3.5 stars rounded down, just don’t like it as much as other books I have given 4 stars to. Weird book but was entertaining, made me laugh a few times. By the end of the book I got more into the writing style which made the book go a bit faster.

I didn't have a particularly good memory of Starship Titanic. I'd originally read it back at the height of my Douglas Adams obsession as a late teenager; I was fastidious about grabbing everything I could with Adams's name on it. I was leery that this wasn't written by Adams himself, even though I loved Monty Python as much as DA--Terry Jones being a part of a brilliant sketch comedy troupe didn't mean he could write a novel.

That said, I also didn't have much memory of Starship Titanic at all. I mostly confused it with the Futurama spin on the Titanic. Which is to say, coming into this reread, I was mostly expecting a not-funny, predictable Titanic-in-space, Futurama-did-it-better novel.

That's not what Starship Titanic is.

Back in 1998 the Starship Titanic video game released. A point-and-click adventure that Douglas Adams scripted (which means it's funny and, not coincidentally, utterly impossible). They (the publishers) wanted a book to release at the same time but, unsurprisingly, Adams decided he was much too busy to be able to. Enter, Terry Jones.

The best part of Starship Titanic is the introduction, which Adams did write. He gives the wholly optimistic opinion that Jones does a much better job than he himself could have. On the one hand, this is utter bollocks. On the other hand, Adams's inability to meet deadlines likely meant that he would have never been able to finish Starship Titanic, even had he agreed. So because Adams pawned the job off on someone else, we have a book that otherwise would not exist.

Even knowing that comparing Starship Titanic to a book Adams never wrote is a fool's game doesn't make it not an easy comparison to make. Many of Jones' high points feel like echoes of jokes or ideas Adams already did better in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Even the core idea of Earthmen somehow getting whisked into space--albeit under different circumstances--is a close kindred spirit to Adams's classic.

On its own terms, Starship Titanic is amusing (if ridiculously messy). Moreso than I was expecting. The characters are endearing (although shallow). Aside from a few dragging opening chapters, once our main characters are on the ship, the plot advances at a brisk pace. It's utterly disposable, yet maintains enough "oomph" to be pleasing enough.

And as much as it feels like Jones is trying to ape Adams's writing style (no one can match it), the fact that he doesn't totally embarrass himself is kind of impressive. It feels like he put working into giving Douglas Adams fans something they could enjoy. That (another fool's errand) was impossible, of course, and I doubt many people were too happy upon release (Adams fans--especially back then--were hardcore and fervent). But the reality of their reaction is moot; it feels like Jones put a lot of care into the words he used.

Of course, a surprisingly capable Jones is still pretty iffy. But it's better than expected iffy. It's endearing in its iffiness. It's a novel just strong enough that, reading it now without the towering, fanatical Douglas Adams fandom ready to pounce, it feels like a novel that has been treated a bit unfairly. Seems like the kind of thing that one-time Adams devotees could return to now and find value in.

Very reminiscent of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, rather unsurprisingly, but a little too long I think and lacking the same level of charm. A good if bizarre read to fill an afternoon.

Setting: Most of the story takes place on the eponymous starship, which sounds very much like a luxury cruise liner, except in space. The robots were an amusing touch with their quirks and bizarre programming. I could visualise the setting enough for reading the book, but no more than that. In places, a little more detail would have been appreciated but what was there was adequate.

Character: I didn’t really connect with any of these characters, except perhaps the architect. They were stereotypes given names and not that much was done to subvert these. This was a quick and fun read but I won’t be able to remember any names in a few days. There was a great Monty Python nod with a particular cameo.

Plot: Perhaps a couple of the complications could have been eliminated without any damage to the plot line as a whole as it did feel a bit long. The events did all hang together and the ending was satisfying if a little oddball in places.

I listened to the audio book, with Terry Jones narrating, and it was brilliant. I'd highly recommend it. His narration of a particular sex scene and the subsequent discovery of that scene by the other characters had me laughing so hard that it left me gasping for air. It was a fun book. I'll add it to my list of books that I reread when I need a pick me up.

When I first started reading Starship Titanic, I thought it was a decent book but I decided to set it down for more than a few days and now I realize that I wasn't really enjoying it and have decided to add it to my "Did Not Finish" pile.

I was actually looking forward to reading the book since I picked up the game that the book is based on and I wound up enjoying that (Even though it's quite frustrating, to say the least). The book, on the other hand, was a little disappointing and lacked the same charm.

I didn't find the book nearly as funny as anything Douglas Adams has written, and normally I'm a pretty huge fan of Monty Python stuff. This book though, fell pretty much flat on its face and I didn't laugh once up to the point where I decided to stop reading it.

Ultimately, I've decided to give the book 2 out of 5 stars, not the most interesting read that I've ever experienced sadly.

This is the least inspired Sci-Fi story I've ever read. It's like a shit version of Hitchhiker's guide with truly mediocre humour and a painfully transparent plot. I've enjoyed other works by the co-authors of this book, but I'm baffled as to how this ever wound up published. It's significantly worse than anything either of the writers have done on their own. I genuinely regret the time I spent reading this book and hope I can spare you the same.

Douglas Adams and Terry Jones, in collaboration. What's not to like? As I went through the "to be read pile" this turned up next on that huge pile and I admit to a happy smile at that.

The pleasure didn't last so long as it turns out this is not the most stunning example of any of the hitchhiker tales. The humour turns to farce, and not in a funny way, but in typical, Monty Python style which overdoes the funny bits and diminishes the total kind of way.

Skimmed much of it and realised I didn't actually miss anything.

All OK, but not worth a reread.

It was ok. The innuendo felt forced and too frequent. The story was so so. The humour mediocre. Probably the weakest in the Hitchhikers series and feels a bit dated now.

I love this book I know something I did not know.

Hitchhiker's Guide meets Monty Python. What more could you ask for? The settings and characters are pure Adams but the writing is unquestionably Terry Jones. A fun reads for fans of both styles with a couple laugh out loud passages.

i feel like there is a little robot tap-dancing on my brain.

Great, albeit short, novel based on the video game created by Douglas Adams.
When Douglas himself decided he had no time to write the novelization, he enlisted the help of Monty Python alum Terry Jones. Terry does a great job telling the story in a style that's somewhere between Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. Or maybe that's Terry's actual style, having not read his work before I can't be sure. Either way it's an easy read, if anything I feel this could've setup a series of novels but given both Terry(s) and Douglas have sadly since shuffled off, this is all we're getting!