Book Review: The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

Marvin: Don’t talk to me about life!

Author:

Douglas Adams

Publisher:

Pan Books

Date Published:

12 October 1979

Story:

One Thursday lunchtime the Earth gets unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. For Arthur, who just had his house demolished that morning, this seems already more than he can cope with. Sadly, however, the weekend had only just begun, and the Galaxy in a very strange and startling place.

Review:

Ahh Hitch-Hikers. This is by far the best Sci-fi book I’ve ever read. It could also be nostalgia, as this was also the first Sci-Fi book I read. And since then, I’ve come to read this book a numer of times (10 to be exact). Douglas Adams is forever immortalised in my heart and probably in the hearts of everyone who has read this book. He is a true genius. May his soul reat in peace!

This book is so wonderful. It’s very funny and its beautiful. It is a piece of art. The characters are so awesome. Arthur Dent is a stubborn English man who is trouble by the demolition of his house to build a bypass, unaware of the fact that another Alien race is going to destroy Earth to build a Hyper Space Bypass. And from there begins Arthur along with his friend Ford Prefect (Who is from Betelgeuse) as they traverse the universe. They also end up meeting Zaphod Beeblebrox (Alien and President of the Galaxy)and Trillian (Human).

The story is so awesome and wonderfully funny. The dialogue and the explanation of things were beautifully constructed. My favourite part in the whole books id the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything, given by Deep Thought. The answer being 42. This has always made me laugh. Where ever I go i try and find connections to the number 42. And after giving the answer Deep Thought sends the people on a journey to find the Ultimate Question with which they will understand the answer. And the machine that would do so was destroyed five minutes before it found the Answer. Yes! That machine was earth!

All in all one of the best books I have ever read. My favourite character in Hitchhikers is Marvin the Paranoid Android, who is always depressed and is so funny!

Final Verdict:

10/10

Book Review: Ready Player One

Wade Watts: “No one in the world gets what they want and that is beautiful.”

Author:

Ernest Cline

Publisher:

Random House

Published on:

16 August 2011

Story:

The year is 2044 and the world is in near-ruins. The Great Recession has taken its toll on the world’s economy, and resources are scarce. The Internet and gaming culture have evolved into a creation known as OASIS, a massive multiplayer online simulation game created by James Halliday and Ogden Morrow of Gregarious Simulation Systems (GSS), formerly known as Gregarious Games. Halliday, with no heirs or other living family, dies suddenly and leaves a video will to those in OASIS and a book that was dubbed Anorak’s Almanac, which purports to be a volume written by James Halliday’s avatar Anorak in OASIS. The video says that whomever can collect three keys (Copper, Jade, and Crystal) that are hidden throughout the universe of OASIS and pass through the matching gates will receive his fortune and controlling stake in GSS. This becomes known as the Hunt and people immediately begin the search for Halliday’s “egg,” a reference to the first “Easter egg” in video game culture in the game Adventure.

Review:

First when I read the synopsis, of this book, I remembered Tron.. I felt that this book was a modern Tron-esque  story. The premise of playing a game which has become greater than reality and trying to overcome the evil might, has already been explored in Tron. But this is a book.

The book is filled with pop culture references which is sure to bring a smile of recognition to any self respecting geek’s face. Me being only 16 know most of the references.. But any geek who was actually from that time would and should know all of it. I found this book to be a Geeky book written by a geek for geeks.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the line were funny and the book was written well. The book  was also narrated awesomely by Will Wheaton. His voice moderation for the different characters was good too. His narration actually made the book sound better and made me like like it better.

Final Verdict:

8/10

My Review for Mr. Monk on Patrol

Author:

Lee Goldberg

Genre:

Crime- Solving, Humor.

The Story:

Everything has been going well for former SFPD lieutenant Randy Disher in Summit, New Jersey, where he lives with Monk’s previous assistant, Sharona, and works as the new police chief. But when the city’s leadership is arrested for fraudulently inflated salaries, Disher suddenly finds himself as the acting mayor.

