New Hitchhiker Book in October 2009

[Evil Avatar]

The Independent is reporting (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/childrens-author-to-write-sixth-instalment-of-hitchhiker-series-933493.html) that Artemis Fowl author Eoin Colfer has been picked by Douglas Adams widow, Jane Belson, to write a new Hitchhiker novel.

The author said he was "terrified" by the prospect of creating a new Hitchhiker book almost a quarter of a century after being introduced to what he described as a "slice of satirical genius" in his late teens.

He said: "My first reaction was semi-outrage that anyone should be allowed to tamper with this incredible series.

"But on reflection I realised that this is a wonderful opportunity to work with characters I have loved since childhood and give them something of my own voice while holding on to the spirit of Douglas Adams".

...

And Another Thing... will be published in October next year.I know where my towel is.

[Darkbase]

I liked his attitude (humbleness) going into this, so here's hoping he can do it.

[Sandman]

I haven't read any Artemis Fowl but it always seemed a bit like a Harry Potter rip-off to me.

[Wilkz07]

great news. the Artemis books are pretty good. It does have that harry potter feel to bit but this kids is bent on world domination. As long as they don't turn it into a crappy movie afterwards.

[hund_]

lol i'd rather see a season 2 of firefly

[Meatgortex]

Just leave it alone. HHGTTG was great as is, we don't need more from an Adams impersonator.

[chirz]

I'll be pretty pissed if he doesn't carry out Adams' plan of bringing the HHGTTG characters and Dirk Gently together in the same book.

[H1PO]

I've always enjoyed Eoin Colfer. Artemis Fowl was an interesting series, and he did a few others that I liked.

[Spigot]

I haven't read any Artemis Fowl but it always seemed a bit like a Harry Potter rip-off to me.Oh hell no. They're maybe a little similar in tone but the Artemis Fowl books besides dealing with teenages and having magic elements, they're two totally different beasts.

The Potter books are much more in keeping with traditional fantasy while the Fowl books are a melding of high-tech spy caper and very odd interpretations of fairy society. I actually kind of like the Artemis Fowl books more than the Harry Potter ones, if only because they're a lot funnier :)

And that brings me back to the point of the OP. If anyone is going to take up the H2G2 mantle, Colfer is a pretty good choice. Pratchett might be a better pick but I'd rather he just stick with Discworld.

[TerribleTony]

If you want a real good Hitchhiker's style romp, pick up the DVD of the Doctor Who serial "The Pirate Planet." It was written by Douglas Adams and it shows. "Life, the Universe, and Everything" was originally plotted as a Doctor Who serial, and Shada (a cancelled Doctor Who serial from the same time frame) was re-written into a Dirk Gently novel.

[OUX]

This seems unnecessary.

[Spigot]

This seems unnecessary.That's the title of the NEXT book.

[Sazime]

Fuck, YES.

[Cade]

mixed emotions would be an understatement for me,

Half of me is overjoyed at the prospect of more HHGTG

the other half of me is like "how can it be more HHGTG without Douglas Adams?"

[ParTime]

If you want a real good Hitchhiker's style romp, pick up the DVD of the Doctor Who serial "The Pirate Planet." It was written by Douglas Adams and it shows. "Life, the Universe, and Everything" was originally plotted as a Doctor Who serial, and Shada (a cancelled Doctor Who serial from the same time frame) was re-written into a Dirk Gently novel.

Along those lines, the episode "City of Death" has a strong Douglas Adams feel, and was also a precursor for Dirk Gently.

[bone_matrix]

I've been needing another reason to reread the series, this will work nicely.

It may not be needed, but I will purchase and read day one!

[Inspector Fowler]

What I say, I say as a life long Douglas Adams fan...I mean, a "read the book until the covers fall off and pages come out" fan...

It couldn't be any worse than the 5th book, which always felt to me like Adams had had enough of the fans whining for another, and finally said, [Spoilers on an aging book here] "Fine. I'll fucking kill them all at the end. Now will you guys please shut up and read my other fucking books? I did write some, you know."

I felt like that book was a tacked on, depressing end to a silly, fun tour of the galaxy.

So take heart, if he's using his favorite characters, maybe he's going to undo the ending of the 5th book.

[Heretic Machine]

Did anyone actually enjoy more than just the first two books?

[Wokapto]

Did anyone actually enjoy more than just the first two books?

Only the first book was even remotely entertaining.

[tombofsoldier]

That's the title of the NEXT book.

This being Hitchikers I could totally see that being a title. Unfortunately the series just went downhill for me from the first book. Speaking of which I've read Small Gods and Guards Guards! Any other really good Discworld books I should read?

[muddi900]

This being Hitchikers I could totally see that being a title. Unfortunately the series just went downhill for me from the first book. Speaking of which I've read Small Gods and Guards Guards! Any other really good Discworld books I should read?

It went downhill from "awesome" to "great", except the last one, that one just plain sucked.

The article says the title is "And Another Thing..."

[AlwaysOn222]

Only the first book was even remotely entertaining.

Really? So what is so bad with it in your opinion? I really like the series, read 1-4 so far and even if I am not big into fantasy it's fun, fast paced and tons of cool characters that you can connect with.

