We meet again, in the second part of the trilogy, in the restaurant at the end of the universe. Hope you’ve had quite the adventure in knowing how improbably Arthur ends up in a spacecraft with people he’s never met before. Anyway, Arthur and the ‘team’ get hungry so decide to go somewhere for fulfilling their hunger. Is there a better place than the Restaurant at the End of the Universe?
DISCLAIMER – Contains Spoilers; continue if you wish!
Author’s Name – Douglas Adams
Genre – Action & Adventure
Rating – 4.2/5
Story
After The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, this story begins after Zaphod is under attack by the Vogons(bad guys) for stealing the Heart of Gold(spaceship). Sadly, the hitchhikers can’t do anything following Arthur’s request for some tea which jams the computer systems. Moments before they’re caught, they are all suddenly saved by one of Zaphod’s ancestor; the hitchhikers split up. Zaphod and Marvin meet the man who rules the Universe, Zarniwoop, and the rest are in the Heart of Gold with only one command – “wait”. The action unfolds when a massive tank machine tries to destroy Zaphod and Marvin as they are still being searched for stealing the Heart of Gold. They are caught and are taken to Zarniwoop who explains the situation. The hitchhikers(except Marvin) reunite at the Restaurant at the end of the Universe called Milliways. During the dramatic and action-packed night that ends in a blast(literally), the adventure begins and the hitchhikers escape from the planet’s last seconds; Marvin meets them after five hundred and seventy-six thousand million, three thousand five hundred and seventy-nine years and they end up stealing another ship.
Upon escaping from Milliways, the hitchhikers end up in a planet that closely resembles the Earth; they find it to be Earth from many years ago. The story ends in lots of cliffhangers and fascination after many of the readers are probably confused as to where the hitchhikers have hitchhiked to! Can you figure out the ending? Go to the “Restuarant at the End of the Universe” and let your mind lead the way!
Space Adventures
Although it’s fiction, Adams spins out wildcards upon wildcards to amuse the readers by reminding them of just how fictional the story is and simultaneously to interest the readers throughout the plot development.
Right through the story, we’re in space(not our common whereabouts) so Adams really magnifies into the detail and doesn’t lose his readers’ interest in a single page. This would have been necessary for the general contemporary audience who wouldn’t have known as much about space as now.
Additionally, it’s wholly remarkable how Adams achieves such a fine level of information and technological references despite the technological world only beginning to evolve at the time of writing. It’s worth including that the creativity really brings the characters into life and the unique adventures that lucky(not everyone would agree) Arthur relishes in makes the book an engaging read.
My Thoughts
Initially, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe is off to quite a bland start(personally) although, action kicks in from the ironically depressed robot Marvin, and the story quickly formulates interest. As a complete, the book has a fast-paced plot development and is packed with action and adventure. Oh, and, the ending is fascinating! Adams wonderfully carries you into the next puzzle, “Life, the Universe and Everything”(which I am currently reading).
What if one day, you’re in a spaceship and you’re hungry? Where would you go to have your food? Would it be the “Restaurant at the End of the Universe”? Find out how Arthur survives his visit, in the “Restaurant at the End of the Universe“.
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