Leave the book, get the tape! (Starship Titanic - Douglas Adams, Terry Jones)

Member Name: psipple

Product:	Starship Titanic - Douglas Adams, Terry Jones
Date:	12/04/01 (111 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great Sci-Fi comedy

Disadvantages: No sequel!

For some reason, my expectations regarding this book were low. Being a huge Hitch-hiker's guide fan (I recite dialogue in my sleep), I was disappointed by the Dirk Gently books, and expected Titanic to be similarly non-HitchHikers.

However...

I have to confess that I cheated, and rather than reading the book, had it read to me by the co-author Terry Jones, on the Simon & Schuster audio cassette. Without doubt, this is the best way to read the book. Not only does the book have a great story, with some wonderful lines, but Terry's delivery adds so much extra to the story, from his female voices (Nettie and Lucy), to the voices of the sardonic ship's "bots", I'd highly recommend getting hold of the four-cassette pack and havig the unabridged story read to you. Great for long lonely car journies!

The story itself follows two plot lines, the first starting on a planet far, far away, where The Greatest Genius The Galaxy has ever known is about to launch his greatest creation, the Greatest Starship Ever Created - although there are plans afoot to scuttle the magnificent ship and claim the insurance. On the ship itself, the artificial inteligence isn't quite as bright as it should be... something is seriously wrong...

Meanwhile, on Earth, lives of three unsuspecting folks are about to change forever, as they get caught up in the dastardly scheme. Space battles (followed by repairs), impressivly eccentric robots (with Genuine People Personalities... remember Marvin?), the Oxfordshire police force, killer rabbits and the impressive starship itself add to this Sci-fi / comedy story.

Messrs Adams and Jones, if you're reading, any chance of a Titanic II ?

Summary: