This is Dirk Gently's Detective Agency and [b:the Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul|357|The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul|Douglas Adams|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1156910963s/357.jpg|1096]. Both stories are connected.
A great "next step" for the creator of the Hitchhiker series.

Dirk Gently is a holistic detective. Which means every odd thing he comes across is somehow connected to his case. And there's a lot of odd things. A horse in a bathroom. A ghost. Some gods wandering about. A chopped off head on a turntable.

I'm entertained and confused. But mostly confused.
I didn't care much for the stories and characters themselves. I just liked the jokes (some of them) and the weird bits that you get an "aha"-moment for later on in the story.
Is it weird to read a whole book and relate the most to a couch?

I am a member of a Goodreads club which selected 'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' to read. Here is a link to my review of that book (four stars):

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2752852445?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1


I was curious about the sequel, 'The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul', so I discovered this ebook with both books included on Amazon for only a couple of dollars. I bought it.


If one is looking for a light read which is not about anything serious (or even having much of a plot), but instead is full of the type of humor and goofy off-kilter characters comedian Steve Martin used to do in performance, then the Dirk Gently books might suit you. 'The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul' (three stars for the humor and writing) isn't as good as the previous Gently book, 'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' but it is funny. That said, its plot reminded me of Neil Gaiman's doorstopper novel [b:American Gods|30165203|American Gods|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462924585s/30165203.jpg|1970226]. However, Douglas Adams handles the same subject - ancient Norse gods sparring with each other even while their relevance to modern society has diminished to a point much like that of an elderly person with dementia - with pure nonsensical and randomized action, having nothing meaningfully symbolic happen and very little mythology included except basic stripped-down elements.

I think the main objective of Adams in writing the Gently series is mostly just for fun and entertainment. There is perhaps an undertone of pointed (like a Dirk?) snark reminding readers of how we often ignore wondrous natural things all about us on one hand, yet maybe these wonders do not effectively mean anything but entertainment for us in their existence on the other hand. Gods definitely are playing with dice in every Douglas Adams book, also.

Douglas Adams wrote 'The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul' before Neil Gaiman wrote 'American Gods', so I can't help but believe Gaiman got the idea for his book after reading Adams' short silly novel. That's ok with me. I enjoyed both books.

I do enjoy these ones, although the HHGttG is definitely better. I decided to re-read these ones because we started watching the Netflix series. I could tell it was at best inspired by the books, but couldn't remember the plots clearly enough to be sure. There really isn't a lot in common between the books and the series, although I suppose they're both good in their own way.

The Dirk Gently books are absurd, entertaining and amusing - a combination that I truly enjoyed. Lots of laugh out loud moments, lots of mystery surrounding what's going on and the sci-fi/fantasy angle to each story was great. I have not read any other Douglas Adams books, so this is my first go and I really enjoyed them. His descriptions are comical and thoughtful sometimes. A way of looking at the world in a completely different way, and I found that endlessly interesting. A lot of people said they didn't care as much for Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency as much as The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, but I think I enjoyed the first one better. But they are both very much worth reading. If you want something light, fun and entertaining, then these books are definitely going to fit that bill.

It was ok, but I must say that I don't find it particularly easy to read, so it's not pure entertainment, because I have to pay attention all the way trough the book. Moreover, I prefer the first novel to the second, even if there are Odin and Thor in the second one!

Due belle storie, ma non particolarmente facili da leggere perché bisogna stare attenti tutto il tempo, quindi non proprio una lettura da ombrellone. Inoltre la prima storia mi é piaciuta piú della seconda, nonostante in questa fossero presenti nientemeno che Odino e Thor!

There are TWO different books in this set, each with a totally different set of characters, excluding that of Mr. Dirk Gently, Holistic Detective, who blithely bounces along, making a living somehow "solving" mystery cases.

The foundation of these mystery conclusions sits upon the "fundamental interconnectedness of all things," which is a nice way to write a mystery. A writer can scribble nonsense and throw in coincidences and tie up the ending neatly because everything is connected.

Any Douglas Adams book has a thick sheen of witty ridiculousness. Pithy and friendly, an even balance of admirable and irksome characters.

Murders and interdimensional travel. A few gods thrown in. Was the second book an inspiration for Neil Gaiman's American Gods? I feel like a rug has been pulled out from under me. Having read AG, I nattered on about how original it was in idea... BUT, if I had previously read The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, as I should have, with its much earlier publication date, I would have been much less thrilled by AG. Everyone should read Adams first.

I feel like three stars is being stingy. This is a well-written book; it just either isn't my thing or I wasn't in the mood for it. I found myself only reading when I went to bed (a sure sign I'm bored with a book), and I never really felt connected to the characters. The humor is dry, but is definitely there. If you like stories about existential crises approached with humor, you will probably enjoy this story.