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David McK (3843 KP) rated V for Vendetta in Books

Jan 28, 2019

V for Vendetta

David Lloyd, Alan Moore | 2008 | Fiction & Poetry

7.7

(6 Ratings)

Book Rating

This sits alongside "[b:Watchmen|472331|Watchmen|Alan Moore|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442239711s/472331.jpg|4358649]"; as one of [a:Alan Moore|3961|Alan Moore|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1304944713p2/3961.jpg]'s most influential works, with this set in the (then) future of the late 90s: a time when, following a global cataclysm, England has given itself over to fascism.

I'll be honest: I'd seen the Natalie Portman/Hugo Weaving film years ago (mainly out of curiosity to see how the Wachowski's would follow up The Matrix films), but had no idea how closely it stuck to the core material.

Until now.

The answer is actually surprisingly faithful, with most of the core beats of the two versions the same.

While both versions, I feel, do lose their way a bit at just over the half way mark, they both do have some memorable (and thought-worthy) quotes, chief among them these two:

[i]People shouldn't be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people[/i]

[i]Everybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero, a lover, a fool, a villain. Everybody. Everybody has their story to tell[/i]

Kudos

Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Restaurant at the End of the Universe in Books

Nov 25, 2019

Like the first book, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is based on the radio series Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But where the first book was more-or-less the plot of the first four episodes, for the second book Adams included many of the best bits of the second series too, changing the story around to keep some semblance of plot (beyond Arthur's search for a decent cup of tea).

A perfect example of his ability to 'write backwards' the contents of 8 half hour radio scripts are condensed into one book, then expanded again with further footnotes and wry observations of the human condition. There is so much to like, so much to enjoy. The visit to the Hitchhiker head office, the Total Perspective Vortex, lemon soaked paper napkins, the Restaurant itself. And of course the classic and downbeat ending.

As a pair of books this and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy will keep you smiling for days, first as you read them and then as you remember all the little quotes, footnotes and bizarre extracts from The Book.

Nobody has ever come close to replicating Adams. This book shows why.