SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Mentioned on the fave books thread, that I’ve been looking for more humorous fantasy / paranormal reads - recommendations anyone?

I’ve already read:
everything by Ben Aaronovitch
Helen Harper
Gail Carriger
RJ Blain
some Terry Pratchett
Buddy Holly is alive and well on Ganymede
Good Omens

Willing to read predictable trope filled stories if they have some humor. Wanting to avoid dark or sad these days.

I've asked for similiar recommendations some time ago. Perhaps you can find something in the answers to this thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Try Christopher Moore

He writes everything from "historical fiction" to science fiction to fantasy to vampires, and most of it is funny. I'd recommend Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, and The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove and Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings. His vampire books are under Bite Me. He's also great with Shakespeare.

I would also recommend My Life as a White Trash Zombie - it's quite funny. :)

Also, Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series is funny as well.

The Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost - but those are PNR, so I'm not sure if that's really what you're looking for.

Gabi wrote: "I've asked for similiar recommendations some time ago. Perhaps you can find something in the answers to this thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/......"

Definitely check out Gabi’s thread.

Thanks Jen (did read & enjoy Stupidest Angel) & Gabi. From that list, I’d read To Say Nothing of the Dog and Johannes Cabal the Necromancer. Both entertaining and both slow in parts, easy to put down and pick up again later. Also read the Iron Druid series (more the occasionally witty dialogue than humor). Purchased but had not yet read Eyre Affair so will bump that up on my list. Noticed that C.E.Murphy mentioned the brutality of a death and having to put Lies of Locke Lamora down for a few days as too much horror - so definitely not for me. Simply can’t get through that sort of thing.

I’d finally renewed my expired library card and have been searching for eBooks there - so far none of the ones I’ve added from Gabi’s post are there, none of my first pass of my TBR (Northern California Digital Library, Overdrive). With the number of books I read, was holding off on the $8 to $14 eBooks hoping to not have to spring for those (pretty much only read eBooks).

Have you tried T. Kingfisher? It's all retellings of fairy tales, but I find her very humorous in a charming way. I also think the Penric's Demon novella series is funny, but it's got some darker themes, too. For guaranteed safe funny, anything by Diana Wynne Jones. It's not all MG, try Deep Secret or Dark Lord of Derkholm.

I thought this one was funny:

The Witches of Karres

I kept picturing it as a movie with Drew Barrymore (at the age she filmed ET) as the Leewit , Kristy McNichol (at the age she was in Family) as Goth, Carol Channing as Vezzam and Harrison Ford (Star Wars era) as the captain

Hah! Overdrive has Fluke - only in audio but I’ll give it a go. With the recommendations, also bumping Howl’s Moving Castle, White Trash Zombie and Nine Goblins up in my TBR. Have completed Dresden and did a bit of Night Huntress, although not the whole series.

Anna - know you don’t mean milligram, mg?

I think she means "middle grade"

Maggie wrote: "With the recommendations, also bumping Howl’s Moving Castle, White Trash Zombie and Nine Goblins up in my TBR."

Howl's Moving Castle is so lovely! And Nine Goblins is on my TBR for the year, it looks like it might be even more humorous than her other books. I'm personally not a fan of the cover, it looks like it wouldn't be my taste, but I trust Kingfisher.

And yes, I meant middle grade.

Anna wrote: "And yes, I meant middle grade."

So it’s not a book featuring a sentient MG Midget? Bummer.

The Shadow War of the Night Dragons, Book One: The Dead City by John Scalzi.

Thanks on the MG. Generally, when I'm browsing threads here and clicking on books - I often skip YA - has to be highly recommended by many (say, I purchased Howl’s back in July but just haven’t felt like reading it yet). Did batches of them when the nieces and nephews were younger (group reads to discuss at holidays). Now I find many of their tropes like nails on a chalkboard. With GR showing I read 215 books last year - not getting to something I buy is saying something. But, many of them were Kindle Unlimited - so shorter, mindless quick paranormal reads. That said, I also tend to avoid short stories unless they’re within a universe/story line I’m currently reading.
Becky - I enjoy PNR, but the last couple I picked up sunk to the lust on every page, more sex than story variety. You can’t always tell by the covers or reviews. Although if it’s HUMOROUS, it’s probably not borderline erotica.

I feel that DWJ is for all ages, even if she mostly wrote with younger audiences in mind. It's definitely never YA in the sense of what it means today. I completely understand if adults don't want to read MG, I often don't, but sometimes it's exactly what I need, when I'm done with serious books with all the content warnings. And that's when I start looking at Carriger or DWJ. Very different ends of the maturity spectrum, but both lovely.

Thanks Anna, good to know. I found a list I didn’t know existed - Best Humorous Fantasy and Science Fiction, so have more places to dig. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

Found a second list as well - although this one appears to be weighted towards the cozy witch/cozy paranormal and Romance with a capital R https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3... .

Diana Wynne Jones is a good one. Also look into Patricia C Wrede she likes to play with the tropes, has great characters, and is really cheery - especially the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, the Mairelon series, and the Cecelia and Kate series.
Also, if you have any desire to read anything Arthurian, I highly recommend the Squire's Tales by Gerald Morris. Very funny, and also the most cheerful ending to the saga that I have ever read.

Hi! This thread contains some good recommendations. Anybody have any on the science fiction side? I love Douglas Adams’ books and am planning a reread but I could use more!

Daniel, I'd recommend starting your own thread so we can get you your own list without confusing it with Maggie's :)