And another thing? How Douglas Adams and I tried to sabotage all sequels

To much fanfare and billboard acreage, today sees the publication of the sixth book in the famously over-extended Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series—And Another Thing—and the first one not to be written by Douglas Adams, who has been dead since 2001. The writing honours, instead, have passed on to Eoin Colfer, of Artemis Fowl fame, meaning the result is likely to be considerably classier than many beloved creations that have outlived their creators thanks to the afterlife of a franchise. The literary wheel has already, in fact, managed to turn full circle, with a BBC radio adaptation of Colfer's version of Douglas Adams's book adaptation of his BBC radio series currently gracing Radio 4's Book at Bedtime.

To mark the occasion, our current issue features an essay by one of Douglas Adams's best friends—and most dedicated collaborators—the author Michael Bywater, who explains in a bittersweet look back how he dragged Adams through writer's block during the writing of his last Hitchhiker's book (not to mention "writing one of Adams’s computer games, trying but failing to write another, half-writing a third, and acting as emergency obstetrician on one of the novels…"). And how they tried, and failed, to ensure that it would be entirely, completely and utterly impossible ever to write another Hitchhiker's volume.

The entire 2,000-word article can only be read by subscribers, but we've made the first third free for everyone. Take a look here—and share your thoughts on the man and his work.