If you thought Life, the Universe and Everything was confusing and unmemorable, wait until you read the next in the series…

I like this book, despite the careless editing, but the genre is almost different, more magical realism than sci-fi. The setting is mostly Earth, which for some reason that was either explained and I don’t understand, or it wasn’t explained at all, is reinstated after it was demolished. After being away in space for several months, Arthur Dent returns to his dusty house and tries to get back into his old life. There are other strands to the story which at first seem separate, but they all link up. Ford Prefect is hopping around the universe causing chaos. There is a scientist with an inside-out house who knows what happened to the dolphins. A girl who realised what the meaning of life is, before the Earth’s demise, keeps on meeting Arthur by random coincidences. And a truck driver is rained on everywhere he goes.

There are references to the time in which the book was written, such as nowhere accepting American Express, the music of Dire Straits and the difficulty of setting up answering machines. Arthur’s memories of being in space are also likened to a film recorded from the TV on to cassette and being shoved to the back of a cupboard!

In summary, an unnecessary sequel which focuses on Arthur’s happiness and the oddities of being British, with some confusing things which don’t make sense.

First published in 1984.