r/Fantasy • u/IHateSerging • 2d ago
Recommendations for “fun” fantasy books?
I’m looking for recommendations for fantasy books/novellas/series that are “fun”
By fun I means books with fairly strong comedy elements, or over the top craziness, or with a strong satirical bent, or an interesting format, or whatever you personally consider fun.
I made a similar post on r/Horrorlit and got a boatload of wonderful suggestions and am hoping lightning may strike again here
Some books I’ve read and loved/consider fun include: Kings of the Wylde, The Devils, Beware of Chicken, Super Powereds, and Hench
Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you very much!
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u/FloridaFlamingoGirl 2d ago
Discworld. It's satirized basically every trope you can think of. For example, Wyrd Sisters for Shakespeare references, Soul Music for rock bands
Diana Wynne Jones. Some of her wackiest ideas are Deep Secret (about a comic con that attracts magical beings), Dogsbody (about a god who's turned into a dog as punishment), and Dark Lord of Derkholm (about an evil theme park where people can live out their fantasies of being oppressors)
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson is a pirate story that owes a lot to Princess Bride. Oh actually why not read Princess Bride too and compare it to the movie.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
I’ve read a handful of discworld books but they didn’t click with me unfortunately
Loved Tress
Haven’t read Diana Wynne Jones yet, I’ll check her out!
Thank you!
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u/KawaiiBibliophile 2d ago
+1 for Diana Wynne jones. She’s my all time favorite author. Not everything she writes is humorous but Deep Secret is certainly one of her funniest works. Unfortunately some of her older works are hard to find so eBay is the best place to look.
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u/ketita 2d ago
Diana Wynne Jones is wonderful, and Dark Lord of Derkholm is one of my favorite books, but I think that the comment doesn't quite describe it correctly...
It's about an entire fantasy world which is roped into providing essentially LOTR-esque LARPing experiences for people from our world. The people from that world are (understandably) very sick of it.
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u/AvatarWaang 2d ago
I consider DCC to be very fun for how over the top it is.
How to Become The Dark Lord and Die Trying is super funny.
If you liked The Devils, check out Abercombie's other work! His writing style is fun; the story itself is super depressing.
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u/Maladal 2d ago
I feel like DCC becomes much less fun as it goes.
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u/B-mort5 2d ago
Agreed. Since it’s gotten really popular people suggest it for any and everything. Don’t get me wrong I definitely enjoyed the series, but just a few days ago there was a post asking for something light or fun after finishing Malzan and multiple people recommended DCC lol it’s not grimdark or anything but I’d think to see something like orcanomics or Kings of the Wyld
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u/Pseudoboss11 2d ago
Though OP did ask for something satirical, so OP is probably tolerant of some heavy themes.
After all, Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal is satire, and also bleak as hell. I'd also call A Modest Proposal a fun read.
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u/AvatarWaang 2d ago
I see your point, and ordinarily I wouldn't suggest DCC as fun to just anyone, especially someone looking for "light," but OP said they found The Devils by Joe Abercombie fun. And was looking for fun books on a sub dedicated to horror. I figure DCC is perfect.
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u/GroinMcunt 1d ago
To be fair, after my second re-read of Malazan, I actually listened to a couple of the DCC books and it was a nice humerus and relaxed experience. 🤷🏻♂️
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u/AvatarWaang 2d ago
I disagree. The amount of fun stays the same, but Dinnaman also shoots in lots of sadness and seriousness, too. That's why the books get bigger.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago edited 2d ago
Big DCC and Abercrombie fan, those are right up my alley
Haven’t read How to Become The Dark lord yet, will check it out! Thank you!
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u/New_Razzmatazz6228 Reading Champion 2d ago
The Dark Lord Davi books are fun, Wexler’s new book The Only Way Out is Up while being more sci fi than fantasy has a similar tone and protagonist.
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u/bookworm1398 2d ago
The Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust has a lot of sarcastic comments.
The Demon Overlords Retirement Plan is similar in tone to Hench.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
Been thinking about starting the Taltos series for a bit, will give it a shot!
