A literary genius who is sorely missed by his fans, his magnus opus was undoubtedly the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, produced first for BBC radio, it was the novel version of the series that has left a lasting impression on the sci-fi/fantasy/comedy landscape, inspiring Terry Pratchett, Jasper Fforde, Red Dwarf, and many more.

He also co-founded H2G2, the web-based "Earth version" of the Hitchhiker's Guide, and was a keen technophile.

I loved the Dirk Gently books, as well as the Hitchiker's series (and I normally hate science fiction). It is a shame that he died so young.

After years of reading serious science fiction, I was fortunate to stumble upon the Hitchhikers Guide shortly after it first came out. Have been a fan ever since. The book translated perfectly into the radio series, but somewhat less into the televions series (perhaps due to serious lack of special effects). Douglas Adams is a gifted writer who reminded me that science fiction doesn't always need to be without some laugh out loud humor.

I loathe parodies.

All his books are great as far as I'm concerned.

Cute, but after a few chapters his stuff starts to grate on me. Probably because when you get right down to it, he isn't a very good writer, despite his occasional bursts of humour.

Awesome!! I would die to be as funny in writing as this guy is.

favorite author (kurt vonnegut being a close second). the same day that adams left this world my grandmother died too. i believe that they are having tea together now. i will miss him, but i know hes ok because he has his towel.

The sign of a genius is that such little work can be remembered for so long and like John Cleese's Faulty Towers (only twelve episodes), Douglas Adams made his mark on not just Sci-Fi but comedy and television. It is very important to realise that his genius was so good that it may take some of you to read one of his books a few times before you realise the intense written perfection. Dirk Gentley was, in my mind the cleverest invention since Bilbo Baggins.

I loved both the Dirk Gently books, but mainly I've never laughed so loud for so long as when I was reading The More Than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide (the first 4 books of the "trilogy", plus a little side-story which I'd suggest skipping). I didn't like the last book of the series at all ("Mostly Harmless"), but aside from that this has got to be one of the funniest writers ever. I'm glad I'm not the only one to compare him to Dave Barry.

Douglas Adams is one of only 3 authours that make me laugh out loud (Dave Barry and Carl Hiassen are the others). His skewed world view helps illustrate how our world today REALLY works. We lost a treasure when he died.

My second favorite author, right behind Tolkien. Hands down the funniest author there ever was.

Good distracting books that don't require a lot of effort

Fun, good... but after time it gets boring.

42

He was a great author, but sadly (as the earth in HHG) came to a premature end. Anyone know how he died? His best book was eather The Hitchhiker's Guide... or The Restaurant at the End if the Universe or Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. The third, though not well known, is hillarious. If I had to compare him to another writer, it would be Salman Rushdie because they are both highly original. But he really can not be compared to anyone.

Actually, the only exposure I have to Adams is a book of scripts for the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy RADIO SHOW, but wether in print or in sound, it's hysterically funny. Some parts are so funny I laugh just THINKING about them!

Never has Sci-Fi made me laugh so much. Zany and witty and yet still managing (as any great science fiction author must do) to tell us a little about ourselves.

Hilarious! Has an ability to make the most absurd things seem normal, or as close to normal as things get

The world lost a great man in Adams. His wits, his so english and in the same time so silly humor can never be matched. The Hitch-Hikies Series are simply the best book ever written on this poor Earth. Even though his ideas seem to fade in the 4th and the 5th book, they're all still great. You just can't help but love him. Unless you dont get it. Haven't read the Gently's book but from the excerpts i've seen they're all just great as well. Adams simply rocks and his close relations with M.Python proves it :)

Douglas Adams will sadly be missed by me. His writing is very entertaining and wonderful satire. As an engineering major, a lot of the scientific references made his work even more fun. While he might not have what it takes to be a classical writer, his creativity and imagery will still live on. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of the best comedic series I've ever read.

All of us fans of outlandish plot twists and absurd, wacky brit humor are forever indebted to Douglas Adams for his literary gifts! So long and thanks for all the fish, Mr. Adams!!!

Must read!

Along with an appreciation of Monty Python, a deep and abiding love of Douglas Adams is one of the things expected of any geek who's made it through college. :) One of the great "wacky Brit" humorists, Adams' lighter work -- most notably the early books of the Hitchhiker series -- is light and effortlessly funny, although a bit too off-the-wall to be lasting in any kind of emotional impact. His later work, including the Dirk Gently books, tries considerably harder to find meaning -- and certainly ups the complexity -- but seems occasionally to slide into an odd bitterness that deflates the tone. It's a well-known fact that he personally loathes Terry Pratchett -- and for good reason, as Pratchett burst onto the scene nearly two decades later and, as an upstart capable of putting out much better and much more consistent work, effectively stole the crown.

Horrible, bad stories, bad comedy.

overrated

Addams is hilarious hitchhiker is great, but his other work like dirk gently never even held me for a second. he doesn't come near the ability of terry pratchett at all, but he stillis excellent.

Having tried three times to read the first book of Hitchhiker, I find his writing boring and stupid. How anyone can compare him to twain is beyond my understanding. I normally wouldn't even waste my time voting about him, but there is no way he deserves to be anywher near the top 10. I would rate him about 100 of 56.

Doug Adams is great...I love the Hitchiker trilogy.

he is great, people have accuse me of writing HGTTG cause it sounded like stuff i would think. His stuff just makes logical scence

Poor man's Pratchett, but still very good

Now here's an author who understands humor, even if it is odd British humor! The most hilarious books I've ever found!

A friend of mine first handed me "The More Than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide" when I was 17. I had never heard of Douglas Adams before, and I didn't know what to expect. I'm now 19, and I've already read each one of the five books 3 times. For me, it was a bit difficult to appreciate the humor at first, but after stumbling through a few chapters, I was hopelessly hooked. Douglas Adams is not only a funny guy, but he is a brilliant author as well. His use of simile and other figurative language is both hilarious and amazing. The books aren't merely funny stories, but they're also brilliantly executed satires of life on our crazy planet. I think Douglas Adams is easily at the same level as Mark Twain, Jonathan Swift, and Voltaire. His Hitchhiker's books are comparable to 'Roughing It', 'Gulliver's Travels', and 'Candide'. They will definitely be treasured classics someday (if they aren't already).

Though not following any sort of normal story line, Adams creates fun and wacky characters. His wit shows no end. I would not rate him so highly for normal sci-fi ability, but his overall ability to keep the reader reading and get a laugh a page says quite a lot.

This has to be one of the funniest series of books I ever read. The humor is also very smart and witty humor, which I like.

Any Doug Adams book will have me laughing out loud to the point of stomach pain!

An aquired taste.

Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books are great reads, but only the core three books of the ever expanding "trilogy". They are the incredibly clever tales of poor Arthur Dent, the apparent last survivor of Earth's demolition in order to make way for a hyper-stellar bypass. With his otherworldly pal Ford Prefect at his side, Dent must endure all the craziness the galaxy can throw at him. The first three novels are truly exceptional, but fourth entry So Long and Thanks For All the Fish is a bit of a yawn. The latest, Mosty Harmless, picks up a bit, but still falls flat when compared to its progeny. As well, Adams' Dirk Gently private eye books pale in comparison. But still, those early Hitchhikers books have left a lasting influence on two genres...SF and humour writing. Read them, and above all...don't panic!

EXTREMELY FUNNY!

A great author of funny books, which reflect our world in all its absurdity.

Douglas Adams in the master of nonsense story telling that still manages to have a point. When all else fails: 42 is the meaning of life.

I enjoyed the 'hitchhiker' books as a kid, but they don't have much staying power for adults, imho.