Books with humor

[Bookwyrm]

Nakor is God

I just finished reading Prince of the Blood and I can say without a doubt that Nakor is my favorite fantasy character ever, followed closely by Belgarath from the The Belgariad series. But now I want more. What other series have characters of crazy, witty banter such as these? Can anyone help.

 

[Feastforcrows]

I found some of the parts in George R.R. Martins series, A Song of Ice and Fire funny but there really not that many jokes per page. Even if you do not find the books hilarious, they are still great to read.

 

[Sell Sword]

I agree. The series is dramatic and intense as all Hell, but it has its share of yucks along the way.

 

[Ainulindale]

Well, A Song of Ice and Fire is IMHO the absolute class of the epic fantasy genre, but in regards to what your looking for you make want to give Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar works a try.

 

[Bookwyrm]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've heard a lot about the Ice and Fire series and Lankhmar looks good as well.

 

[Brys]

Well, A Song of Ice and Fire is IMHO the absolute class of the epic fantasy genre, but in regards to what your looking for you make want to give Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar works a try.

Lankhmar is absolutely great for humour - personal favourites being the stories "Bazaar of the Bizarre" and "Lean Times in Lankhmar".
Also check out Eyes of the Overworld and Cugel's Saga by Jack Vance, which are some of the best humorous fantasy I've read. Another I can think of is Michael Moorcock's The Dancers at the End of Time. I think ASOIAF's an excellent series, but it's not one I'd recommend for it's humour, which is very limited. If you're willing to try a long epic fantasy series, one with a significant element of humour in, try Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Until I read this, Nakor was my favourite humorous character. Then Kruppe took over, and definitely fits "crazy, witty banter".

 

[pink shadow]

A funny stand-alone fantasy novel is The Unhandsome Prince by John Moore. It's based on a typical fairytale storyline, but with some twists. A light read, perfect when you want some fantasy but don't want to get into the heavy stuff. Also, and sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but Eddings have written at least four more series and a stand-alone fantasy novel, so if you haven't read any of them you should do that. They are very similar to The Belgariad.

 

[Brys]

They are very similar to The Belgariad.

Very true - almost indistinguishable in fact. Eddings stated in a recent interview that there's a dormant thief in his mind. It's why he doesn't read much other fantasy. But he can't help but read his own work, and the results are evident - he steals from himself.

 

[pink shadow]

Very true - almost indistinguishable in fact. Eddings stated in a recent interview that there's a dormant thief in his mind. It's why he doesn't read much other fantasy. But he can't help but read his own work, and the results are evident - he steals from himself.

I have too agree with you, Brys. I read The Belgariad and The Mallorean as a teenager and loved them. But later when I read The Elenium, I found it to be practically the same book. I gave him a final chance a few years ago with The Redemption of Althalus but had to give it up halfway through because I felt like I had already read it twice! It feels like Eddings had a good thing going, but now he really needs to move on!!

 

[Lenessa]

I would suggest the Xanth series by Piers Anthony, they can be funny and are well written, and the plots are always entertaining! I know that I really like his books, particularly Dragon on a Pedestal and A spell for Chameleon, which I thought were very good. Also I agree about the Belgariad. I love the series, and have read it a zillion times, but Eddings' other series are really repetitious,(is that a word?)although still fun to read!

 

[Ainulindale]

Thorne Smith's Nightlife of Gods.