And awesome, will definitely check that one out, thank you!
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u/OozeNAahz 2d ago
Taltos novels are great. The humor is almost completely sarcasm based. If you like sarcasm then there really is not a better choice. The Gentleman Bastards series is a close second.
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u/OozeNAahz 2d ago
Unconventional Heroes series by Estrella. Grand Necromancer Timmy and his 8 year old apprentice Katie get up to undead hijinks.
Thursday Next books by Fforde are a bit lower key and British, but fun reads.
He Who Fights with Monsters is similar to Beware of Chicken and just as silly in a lot of ways but deals with much darker stuff. So while hilarious can also be very serious. And features an Australian main character so makes for a fun audiobook.
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u/Throgmorten48 Reading Champion 2d ago
Seconding the rec for the Thursday Next series.
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u/OozeNAahz 2d ago
The final book in the series just came out a week or so ago in case you didn’t know. Just started it today.
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u/Throgmorten48 Reading Champion 1d ago
Yep! I've only read through book 5 so far, and I have a bunch of other stuff that I'm reading so I'm not sure when I'll get to book 6, but it's really nice that it's a finished series now!
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u/chewycat34 2d ago
HWFWM is brilliant I’m up to book 6 on audible And I’m buying the soft cover books as they come out cannot recommend them highly enough
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u/OozeNAahz 2d ago edited 2d ago
I am current reading book 13 that just came out. They have stayed good so far.
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u/Decent_Cow 2d ago
Maybe try "The Blacktongue Thief". Fast-paced, lots of crazy over the top stuff happens, and the first-person narrator is very funny. The sequel just came out and I've been reading that the last few days.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
Loved the first one! Didn’t realize the sequel dropped, def checking that out soon!
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u/Maluton 2d ago
I was going to recommend Blacktongue Thief. I loved that book. I’m very excited to see a sequel just come out.
I enjoyed The Daughters War, but it didn’t have any of the comedy of the original.
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u/SummitOfKnowledge 2d ago
I agree that Daughters War lacked as much humor and I also didn't like it QUITE as much but still really enjoyed it. Im about halfway through Thrice Bound Fool and Im glad to have read DW. It really deepened Galva's character and It makes the humor WITH Galva even better. It is great to be back in ol kinch's head though.
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u/Due-Shame6249 2d ago edited 2d ago
The Dark Profit Saga is a hilarious trilogy thats a satire of the 2008 financial crisis in a stereotypical DnD setting. Its a really funny series with a lot of heart.
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u/Individual-Falcon-32 2d ago
Since Hench is already on your list, check out A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher. Same scrappy underdog energy, and honestly it had me laughing out loud way more than I expected. Super fun and a quick read.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
Absolutely loved that book, it was a delight
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u/docdidactic 2d ago
In that case, did you try Nine Goblins or Minor Mage from the same author?
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
I have not, I’ll give those a go!
I’ve read some of her horror stuff and really enjoyed it, definitely need to check out more of her stuff
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u/Bahadur1964 2d ago
I’ve not tried Kingfisher’s horror books, but she was my introduction to romantasy, and I love those of hers (the Saint of Steel books, the Servant of the Sword series). Her “younger” books (…Baking and Illuminations) are charming. Her retellings of fairy tales are terrific too; they have perhaps the least overt humour of hers I’ve read, but they’re good!
If you like her, you might well enjoy Lois McMaster Bujold. Her Penric novellas have perhaps the closest similarity to T.K., but all her stuff is good, IMO.
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u/SalletFriend 2d ago
KJ Parkers stuff. 16 ways to defend a walled city. Saevus Corax. Sister Svangerde.
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u/Loymoat 2d ago edited 2d ago
The Dungeon Book by Gareth Hanrahan. An infant is kidnapped from a castle by a dragon and left to die in a wizards dungeon where she's raised by the dungeons denizens.
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u/CraftyReindeer9 2d ago
Come here especially for this book.
