Summary

Picking up from the end of the first book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Arthur, Marvin, Ford, Trillian, and Zaphod are aboard the Heart of Gold heading for the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. However, almost immediately they find themselves under attack by Captain Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz of the Galactic Hyperspace Planning Council (yes, the same one that oversaw the demolition of Earth) and his Vogon crew. Ford, Trillian, and Zaphod try to fly the Heart of Gold away from the Vogon ship, but their ship's computer is jammed because Arthur asked the Nutri-Matic machine for a cup of tea (long story). Facing imminent doom, the crew performs a séance and calls Zaphod’s great-grandfather. Zaphod’s great-grandfather miraculously saves them from death at the hands of Vogons, but teleports Zaphod to find a “Zarniwoop” and the ruler of the Universe. From there things only get crazier. Will anyone be able to find the question to the ultimate answer (42)?