# Salmon of Doubt **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647 "2002-05-12T16:25:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Azure\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@Azure\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azure_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/1 "2002-05-12T16:25:06Z")
I just bought Douglas Adams’ last book, A Salmon of Doubt. On the one hand, it’s nice to read the little essays and introductions that he’s written over the years. On the other hand, I was saddened to discover that he had been planning on writing a sixth book for the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but hadn’t started on it yet. Has anybody else bought this book? BTW, I did do a search and saw the previous thread, but that was before the book came out. I could’ve revived it, but I decided to just go ahead and start a new one. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/2 "2002-05-12T19:33:34Z")
It’s out? Where did you get it from? What does it consist of? Inquiring minds want to know ;). ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/3 "2002-05-12T19:52:10Z")
I never enjoyed Adams’ later works much. He tried so hard to leave behind the style that made him so popular in the first place. So long and thanks for all the fish had its moments, but I just couldn’t stay interested in mostly harmless. ?Same for his “Dirk Gently” stuff. His non-fiction stuff like last chance to see was quite good, though. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/4 "2002-05-12T20:04:06Z")
I quite liked Mostly Harmless. I mean, it wasn’t LOL funny like Hitchhiker’s Guide or Restaurant, but it had a really cool story and had some great moments. The problem is you can never really ‘recapture’ the style that made you famous, so you have to grow. You got the style for a few times, but then when you try to do it, it seems like you were trying to do it too hard… er… or something. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/5 "2002-05-13T00:16:56Z")
Oh, I don’t know about that, **ISiddiqui**. Look at Terry Pratchett. He seemed to grow within his own style, and expand it. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/6 "2002-05-13T00:43:53Z")
I thought of Terry Pratchett, too. I started reading his Discworld after seeing it mentioned about 1.3 million times on these boards. Yeah, I’m that thick. Considering that Douglas was notorious for his writer’s block, it’s amazing that he got out the books that he did, and “Hitchhiker’s” a killer book. Most writers would be grateful just to write an article that’s as funny as that whole book. ---
**Author:** ![Kuli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/94ad74/32.png) [@Kuli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuli)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/7 "2002-05-13T01:29:12Z")
I just got it! I love Adams’ books! I’ve only started reading it, so I don’t know what all is in it. I like all of his books…except maybe for Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul. It just didn’t seem as good. Haven’t read his non-fiction books, though. A sixth Hitchiker book? I can’t really imagine that… ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/8 "2002-05-13T01:53:48Z")
Salmon of Doubt was originally going to be a HitchHiker book. Then he thought he could make it a Dirk Gently book. Then he decided… I can’t remember. It was back and forth for a while, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/9 "2002-05-13T07:00:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh, I don’t know about that, ISiddiqui. Look at Terry Pratchett. He seemed to grow within his own style, and expand it. Eh… and there is a problem, no? Many people like Prachett after reading a few books and then realize he’s writing the SAME DAMNED BOOK over and over again. It gets tired. Hell, I’m only on my third (Small Gods… after reading the first two he wrote), and it is getting to me. He doesn’t seem to be as funny in this book. Like he’s trying to hard to recapture what made his first few books LOL funny and falling short. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/10 "2002-05-13T11:35:47Z")
I loved Small gods, one od my Top 5 pratchett books ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/11 "2002-05-13T12:37:16Z")
I opened this expecting to find a thread about what I cooked for dinner last night. In fact, I think I’ll rename last night’s salmon in Mr. Adams’ memory. ---
