this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2023
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Those two are my favorite authors, but sadly I've read all their work and neither are making any more.

I absolutely love that style of writing and I'd love to know if there's more like them!

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I don't know you, but I love you already πŸ’–

Neil Gaiman - More on the Fantasy side than irony. His works are still a pleasure. And ofk his collaboration with Terry "Good Omen". Also check "American Gods" and "Anansi Boys".

Kurt Vonnegut - Not what you would call "Fun and laugh" works, but his stories are crazy, well written and full of irony and smart social critics.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Craddle is a wonderfully satirical novel.

American Gods is very good as well, I did not try the other books by Neil Gaimlan you mention but will definitely give them a try, thanks for the recommendation.

Good Omens was like my favourite cake spiced with bits of oh-so-ironic-and-absurd British humour.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There's always Neil Gaiman. His style is definitely different, but you can feel some similarities. He and Pratchett wrote Good Omens together. Check out Stardust, the Graveyard Book, or American Gods. And of course The Sandman, but it is darker.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m listening to the audiobook of the graveyard book narrated by him right now and it’s fantastic

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Gaiman's narrations are fantastic. Add Neverwhere to the list above!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Try the stories of Harry Harrison.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I'll second Harry Harrison, and specifically recommend Bill the Galactic Hero.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Oh yeah, I remember this one! I remember it being pretty funny, but that must have been 22 years ago, wow.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Also the Stainless Steel Rat series - it's not as slapsticky as Bill, but still comedic.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Definitely read some Wodehouse.

Edit: StanisΕ‚aw Lem's Pirx series as well!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Maybe check out Christopher Moore

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I recently read The Stranger Times by Caimh McDonnell, an urban fantasy about a tabloid reporting on supernatural events that's very tongue in cheek and although the humour doesn't always hit, it did remind me of Rivers of London by ways of Terry Pratchett. The characters are certainly very Pratchett-ian. The story starts of with the Stranger Times looking for a "new Tina" a.k.a. assistent editor because the editor is insufferably rude and terrible to people. The job description reads: "Publication seeks desperate human being with capability to form sentences, using the English language. No imbeciles, optimists or Simons need apply."

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

It's actually a very dark book in some points, but Joseph Heller's Catch-22 is that style of absurdist humor set during World War II. My English teacher assigned that one to me when he found out I loved Hitchhiker's Guide.

I second (third? fourth?) the Kurt Vonnegut suggestions too. I have never regretted reading anything with his name on it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'm not sure if it will scratch that itch, but Pratchett's daughter Rhiannon is co-releasing something Discworld related in the near future.

I'm mostly in the same boat, except I haven't been able to pick up the Shepherd's Crown. I'm still not ready for it to be over.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'd definitely agree with the people recommending Robert Rankin.

Tom Sharpe is also funny (Wilt, Porterhouse Blue, etc.)

Also (disclaimer that it's by someone I used to know which may affect my judgement) Go Up by Simon Broadbent is clearly influenced by the Terry Pratchett books set in Ankh Morpork.

I didn't like it quite as much, and it is more middle grade, but A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking feels kind of Pratchett influenced.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Those two are hard to top!

You may enjoy 'Tuf's Voyaging'. An early G.r.r. Martin novel, about some dude space traveling.

It's more pulpy, but if you're fantasy starved, try Jack Vance (especially the Dying Earth series).
He's a very prolific and inventive writer. DnD pretty much copied his magic system.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Jack Handey's short stuff is probably his most famous work, but he also wrote a novel called The Stench of Honolulu.

John Swartzwelder is another comedy legend, he wrote nearly 60 episodes of The Simpsons, and he has a series of detective-pastiche novels (maybe novellas), starting with The Time Machine Did It.

I like these books and think they're along the same lines as Pratchett and Adams, but they are distinctly sillier.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Craig Shaw Gardner's Ebenezum/ Wuntvor trilogies are fantasy comedy.

Philip Jose Farmer (as Kilgore Trout) wrote Venus on the Half Shell as a sci fi comedy.

Mentioning Kilgore Trout... maybe look into the works of Kurt Vonnegut - his works are usually sci-fi - not as openly comedic, but have more of a bittersweet / satire / black comedy / surreal comedic situations.

Yahtzee Croshaw (the Zero Punction guy) has also written several fantasy and sci fi comedy books - Jacques McKeown is one series.

Glen Cook, more famous for the Black Company series - also writes a fantasy comedy series - Garrett P.I..

Steven Erikson, more famous for the Malazan books - also writes a sci-fi comedy series - Wilful Child.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Give Robert Rankin a Google. The Brentford trilogy is amazing.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think a lot of the comments are focusing on similar subject veins, but for similar writing styles as you asked, I would suggest checking out Christopher Moore or jason pargin( former pen name David Wong)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yes, great thought! His book "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" is SO GOOD

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

That book made me laugh out loud on a plane in the middle of turbulence.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

This book is on my once-a-year reading list - I also love the Bloodsucking Fiends books.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Tom Holt is much in a similar vein as Pratchett (even shared the same cover artist for a while) with his satirical takes on fantasy & fairy tale tropes.

Surprised no one has mentioned Robert Rankin, who has a darker view that Adams but is good at satirical takes, even though some of his works do feel dated since they were written for the contemporary audience of the publications time.

Diana Wynne Jones is also recommended, she was an influence on Pratchett to a degree. She picks apart a lot of fantasy tropes in her books. she was also a friend and teacher to Gaiman. Most people know her for the Ghibli adaptation of her book Howl's Moving Castle.

Jasper Forrde has been described to me as like Adams but haven't read his book yet.

and finally the Gormenghast series by Mervyn Peake, which was referenced a lot in the early Discworld novels.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Maybe Ernie Cline, Ready Player One and Armada or Andy Weir, The Martian, Artemis, Project Hail Mary

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I loved The Martian and Project Hail Mary, but I just couldn't get into Artemis for some reason.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I've stuck with audiobooks for Weir novels, and I think I'd agree on Artemis if not for Rosario Dawson's great narration of it. I end up relistening to it every couple years and still find it fun.

I can't imagine what Project Hail Mary even looks like in print...

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago

Maybe Ernie Cline, Ready Player One and Armada or Andy Weir, The Martian, Artemis, Project Hail Mary

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