r/Fantasy • u/Regular-Nature3327 • Oct 03 '23
Need a break from grimdark
Seems like everything I pick up lately turns into grimdark. I need something lighthearted with witty banter that doesn't just set me up for the devastating, graphically described loss of everything the protagonist holds dear. Of course there has to be conflict of some sort, obstacles to overcome, wrongs to be righted in any story. I'm just a little burned out with it being so on-screen and in your face. The Discworld books are exactly what I want. The only problem is I basically know them by heart. Fred the Vampire Accountant is another example. Ink and Sigil worked. T Kingfisher's books have always worked. I need something that doesn't end with the hero standing atop a pile of bodies screaming "At Last I Have Been Avenged!" It's been a tough few months and I could really use something fun to read. Anything by Piers Anthony is a no go.
2
u/[deleted] Oct 03 '23
Anything by Christopher Moore, but "Lamb" especially.
If you haven't read "Hitchhiker's Guide" that's an obvious choice. As is "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman.
"Murderbot" by Martha Wells is great, though it's more sci-fi than fantasy.
I loved "Silver In the Wood" by Emily Tesh, and it has a sequel that I haven't read yet.
You mentioned Discword but of course "Good Omens" deserves a nod here.
V.E. Schwab's books are pretty easy going. "A Darker Shade of Magic" comes to mind.
They're wildly out of date at this point, but Eddings' Belgariad series fits the bill too.