Humour in Fantasy?

SindbadtheSailor · Dec 8, 2005

Hi,

I would like to ask science fiction and fantasy writers whether humour can be tried in fantasy literature. I think everything is too dark in this genre, or is it this thunder that makes it appealing? Isn't science fiction and fantasy literature too orthodox compared to other genres?

Thanks!

Sindbad.

Uncletrunx · Dec 8, 2005

Terry Pratchett has managed to make humour work in a fantasy setting. There are a number of other authors who have tried to emulate him with varying degrees of success, however he has shown that it can be done and done well.

MadScientistMatt · Dec 8, 2005

A couple writers come to mind immediately.

Pierce Anthony is notorious for overdoing things, but I sometimes reach for a Xanth novel when I'm in the mood for really corny jokes.

David Eddings often tends to have somebody hanging around for comic relief in his stories, and sometimes even gives more serious characters a funny line.

There's definitely room for a few laughs.

bluejester12 · Dec 8, 2005

I have an anthology of humor fantasy short stories. My guess is many novelists in th genre tend for the adventure/mystical.

Robert Aspirin is another example of a humor fantasy author.

Alas, my story on sports playing sprites has not been bought yet.

Birol · Dec 8, 2005

Of course humor can and does exist in fantasy literature. Who said it couldn't?

The fans of fantasy are just people. Some of them love a good laugh, some of them love a good laugh sometimes, and some of them need a good laugh.

Minister · Dec 8, 2005

There does seem to be a definite tendency in fantasy literature to aim for the dark, particularly in the short story markets. There's an awful lot of overlap with the horror market. But as the above posts have pointed out, there are some writers who are putting out humorous material and having it sell very well. There are also some short story markets that gladly take and sell humorous sci-fi and fantasy. In fact, I suspect that it would be easier to sell well-done humor in todays spec-fic market than dark material, precisely because so many people are trying to write dark stories (and so few people write humor well). The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction claims that it never receives enough humor.

MuseAbuse · Dec 8, 2005

I certainly hope that there can be humor in fantasy. My fantasy writing tends to lean towards the more laughable side.

.. unless folks are laughing AT it, not with it. *cough*

Pthom · Dec 8, 2005

MadScientistMatt said:
... Pierce Anthony is notorious ...

The given name of the Mr. Anthony I'm familiar with is Piers.

As for humor in fantasy, albeit with tongue firmly planted in cheek, Cory Doctorow does a pretty good job.

Saanen · Dec 8, 2005

Diana Wynne Jones is a great fantasist, and very witty too. So's Pratchett. And yet they both manage to keep the "thunder" in their writing. I get bored with humorless books myself, no matter what genre.

Mike Coombes · Dec 8, 2005

Most fantasy is really funny.

SindbadtheSailor · Dec 9, 2005

Thanks a lot for your your feedback everyone! It makes me wonder though about the type of humour that can be employed. It would be amusing to read everyday slipstack humour in unearthly settings. I just can't imagine someone like the Jedi slipping on a banana peel. I'll check out some of the writers mentioned.

Sindbad

The Scribbler · Dec 9, 2005

I know in my book there are several humorous instances. It is more along the lines of the"fish out of water" style humor than it is anything else.

Novilia · Dec 9, 2005

I write fantasy and sci-fi novels and even though it's not uspposed to be all about huor, my characters often interject humorous contents here and there. It's just something they do naturally and hey, who am I to stop them?

Muhahahah!

DaveKuzminski · Dec 9, 2005

Some humor can set itself up quite well that a reader will appreciate it. One way is to play off stereotypes such as the plots found in TV shows and movies. In other words, you could have the character look at a door and then mutter, "Nope, on TV the bad guy would be behind the door waiting for me. Guess I better try the window," only to realize he's on the tenth floor and the door is the only way in.

Obviously, this would be for fantasy occurring in a modern setting.

Zane Curtis · Dec 9, 2005

I'm with Novilia here. I've got two characters in my current novel who, between them, generate quite a lot of humour. The first takes himself so seriously that he frequently makes himself ridiculous. The second is your typical wise-cracking, practical-joking smart-alec.

But this is humour with an edge. The first guy is so clueless and so at odds with the world around him that he is constantly in trouble (and this is what drives the conflict of the story). It's not that he's a dumb-*** -- I couldn't relate to a character like that -- it's more that he's the sort of guy who understands mathematics/physics/philosophy perfectly, but who doesn't have a clue about people. The second guy is going to be the witty jokester right up until the point they discover him sitting in the back of a closet in the fetal position; that's when they realise he has a bipolar dissorder.

So I don't think I'm going to have a problem juxtaposing humour with the more serious aspects of my story.

fallenangelwriter · Dec 9, 2005

in my WIP, one of the two narrators is a teenager who uses humor as a shield to avoid describing things which disturb him. rather than talk about why things upset him, he simply makes a joke, understates hthe problem, and continues. of cours,e since it's first person, this happens a lot.

the other narrator indulges in occasional sarcasm, with a very bitter tinge

Master Bedroom · Dec 9, 2005

Humor works in any story, any Genre.

One thing a story should do, I think, is take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions, and laughter is one of them. Set em up, knock em down and show them no mercy. No one reading a book or watching a movie, is going to complain about having a good laugh.

spacejock2 · Dec 10, 2005

SindbadtheSailor said:
Thanks a lot for your your feedback everyone! It makes me wonder though about the type of humour that can be employed. It would be amusing to read everyday slipstack humour in unearthly settings. I just can't imagine someone like the Jedi slipping on a banana peel. I'll check out some of the writers mentioned.

Sindbad

From your original post I thought you meant fantasy (swords and sorcery) but from this post I'm guessing you meant the whole genre, including science fiction.

Don't miss UK fantasy/humour authors Tom Holt and Robert Rankin

Robert Sheckley wrote a lot of SF/Humour, and sadly I only just heard that he passed away today.

Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide) wrote robot-slipping-on-a-banana style humour with clever language and some pretty wacky ideas.

I write science fiction humour and have a three book contract with an Australian publisher. However, I'm still a complete unknown and my books aren't available in the US. I only mention it because SF/Humour is my chosen genre.

Cheers
Simon

Ara · Dec 26, 2005

Read Pee Dee's "The Kiss That Did It" under the share your work section. It was good and full of humour!

Humour in Fantasy?

SindbadtheSailor

mirror it on every tear

Uncletrunx

Limited by talent

MadScientistMatt

Empirical Storm Trooper

bluejester12

I write and I wrong

Birol

Around and About

Minister

Unpredictable preacher

MuseAbuse

Pthom

Word butcher

Saanen

Mike Coombes

Guru

SindbadtheSailor

mirror it on every tear

The Scribbler

Novilia

DaveKuzminski

Preditors & Editors

Zane Curtis

Dried Frog Pill Dispenser

fallenangelwriter

Master Bedroom

spacejock2

Ara