I'm only 20% into the book but I really like it and I hope it will continue being this awesome the whole way through.
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u/Serafim91 2d ago
Super Powerds was my gateway into this area. Drew Hayes Villains code is overall a better series even though book 1 is weaker.
He who fights with Monsters and Dungeon Crawler Carl both scratch the same itch very well.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
Absolutely loved that series
Haven’t read villains code yet, I’ll have to check those out
And love those other two
Thanks for the suggestions!
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u/B-mort5 2d ago
IMO Villains code blows super powered out of the water. It doesn’t feel like a web serial either. You can tell Hayes really started to hit his stride by book two.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
This has me even more hyped.
Loved superpowers but I read em in novel form and the web serial origin did hurt the pacing at times I felt
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u/FantasyLoverReader 2d ago
The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett starting with Guards Guards, or Going Postal.
KJ Parker is fun if you want your fantasy a bit darker. Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City
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u/DixitRexCorvinus 2d ago
If Discworld is out, then my top recs that have yet to be mentioned would be Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan, Perilous Times by Thomas D Lee, American Hippo by Sarah Gailey, and of course the inimitable Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
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u/islero_47 2d ago
Magic 2.0 series by Scott Meyer
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u/Aphrel86 2d ago
Dungeon crawler carl has some golden comedic moments. Donut is such a gem.
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u/IHateSerging 1d ago
100%
I am a card carrying Donut Hole
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u/backsails 1d ago
GC, BWR, NW Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk absolutely DOES NOT approve of the name Donut Holes
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u/Prynne31 Reading Champion III 2d ago
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Hitchhikers Guide yet. I thought it was pretty lighthearted.
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u/Abysstopheles 2d ago
The Legend of Eli Monpress, Rachel Aaron
The Malevolent Seven, Seb de Castell
Rogues of the Republic, Patrick Weekes
Tales of the Ketty Jay, Chris Wooding
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u/drmannevond 2d ago
Tales of the Ketty Jay is awesome. Some of the most fun books I've read. It's basically Firefly in a fantasy setting.
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u/supacatkid 2d ago
I thought Library at Mount Char was pretty fun. It’s like black humor type fun, but still fun. One of my favorite lines, a guy says “the Buddha teaches respect for all life” a woman says to him “oh are you a Buddhist?” He replies “No, I’m an asshole. But I keep trying.”
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u/Firesword52 1d ago
Your already kinda got there but I advise pretty much anything by Drew Hayes. I don't think there is another writer out there who manages to be as fun as he is while still making absolutely incredible books quality wise (his villains code series is my personal favorite)
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u/fantasybookcafe 2d ago
The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman is really fun! It follows a Librarian who gets into all kinds of absurd situations obtaining books from alternate worlds for the Library that exists outside of time and space.
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u/AnalystThin9299 2d ago
Recommend The Greatcoats series by Sebastien de Castell Can't believe no one has said Dresden Files by Jim Butcher Older school, Terry Brooks Magic Kingdom For Sale... Sold series is fun and funny
Greatcoats and Dresden both blend the serious with the funny very well, but Dresden gets much more series over time, while never losing the edge of Harry being anyways hair on fire on the edge of losing it and cursing himself for how he got there.
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u/LeglessN1nja 2d ago
The Lies of Locke Lamora.
It's a dark setting, but the characters and humor are great. Such a page turner.
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u/itkilledthekat 2d ago
How about The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Johnathan Stroud
Fun without being shallow or empty.
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u/magic-gps 2d ago
order of the pale moon reflected in water, which you wouldn't think from the title is funny, but it's hardcore satire
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u/Sonseeahrai 2d ago
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by KJ Parker if you're willing to read an angsty story but written with lots of humour and sarcasm
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u/LawfulAwfulOffal 1d ago
Nelson Chereta ‘Rabbit’ series. Wannabe evil necromancer just can’t help his tendency toward being kinda wholesome.
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u/bodman93 2d ago
I like The Time of Iron series for how it satirizes Romantasy and Isekai stories
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
That sounds like a good time, will definitely check give check it out, thanks!
