Excellent book ruined by lacklustre narration

After Stephen Fry's excellent narration of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the swap to Martin Freeman for this second book was a big disappointment.

Freeman's inflection is at times so off that I wondered whether this was his first ever read through, and his narration is lacklustre and monotonous enough that it's often hard to tell where the narration ends and Marvin the Paranoid Android's speech begins. Oh, Zaphod Beeblebrox suddenly has a bizarre parody of an Italian American mobster accent.

Adams' writing is of course still excellent, but I struggled to finish this audiobook because of the poor narration and likely shan't bother purchasing the rest.

54 people found this helpful

Ruined by narrator

This superb piece of humouronus science fiction written in the wonderful, inimitable manner of Douglas Adams is absolutely destroyed by the bland, lack lustre efforts of Martin Freeman who might as well be reading the telephone directory as this book. His narration lacks commitment, vigour and enthusiasm; to say nothing of the feeble efforts made to distinguish characters by voice tone and inflection. Will be paying particular attention when purchasing in future. Mr Freeman will himself be by-passed.

14 people found this helpful

Great book, narrator made me scream

What did you like best about The Restaurant at the End of the Universe? What did you like least?

Like all the 'Hitchhikers' books, this is great. But Martin Freeman's voice when doing the characters drove me crazy. When he was speaking as Zaphod's older ghost relative, the screeching went on and on, and made me give up listening for a while - in the end, I could only continue by fast-forwarding.

It's hard to do good narration while also doing different voices for characters. Freeman's voice is good as a normal story-teller. But someone should've stopped him, cos he made me hate this audio book.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Terrible, screechy voice characters

28 people found this helpful

Martin Freeman is sending me to sleep

loved the first one this one however is very disappointing. Martin Freemans voice is boring and makes me tune out. really wish I hadn't bought two now..

11 people found this helpful

Shame it's not Stephen Fry

I loved the first book read by Stephen Fry, however, Martin Freeman cannot portray zaphod in a way I can even listen to it. it is so annoying and I really can't get past chapter 6

7 people found this helpful

Didnt enjoy characters

Big fan of the series but didnt enjoy Martin Freemans characterization, to aurally harsh in my opinion

5 people found this helpful

Disappointing

This is a review for lovers of audio books only and not on the book itself.

Do not buy if you loved the Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy, as narrated by Stephen Fry you will be very disappointed.

I really like Martin Freeman as an actor but as a narrator, a story teller, I'm afraid he just does not do it for me. His style is very halting, as if he is reading for the first time.

I would buy it again and the other three books in the series if narrated by Stephen Fry. He just has a way of bringing the characters alive.

5 people found this helpful

A fantastic edition to the series

I rarely find a book that can send me into fits of laughter on public transport but The Restaurant at the End of the Universe had me in hysterics from start to finish. The wonderfully British humor and the random spiraling tangents will keep any well respected gentlemen giggling throughout the duration of the book.

5 people found this helpful

freeman has amazing voice acting!

there was only one voice I wasn't sure what to do with, but every single character was consistantly and believable, and when you look at lots of other audio books, that's hard to achieve. a great read for a great book!

4 people found this helpful

Not as good as HHGTTG

Considering that I wished HHGTTG would never end, I found myself wishing away most of the tedious minutes of The Restaurant...Characters I didn't much care for, a story that never seemed to be going anywhere, and attempts at humour which all too often fell flat. Martin Freeman's narration was amusing, but not a patch on Stephen Fry's Hitchhiker's Guide. Not sure if I will bother with the next in the series, in case this ship is on a downward trajectory. .

9 people found this helpful