Verbal Magazine

Don’t Panic…

Acclaimed Irish author Eoin Colfer announced his most challenging project to date in 2008; to complete the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series and lay to rest the plot its creator - the late Douglas Adams - began in 1979.

The news met with a mixed reaction from hardcore fans of the multi-million selling series; some are delighted at the prospect of a final journey for Arthur Dent and his companions, while some are horrified at the thought of anyone but Adams, who died tragically of a heart-attack at the age of 49, bringing these characters to life again. Colfer, a long-time fan of the series, said he also had reservations about the idea when he was approached by Adams’ widow, Jane Belson. The clincher for Colfer, and many fans of the novels, was the nature in which the final book, Mostly Harmless, ended. Even Douglas Adams said he had planned to write a less bleak finale for the already inappropriately-named trilogy of five. Much to the sorrow of his legions of fans this was never to be. The sixth and almost definitely final novel entitled And Another Thing… represents a chance for Hitchhiker lovers everywhere to finally see a happy ending for the characters they grew to love over the decades. It will also be interesting to see how Colfer will face the challenge of bringing Arthur Dent back to life after he has been blown to smithereens in the fifth book!
The project has all the ingredients of a gargantuan feat in publishing.  Take one best-selling fantasy author, add a series of incomplete cult books, mix in the early demise of the series’ author with a wish to make the ending more upbeat, add a massive fan-base that is divided in their loyalty to the author and the story. The result could very well be the publishing event of 2009.
The British author Douglas Adams enjoyed a hugely successful and diverse career - participating in everything from Monty Python sketches, lectures about technology, environmental activism to debates about atheism. Richard Dawkins dedicated his best-selling book, The God Delusion, to his close friend Douglas Adams. A collection of his short stories entitled The Salmon of Doubt was posthumously released in 2002. He will always be remembered, most enthusiastically, for the creation of the world of Arthur Dent and company. The collection appeals to a wide audience of readers; even though it is classified as Science Fiction – a genre with a usually narrow following. The essential charm of the novels is the humour and wit that run throughout.
Allegedly, the concept of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was conceived one afternoon when Douglas Adams was staring up at the stars on a trip in Europe while he was carrying around the travel guide A Hitchhikers Guide to Europe. From there the idea grew into something of a phenomenon; starting with a radio comedy on BBC Radio 4. This led to a series of five books, a stage show, comics, computer games, a hugely popular TV series and, most recently, a Hollywood movie starring Martin Freeman and Sam Rockwell.
The series of books follows the adventures - and misadventures - of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Trillian and Marvin the Android. In the opening book Dent wakes up to discover his house is just about to be demolished by the council. While protesting this he is dragged away by his friend Ford to be told the entire planet is about to be demolished, his best friend is not from earth and the only way to escape the disaster is by hitchhiking across the galaxy. Being a man with no taste for adventure he grudgingly sets off on a mission to get as far away from his about to be destroyed planet as possible.  Subsequently, the strange pair befriend a series of unlikely characters and set off on a quest to discover the meaning of life, the universe and everything. When it transpires that the answer is 42 a series of unlikely events follow to find ‘The Question’.
The final book, Mostly Harmless, concludes with a massive explosion and the death of most of the core characters. Ardent fans of the series were left in shock and utter disbelief that the book concluded on such a definite and bleak ending, with no hope of recovery. Or so they thought… After the ultimate publication, Adams admitted that he regretted the ending, in retrospect, as it was very bleak compared to the rest of the series and he hoped one day to write a happier, more optimistic conclusion; ‘I suspect at some point in the future I will write a sixth Hitchhiker book… I would love to finish Hitchhiker on a slightly more upbeat note. Five seems to be a wrong kind of number; six is a better kind of number.’ Unfortunately, because of his unexpected demise, he never got around to writing the ideal finale. It came as quite a shock to the ardent Hitchhiker fans when it was announced that Eoin Colfer was taking over the reins; at the behest of Adams’ widow, Jane Belson.
Wexford born author Eoin Colfer faces quite a task with this project but is no stranger to critical acclaim and cult following for his own work. The former primary school teacher began his writing career with the children’s novel Benny and Omar. He earned huge critical acclaim in 2001 with the release of the first instalment of the Artemis Fowl saga - which led to the release of five more titles in the series. The author is now a New York Times best-selling author. The series follows a teenage criminal mastermind as he seeks to rebuild his family’s fortune after the disappearance of his father. On his adventures and pursuits he travels into different worlds and is introduced to fairies, goblins and trolls. His books have been likened in style to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Roald Dahl because of his mixture of humour and dark, serious moments. Colfer’s other popular titles include Airman, Half Moon Investigates and The Supernaturalist. Jim Sheridan is currently working on the movie version of Artemis Fowl, while it was announced recently that Airman is also being prepared for a movie adaptation.
It is with a definite air of excitement that Colfer announced the new project on his website. This is going to be the toughest undertaking of his career to date. The acclaimed author expressed his anxiety and joy about the news in his statement, saying he initially was apprehensive about the idea – considering that the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is one of his favourite series of all time and it was almost sacrilegious for anyone other than the esteemed author of the original books to complete the tale. ‘My first reaction was semi-outrage that anyone should be allowed to tamper with this incredible series. But on reflection I realised that this is a wonderful opportunity to work with characters I have loved since childhood and give them something of my own voice while holding onto the spirit of Douglas Adams and not laying a single finger on his five books.’
Colfer revealed that he had been a fan of the series since his late teens and when Mostly Harmless ended on such a surprising note he spent a lot of time re-writing different versions of what could have happened in his own head. This, it transpired, was perfect preparation for the wonderful surprise that was to await him; one he could never have expected. ‘Being given the chance to write this book is like suddenly being offered the superpower of your choice. For years I have been finishing this incredible story in my head and now I have the opportunity to do it in the real world.’
The renowned writer is well aware of the mixed reactions from fans and critics. Writing on behalf of such a celebrated author creates a vast amount of pressure to please a very expectant audience. Although admittedly intimidated by the idea, Colfer said he is eager to produce a piece of work that will please both Hitchhiker fans and his own fans alike; ‘Once again I am terrified by a Hitchhiker book and this time it is my own. I feel more pressure to perform now than I ever have with my own books, and that is why I am bloody determined that this will be the best thing I have ever written.’
Douglas Adams wrote the five instalments of the series from 1979 to 1992. In some ways it is hard to see how Colfer, who was 14 when the first book was released, will be able to translate the very 80s feel into the 21st century. One of the many hopes of Colfer, and everyone involved with the project, is that And Another Thing… will appeal to both Hitchhiker fans of the past and Artemis Fowl fans of the present; bringing a whole new lease of life to the stories.
The parallels between the two authors are numerous; both deal - in different ways - with the fantastical, both authors are acclaimed for their sense of humour and wit and both quietly earned their own cult following over the years. This new project seems like the perfect literary marriage and an opportunity for fans of The Hitchhiker series to see their favourite characters in action again after a 16 year gap. It also represents an opportunity for younger fans of Colfer to be introduced to the hilarious world of Douglas Adams and the team of characters their older siblings and parents grew to love.

And Another Thing… is due for release in September 2009.

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