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Quick answer: If you loved The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, try The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Good Omens, Guards! Guards!, Redshirts and The Eyre Affair. They are funny, clever and delightfully strange.
Douglas Adams's 1979 novel begins with Earth's destruction and follows Arthur Dent as he travels the galaxy with Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox and a depressed robot. It is absurd, witty and famous for its jokes. Readers who finish it want more comic science fiction and fantasy. These 15 books deliver laughs, satire and weird ideas.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Restaurant at the End of the Universe | Douglas Adams | Adult | the direct sequel |
| Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency | Douglas Adams | Adult | more Adams |
| Good Omens | Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman | Adult | readers who like comic fantasy |
| Guards! Guards! | Terry Pratchett | Adult | readers who like satire |
| Redshirts | John Scalzi | Adult | readers who like comedy |
| The Eyre Affair | Jasper Fforde | Adult | readers who love books |
| Bill, the Galactic Hero | Harry Harrison | Adult | readers who like satire |
| The Stainless Steel Rat | Harry Harrison | Adult | readers who like capers |
| Space Opera | Catherynne M. Valente | Adult | readers who like humor |
| All Systems Red | Martha Wells | Adult | readers who like snarky narrators |
| Project Hail Mary | Andy Weir | Adult | readers who like problem solving |
| The Princess Bride | William Goldman | Adult | readers who like wit |
| Cat's Cradle | Kurt Vonnegut | Adult | readers who like satire |
| Slaughterhouse-Five | Kurt Vonnegut | Adult | readers who like mixed timelines |
| Thud! | Terry Pratchett | Adult | readers who know Discworld |
1. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
The second Hitchhiker's book. More jokes, more space travel and a very good restaurant.
Best for: the direct sequel.
2. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
A detective who believes everything is connected solves a murder. Funny and clever.
Best for: more Adams.
3. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
An angel and a demon try to stop the end of the world. Silly and smart.
Best for: readers who like comic fantasy.
4. Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
A dragon appears in Ankh-Morpork, and the Night Watch must stop it. A great Discworld start.
Best for: readers who like satire.
5. Redshirts by John Scalzi
Crew members on a starship realize they live in a bad TV show. Funny and meta.
Best for: readers who like comedy.
6. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Thursday Next, a literary detective, enters books to catch a villain. Clever and witty.
Best for: readers who love books.
7. Bill, the Galactic Hero by Harry Harrison
A naive recruit joins the Space Troopers. A satire of military sci-fi.
Best for: readers who like satire.
8. The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison
A criminal turned agent, Jim DiGriz, pulls off space heists. Fast and funny.
Best for: readers who like capers.
9. Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
Earth must compete in a galactic singing contest to survive. Silly and sparkly.
Best for: readers who like humor.
10. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
A security android hacks its own governor module. Funny and sharp.
Best for: readers who like snarky narrators.
11. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Ryland Grace wakes alone on a spaceship and must save Earth. Funny, clever and moving.
Best for: readers who like problem solving.
12. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Westley and Buttercup face pirates, giants and Prince Humperdinck. Funny and romantic.
Best for: readers who like wit.
13. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
A narrator learns about a substance that could end the world. Short, dark and funny.
Best for: readers who like satire.
14. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Billy Pilgrim becomes “unstuck in time.” Funny, sad and short.
Best for: readers who like mixed timelines.
15. Thud! by Terry Pratchett
Commander Vimes faces a murder and a troll-dwarf conflict. Clever, funny and moving.
Best for: readers who know Discworld.
How to Choose
For more Adams, read the sequel and Dirk Gently. For fantasy humor, begin with Good Omens or Guards! Guards!. For space comedy, try Redshirts, Space Opera or All Systems Red. A simple plan is to pick one comic book per month between serious reads. Don't panic: all of these are suitable for adults, with mild language. Adams's humor is best in small doses, so alternate chapters with something else. Radio and TV versions of the story are fun companions, and the audiobook narrated by Stephen Fry is widely loved. For a book club, pair Adams with a modern comic sci-fi such as Space Opera and ask which jokes still land today.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many Hitchhiker's books are there?
There are five in Adams's trilogy of five, plus a sixth by Eoin Colfer.
What is the answer to life, the universe and everything?
42, according to the supercomputer Deep Thought.
Is there a movie?
Yes. A 2005 film adapted it, along with an earlier BBC TV series.
Where did it begin?
It started as a BBC radio series in 1978.
Is The Hitchhiker's Guide suitable for teens?
Yes, with mild language and silly science fiction, it works for ages 12 and up.
What is a towel for?
In the books, it is the most useful item for a hitchhiker, which is why fans celebrate Towel Day on May 25.
Where should I start with Terry Pratchett?
Guards! Guards! and The Wee Free Men are popular entry points.