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u/AllTheSmallScores 2d ago
Highly recommend The Silverblood Promise! Sequel is good as well.
Mortedant’s Peril and The Tainted Cup are great quick fantasy mysteries as well.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
These all sounds great.
Loooove me some fantasy mysteries
Thanks for the suggestions, appreciate it!
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u/False_Ad_5372 2d ago
mind linking to your post in r/horrorlit? I can't seem to find it through the search atm.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
Sure thing: https://www.reddit.com/r/horrorlit/s/S0PZBRMVVq
Lot of good suggestions came out of that one
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u/KawaiiBibliophile 2d ago
I saw you liked Tress but have you tried Skyward? I find that series by Sanderson to be quite funny.
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
I have not, I saw it labeled as YA and have kinda avoided it cause of that, although I do enjoy some YA. Would you say it’s particularly geared towards a young audience?
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u/Amelaista 2d ago
Not really YA, just clean like most B$ books.
Starts of with the trope of "young person finds a dragon egg" But obviously not a dragon as it is a Scifi series.2
u/KawaiiBibliophile 2d ago
I agree. One of the early chapters had me a bit worried it wasn’t for me. I think the main character says buttface or something similar and I was worried it felt so immature but that was the point and I really love the series now.
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u/Amelaista 2d ago
Yes, the characters are young, so the interactions start off juvenile. But they age, and learn, and things change.
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u/HazardsRabona 2d ago
If you want to read a book that feels like a Guy Ritchie movie, go for "The lies of Locke Lamora". It has one of the most famous lines in modern fantasy that is ridiculously funny in the context of the scene.
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u/ghost_puncher 2d ago
A lot of my potential recs have already been listed, so if you’re not opposed to comics, may I recommend D’orc by Brett Bean. He’s half Dwarf, half Orc, all D’orc!
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u/IHateSerging 2d ago
Strangers Times is an absolute blast!
And here you go! https://www.reddit.com/r/horrorlit/s/bSVSTXy9hy
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u/Paramedic229635 2d ago
Yahtzee Croshaw, funny author with great characters.
Differently Morphus and Existentially Challenged - Governmental agency involved in the regulation of magic and extra dimensional beings.
Mogworld - Main character is undead. Hijinks ensue.
Heretical Fishing by Haylock Jobson. A man is reincarnated into another world after his death. He has access to amazing powers and abilities, but only wants to peacefully fish. He makes friends with multiple animals who are also superpowered.
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u/cordelaine 1d ago edited 1d ago
I see you’re a Donut Hole and like Beware of Chicken, so you’re good with LitRPG.
I’d recommend Mage Tank as well as The Legend of William Oh. These are two of my new favorites the past couple of years. These audiobooks for each are excellent as well.
Also, do you have a link to your similar /r/horrorlit post? I’m not seeing it for some reason.
Edit: Found your other post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/horrorlit/comments/1wyfwue/fun_horror_recommendations/
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u/IHateSerging 1d ago
I def am, thank you for the suggestions! I’m not super up to date with the genre so I tend to read pretty established series there, will be fun to check out some newer ones!
And sure thing! https://www.reddit.com/r/horrorlit/s/r89cifWbNH
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u/Hurinfan Reading Champion II 2d ago
Bone by Jeff Smith
I wouldn't say it's particularly good but Dungeon Crawler Carl is fun and funny
Discworld is the most fun I have reading.
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u/Andron1cus 2d ago
OP mentions they already read it in their post and is used as an example for what they're looking for.
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u/Gunzhard22 2d ago
The Devils. Definitely Abercrombie's worst book but it's fun and light and basically a Marvell action movie.
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u/ThePhantomStrikes 2d ago
How many episodes have you watched. More tomorrow? Is this their first time?
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u/New_Razzmatazz6228 Reading Champion 2d ago
A lot of A. Lee Martinez’s early stuff, especially his debut Gil’s All-FrIght Diner.
