# Comic Fantasy Novels: Know Any Good Ones? I Do. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2005, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298 "2005-03-19T10:43:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/21 "2005-03-21T16:44:03Z")
Well, I’m not quite sure if the OP is looking for comic fantasy or just light-hearted fantasy with some comic elements, but I’ll add John Morressey’s _Kedrigern_ novels. They’re generally OOP, so hard to find, but Meisha Merlin has started reprinting omnibus editions. Something happened, though, and they’re nearly a year behind on printing the third volume. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/22 "2005-03-21T17:32:32Z")
Tanya Huff’s _Summon the Keeper_ was funny fantasy, very enjoyable. I keep forgetting to find the next in that series. And for the younger set, though I enjoy them as well, Jonathan Stroud’s _Bartimaeus Trilogy_ is a lot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/23 "2005-03-21T18:01:18Z")
Tom Holt: Expecting Someone Taller (Ring Cycle), Flying Dutch (Flying Dutchman) and a few others. Really made me laugh out loud a few times. And I don’t do that. Glen, not Rick Cook. Right. Rick Cook does the Wiz Biz novels, which are funny if you’re a computer geek who likes fantasy. SF-wards, the Plutonium Blonde by a man I misrember, and the sequel… about quadruplets? ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/24 "2005-03-21T19:39:21Z")
In addition to Terry Pratchett and the Myth series from Robert Asprin, Roger Zelazny wrote a pair of quite funny fantasy books: _Bring Me The Head Of Prince Charming_ and _If At Faust You Don’t Succeed_. They’re reminiscent of _Good Omens_, though not as good. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/25 "2005-03-21T19:55:52Z")
A third Zelzany, illustrated by Gahan Wilson: A Night In The Lonesome October. So very good. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/26 "2005-03-21T20:52:08Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > _Chicks In Chainmail_ sounds interesting - what’s the premise {apart from the obvious}? The **Chicks In Chainmail** books are a series of short story anthologies. They’re all humorous or at least semi-comic tales of fantasy warrior babes, some in metal bikinis and some in more sensible armor. (Actually, at least one story deals with the difficulties Amazon types face in trying to find blacksmiths that will make women’s armor that covers all the vitals!) It’s been years since I read the books, but picture something in the spirit of the lighter episodes of **Xena: Warrior Princess** and you’ll probably have the general idea. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/27 "2005-03-21T21:53:19Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > A third Zelzany, illustrated by Gahan Wilson: A Night In The Lonesome October. A third book? ::ears prick up:: To the used bookstore, Robin! ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/28 "2005-03-21T22:04:28Z")
Though Diana Wynne Jones is predominantly an author for young adults, [Deep Secret](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0812575725/qid=1111443634/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-8458670-2916730?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) is an excellent read. Though I would hesitate to call it “comic”, the author’s wit and humor is definitely several cuts above the usual fantasy fare. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/29 "2005-03-21T22:08:01Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > In addition to Terry Pratchett and the Myth series from Robert Asprin, Roger Zelazny wrote a pair of quite funny fantasy books: _Bring Me The Head Of Prince Charming_ and _If At Faust You Don’t Succeed_. They’re reminiscent of _Good Omens_, though not as good. Both of these books, along with _A Farce to Be Reckoned With_, were co-written with Robert Sheckley, a long-time master of the comic f&sf story. Zelazny had a fine sense of humor, but you have to give Sheckley a lot of the credit for the comic tone. And if you’re going to mention Gahan Wilson, remember that he wrote as well as illustrated. You’re not going to find anything much wackier than _Everybody Favorite Duck_. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/30 "2005-03-21T23:09:32Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > The **Chicks In Chainmail** books are a series of short story anthologies. They’re all humorous or at least semi-comic tales of fantasy warrior babes, some in metal bikinis and some in more sensible armor. They sound interesting - I’ll have to check them out. Thanks for the recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/31 "2005-03-21T23:24:40Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Tanya Huff’s _Summon the Keeper_ was funny fantasy, very enjoyable. > > I keep forgetting to find the next in that series. > > And for the younger set, though I enjoy them as well, Jonathan Stroud’s _Bartimaeus Trilogy_ is a lot of fun. Fair warning – first one was decent, but _A Long Hot Summoning_ didn’t really do it for me. Overall, I liked her Quarters books more. I get to be the first one to bring up Mary Gentle’s _Grunts_? Woo hoo! Uh, this book is about an orc horde that discovers modern military weapons and the knowhow to use 'em. It makes fun of dozens of high fantasy cliches from the orc’s point of view. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/32 "2005-03-22T01:21:11Z")
Wry humor: Jack Finney and Connie Willis Jack Finney Connie Willis ---
**Author:** ![Ninja\_Pizza\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Ninja\_Pizza\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ninja_Pizza_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298/33 "2005-03-22T02:51:24Z")
[Voyage of the Shadowmoon](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/076534713X/qid=1111460911/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/002-3479450-9624815) and [Glass Dragons](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0765307979/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/002-3479450-9624815?v=glance&s=books&st=*) by Sean McMullen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-fantasy-novels-know-any-good-ones-i-do/295298.md?page=1)