Resenhas - Life, the Universe and Everything

Giulendo 28/01/2022

Life, The Universe and Everything
Demorei um pouco mais para ler provavelmente por estar lendo em uma língua diferente da minha língua nativa, parando várias vezes para averiguar se não estava de fato entendendo o personagem ou se era apenas uma sacada irônica de Douglas Adams.
Mesmo sem o frio na barriga dos primeiros livros, a empolgação de um novo universo, esse aqui nos trás para uma nova aventura cheia de boas sacadas, emoção e imprevisibilidade.

DTK 04/04/2021

I think the author lost his touch in this book, the first ones were much more fun
However, I still find it's randomness and use of words fascinating, anxious for the next already

Rick 13/01/2020

Another 4 star rating... Barely.
I do have to say there were some improvements to this book, but they were mildly developed and they came with consequences.

I've read 3 out of 5 so far, and this is, no doubt, my least favourite. The first book was magical and it prompted many questions, it was the funniest as well. The second was the one with a crescendo, where things started off well and got even better on the second half.

The third book, however, is another mess when it comes to the plot, and this is coming from someone who was able to put up rather well with the messy plots of Douglas Adams BECAUSE these are indeed comedy books. The third book has less jokes, and way too many side stories that were predominantly very nice and interesting, but added little to none to the story - if there was a story.

The characters didn't change that much but I was very happy (so happy that this didn't get a 3 star rating) to see Trillian finally blossom. She stopped being a babysitter, and embarked on a journey of her choice - whatever that was anyways, and most importantly she was vital towards the end of the book. Arthur and Ford continued being what they were originally, the book explores more of Arthur's side this time, although most of it doesn't pose as useful in the end. Meanwhile his sidekick Ford, once again, introduced us to some more phenomena, like SEP, but suffered some weird change in character. Usually Ford is the one who's eager to know more about the universe, adventurous and all that, he also likes to party sure, but in this book he behaved more like Zaphod, being dragged by Arthur and Slartibartfast to do whatever they were supposed to do. This behaviour isn't a problem, him having this behaviour all of sudden is. Zaphod sulked throught the 2/3 of the book and then decided to help the others either out of guilt or loneliness - which doesn't suit him well. Slartibartfast who had already taken part in the first book, was a nice addition and I hope he stays to the end. It's a shame he seemed rather powerless in every aspect other than knowledge, but I guess that's what he stands for. Marvin was left out as usual and had to suffer alone throughout the book once again, but alongside with Trillian he was vital in the end, plus he saved Zaphod 3 times, maybe the beginning of a friendshi? Probably not.

Now the plot. I have - as I said many times, ACCEPTED that this franchise goes absolutely nowhere. The characters have not got a slice of desire for anything and there's never a higher cause they HAVE to fight for, even if they don't want to. But for fuck's sake, may I say, how shitty this time the plot was. It made almost some sense in the beginning (the SEP was interesting though), but failed when nothing came out of that, the development through the second third of the book was gruelling with some minor key character developments along the way for Arthur with his new techinque, and for Trilian, with her (needed) change of personality. And the end was precious, because what they were doing then mattered for the universe, but there was no excitment, no climax. In other words, it felt blunt.

This would easily be a 3 star, but it would be unfair after seeing what, at least to me, seemed like an attempt by Douglas Adams to make Trillian relevant every now and then, and his completely failed attempt to create an authentic and conventional plot. I keep thinking that because he failed the beginning and the middle he wasn't able to conceive a satisfactory end.