6th book in the Hitch hikers Trilogy

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Don't Panic. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is back with a sixth instalment of the absurd, intergalactic and increasingly inaccurately named "trilogy." Skip related content

Its creator Douglas Adams had always intended a follow-up to the fifth book, which he felt was an unnecessarily bleak ending to the comic, cosmic tales of Arthur Dent, but he died in 2001 before he could write it.

To coincide with the 30th anniversary of the publication of the original Hitchhiker's Guide, Irish author Eoin Colfer was asked to produce the first authorised sequel to the Adams classics, and his novel hits the shelves on Monday.

"And Another Thing...," published in Britain by Penguin and in the United States by Walt Disney's Hyperion, brings Dent, alien friend Ford Prefect and two-headed Galactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox back from the dead for more madcap adventures in outer space.

Colfer, best known for his "Artemis Fowl" series, said he had major misgivings before agreeing to take up where Adams left off, aware of the risk of a fan backlash and critical drubbing.

"I was aware that there would be definitely some kind of backlash, or even a frontlash before the backlash," Colfer said in an interview in London.

"I still have doubts as to whether I should have done it, but I'm just kind of weathering the storm now," he told Reuters.

"From my own point of view, and I know from (Adams's widow) Jane's (Belson) point of view ... we don't need it. I don't need it and for me it could actually hurt my career." But he added: "I don't think it will."

HARDCORE FANS OBJECT

Colfer has already experienced vitriolic verbal attacks from a handful of diehard Hitchhiker fans, but urged them to read the book before deciding if he was right to accept the invitation.

"I didn't realise at the time until everyone started to tell me how brave I was," he recalled.

"I totally understand people who think in theory the idea of this book is wrong. That is totally fair. But I just couldn't not do it. Read the book and then you're entitled to judge, but this is just vitriol."

Colfer stressed that he was not looking to replicate the stories and writing style of Adams, and that his aim was to appeal to readers familiar with the originals and newcomers.

"It's not trying to be Douglas, it's not trying to claim the series, it's kind of a standalone away from the five books."

And the author, who has Belson's blessing, avoided referring to Adams's notes when writing And Another Thing...

"I reckoned if I'd used Douglas's notes, if it turned out well it was Douglas, if it turned out badly I screwed up Douglas's notes," Colfer said.

Colfer was initially asked to consider signing a three-book Hitchhiker deal, but agreed only to one.

And despite his sequel being described by Penguin as the "final instalment," Colfer believed the door may be open to other writers to take up the challenge.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy started life as a radio series in 1978 before being turned into five best-selling novels which sold over 15 million copies worldwide. It has also been adapted for television, the West End stage and the big screen.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20091008/tts-uk-hitchhikers-sequel-ca02f96.html
As above states apparently old Mr Adams who was previously fought to be dead for tax reason's is releasing a new book to finish of the series once and for good.
I am for once actually looking forward to the release of a book and hope beyond believe, that it won't be the usual generic garbage that seems to be released these days.
I was wondering do you guy's reckon the book will carry on the sober approach of the 5th book or will Colfer shift back to a generally witty sarcastic approach similar to that of the previous books?

Any bets on whether he will screw this up?

any way cant wait :D
 
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Six books in a trilogy?

well the 4th was supposed ot be the end of the trilogy, but then he decide arthur had to die like was predicted in the 4th book or was it 3rd???
Anyways in all good storys the hero (arthur) dies plus their is a huge gap between book 3 and 4 that is completely empty of any explaining in either book 3 or 4.
So up book 5 explains what happend in that time frame then after that time when fenchurch and arthur go off.....
ok this is confusing, its easier to just read the books tbh.

So the 5 th book is jsut arthur and ford are back alive again and they go off and have a wacky adventure.
 
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"I was aware that there would be definitely some kind of backlash, or even a frontlash before the backlash," Colfer said in an interview in London.

That kind of statement makes me think he can pull it off.

I'll read it, it can't harm the other books now can it?

Not by Douglas Adams => Not interested

You only ever read Douglas Adams?

Never judge a book by its author.
 
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Soldato
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"I was aware that there would be definitely some kind of backlash, or even a frontlash before the backlash," Colfer said in an interview in London.
That kind of statement makes me think he can pull it off.
I'll read it, it can't harm the other books now can it?

You only ever read Douglas Adams?
Never judge a book by its author.

Well let's hope it isn't an abomination like the follow-ups made to Frank Herbert's Dune saga.
Six good books followed by some utter background drivel, and then coupled onto the end 2 books of complete excrement.
Awful in content, and terrible in editing, some passages were repeated in different chapters, as if the two authors coming together had two separate editions and neither read the other authors pov.
Time will tell.
 
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Well let's hope it isn't an abomination like the follow-ups made to Frank Herbert's Dune saga.
Six good books followed by some utter background drivel, and then coupled onto the end 2 books of complete excrement.
Awful in content, and terrible in editing, some passages were repeated in different chapters, as if the two authors coming together had two separate editions and neither read the other authors pov.
Time will tell.

It came out over eight years ago, check the dates :p
 
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Did anyone struggle to find the 5th book (Mostly Harmless) back in the 90s? I remember reading book 1 a few times, then found 2, 3 and 4 no problem, but never found book 5 in the library or bookshops so I never got to read it. I'm sure it's no problem these days though with eBay and Amazon etc.
 
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Nope, got a battered hardback copy, but I don't remember it being difficult to find around publication (might have been more so after, but bookshops could certainly have ordered it in). But if that's battered you should see the first copy of The Hitcherhikers Guide to the Galaxy that I owned. Was pretty much permanently in my schoolbag. Got introduced to it from the BBC TV series by my dad in the early eighties when it was shown/made. It's been a major infuence in my life ever since. (pretty sure I bought at least one of my replacement copies from Jane who we both know Pawnless Endgame). Got the radio scripts with so many post-it notes stuck in it. Bought a large illustrated edition from Bookland when it was closing down in Stafford. Had the Infogrammes text adventure on 5.25" disc. Hell, I'd even buy the towl (or a matress that had stopped flolloping).
 
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Mostly Harmless is definitely the weakest of the series and I think Adams knew that but, despite the more natural end to the series with book 4, I think he may have felt pressured to give Arthur another runout and maybe didn't quite have his heart fully behind it by that point (he wrote the Dirk Gently series between book 4 and 5 and I think he should have carried on with those instead of making book 5).

However the series, along with the Dirk Gently series is still my favourite novels.
 
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