The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

This review will probably be a short one.  Not because I read a lousy book.  It's not easy writing a review on something that is meant to make fun of everything.  The Restaurant at the End of the Universe does just that, it continues it's parody of a sci-fi novel.

Summary:

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe starts where The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy leaves off.  Arthur Dent and his friends are headed towards the Restaurant at the End of the Universe for lunch.  They find themselves in adventure after adventure once again, starting with another encounter with the Vogons and ending with Arthur and Ford being left on Earth two million years in the past.

Highlights:

The restaurant.  It's in a protected field outside of time allowing patrons to enjoy a meal and watch the universe end as entertainment.  Later, patrons can return to their own time

The Heart of Gold putting so much effort into figuring out what tea is.

Arthur and Ford ending up on a Golgfrincham ship with frozen phone sanitizers and hairdressers.

Recommendations:

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is for high school age and up.  If you know someone who doesn't like to read, this is a good book.  The chapters are short, dialog is funny, and no analysis is required.
Rating:

I would have to say that The Restaurant at the End of the Universe should be read at least once.  Mostly for the lighthearted take on everything.  We all need a good laugh.

Until next time, Happy Reading.

Next week is Watership Down.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Most of the books I read tend to be a little serious in nature.  I don't mean that I only read biographies or histories.  I enjoy a good Sci-Fi or Fantasy novel.  In fact they make up the bulk of my collection.  In these books, there are rules and these rules lead to a plausible ending.

In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, all the standard rules the the reader is used to are thrown out.  The story does not go in a plausible direction.  There are twists and turns the further you read.  And to top it off, it's only Book 1.

Summary:

Earth is destroyed to make room for a new highway and Arthur Dent is the only Earthman who survives thanks to an alien named Ford Prefect.  Ford Prefect just so happens to be doing the research needed to update The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a book that's like an encyclopedia of the whole galaxy.

Thanks to Ford, Arthur finds himself on an adventure through the galaxy, learning about improbability drives, Sens-O-Tape...

Throughout the book the reader will meet Marvin the depressed robot, Trillian a female Earthling, and Zaphod Beeblebrox president of the Galactic Government.

Highlights:

I found the explanation for crop circles and alien sighting quite hilarious.

The reader will give a chuckle over who's the smartest being on planet earth.

Short chapters.  Each chapter is only a couple of pages making it easy to find a stopping point when needed.

Recommendations:

This book is for anyone who enjoys Science Fiction and needs a good laugh.  I found myself laughing so many times.  This book is not designed for deep thinking, which provides a good break from a difficult day.

Rating:

This is one of those books that should be read at least once.  And if you need brainless reading without picking up a tabloid, than The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fits the bill.

Until next time, Happy Reading.

And remember "the answer is 42."

Next review will be The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

The Lost World

 By Solana Cortez


Since I did a review on Jurassic Park, I thought it would only be fitting to do a review on The Lost World. Now I'm not talking about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World, rather Michael Crichton's book of the same title. And if you have seen the movie then you really don't know what the book is about. The movie plot and the book plot deviate quite a bit to a point where the story lines can't be adequately compared.

Summary

Jurassic Park ends with the island being distroyed. What isn't known is that there is a second island where all the dinosaurs were born before being brought to the park island. And that is where the adventure is. Like the first book there are hungry dinosaurs running around. The story takes place six years after the Jurassic Park incident. INGEN no longer exists, and those involved with Jurassic Park have been well compensated to avoid any publicity on the event.

Ian Malcolm is back after spending a long time recooperating from the injury he incurred while on a trip to Costa Rica. He now works at the Santa Fe Institute giving seminars. It is there, Malcolm finds himself unwilling recruited for a trip back to Costa Rica to look for dinosaurs.

The story turns into a rescue mission when an over zealous scientist rushes off to the island (Site B) to get the proof he needs. Malcolm and a team (predetermined by the scientist) go off to find him. On the island they uncover more of INGEN's dirty secrets.

Highlights

There is less mathematics and science involved and more action for those who found the first book overwhelming.

Sarah Harding is a kick butt type of female. She's intelligent and definitely doesn't play the damsel in distress. In one scene Harding is hiding under a car with a guy who had tried to kill her. She gives the guy a good shove making him tyranosaur fodder.

If you are into philisophical or indepth thinking, there are good portions of it throughout the book.

Recommendations

I would recommend this book to people ages teen through adult. There is violence throughout (dinosaurs eating people can be considered violent), so keep that in mind. This is a good book for those who want something entertaining to read and for those who want something thought provoking. Some of the words and ideas presented are college level, but it does not hinder the experience. If anything it encourages more research into ideas.

While I personally prefer the first book, The Lost World ranks among my top books for pleasure.

Rating

The Lost World rates A MUST READ

Until next time.  Happy Reading.

Jurassic Park

 By Solana Cortez

The first time I read this book, I was 12 years old. My first Michael Crichton novel and I've been hooked ever since. If you've seen the movie, you know the basic plot. Man clones dinos, dinos get loose, dinos try eating man, man escapes island. While the movie is great, the book is so much better.

Summary

Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler are sent to an island under the impression that they are consultants for a biological preserve. What they end up going to is an island full of living breathing dinosaurs. After the initial shock and excitement over seeing these giants up close, reality soon sets in. Besides the fact that some unknown lizards are appearing on the mainland, someone gets greedy and shuts off the power on the island. Unfortunately, he doesn't consider the fact that when power is shut off so are all the barriers that keep the dinos in check. So a seemingly quiet visit to a preserve turns into dino eating mayham. When power and order is seemingly restored the scientists have the added task of going and accounting for the "unauthorized" breeding that's going on in the island.

Highlights

The science and mathematics involved were simple enough to keep the reader entertained, and enough to spark the curiosity for the subjects for enthusiasts.  While it is the early 90s, so it can't be said that the science is sound, but Crichton's descriptions make the process seem so real.

The scene where Grant and the children are floating down the river on a raft. Grant is explaining to Tim about frog DNA. Basically it's a beautiful scene. They're floating through a preserve, with dinosaurs scattered about. And to top it off Tim is getting attention from one of his idols in a father like manner which he is unable to get from his own dad at home. It's almost a peaceful atomosphere.

Being in the Velocoraptor nest. The reader practically holds his breath during this scene. They are smack dab in the middle of the nest counting how many have hatched. And to top it off, the adults are there. The scene is amazing, being surrounded by all these dinosaur eggs, but then the added danger of the adults makes the reader cringe.

Hammond getting his just rewards. I can't say much more than that without giving away the end, but I found it quite ironic.

Recommendations

I would not recommend letting a 12 year read this book since it does contain some mature material. It did seal my fate of going into genetics. The novel is detailed when it comes to college level math and science. Also there's a lot of mention of "entrails" being pulled out.

I'd say this novel is great for age 15 and beyond. And if you're a dinosaur fan this book needs to be in your collection.

Rating

My first copy is so tattered and worn from reading that I actually had to invest in a hardcover copy. There are details that you miss the first time around, and the story line itself never gets old. I even used this novel to write an essay for my college English class (received an A). So this book, Jurassic Park
rates a MUST READ AGAIN.

Until next time.  Happy Reading.