Paperback, 227 pages
English language
Published June 23, 2017 by PAN MACMILLAN U.K.
Volume one in the trilogy of five.
On 12 October 1979 the most remarkable book ever to come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor (and Earth) was made available to humanity — The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
It's an ordinary Thursday morning for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards, to make way for a new hyperspatial express route, and his best friend has just announced that he's an alien. At this moment, they're hurtling through space with nothing but a towel and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the large, friendly words: DON'T PANI The weekend has only just begun.
Plus you'll understand many more pop culture references!
I had no idea! I’ve read the Hitchhiker’s books before, and I knew it was performed for radio, but I always thought the book came first.
As for the radio version, the Primary Phase is a delight. The voice actors are all top notch, especially Stephen Moore as Marvin the Paranoid Android, and the writing was so ahead of its time for the 70s (and the 80s and 90s, for that matter). I would easily pay 30 Alterian dollars a day to listen to this again and again.
The book doesn't go into entirely too much detail than the movie portrays. Still an awesome story worthy if reading if you haven't, but you'll want to save your time if you've watched it already.
Most of the fun stems from its unpredictability. There are also some hilarious quotes in here. But, besides its gags, it doesn't have a lot to offer. The only theme to it is that (human) life is largely insignificant. But it's only explored superficially. Especially when rereading, the book can become somewhat of a bore.