So I think it should be really interesting to see if he can pull this one off as well.

[boratika]

Well I'm just going to go ahead and pretend this doesn't exist.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the Hitch Hiker's (and Dirk Gently) books. To me, each one represents a different part and place in Adams's life and life in general (this even applies The Salmon of Doubt.)

It couldn't be any worse than the 5th book, which always felt to me like Adams had had enough of the fans whining for another, and finally said, [Spoilers on an aging book here] "Fine. I'll fucking kill them all at the end. Now will you guys please shut up and read my other fucking books? I did write some, you know."

I felt like that book was a tacked on, depressing end to a silly, fun tour of the galaxy.

Prior to his death, he was planning on reworking The Salmon Of Doubt into the sixth Hitch Hiker's book. So I always feel there is another instalment after Mostly Harmless, but we just didn't get to hear it. A real shame, since what little their was of The Salmon of Doubt, was some of (if not) the best he'd written.

[anakin876]

Prior to his death, he was planning on reworking The Salmon Of Doubt into the sixth Hitch Hiker's book. So I always feel there is another installment after Mostly Harmless, but we just didn't get to hear it. A real shame, since what little their was of The Salmon of Doubt, was some of (if not) the best he'd written.

That Daveworld stuff was so odd - I really wanted to see where he was going to go with it. It's too bad he passed away so young - and that he seemed to struggle so greatly with the writing process.

For the person asking about Discworld - I like just about all of the Discworld books - but if you liked Guards Guards check out any of the Night Watch books (including Night Watch, The Fifth Elephant, Thud ) Thief of Time, Truth, Going Postal, Making Money, and Hogfather. As a friend of mine who gave me my first Discworld novel wrote - It's like the crack, the first taste is free!

[MacD]

@tombsofsoldier: I was always partial to Mort and Reaper man. Pyramids is also a great discworld novel, much in keeping with Small Gods (which is probably my favourite TP novel).

[MacD]

And, seeing as I can't edit my precious post: WTF? I really hate the cashgrabbing which makes it ok to have people pretend someone else can tack on and write in someone else's ouvre, and then pretend nothings wrong.

I bought and read the HH books (and DG, and NCTS) because this guy, Douglas Adams, was a greatly witty writer who incorporated great ideas and funny dialogue. Please don't pretend this other guy can do exactly the same: he can't. If he wants to write a book, let him, but let him write it as himself and have the fucking originality to call it his own instead of hitchhicking on someone else's succes.

[Spigot]

MacD, did you not read the initial statements in the OP? Colfer's first reaction was, "Hell no, I don't want the job."

But he was hand-picked by Adams' widow and he's a pretty good author in his own right. It's not like they just held a reality show to find out who should write the next H2G2 book.

All of this said, I doubt I'll read it. I liked H2G2 and the other books in the series but I was always more partial to the Dirk Gently stuff.

Tombofsoldier: I'm also more partial to the Death books (Mort, Reaper Man, Soul Music) but it seems as though Pratchett has been focusing most of the new books on either the Nightwatch, Moist von Lipwig or one-off stories about the crazy monks.

I'm liking them all, but I wish we'd get a new Death book.

[Rommel]

I always felt that the continuity of the Hitchhikers books suffered from their origin as a radio play. The naovels are filled with plot points made as passing statements and never revisited. Getting a dedicate author, who will probably be unable to divorce himself from such things as the reasonable flow of a story, will probably result in a Hitchhiker book that makes far, far more sense than those previous.

HOW DARE THEY?!

[TheFlyingOrc]

I can think of no good reason to choose anyone other than Terry Pratchett to do this.

[Ink Asylum]

No no no no no no no...

This shouldn't happen. Want to translate Hitchhiker's into different media? Fine, but there's no need for another book. Not without Adams at the helm.

Reinvent it? Sure, but undoing the ending of "Mostly Harmless," crappy as it was, just to keep the series going is a poor decision.

[Klade]

So... this guy has been hired to write fan fiction.... Great. I'll put it on the bottom of my reading list right next Harry Potter Yiffs

[TKO]

Reinvent it? Sure, but undoing the ending of "Mostly Harmless," crappy as it was, just to keep the series going is a poor decision.
Has no-one here listened to the continuation of the Radio Series? ie: The Hitch-Hiker's Guide tertiary, quandary, and quintessential phases? Those give a very good clue as to how the series might be continued. Such a shame Douglas ended the last book as he did. That just didn't feel right to me. Ya shouldn't reach the end of a Hitch-Hiker novel and feel sad, should you?

I'm not really interested in the books any more. The radio series is where it has always been at for me. The whole series is great in that form, and the dramatization of the last three books is IMHO at least as good as the original two radio series.

[MacD]

Spigot, yes I did, and it's the same bullshit reason every other idiot gives when 're-imagining' something not their own. Can't wait for brit-pop icon number x to say the same thing when writing a new Beattles album.

[Spigot]

Spigot, yes I did, and it's the same bullshit reason every other idiot gives when 're-imagining' something not their own. Can't wait for brit-pop icon number x to say the same thing when writing a new Beattles album.Me neither!

I can't wit for Ricky Gervais to record "Flabby Road"...