"The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul" by Douglas Adams

I aquired this book at the same time I picked up Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, which works out well because it is the sequel. 

Summary: This book starts with Kate Schechter witnessing a powerful explosion at the airport. Terrorist organizations take credit and utility boards apologize, but the official investigation turns up no explanation as to what caused it. There are no deaths, except possibly the check-in girl who leaves not a single trace. Unrelated, Dirk Gently is hired as a bodyguard for a successful record producer who fears for his life. When his fears manifest, Dirk searches for the killer. His non-linear investigation tactics lead him on a crazy adventure for the truth. His path crosses with Kate's and they enter into a hidden world of beings who are out of their place and out of their time. They are witnesses to a great and powerful conflict typically obscured from the view of mere mortals.

What I Liked: Douglas Adams is a funny author and can deliver dry humor in such a way that makes it feel serendipitous. He pokes fun at the government, religion and society in general.

What I Didn't Like: This book follows a very roundabout path and relies heavily on coincidences to move the plot forward. It felt more like a stand-up comedy routine than a novel.

Also Read By This Author: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (and sequels); Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Rating: If you like British comedy fiction you'll enjoy it, though it is not Adams' best work.

"Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" by Douglas Adams

I received a copy of this book through a friend of a friend who was trying to sell it at a garage sale. I really enjoyed other books by Douglas Adams and so I figured I would enjoy this one too.

Summary: This story follows Richard MacDuff, a successful computer programmer working for the eccentric businessman Gordon Way. He is reunited with a former professor, Reg, who is shrouded in an aura of mystery. He also reunites with an old college friend, Dirk Gently, who has become a private investigator. Dirk is an astoundingly intelligent person, but does not conform to traditional logic paths. Instead, he sees each individual case as being entangled with the universe, leading to very peculiar detective work and problematic billing. The three find themselves on a crazy adventure to save the world.

What I Liked: Douglas Adams is very good about establishing early in the book a series of minor jokes which escalate, seemingly by coincidence, as the book progresses. Each time the joke reappears it seems like the final punchline, funnier than before. At the beginning of the book I thought it was slow, not really sure if it was worth continuing on, but by the end I was laughing out loud and having difficulty explaining the elaborate jokes to Tami. The final punchlines were so simple and delivered with Adams' dry sense of humor, if taken out of context they would appear dull. But cleverly placed in the book, each punchline was a solid hit.

What I Didn't Like: The book had a slow start. In Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy the book starts by putting the main character in mortal danger and the excitement continues from there. In this book, it takes a while for anything exciting to happen, and even longer for Richard to be pulled into it.

Rating: If you like comedy mixed with science fiction this is a must-read.

Also Read By This Author: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (and sequels)

Reviewed By: Nick