One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.
I’m a big fan of the TV series of Red Dwarf. Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers is a companion novel that follows much of the first season written by the creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor who write as Grant Naylor.
When Lister finds himself planets away from Earth, penniless and prospectless, he decides to sign up for the mining ship Red Dwarf. He sees it as a ticket home to Earth. He could not be more wrong.
I was going to order this book used online, but it turns out, I had it in my Basement Box Books the whole time! I was very glad not to spend a ridiculous sum for the used copy, especially seeing as I had it for years. I had no idea what to expect from this novel. I was sort of hoping it would be more it’s own story but it turned out to be more of a novelization of the first season of the show. I hadn’t watched the show for several years, but I remembered a lot of it. I kept hoping that it would diverge and be more story we haven’t seen or learned. I wasn’t thrilled that it never did. It more made me nostalgic for the show then enjoy the book. I felt like a lot of the jokes didn’t work as well written and there was a lot of very dated references. Again, thinking back to the show, it was nice to have a personification of the writing when picturing the characters and ship. But I think the show did far better with representation and personality than the book did. It makes me wonder about the choices made in both cases. I love that the show is a diverse cast but the book seemed to fall flat. Ultimately I liked the book and enjoyed my reading experience more than not and I will be reading the next few books, I think. But I’m actually more excited to watch the show again, bc I think it will be more fun in that format. I would recommend this book to those who want a to look at the show from a different angle, readers who like sci fi comedies, and those who enjoy British humor.
Have you read Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers? Have you watched Red Dwarf?
This book is featured in my Jan Wrap Up.