SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Anybody have any good recommendations for humorous science fiction? I love Douglas Adams’ books and am planning a reread but I could use more!

Thanks!

There are the Murderbot books by Martha Wells. I think the first is All Systems Red.

Try the Rex Nihilo books by Robert Kroese. They basically answer the question: "What if Han Solo had to hang out with C-3PO as a co-pilot instead of Chewbacca?"

Starship Grifters
Out of the Soylent Planet (A Rex Nihilo Adventure)
The Chicolini Incident
The Wrath of Cons
The Yanthus Prime Job: A Pepper Melange Novella

Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books had a lot of wit to them, although they're not billed as comedies. The first was The Warrior's Apprentice.

Lots of the short punchy pulp stories were funny, but I don't have any titles in mind right now.

Robert Sheckley wrote some dark humor. Animal Farm is, of course, satire, a form of humor, and has some moments that elicit a certain kind of laugh.

I will be following this thread!

I haven't read that series yet, Phillip, but I like Robert Kroese.

The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz is a funny science fiction/space opera book.

Scalzi is generally funny. I laughed out loud at Collapsing Empire

Terminal Alliance by Jim Hines was very funny.

also Rats, Bats & Vats by Dave Freer

Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary and The Martian, while very pragmatic and not comedy per se, come narrated with entertainingly genial, sarcastic attitudes.

Tchaikovsky's One Day All This Will Be Yours.

Some people compare Catherynne Valente’s Space Opera to Douglas Adams.

Michelle wrote: "I haven't read that series yet, Phillip, but I like Robert Kroese."

I updated my above post to show the links to each. I love them. They are a very tongue-in-cheek take on Star Wars (mostly) and other sci-fi tropes. Think: "What if Han Solo had to hang out with C-3PO as a co-pilot instead of Chewbacca?"

Daniel wrote: "Anybody have any good recommendations for humorous science fiction? I love Douglas Adams’ books and am planning a reread but I could use more!

Thanks!"

It's pretty short, but I thought Walking to Aldebaran was pretty humorous and quite enjoyable. :)

Has anyone read any of Alex Shvartsman’s humorous SF anthologies? I haven’t, but I remember coming across them and thinking that sounds fun: “UFO’s - Unidentified Funny Objects”. There are 4 or 5 of them.

Tales From Gavagan's Bar, by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt, ranges from amusing to hilarious -- although it is out of print, the (expanded) paperback edition is available from dealers.

A good deal of the rest of de Camp's science fiction and fantasy contains moments of humor, or satire, although most are not exactly comical.

The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.

Doorways in the Sand is my absolute favorite, and has a similar feel to Adams.

Check out (and vote on) these lists:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

Obviously fantasy rather than sci-fi but Bored of the Rings has some moments of hilarity before it runs out of ideas. Apparently the Harvard Lampoon guys wrote it over one weekend (and it shows).

Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings

The suggestions and lists are great, thanks! I think I read a little bit of Bored of the Rings when I was a kid, but don’t remember anything other than there was a copy in the house back then.

My leaning is toward the SciFi side - my long dormant interest in science is getting rekindled and I enjoy Douglas Adams takes on scientific and technological ideas.

But I do like a funny book, whatever the genre!

Arthur C. Clarke’s Tales from the White Hart is a collection of ‘50s science fiction-y tall tales, supposedly related in a London pub. Quite entertaining I think.

Allison wrote: "Scalzi is generally funny. I laughed out loud at Collapsing Empire"

The William Shakespeare Star Wars books, especially the ones recorded on audiobook (whoever voiced Han Solo is good, plus so is the rest of the cast.) The three from the original movies are all on audiobook for sure, by Ian Doescher

Red Shirts is even written as a comedy, so if you've ever watched Classic Trek or a number of other scifi TV shows, that's one you may like as well. Others I first thought of have been mentioned above.

Oh, wait, here's one I thought funny that I heard on audiobook:

Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers in the Red Dwarf series, by Grant Naylor They may all be funny to most of his fans, but I liked the first one the best.

Karin wrote: "Allison wrote: "Scalzi is generally funny. I laughed out loud at Collapsing Empire"

The William Shakespeare Star Wars books, especially the ones recorded on audiobook (whoever voiced Han Solo is g..."

Karin, I love those books! I even bought my son his own set of them.

