# Fantasy + Humor



## Richard P Titus (Sep 18, 2016)

My knowledge of fantasy writers is minimal.  I'm interested in finding authors who integrate humor and fantasy.  Can anyone suggest some writers I might consider?

I've seen authors use humor as an element of their stories, of course, but I haven't seen a fantasy writer that gives humor a major part in their stories.  (Someone did suggest Terry Pratchett to me but that's the only recommendation I've received so far.)

Your input would be welcome.

Thanks.

Richard 
(just registered with MS today, by the way)


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## Ireth (Sep 18, 2016)

I've only read one of his books, but Tom Holt does really well blending humor with fantasy in "Flying Dutch".


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## Devor (Sep 18, 2016)

I've been really impressed with the Order of the Stick webcomic.  The first 300 strips or so are heavy on D&D humor, but it's at over 2,000 strips now and the majority of them are a perfect blend of epic fantasy adventure and genre-savvy humor.

Giant In the Playground Games


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## Peat (Sep 18, 2016)

Well you've heard Pratchett once but the recommendation deserves repeating.

I second Devor's citing of Order of the Stick.

A couple of urban fantasy names - Jim Butcher and Robert Rankin


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## skip.knox (Sep 18, 2016)

Silverlock, by John Myers Myers
The Warlock in Spite of Himself, Christopher Stasheff. More picaresque than straight humor
The Princess Bride, William Goldman. Obviously.
Pretty much any of the Myth Adventures, by Robert Asprin

You will notice that most of these, Pratchett included, rely primarily on satire. Straight humor is more difficult. Honestly, there's a good deal of humor in both The Hobbit and Alice in Wonderland. Never hurts to study the masters.


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## cydare (Sep 18, 2016)

I'm definitely supporting the Pratchett recommendation! I suggest starting from Guards Guards, or Mort if you want to go for his earlier work. The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic are technically the first of the Discworld books, but they're better to come back to when you're more immersed in the world.

Diana Wynne Jones is good at combining humour with fantasy. Deep Secret is a great one by her.
I also recommend the Anvil of the World by Kage Baker.


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## Stephyn Blackwood (Sep 19, 2016)

Depends on the kind of humour you're after to be honest. Prachett's hilarious, but I personally have to throw in a recommendation for Joe Abercrombie and Mark Lawrence. Although on the darker side, almost all of Abercrombie's books have had me cackling at some point or another, and Lawrence's second Trilogy _The Red Queen's War_ has a protagonist who offers quite a few chuckle-worthy moments, and that's only in the first book of the three.

So if you're after more grim, sarcastic humour, Abercrombie and Lawrence are were to go


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## Richard P Titus (Sep 20, 2016)

Thanks for all of your input and suggested reading.  That helps a lot.

Still, your responses make me wonder why there isn't MORE humor in fantasy.  It seems like an untapped resource.  It's actually the approach I'm using in writing and I'm curious why more aren't doing it.  I suppose it depends on one's perspective on what's entertaining.  I was never much for the doom and gloom painted by many writers.  On the other hand, I want to avoid the other extreme of the spectrum, that is, syrupy sweet and cutesy.  It's a challenge to remain somewhere in the middle, I think.  Anyway, for me, it's what makes the writing fun.

Thanks again for your answers.


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## CupofJoe (Sep 20, 2016)

Years since I've read them but Piers Anthony's Xanth stories had a lot of humour in them. And the world looked like Florida...


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## neodoering (Feb 2, 2017)

*Second That*



CupofJoe said:


> Years since I've read them but Piers Anthony's Xanth stories had a lot of humour in them. And the world looked like Florida...



Definitely second Piers Anthony's Xanth books.  The first book in the set is _A Spell for Chameleon_.  His storytelling is not just funny but often clever, and the relations between the sexes are healthy and set a good example for those young people reading the books.


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Feb 20, 2017)

Oh, The Order of the Stick is awesome!

Also, Diana Wynne Jones' books are often quite funny [she's my favourite author].


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## thedarknessrising (Jul 14, 2017)

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Very few books make me actually laugh out loud. Each book gives me quite hearty chuckle every few pages. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Rkcapps (Jul 15, 2017)

The Princess Bride is a classic. Hysterical laugh out loud stuff.


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## Vadosity (Aug 3, 2017)

There is also the Myth Adventure series by Robert Asprin. The series starts with Another Fine Myth, the series is closer in tone to Xanth than anything else with a lot of puns, jokes and wild happenings that defy the laws of everything.  

Asprin also wrote a series about a dragon called Griffin, the series is called Dragons, the series starts with Dragons Wild. 

Five Hundred Kingdoms series by Mercedes Lackey is also quite funny, she takes the cliques of fairy tales and well turns then on their heads! But in a good way. 

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series by Fritz Leiber, the original sword and sorcery type of set up and really funny. 

Magic Kingdom of Landover series by Terry Brooks, really lovely funny, hopeful series. There are just some seriously classic moments in this series that will have you peeing your pants.


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## Michael K. Eidson (Aug 3, 2017)

Since this thread popped back up, I'll throw a vote towards the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser series by Fritz Leiber. Sword and sorcery with humor spread throughout. It's been a while since I read the books, but they left a funny impression on me.


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## Vadosity (Aug 4, 2017)

They were very funny...


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## Alora pendrak (Dec 13, 2017)

Artemis fowl series its about a 12 year old criminal master mind who exploits technologically advanced fairies. So their are naturally lots of wacky concepts and jokes half the characters love to bust on each other  too.


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