**Author:** ![Azure\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@Azure\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azure_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/12 "2002-05-19T04:38:06Z")
I got it from [amazon.com](http://amazon.com), and it has various things in it. Most of it is letters and articles that he’s written over the years, and a few chapters of a new Dirk Gently book that he said he wanted to turn into a Hitchhiker’s. It’s been fairly interesting, but I was saddened to discover that there was no new Hitchhiker’s material. The ending to Mostly Harmless seemed incomplete, since the planet had already been “blown up” and then rediscovered (albeit in another dimension), so it being blown up again seemed like a temporary setback. There were loose ends concerning Dent and the women in his life, and we didn’t get to see what happened to the other characters who weren’t on the planet when it was blown up. IMHO, it felt like another book could be written, or he could have ended the series with So Long and Thanks For All the Fish. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/13 "2002-05-19T13:47:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ISiddiqui \* > \*\* > > Eh… and there is a problem, no? Many people like Prachett after reading a few books and then realize he’s writing the SAME DAMNED BOOK over and over again. It gets tired. Hell, I’m only on my third (Small Gods… after reading the first two he wrote), and it is getting to me. > > He doesn’t seem to be as funny in this book. Like he’s trying to hard to recapture what made his first few books LOL funny and falling short. \*\* Then read his later books, like thief of time or the truth and see what you think. _I_ think his skills have improved with time. I actually felt that small gods marked the beginning of his more philosophical, thought-provoking writings. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/14 "2002-05-19T15:45:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Azure Eternity \* > **The ending to Mostly Harmless seemed incomplete, since the planet had already been “blown up” and then rediscovered (albeit in another dimension), so it being blown up again seemed like a temporary setback.** Ah, but the point of MH was that every Earth in every conceivable dimension was destroyed - in an attempt by DNA not to have to write yet another HHG book So far my favorite bit in Salmon of Doubt was his letter to his contact at Disney whom he was having a lot of trouble actualy getting in contact with. He concludes the letter with > [@](#): > > If you manage not to reach me, I shall know you’re trying not to, very, very hard indeed. and then adds over 30 email addresses and phone numbers, including those of some places he likes to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/15 "2002-05-19T18:05:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ISiddiqui \* > \*\* > > Eh… and there is a problem, no? Many people like Prachett after reading a few books and then realize he’s writing the SAME DAMNED BOOK over and over again. It gets tired. Hell, I’m only on my third (Small Gods… after reading the first two he wrote), and it is getting to me. > > He doesn’t seem to be as funny in this book. Like he’s trying to hard to recapture what made his first few books LOL funny and falling short. \*\* Wow. Small Gods is so not the “SAME DAMNED BOOK” as the first two that it’s not even funny. It probalbly is his least funny book, but I think that’s intentional. He sure isn’t trying to recapture the style of the first few books. I think it’s one of his best books. Actually none of the subsequent books are the “SAME DAMNED BOOK” as the first two; his growth as a writer is evident as early as Equal Rites. ---
**Author:** ![Azure\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@Azure\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azure_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/16 "2002-05-19T22:00:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drewbert \* > > So far my favorite bit in Salmon of Doubt was his letter to his contact at Disney whom he was having a lot of trouble actualy getting in contact with. He concludes the letter with and then adds over 30 email addresses and phone numbers, including those of some places he likes to eat. \*\* I liked that part too. Does anyone know if the movie (by Disney) is actually going to be made? ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-of-doubt/108647/17 "2002-05-19T22:13:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ISiddiqui \* > \*\* > > Eh… and there is a problem, no? Many people like Prachett after reading a few books and then realize he’s writing the SAME DAMNED BOOK over and over again. It gets tired. Hell, I’m only on my third (Small Gods… after reading the first two he wrote), and it is getting to me. > > He doesn’t seem to be as funny in this book. Like he’s trying to hard to recapture what made his first few books LOL funny and falling short. \*\* “Small Gods” starts very slow, but keep pushing. The last quarter is far stronger, and I must admit it teared me up. Then, follow that with “Feet of Clay,” and you’ll see he’s integrating more and more philosophical insights into what started as a parody fantasy world. “The Truth,” by the way, is spot on in the way it portrays journalists and the peculair world of the press. So, no, I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s the same damn book, since Pratchett moves among Shakespearean parody (“Equal Rites”), pokes fun at other civilizations (“The Last Continent” and “Interesting Times”) and rumination on religious beliefs and what makes us human (and didn’t someone build an entire sci-fi career on that issue?). No, if you want a discussion of who writes the same book over and over again, it’d be time to start a new thread.