Hitchhiker's Guide Book 1 (4 points)

               This book is basically the definition of sci-fi. It takes every element that you have read in a sci-fi book or seen in a sci-fi film. There are aliens, robots, space travel, evil aliens. The list goes on but it adds a twist to it. The book combines satire and sci-fi.

                Satires have become one of my favorite genres. I don’t know if there are too many satires that are made by people that don’t like the things they are making fun of. The creator of this story certainly likes sci-fi stories. You can’t really make a satire without knowing a lot about the subject you are making fun of.

                This story sounds so ridiculous but it really isn’t that far off from many sci-fi stories. Every one of these things can probably be found in some shape or form in another work. The great thing about this story is that it takes cliché sci-fi story tropes and turns them into something different.

                The story isn’t serious and never tries to take itself seriously. The entire world built is for people to enjoy, laugh and be reminded of the sci-fi stories they love.

                With all of this being said, some things in this story are completely original. The radio show began over half a century ago. The 1950s is when sci-fi films were becoming popular so the radio show certainly replicated those ideas. There were plenty of sci-fi novels made before the 1950s.

                Somehow this story feels new even though it began many years ago. There is truly an art to making a satire. You can’t just make a joke about something and move on. You really have to understand what it is that you are parodying.

                The story has a twist ending of sorts like many sci-fi stories do. It ends in a fun way even though there is a threat in the distance.

                For many years I have wanted to see the film and this book solidifies that idea. I’d also like to listen to the radio show and see how all of the adaptions differentiate.