Daniel wrote: "Anybody have any good recommendations for humorous science fiction? I love Douglas Adams’ books and am planning a reread but I could use more!

Thanks!"

Try Laumer Keith's Retief series of stories and novellas on a diplomat of Corps Diplomatique Terrestienne - a different kind of humor that Adams', but fun.

I also enjoyed Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw - a kind of humorous urban semi-paranormal (as in, vampires, ghouls etc are all normal, natural beings) mystery. Actually, there is a trilogy of those. (Incidentally, Ms. Shaw is a spouse of another very interesting author, Arkady Martine. Her works, however, are not humorous.)

If you lean on satirical side, Stanislav Lem is your man. Try The Cyberiad, Tales of Pirx the Pilot, The Futurological Congress: From the Memoirs of Ijon Tichy...

Then there is Sector General series by James White - Beginning Operations omnibus might be a good place to start.

One of the lists here reminded me of probably the most humorous among Vorkosigan saga novels: Captain Vorpatril's Alliance.

Bnz wrote: "Daniel wrote: "Anybody have any good recommendations for humorous science fiction? I love Douglas Adams’ books and am planning a reread but I could use more!

Thanks!"

Try [author:Laumer Keith|546..."

I am really enjoying this series. The first time I read it, I read Falling Free first, which I really liked, and so was a bit disappointed with Shards of Honour. This time I read Shards of Honour first and am going to give it 4 stars. I am reading them more in order of chronology, so just started Barrayar last night (my library only has them together in Cordelia's Honour) which is perfect because I really wanted the next story.

Yes, I am enjoying the space opera aspects of it. I lean more to space opera and less to hard core scifi now, whereas from ages 10-16ish I liked both equally (and not kiddie stuff for the most part--but some--hanks to a precocious reading friend).

Karin wrote: "I am really enjoying this series. {Vorkosigan saga]."

The tone of various novels (and novellas) varies pretty significantly. I started long ago with one of the darker ones, novella Borders of Infinity, and then during the first wave of the lockdown read them all in internal chronological order, except for Vorkosigan-free Falling Free which I read last.
I found (even more than usual) lightweight tone of Captain Vorpatril's Alliance to be a welcome distraction. Remember the "divorce case in the court of Count Vorpatril" scene?

Bnz wrote: "Daniel wrote: "Anybody have any good recommendations for humorous science fiction? I love Douglas Adams’ books and am planning a reread but I could use more!

Thanks!"

Try [author:Laumer Keith|546..."

I had forgotten about Keith Laumer's Retief! That is an excellent recommendation here. The humor has a sharper edge to it if you remember the Cold War. Sadly, given current events, some of it is not humorous anymore.

Colin wrote: "I had forgotten about Keith Laumer's Retief! That is an excellent recommendation here. The humor has a sharper edge to it if you remember the Cold War. Sadly, given current events, some of it is not humorous anymore.."

Yup, things stop being funny when they come too close to reality. Like the final minutes of the last episode of Black Adder, when Atkinson's character can't avoid leading the charge on German lines on Somme front any more...

Bnz wrote: "Yup, things stop being funny when they come too close to reality. Like the final minutes of the last episode of Black Adder, when Atkinson's character can't avoid leading the charge on German lines on Somme front any more..."

Ben Elton did that all the time - kill off his characters at the end of a comedy series. Happens to The Young Ones as well as at least two Blackadders.

The very best comedy often features some pathos.

Bnz wrote: "Karin wrote: "I am really enjoying this series. {Vorkosigan saga]."

The tone of various novels (and novellas) varies pretty significantly. I started long ago with one of the darker ones, novella [..."

No, I haven't read most of these and have read hundreds of books since I read the Falling Free & books 1 & 2 in the series the first time, but have started them again and am quite enjoying them so far. I remember most about Falling Free, and least about that first Miles book. At that time I wasn't into all of the fighting, etc, in the first book about Miles so suddenly after Falling Free & Shards of Honour (which I liked better this time around.)

However, I am in a different phase of my life now and am hoping to enjoy the humour in The Warrior's Apprentice when I get to it after Barrayar.

Wow! So much stuff to check out. I think Shakespearean renditions of Star Wars will be over my head, but it’d probably expand my mind.

This is great!

Daniel wrote: "Wow! So much stuff to check out. I think Shakespearean renditions of Star Wars will be over my head, but it’d probably expand my mind.

This is great!"

