I've been reading the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" trilogy for years now, and marked the passing of Douglas Adams with sadness. I am glad that the Thursday Next books have appeared to continue the genre of zany science fiction. I was reminded in "Lost in a Good Book" of the ship powered by a probability drive. It was never read explained HOW Hades was managing to nearly kill Thursday with coincidences. I wouldn't be surprised if she managed to hijack that ship.

I think that you've forgotten that HHGTTG is a triology in four parts.
Hitch Hiker
Restaurant
Universe
Fish

You know what I mean.

I thought it was a trilogy in five parts.

Mostly.

You know what I mean...



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

I think you are talking about the infinite improbability drive.
Probably anyway.

Bad news for whales, wasn't it? And bowls of petunias, if I'm not greatly mistaken.



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

there is also a little known short story that accomanies the 5 books of the trilogy- Young Zaphod Plays it Safe.
and yes, quite sad about the whale, petunias and the bruised arm...

Available in "The Salmon of Doubt".

Unlike the aforementioned Salmon, which IIRC failed to occur in the story...



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

The bowl of petunia's did get to come back in another life for Arthur to kill it, didn't it?

I think it's in Mostly Harmless but haven't read it in awhile.



Post Edited (04-29-03 02:08)

IIRC, the bowl of petunias was just one incarnation of a being that Arthur was destined to kill again and again. (or was it the whale? Thinking about i, the whale makes more sense...) Can't for the life of me remember his name though.

Nah .. it was the petunias who were the incarnation of the being Arthur kept killing (whose name I disremember); iirc as the whale was trying to make sense of its surroundings, all the petunias thought was "oh no, not again ...."



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

yup. On yet further consideration, I even came up with a name: Agrajag. Also killed by AD whilst in the guise of a rabbit, iirc.

That's the bunny (arf arf). Although I don't recall a bunny as such .... wasn't Agrajag's final form described as a small mad fat bat?



- - -
I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

I think he ranted about being a bunny and being hit by Arthur wielding a flint axe the first time he popped his head out of his burrow.

His final form was a bat (small, mad and fat), where he was trying to get revenge on Arthur.

Hadn't he been BOTH of the whale AND the bowl of petunias?

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"Some days I diet, other days they serve lasagne."

umm. Possibly. But I'm not sure how that'd be possible, being 2 beings at once.

I feel a re-read coming on...

Surely the whale being so confused and naive about its new friend suggests it wasn't an incarnation of anything. The petunias weren't an incarnation either. They were in vase...

Mind you, most of the Hitchhikers stuff is mutually contradictary anyway.



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

Maybe the Whale was his FIRST incarnation, hence its lack of paranoia? I need to re-read the series.

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"Some days i diet, other days they serve lasagne."

I'm pretty sure (without access to the book) that Agrajag was both the petunias and the rabbit. If I remember correctly he was particularly cranky about the rabbit because not only did Arthur kill him, he used his pelt to make a bag and had a bone from the rabbit in his beard.

I liked the guy who spent infinity and covered eternity being rude to people....



My reality check has just bounced again.......

"Listen, three-eyes, don't you try to out-wierd me !"
"I'm so hip I can't see over my pelvis."
Marvellous