Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: By the Cover

Ah, Hitchiker’s Guide. If ever there was a perfect example of over-the-top sci-fi comedy done well, these books would be it. I used to read these books on the train, back when I first started blogging. They made the long and often tedious trips much more entertaining.

But how’s the cover?

Well, it’s basically just a preview. Not an especially compelling one compared to some other covers. It isn’t especially subtle. For people who have read it, they just point and say “I understand that reference” like they’re Captain America. Those who haven’t read it would just frown and wonder what the hell they were even looking at.

Unfortunately, all of them are deeply tied to spoilers. But book readers won’t have a hard time connecting them. We’ve got the first point in the in-universe version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the answer to everything, so on and so forth. Accompanying those is the familiar grinning green orb fella and a somewhat out-of-focus background of stars.

There doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason for their placement on the page. They’re just scattered about. But in a way, that actually works to its benefit. It captures the wild insanity of the story hidden beneath this cover decently well.

The text is nice, too. There’s no real meaning behind it. I just think the font looks nice.

I’d call this a pretty decent cover. If you’ve read the book, the references might put a smile on your face. If you haven’t, the insanity might just draw you in. It isn’t incredible, but it’s very far from the worst thing I’ve ever seen.

Come to think of it, I never finished the whole series. I got about three books in before I stopped needing public transportation. I’ll need to finish these soon.