…And Another Thing

Continuing a beloved book series after an author has passed away is a tricky thing. Compare the post-Ian Fleming Bond novels to the 14 entries in the Dune franchise. Critics may appreciate the new work, as in the case of Kyle Mills, who continued the Bourne series after Robert Ludlum’s death. Or, they may decry the new work, as they did for Before Watchmen.*

Eoin Colfer had big shoes to fill when he was tasked with continuing the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trilogy. Douglas Adams’ unexpected death in 2001 left the Hitchhiker’s series on a very somber note, far removed from the whimsy and lighthearted comedy that was the series’ trademark. How to continue the story when the last book ended seemingly moments before the Earth’s destruction? Would fans appreciate the new work, especially considering reviews for the 2005 movie (including my own) were so mixed?

Thankfully, Colfer exceeded all expectations with …And Another Thing. Picking up moments after the events of Mostly Harmless, Author Dent, Ford Prefect, Trillian and her daughter Random, the stalwart characters of the series, are staring down certain doom…again. Through a series of improbable events (but probable and acceptable deus ex machinas) Arthur and his friends are rescued…again, by Zaphod Beeblebrox, now ex-President of the Galaxy. Their rescue allows the group to embark on a series of wacky adventures…again.

While the opening may sound derivative, this isn’t your father’s Hitchhiker book. Colfer shows off his flair for plot after the first rescue, sending our heroes in different directions, but toward the same goal. Where many of the Hitchhiker’s books jumped from plot point to plot point at random, Colfer weaves a tight story, saving the narrative buckshot for Guide Notes, clever asides that round out Adams’ universe without taking attention away from the main story. Colfer also uses every opportunity he gets to call back to the original Hitchhiker books, meaning fans of the series will be reintroduced to such characters as Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged, Thor the Thunder God, and of course, the Vogons.** Colfer isn’t content to take a nostalgia shower either; there’s enough new and memorable characters to keep the book feeling fresh.

…And Another Thing is Colfer’s first book for adults and it’s a great effort. I’d be happy if he would write more Hitchhiker’s books. New entries into the exponentially inadequately named Hitchhiker’s trilogy would take my mind off the fact I have yet to finish the Hitchhiker’s video game. (And by finish, I mean get out of the Vogon ship, which is barely a fifth of the way through.)

tl;drs

Quick summary: Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, and the rest of the Hitchhiker’s crew wake up from an artificial reality to discover a) they’re not dead yet and b) the Vogons are trying really really hard to change that. Narrowly escaping the destruction of Earth (again), Zaphod Beeblebrox then goes on a quest to recruit Thor, the Thunder God, in an effort to kill Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged. (This will become more clear, or less muddled, as you read.)

Too many writers? Just the one. Having never read Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series, …And Another Thing has piqued my curiosity.

Recommended if you like: Smashing your head against a lemon that has been wrapped around a large, gold brick.

Better than I expected? Colfer deftly mimics Adams’ tone while at the same time telling a much more coherent story.

Worse than I hoped? The novel contains more than its fair share of the letter Z. Which is just silly.

Would it work better in a different medium? I’d watch the hell out of an animated Hitchhiker’s series.

Verdict: Colfer is a worthy successor to Adams and stokes my need for new Hitchhiker’s material.

Related Reading: Literary Afterlife: The Posthumous Continuations of 325 Authors’ Fictional Characters by Bernard Drew

Related Listening: I highly recommend the …And Another Thing audiobook, narrated by Simon Jones (Arthur Dent in the original Hitchhiker’s radio play and television series.

*Guide Note: We’d like to point out that the author of Watchmen, Alan Moore, is in fact, still alive.

**Another Guide Note: But no Marvin the Paranoid Android. I’m on the fence about this. On the one hand, he’s a beloved character and his absence stands out, especially considering all the other characters Colfer brings back. On the other hand, Marvin is a one-joke character and insufferable git.