Dirk Gently Returns (The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul - Douglas Adams)

Name: Nomad

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Product:	The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul - Douglas Adams
Date:	15/09/00 (193 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well written

Disadvantages: Generally not quite as good as the first one

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The following review was written in September 2000. I have left the review untouched but have placed an update at the end to cover any changes since it was written.
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It's not easy being a Norse god. Thor is having a particularly hard time coming to terms with the fact that Norse gods simply aren't required any more and instead of accepting it and moving into a comfortable retirement home, he is trying to do something about it.

Taking control of Asgard, the home of the gods, would be a good place to start. But being the god of thunder doesn't cut the mustard these days. At least not with the staff of a check-in desk at terminal two, Heathrow Airport. Not when they require a passport and credit card that you don't own, even if you do somehow find yourself desperately in need of a flight to Norway.

'The Long Dark Tea-Time Of The Soul' is the second book in the Dirk Gently series, which began with 'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency'. They are written by Douglas Adams who is better known as the author of 'Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy'

Both books follow the adventures of Dirk Gently, a low rent private investigator who has a tendency to use some of the more unusual methods to solve his cases. He believes in the fundamental interconnectedness of all things, that somehow by answering a seemingly unrelated question he will find the answer to his problem. Obvious when you think about it really!

This is a very humorous book and despite dealing with such things as Norse gods, decapitated corpses and exploding check-in desks it has a great story to work from. As with the previous book it's the little details that prove to be so entertaining such as Gently's ongoing battle of wills with his cleaner over the fridge which has remained unopened for at least three months. The comedy isn't slapstick but is a well noted observation of normal life intercut with the odd occurrence of a Norse god or two.

Overall it's not quite as good as the first Gently book although this one doesn't leave you to fill in some of the missing pieces yourself as the previous one occasionally did. The characters are fairly well fleshed out but the plot is lacking a little of the pace from the first novel.

I don't hesitate in recommending both these books to anyone who is in need of a good laugh. Reading the books in order does help to understand Gently a little more and is recommended although not required.

Thanks for reading.
© Nomad 2000


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Update - August 2005

Tragically Douglas Adams died suddenly of a heart attack on 11th May 2001. He was 49.

He was mid way through a third Dirk Gently novel and this unfinished story along with a selection of unpublished work that was found on his computer was put together and released as "The Salmon Of Doubt" and it's well worth a read.

As a final point, I have now read all five parts of the Hitch Hikers trilogy but, good as they were, Dirk Gently still rules.
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Summary: The Douglas Adams series you've never even heard of