After the close escape in The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Dent and Co return for the sequel in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

The restaurant is a place to dine while watching the extinction of the end of the universe. Complete with green salad and cabaret, should you require it.

Revelations of the previous book have ensured that Zaphod is a wanted man, Trillian doesn’t quite know what she’s doing with them, Dent just wants tea, and Prefect wants to party. Of course the ever positive Marvin is still depressed about being the most intelligent android in existence, and yet used for the menial tasks of turning a switch on or off, or escorting people from door to door.

Adams second title is a little more complicated, mainly thanks to its rather convuluted, but delightfully written, plot of time travel. A series of unexpected (aren’t they ever?) events leads to some catastrophic revelations of epic proportions. More coherent, but perhaps lacking the imagination that gifted the first book, it seems mainly to focus on the exploits of Zaphod and his importance to a number of things that will affect the outcome of other things, to put it whimsically.

Picking up where the last book left off, much of the writing, though entertaining, seems a repetition of the events, albeit slight changed. Again we find the quintet stuck in space, having stolen a spaceship that is about to land into a sun as part of a stunt for an intergalatic goth metal band, led by someone who is currently playing dead as a means of tax evasion.

Just as with the first book, Dent comes across more and more as the characterisaton of Adams himself

Dent’s pursuit of finding the right question, having discovered that the answer to life, the universe, and everything is forty-two, has frustrated not only him but those that have come before him. Having the most advanced computer in existence, and having taken several hundred years to finally come up with the answer to the question of “What’s the answer to life, the universe, and everything?”, Dent only has himself and his rather irritating companion Ford Prefect to find the answer. The shocking reality of Slartibartfast’s appearence adds another twist to an already rather twisty collection of events that if twisted anymore would, improbably, become a jar of raspberry jam.

The humour from the first book still remains; the sharp and witty nature of Adam’s is writing is still present, but the directon in which the book is taking seems a bit more misguided and uncertain. Much like the improbablity drive, where the story will lead is about as improbable as finding a 20 foot feline wedged in your underwear.

the ever positive Marvin is still depressed about being the most intelligent android in existence, and yet used for the menial tasks of turning a switch on or off

Sometimes Adams seems to be grasping for something to write about, with some rather nauseous explanations about things that really have no relevance and aren’t particularly interesting to read about.

Fortunately, this is not a consistent flaw, and the book certainly picks up towards the second half, when the group is divided due to a disaster leading Zaphod and Trillian to seen the man who controls the universe (who just happens to talk to his cat, and impresses to be certifably demented), while Prefect and Dent end up on a starship filled with accountants, lawyers and sanitation experts and…..joggers.

Captured and brought to light to the captain of the starship who manages his duties from a bathtub in which he has lived for the past three years, Prefect and and Dent venture on a journey that will completely twist the source and existence of man, who are often referred to as the cave dwellers.

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is certainly an entertaining book, which often made me smile, and equally made my eye lids rather heavy. There’s a touch of monotony in the writing; the laboured manner with which explanations are presented.

we find the quintet stuck in space, having stolen a spaceship that is about to land into a sun as part of a stunt for an intergalatic goth metal band, led by someone who is currently playing dead

Adams’s punchy writing from the first book is here, but in fragmented form. Some parts of the book come together better than others, and you will have to wade through some slightly boring reading. On the whole though, the writing is almost as good, if not equal, as The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

It’s fair to say that the expectation of the sequel would be quite high, and the mountain is perhaps too high to climb even for Adams’ to supercede his original work. Just as with the first book, Dent comes across more and more as the characterisaton of Adams himself.

There is still something lacking, perhaps reflecting some of the scenes that seem to struggle to really provide anything interesting. Still, there are some exceptionally funny moments, some that even excel the original and as an overall take, it’s an excellent sequel and worthy of purchase.

Verdict: Lacking the strength of writing and punch of the original, but certainly not a kipper of a book. An enjoyable, if flawed, sequel.