# I need the BEST non-depressing sci-fi **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-the-best-non-depressing-sci-fi/471574 "2008-11-07T01:34:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-the-best-non-depressing-sci-fi/471574/61 "2008-11-10T20:56:52Z")
Definitely offer up a copy of [The Napoleon of Notting Hill](http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20058/20058-8.txt). It’s an early science fiction novel by G. K. Chesterton, one of the greatest English authors of all time, with lots of whizz-bang action and a terrific ending. Perfect for anyone who likes “Victorian SF” or simply a generally quaint feel to their novels. Plus, if he decides that he likes Chesterton, there are almost a hundred equally good books to turn to next. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-the-best-non-depressing-sci-fi/471574/62 "2008-11-10T22:27:35Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > Of course, a lot of the characters and situations in **The Stupidest Angel** are even better if you’ve read his previous novels. **The Stupidest Angel** is probably the closest thing to a sequel Christopher Moore had until he came out with an actual sequel to one of his earlier books last year. > > Maybe [**Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal**](http://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood/dp/0380813815/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226332792&sr=8-1) would be good for a depressed religious person. It’s lighthearted, and I don’t think it would be considered blasphemous. And it has a relatively happy ending! I was going to suggest this very one (in fact these are the only two Moore books I’ve read… yet - have a copy of Coyote Blue at my side as I type). Yeah, one of the main characters dies in the end, but your friend knows that already so it’s not like it’s a surprise! (and of course, well, he only stays dead for what, a couplea days? ;)). ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-the-best-non-depressing-sci-fi/471574/63 "2008-11-10T22:58:14Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I’ve read _To Say Nothing of the Dog_ characterized as the first Hugo winner that was funny _on purpose_, if you know what I mean. It is the only winner in the novel category that is a comedy. None of the books that have won the Nebula are intentional comedies either. 🙂 Willis has won more Hugo awards than any other writer with her total currently standing at ten. She’s outpaced only by a handful of artists and editors who have managed to mode-lock the Hugo voters so they were handed the award by rote year after. Willis is also the only person to win in the novel category and a short fiction category in the same year with Doomsday Book and “Even the Queen” in 1993; only two other writers have managed to win two Hugos in a single year. Both of those managed to win the Nebula that year as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-the-best-non-depressing-sci-fi/471574.md?page=3)