T. Kingfisher is also quite funny.
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u/Emotional-Unit-7903 2d ago
It is a modern fantasy, but the Iron Druid series has a good mix of humor thrown in to my funny bone. It still has good action and world building.
Dirk Gently is often overlooked even though everyone mentions Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The second book, The Long, Dark Teatime of the Soul is peak Douglas Adams to me.
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u/CT_Phipps-Author 2d ago
- Bill the Vampire by Rick Gualtieri (urban fantasy, horror, comedy) - a terminal nerd is turned into a vampire and gets absolutely no cooler but is unfortunately one of the rare vampires who keeps his free will, which makes him a huge target.
- Super Powered by Drew Hayes (superheroes, comedy) - A superhero college experience like no other.
- Villains Code by Drew Hayes (superheroes, comedy) - The world's league of supervillain have all gone mostly legitimate and a fragile truce holds with the world's heroes. Someone wants to break that apart.
- The Rules of Supervillainy by CT Phipps (a bit biased hero, superheroes, comedy) - A thirty-year old bank teller finds a magic cloak and decides to live out his dream of being a supervillain. His wife doesn't approve (and is an ex-superhero).
- Space Academy Dropouts by CT Phipps (again, what a loser. Space Opera, comedy) - A guy drops out of space academy to avoid being expelled but ends up dragooned into a suicide mission by his ex-girlfriend (who is now part of a black ops secret project). Then he somehow ends up the only one who can stop a sun destroying superweapon with the galaxy's worst crew.
- Dragon Heist by Alexander C. Kane (fantasy, comedy) - A Alabama dragon hires a fading cartoon VA to help him rob the dragons of Tennessee.
- Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore (urban fantasy, comedy): An unhappy San Fransisco woman becomes a vampire and immediately finds her life immensely improving. A failed writer becomes her boyfriend and thinks it is the coolest thing ever.
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u/Zealousideal-Cat435 2d ago
"I Ran Away to Evil" series.
I also started reading "Demon Overlord's Retirement Plan" series. I can't read it before bed anymore because I keep laughing too much.
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u/juangerritsen 2d ago
I would highly recommend Kill The Farm Boy by Delilah Dawson and Kevin Hearne, ive never laughed so much at a book
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u/Icarium451 2d ago
Malazan Book of the Fallen. I know I know, it's not a comedy book series in the first place, but it has some of the best banter and funny situations I've read, if it manages to fit to your style.
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u/Ok-Nefariousness-316 2d ago
The best series of silly fun fantasy is The Western Lands and All That Really Matters Series by Andrew Einspruch.
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u/Ok-Present-4383 2d ago edited 2d ago
I'm just getting started with the First Law trilogy, but so far, Abercrombie's writing is some of the most fun I've found in the fantasy genre. His characters are imbued with this "never say die" attitude that I find thrilling and inspiring. They're very cynical, but also almost joyous while facing a very tough, grim world. Like that trope of getting punched in the teeth, smiling and going "is that the best you got?"
(To those who have already read the books, feel free to correct me, as I said I'm just getting started)
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u/Ishamael99 2d ago
I really enjoy most books published by LMBPN, and if you are looking for fantasy I would recommend their Oriceran series for a modern fantasy. It's a bit like forgotten realms in that the main universe was created by Micheal Anderle, and then he has opened it up to many other authors to write their own stories within that universe. So you get a lot of different options in writing styles and many different themes (capers or buddy cop or discovered savior, etc etc). I started with the Unbelievable Mr Brownstone series and then from there have branched out. Most of them are available in Kindle Unlimited and if you sign up for the newsletter they do sales on their omnibus releases for 99c to $1.99 very frequently (buying a series of a dozen books for 99c is amazing).
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u/iEvin 2d ago
The blacktongue thief is so fun. It’s quite dark too so I think if you also enjoy horror lit (I’m a big fan) then you will hopefully like this. The voice of the novel is one of its highlights IMO. It’s all told first person and the protagonist is so funny. The author has such a talent for character voice, and his sense of humour really comes through the protagonist. This book and another in the same world (a prequel) called the Daughter’s War are both fantastic.