Now, Disher has to manage the police department and shoulder the day to day responsibility of running a town that is in the midst of a wave of residential robberies. In desperation, Disher reaches out to the one person he knows can solve the crimes: Adrian Monk.

When Monk and his assistant, Natalie, arrive in New Jersey, Disher makes them temporary police officers. Summit is about to become the cleanest and most symmetrical city on Earth. But then the string of home burglaries escalates to arson and murder…and someone tries very, very hard to send Monk and Natalie back to San Francisco in coffins.

The Review:

I was very sad when Monk ended with the 8th season when he finds out who killed his wife  and that he has a daughter. It was a very touching end to a brilliant series. After which Lee Goldberg continued the series with books. Mr Monk on the Road, Mr Monk on the Couch and now Mr Monk on Patrol. They all start directly after he figures out who kills his wife.

This book is as wonderful as is the series. This brings back Monks ex-assistant Sharona and former SFPD Lieutenant Randy Disher who is now the chief of Summit PD.

The book has a very unexpected ending. Leaving me wanting the next book soon.

*Note: The following contains spoilers. Incase you don’t want spoilers for the book, stop reading the review here. Or else continue*

************* Spoilers ****************

In the book, Monk and Natalie become temporary cops after brining down two cops for burglary. When they first arrive in the city Mr Monk, tries to apprehend a woman who sells Poop in a shop called poop. Monk, with his usual OCD self, admonishes the owner Ellen Morse. Later in the book, he finds himself attracted to her and turns out that she too has OCD.

Natalie enjoys being a cop too after they take down a murderer. Sharona and Randy, at the end ask Natalie if she wants to stay here as a cop.  When they ask Mr Monk he replies. But both of they replies are not given.

My review for Doctor Who: Shada

Author:

Douglas Adams & Gareth Roberts.

Genre:

Science Fiction.

The Story:

The Doctor and his Time Lady companion Romana respond to The Doctor old friend Professor Chrontis. He too is a Time Lord from Gallifrey. He possesses a very special book- The Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey.

Another strange man arrives on earth for book, to use it for his devious plot. His name is Skagra. He is i search of the mysterious planet of the Time Lords called Shada which is a prison for the universes most vicious criminals Now it’s the Doctors job to save the universe from destruction. Again.

The Review:

This book is the novelisation of the incomplete Doctor Who episode for the 4th Doctor written by the God of Sci-Fi – Douglas Adams. It was restored by Gareth Roberts, and then published on March 14th. Doctor Who is the longest running Sci-Fi TV show. It has been running since 1965 with the first Doctor played by William Hartnell. And his first ever companion was his grand daughter Susan Foreman played by Carole Ann Ford. Three Doctors later Douglas Adams wrote Shada a six part episode for the 17th Season for the Fourth and probably one of the best Doctors who is potryaed by Tom Baker.

Shada remained incomplete and unaired. Douglas Adams did not want any of his episodes to be novelised, thus they never were. After more than three decades Doctor Who: Shada has finally been restored by Gareth Roberts and now published.

I had pre-ordered the book on Kindle on January 20th. And it arrived on March 14th during my Boards. Whenever I got the time I read the book and I finally finished the book on 30th March.

The book was marvellous. Douglas Adams is a true genius. His scrip has been converted into a novel by Doctor Who writer Gareth Roberts. Douglas Adams brings his trademark wit mixed with Sci Fi elements which is perfect for The Doctor. Adams, has brought to the surface the true essence of The Doctor.

The book was filled with thrills. And the enigmatic Skagra was just brilliant. The book has a very unexpected turn of events in the last ten chapters. The book also has a mention of Douglas Adams masterpiece – The HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. And this book immortalises the genius of Douglas Adams. His legacy lives on through his books.

May his soul Rest In Peace. And So long and Thanks for all the books.