In “My Dirty Literary Secret,” the author mentions that the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trilogy consists of five books that Douglas Adams himself wrote. Did you know that there is a sixth book in the trilogy that is not written by Douglas Adams? And Another Thing by Eoin (pronounced as “Owen”) Colfer is the 6th book in the Hitchhiker’s series. Before he suffered a heart attack in 2001, Adams had told his wife that he planned on writing a 6th book, though he had been unsuccessful after several attempts. I bet I wasn’t alone in thinking, “If there’s going to be a 6th book for this series written by an entirely new author, he better be good, and he better get it right.” When Colfer was commissioned to write this 6th installment after Adams’ passing, with permission from Adams’ widow, I was pleasantly surprised, because I already knew who he was, and I already loved his books.
I started following Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series when I was in third grade. The first book (in what is now a six-book series) was published in 2001. When subsequent installments were published, each one would be the first thing on my Christmas list. The series stars Artemis Fowl, a teenage criminal mastermind who will do anything to become rich. It’s a fantastic fantasy book; Colfer himself describes it as “Die Hard with fairies.” The text isn’t too tricky, but it’s filled with wry humor, making it accessible to a variety of ages.
I also bought or borrowed other books that Colfer published, including The Wish List, a novel about Meg Finn, a teenage girl who was halfway between good and bad, and must earn her place in Heaven by returning to Earth to help the person whom she died attempting to rob. Colfer’s novels are entertaining but also encourage reflection.
Most agree that if anyone successfully could continue the Hitchhiker’s series, it was Colfer. He did the job well. If you or your child enjoys fantasy, adventure, or science fiction, Eoin Colfer is an author that you definitely should check out.
