The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy: Tertiary Phase (BBC Audiobooks)

Recorded some 24 years after the end of the Secondary phase, this has to be one of the longest awaited series on radio. But finally, patience has paid off and finally it's here, Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy the Tertiary phase, based on Douglas Adams book `Life, The Universe and everything'.Utilising as many of the main original cast as are still alive, and with a superb and excellently explained replacement for Peter Jones as the Book, this was a real nostalgia trip when I first heard it. The feel and atmosphere is as though the last 24 years had never passed.Sensibly (not a word usually associated with this series!) the story ignores the events of the secondary phase, and presets an alternative continuation of the primary phase. What follows is an extraordinary quest across space and time for the meaning of Cricket. It's weird, wacky and just as fun as the originals. Full of clever, funny and well formed ideas (bistromathics in particular has me creased) this is a well written set that really captures the old magic.The actors slip into their old roles with ease, which really helps the feel of the production. Of particular note is a cameo from Douglas Adams, who was already dead by the time the series was recorded, as the wonderfully aggrieved Agrajag (apologies for the spelling!)6 Episodes are split across 3 discs, held in a double jewel case with a short booklet. There is apparently quite a bit of material not broadcast present, which is a nice touch for us collectors. As you would expect for a modern recording the sound quality is excellent. A very worthy and worthwhile release!

there are an interesting range of reviews here, so to mine, but before i start its interesting to note that every time douglas adams revisited material he would always add more & take it to a different place the radio series, tv, film & book adaptations all have differences whether you liked them or not.I loved the first 3 books, the last two not as much. I have listened to the original radio series over & over for years & still find them entertaining. I have really enjoyed listening to this for the first tme, as i missed the new series when they were first broadcast. I would agree that it does lack some of the creativity that the original series had, but since i found this as a book, to be the best of them all it has not detracted from my enjoyment. The cathdral of hate & agrajag are a delight to my twisted mind & have brought a smile every time i listen & i have had to listen a few times just to make sure...Yes its overacted a bit here & there but since the original producer wasnt involved & dirk mags wrote the adaptation due to the sad death of douglas adams it was never going to be the same. Most of the original actors are involved althouh some of the voices have changed since the original series were created. If you are looking for new material broadcast in the same way that the originals were then you will probably be left slightly disappointed. This is more like the sequal trying its hardest to respect the original yet also working hard to be fresh for a new generation. I havnt read this book in years but i would agree with what one of the other reviews states, that its more like an adaptation of the book rather than a radio play.

This is the lesser known phase of the five part trilogy and is an absolute delight. I have been a Douglas Adams fan since I was twelve and I have followed the H2G2 story avidly since then. This radio-play series was written by Douglas and he even plays some of the characters in it. So to any of you die hard fans who may suspect that this could be a rip-off or an adaptation, it is not - This is the real thing.The story picks up from the end of the secondary phase where Arthur and Ford have been stranded by the Golgafrinchans in earth's pre-history about two million years ago. This story slots in between that part and the next book where Arthur, Ford, Zaphod and Trillian are re-united. Most of the original cast are in this. Unfortunately this was made after Peter Jones died and so he does make a couple of brief posthumous appearances, but he is swiftly and expertly taken over from by William Franklin. There are some delightful cameos from Joanna Lumley, Bob Golding (Of Tweenies fame), Newsreader John Marsh, Toby Longworth From Star Wars - The Phantom Menace, Stephen Fry and Leslie Phillips.I'm not going to give any story away, suffice it to say that this is classic Adams craftsmanship perfectly executed. If you are a fan at all then stop reading this and buy the cd's. You'll never regret it.

This was bought for my teenage son who had already enjoyed the quirkiness of series 1 & 2. I thought possibly he might not like the subsequent series as much, but he does, and has listened to the disks 2 or 3 times.

Love the series, so much fun packed into a little disk, one I gladly come back to again and again

Might have been expecting too much, but the books following parts 1 and 2 just don`t capture the spark.. Might be me but at least I have the set now.. Ideal for those long journey's.