It’s no simple task to take up your pen and attempt to create a story worthy of the hoopiest frood in all of existence. But when asked to do so, Eoin Colfer shows us that he has the kroompst (“Kroompst!”) to do just that.
Once again, and for the last time, the Vogons have destroyed Earth. In every dimension, in every version of space, time and improbability, Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz has made sure that humanity has been wiped clean from its ZZ Plural Z Alpha address so that it never interferes with the hyperspace bypass.
He has not, however, killed all the humans, as was part of the initial contract.
Arthur Dent, Trillian, and their daughter Random, are still mucking about the galaxy. There are also reports that Zaphod Beeblebrox purchased and sold a Magrathean made planet to some Earthlings. Knowing they are out there, Jeltz, his crew and his son (who is going through a bit of an un-Vogon like identity crisis) are about to seek out and destroy the remaining humans.
Our ragtag group of intergalactic travelers and ex-President of the Galaxy are saved just in the nick of time from the destruction of the last existing version of Earth by none other than Wowbagger, the rudest alien in the universe. In exchange for safe passage, Wowbagger demands that they kill him. He no longer wants to be immortal, spending his years hopping planet to planet insulting everyone.
Mr. Colfer brought characters back to life that I missed dearly. The tension between the universe’s most dysfunctional family is one that I love (I’ve read the Triology in Five Parts probably ten times) and it was nice to see how he solved the problem child’s issues with her parents. The only thing that was missing was Marvin, but I suppose you can’t bring everyone back.
Arthur’s fixation with the missing Fenchurch did wear a bit thin for me. As did the Guide entries which seemed to be on every other page. Some of the Guide entries that were included I felt didn’t need to be there. But that’s just me. As a huge fan of the original work, you won’t please us all 100%. And we can’t expect him to channel our revered Mr. Adams. Well, we could, but that’s just not fair.
While I was not pleased with everything that happened in And Another Thing, I was happy with my overall experience. Sure, there are things I would have changed and outcomes I wasn’t too happy with, but I didn’t write it. You have to give credit where credit is due. Eoin Colfer honoured the memory of Douglas Adams with a fantastical tale, gave us a new drink to attempt Earthly re-creation of, and added another chapter where no one else did. The book now sits proudly beside my well loved and well read copy of the original works, waiting for me to re-read the series again.
And somewhere in the universe, Thor waits for his own novel.
Purchase And Another Thing in paperback from Amazon