They are best on audio, IMO, but I liked the ones in print as well.

plus he adds thoughts for some of the beings we couldn't understand, etc, which is a lot of fun.

I always thought A Civil Campaign was the funniest Vorkosigan book. It was that disastrous dinner party 😂

Thank you for the links, Phillip! I just added the first book to my TBR.

The Chase for Choronzon is a humorous book about two reincarnated magicians chasing a demon through time and space to return him to his post, guarding the gate between the worlds.

A scene that stands out in memory is (view spoiler)[them chasing the shape-shifting demon through the legs of various gods at the pub between the worlds and an Aztec thunder god gets a few scratches by the reincarnation of Crowley who is of course a cat, because he's well known for hating cats. (hide spoiler)]

One book I found particularly amusing was Transmission Error by Michael Kurland, and yes I'm old, it came out in 1970.

Michelle wrote: "I always thought A Civil Campaign was the funniest Vorkosigan book. It was that disastrous dinner party 😂."

Yes, that was great, too, but reading about Vorpatrils' attempts at divorce I laughed out loud.
Generally, the character of Miles' cousin "that idiot Ivan" is great - on the surface goofy and shallow, but more than capable of raising to the occasion when necessary.
Remember his "addition" to the garden decor at Miles' wedding? (It was in Winterfair Gifts, I believe, the novella following A Civil Campaign.)

I wasn't a Vonnegut fan when I read it, but I found Slapstick, or Lonesome No More! laugh out loud funny. That was many years ago, so no telling what I'd think of it now.

If you're open to older works and not put off by a 1940s attitude toward alcohol, Henry Kuttner's stories of Gallegher, an inventor who can only invent while drunk and on sobering up doesn't know what he's invented, can be very funny. "The World Is Mine" in Two-Handed Engine: The Selected Stories of Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore was another that had me laughing out loud.

I haven't read a lot of John Sladek, but at one time he was the go-to for humorous satirical s.f.

Clifford Simak wrote some humorous stories. One that comes to mind was about a robot named Lulu, who goes off the rails. The humor becomes rather dark toward the end.

Bnz wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I always thought A Civil Campaign was the funniest Vorkosigan book. It was that disastrous dinner party 😂."

Yes, that was great, too, but reading about Vorpatrils' at..."

The Miles & Ivan friendship/rivalry relationship is one of my favorites in SciFi. And yes, I remember his decor in Winterfair Gifts! It's hard to forget :)

Jack wrote: "Clifford Simak wrote some humorous stories. One that comes to mind was about a robot named Lulu, who goes off the rails. The humor becomes rather dark toward the end."

Oh, I'm glad you mentioned Simak. One of the reason that I love most of his work is that even the darker or more serious pieces have a leavening of lightness. A snip of satire, a sprinkle of sarcasm, or even a snort of slapstick... whatever fits best.

Also on a hunt for humor to offset the Malazan series I am currently reading. Just finished Martians, Go Home and can recommend Fredric Brown short stories; dated but funny. Going to re-read Robert Sheckley Immortality, Inc.. Saw and agree with recs for Simak, Vorkosigan, Scalzi and Laumer but not Spider Robinson The Callahan Chronicals One of the best LOL series I have read. Funny but also horrific/sarcastic John Dies at the End

Meta Game On is the absolute closest thing I've read to Douglas Adams style humour, and I've read most of Terry Pratchett, and Jasper Fforde which I'd say is the next closest.

They're an older set, but "The Stainless Steel Rat" series by Harry Harrison had a lot of humour in it.

If you like the British humour of Douglas Adams, try The Hammond Conjecture

The thing about comedy is the milieu in which it was generated. Things that seem tremendously funny at the time can seem very lame and outdated decades later.

I loved Douglas Adams back in the 80s but I sincerely doubt I'd crack a smile these days.

I can recommend Will Save the Galaxy for Food and Will Destroy the Galaxy for Cash by Yahtzee Croshaw.

Adrian wrote: "The thing about comedy is the milieu in which it was generated. Things that seem tremendously funny at the time can seem very lame and outdated decades later.

I loved Douglas Adams back in the 80s..."

I never got around to reading him until the past few years and found him hit or miss--from 5 stars to 2 in the Hitchhiker's Guide books. The first and 3rd were 5 stars on audio, but 4 and 5 in print respectively. 2nd and 4th 3 stars and the last barely got 2 stars. I may try this other book.