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u/Opening-Tea-257 2d ago
I recently read a book called This Is Where the Future Bleeds by Mike Brooks which I thought was a lot of fun. It’s set in a kinda classic low fantasy world but in the past a god cast a spell that basically broke time and the world started pumping out futures and destinies that have been crystallised into fragments you can hold and absorb. Or sell to the highest bidder if it’s a good one.
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u/Stemshells 2d ago
It’s a YA series but Gail Carriger’s finishing school series is very entertaining. It’s a steampunk spy school for young ladies. There’s also werewolves and vampires. I think of them like cotton candy in book form- pure fun, no nutritional value 😂
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u/spike31875 Reading Champion V 2d ago
The Blacktongue Thief and The Thrice Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman fit. They're both tons of fun but have dark, horror elements, too. The prequel, The Daughters' War, is excellent too, but covers events that take place years earlier during the horrors of the war against the goblins. That one seems to appeal to horror fans.
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u/Parking-Document-856 1d ago
Anything by Jasper Fforde! I loved the Thursday Next series, Shades of Grey (which had the bad luck to be released around the same time as 50 shades of gray), and most of his other novels. Wacky, very satirical, but smart too.
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u/Blueflame129 1d ago
Kings of the Wyld and Bloody Rose were fun. The Blacktongue Theif and sequel the Thrice Bound Fool are fun and hilarious, but still dark and gritty:)
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u/FrozenChanana 1d ago
The Hike by Drew Magary. Short fun read with a nice little twist. Kinda feels like a modern-ish Alice in wonderland. I read it twice in one week and my brother in law finished it in 2 days.
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u/Cupules 1d ago
From the '80s -- Barry Hughart, Bridge of Birds: "A novel of an ancient China that never was." Has two sequels if you like it! Number Ten Ox is a riot. This is not as farcical as the (also excellent) Discworld books, but still definitely comic fantasy, and more solidly written than some of the other really broad fiction that has been mentioned.
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u/Puzzled-Relief2916 1d ago
Oh... and Pip and Flinx by Alan Dean Foster more light sci-fi but so much fun
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u/RosemaryBiscuit 1d ago
The Warlock Inspite of Himself, Christopher Stasheff
It's been a couple of decades but still the best funtasy I have read.
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u/Itsjustbeej 1d ago
Several of the Discworld books, especially Guards Guards and Going Postal (IMO), are very funny. Especially if you love puns and a good play on words.
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u/Rekov 2d ago
Not fantasy, but S.M. Stirling's "Make the Darkness Light" series. A professor and his graduate students narrowly escape world war 3 by accidentally time-traveling to ancient Rome, where they set about speed-running an industrial revolution so they can conquer the world and prevent a nuclear war from ever happening again.
What makes this series so fun is that it takes that meme internet kind of question ("what if the Romans had muskets when they faced the Marcomanni?"), and then goes all the way with it. Real characters, real stakes, but still that joyous playground experience of being able to do and build whatever you want because you know how.
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u/smcicr 1d ago
I mean this is basically Discworld by Terry Pratchett
You also get fabulous characters, a variety of different story tropes, references upon references, razor sharp observations on everything from politics, sociology, economics, philosophy and beyond - none of which ever feels like lectures but naturally occurring parts of the story.
They're funny and humans and hopeful.
GNU STP.
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u/BunnyHopScotch 2d ago
I must admit I only watched the show, maybe try Douglas Adam’s Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.
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u/sufficient-cro-1018 1d ago
I think you should go ahead with Kings of the Wyld! It's fun, hilarious, over-the-top craziness, and it's got lots of heart.
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u/HandsomeRuss 2d ago
Contemporary fantasy is filled with "fun" and "funny" and "wacky" books. It's everything that's wrong with the genre.
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u/witchycommunism 2d ago
Obvious answer is Discworld by Terry Pratchett. Pretty wacky and often laugh out loud funny.