Did you know that the dragons described in the books most likely couldn’t fly due to the laws of physics preventing their wings from lifting such a massive body into the air? Terry Pratchett will describe this in his book and laugh, completely ignoring the fact that his Discworld is literally a flat planet balancing on the backs of four elephants, which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle. A satirist, a romantic, and a simply unbelievable writer whose language may scare you a little initially, but makes the reading experience even more marvelous as a result.
True Terry Pratchett fans know that sooner or later, his books can end. That’s when real stagnation sets in because it’s quite a challenge to find something even approximately as good. Well, perhaps one of the authors on this list can really grab your attention. Let’s get started!
Jasper Fforde and “What would happen if the Crimean War didn’t end?”
The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde is a comic fantasy with a brilliant fusion of metafiction, wordplay, and plot-twisting fantasy. The plot will tell you about a girl named Thursday who lives in a parallel universe where England has been fighting the Crimean War for over a hundred years against the Russian Empire and the socialist republic of Wales. The environment of the book is unique and vivid, but what makes Fforde’s work so appealing to Pratchett fans is some kind of craziness and satire. This theatre of the absurd makes your brain relax, but at the same time, you never know what happens next. Fforde is the ideal choice for you if you like reading works that both honor and challenge genre norms.
Ben Aaronovitch and “Let’s make a British guy a first-ever apprentice wizard”
Ben Aaronovitch is a well-known British author who not only wrote his famous Peter Grant (Rivers of London) novels but also made some scripts for Doctor Who. In the PC Grant series, he will tell you a story of a young apprentice wizard who needs to deal with two different but ultimately interrelated cases where some killers, magic, and a possible war are involved. These books combine police procedurals with urban fantasy, but what makes them amazing is British humor. Like Pratchett, Aaronovitch balances the magical with the mundane, poking fun at bureaucracies, human behavior, and magical logic with equal gusto.
Tom Holt and “Let’s make it funny”
A British humorist and fantasy author, Tom Holt (writes under the pseudonym K. J. Parker), will be one more guy who brings satire and flaws of the human world into magical societies. One of his most famous works is Expecting Someone Taller, a humorous fantasy novel about Malcolm Fisher, a guy who was badgered into greatness. Some people compare this book to The Lord of the Rings and say that the story is just a hilarious retelling. It is easy to read, and it makes you feel nostalgic. Why wouldn’t you give it a try? Cause if you are a fan of Terry Pratchett, then there is no reason why you should not really enjoy this and Tom Holt’s other additions to the genre.
Christopher Moore and “What if the Bible was funny?”
Let’s move from Brits and take a look at one more incredible author, an American one this time. His comedy is not as easy and authentic as that of other authors in this list. His novels, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, or A Dirty Job, combine outrageous plots with philosophical undertones and dark humour. This guy laughs at death, love, and religion — but don’t assume that his works are completely unethical and unemotional. No, he’s able to make every one of these “immoral” pieces so touching that it will even make a stone cry (sometimes from laughter but still). For instance, The Gospel According to Biff is the retelling of the retelling of Jesus' story in a funny, still dripping way.
Michael Logan and “Zombie apocalypse, but the zombies are only cows”
You’ve probably already understood the plot of Michael Logan’s Apocalypse Cow. Michael Logan is all about a grotesque, hilarious take and satire. Like all the other authors on the list, he understood that so much had already been said. So why wouldn’t we make it funny? He’s not for everyone. Sometimes, Logan offers a bold mix of comedy, gore, and social satire. Take Michael Logan’s wife’s opinion: “Apocalypse Cow is very visual, well-paced, the dialogue is great, and the characters are funny. I read this during its many edits and enjoyed it every time. Although the topic is pretty unique, the writing style is similar to authors such as Jasper Fforde and Robert Rankin.”
Robert Rankin and “What if aliens landed on my street?”
Rankin uses the term "far-fetched fiction" to describe his books, and he has a huge fandom in the UK because of his unique contribution to the development of the Steampunk genre. Most of Rankin's novels are set in the London suburb of Brentford. It is a place where the author grew up, and where, judging by his novels, there is a constant struggle with alien invaders or ancient evil. He lets his inner child out and describes the world that people older than 10 usually are not able to see. He even drew the covers himself to give the audience the most precise glance possible into his own imagination.
The humor is what sets these books apart from all other books in the genre. More and more fantasy books are taking over the shelves today, building on tropes that became obsolete a century ago, and so some of these authors may be a breath of fresh air for you. Choose one of these funny fantasy books for you, and rest assured, Terry Pratchett is not the only fish in the sea of fiction.
