The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #2)

Title: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #2)

Author: Douglas Adams

Published in: 1980

Date read: 15th November 2005

Score: 4/5

Genre: Science fiction, Fantasy, Comedy

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Restaurant at the End of the Universe," published in 1980, is the second book in Douglas Adams's beloved "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" "trilogy of five" (and later six). It continues the wildly absurd, philosophical, and deeply humorous adventures of Arthur Dent and his unlikely companions as they grapple with the fundamental questions of life, the universe, and everything, often in the most inconvenient ways.

The story picks up immediately after the events of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." Arthur Dent, the last surviving human, along with his alien friend Ford Prefect (a roving researcher for the titular Guide), the two-headed ex-President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox, and the perpetually depressed robot Marvin, find themselves in immediate peril. Having just escaped the planet Magrathea, they are being pursued by a wrathful Vogon fleet.

To escape, Zaphod activates the Heart of Gold (the improbability-drive spaceship) and miraculously transports them to the most improbable destination imaginable: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. This exclusive establishment allows its patrons to witness the very end of time and the universe, dying gracefully in a spectacular cosmic display, before being time-warped back to their present.

However, their meal is interrupted by a new, more urgent quest. Zaphod is on a mission, revealed to be part of a grand scheme orchestrated by the mysterious conspirators who originally put him in power. He must find the true ruler of the Universe, a figure far more humble and less imposing than anyone could imagine. This pursuit leads them to the planet Ursa Minor Beta and the office of the "publisher" of the Hitchhiker's Guide, a chaotic and dangerous place.

Meanwhile, Arthur Dent becomes increasingly frustrated by the lack of good tea and a coherent explanation for anything. He is also burdened by the unsettling realisation that he, a seemingly ordinary human, somehow carries the ultimate question to the ultimate answer ("42") hidden within his brain.

The story introduces several memorable elements, including the planet Frogstar World Gamma (a giant theme park for torture), the legendary Disaster Area (the loudest rock band in the universe, whose performance inadvertently creates a star), and the concept of a planet run by telephone sanitisers.

The novel is a whirlwind of non-sequiturs, biting satire, and profound philosophical jokes. It skewers bureaucracy, science, religion, and the very concept of meaning. The climax involves Zaphod finding the true ruler, while Arthur, Ford, and Marvin find themselves stranded in a very unexpected place – an early Earth, setting the stage for future complications and further absurd adventures in the "trilogy." "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" solidifies Adams's unique voice and comedic genius.

Comments:
20 years after reading this, I needed to look at the plot summary to remind myself and all that I can see is that it is bonkers. Enjoyably bonkers but just so strange. I remember it fondly though.

Books that we've read by Douglas Adams (4):
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1) (1979), The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #2) (1980), Life, the Universe and Everything (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #3) (1982), So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #4) (1984)