I was going to say that Douglas Adams is like a funny Neil Gaiman, but then I realized that Douglas Adams has been around longer than Neil Gaiman. Therefore, I must say that Neil Gaiman is like a more serious (still can be funny) Douglas Adams. The reason I make this comparison is because they both take commonplace things and make them extraordinary. There's a word for that, and I can't remember what it is. Anyway, on to my review!
I really enjoyed this book. If I read too much Douglas Adams, I get a little tired of the same kind of humor. For instance, I couldn't read the whole Hitchhiker's series one after the other. I love Dirk Gently though. I think there are only the two books, "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" and "The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul". I really love the way he anthropomorphizes the most random things, like a sunbeam. The refrigerator is always amusing to me as well. I honestly didn't see how things would connect when I started reading this. It starts with two different stories, one of Dirk Gently, and the other of a woman who meets a rather large norseman at the airport. In the end, everything comes together, and I'm glad it was all resolved, because I wasn't really getting that whole hot potato thing...
I love the way Douglas Adams writes. Few authors can make me laugh out loud as I read. Even then it is a few and far between situation. Adams works magic, though. I find myself laughing often as I read his books. I wish I was as creative as he is with his perspective. There were times when the plot was a little dull and I got bored, but I have yet to find a book that hasn't had that. Besides, I wasn't really in it for the plot. Would I recommend this book to others? Wholeheartedly! Does it matter if you read the other Dirk Gently book? Not at all. If you like mythology, this would be a good book for you. If you have any sort of a sense of humor, this would be a good book for you. If you don't want to invest too much thought into your next read, this would also be a good book for you. My advice, do yourself a favor, read this book and have a good chuckle!