The Laws of Thermodynamics: "The Cyberiad Stories" by Stanislaw Lem
(Original Review, 1980)
Some people’s complaint about "The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is reminiscent of a friend's complaint about Stanislaw Lem's "Cyberiad: Tales for a Cybernetic Age". He thought it was just a series of disconnected tales that were "everything that sf is ridiculed as being", petty, and demeaning. Then one day I snuck up on him and read him the start of the story on Dragons and Probability, and he burst out laughing.
If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.
