knows it, as it is now under the control of a new group. A group that Ford seems familiar with, but can’t quite place his alien finger on. So a battle of wits, wills and escape ensues as Ford tries to figure out the Guide’s plan.
The Trillian we know of is still here, but making only the briefest of appearences. Zaphod is excused, in a “We couldn’t afford him for another episode” manner, and is also given the briefest of mentions. The focus is on Random, Trillian & Dent’s
daughter. It seems the mighty Dent can impregnate women like no man has done before.
Dent’s female companion barely gets a mention as a contrived solution is provided for her rather odd disappearence
Dent is living as the greatest sandwich maker on a parrallel Earth, which is when Trillian visits him to dump Random off with him. Meanwhile Ford discovers the plan which may destroy the universe, and sends something rather dangerous to Dent of all people.
The book continues to see-saw in mundane fashion. If this was to be a swan song for Adams, it would a rather tragic one, as the book is paltry at best, and boring at worst. There’s nothing whatsoever in this book that adds, continues or builds on the past history of what has come before. The adventures still have an element of fun, but even then, there seems to be a lack of dynamic and imagination – lacking from a man who gave us the Guide in the first place. The book feels around desperately to find a story to tell, and to be frank it’s a case of extended scribbles than any real tale to be told.
With paradox, parallel worlds and the introduction of a rather half-arsed child character are unbalanced and chaotic to the storyline (if it can be called that). Like So Long, And Thanks For All Fish – the book seems to spend most of the time talking about nothing mushc, with the parts excitement left towards the very end of the book to a few moderate chapters. What you’re left with is a bare-bones, skeletal example of Adams’s writing. Sure, fans will lap this up as they have done the other titles, but from an objective point of view, this book is rather dire and a poor addition to the series.
The adventures still have an element of fun, but even then, there seems to be a lack of dynamic and imagination
Although I struggled with the previous title, and felt a little cheated with the lack of any galactical element in the plot, it was coherent, and it was for the most part enjoyable. It wasn’t great, but it carried the story forward and try to build upon it. Mostly Harmless feels like a re-run remade for the sake of convenience and lack of ideas or thought; it never grabs you, engages you or even entertains for the most part.
Perhaps the most interesting character was not the sensational new addition to the Dent family, but a security robot that Prefect reprograms. That was perhaps one of the few genuine moments and spark of Adams providing something of value. The rest of the book was a pretty appalling “mish mash”.
It would be easy to say ignore this book, but you have to read it in order to complete the series. You can ignore it, and you can also ignore So Long And Thanks For All The Fish, simply stopping at Life, The Universe And Everything – it wouldn’t be the end of the world. The idea that Adams was going to drag this on to a sixth book is rather shocking. to be truly honest, it was starting to feel like an overstaying welcome of Police Academy proportions.
If you need to read it, grab it, you may enjoy it and at least yu’ll complete your quintet of titles, but for me it was shockingly poor and lacking any real creativity. Perhaps the albatross in The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series of books, and a poor way to end.
Verdict: Dismal and unfitting end to a mostly good series. Mostly pointless. Avoid.