Those two are my favorite authors, but sadly I’ve read all their work and neither are making any more.
I absolutely love that style of writing and I’d love to know if there’s more like them!
I don’t know you, but I love you already 💖
Neil Gaiman - More on the Fantasy side than irony. His works are still a pleasure. And ofk his collaboration with Terry “Good Omen”. Also check “American Gods” and “Anansi Boys”.
Kurt Vonnegut - Not what you would call “Fun and laugh” works, but his stories are crazy, well written and full of irony and smart social critics.
Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Craddle is a wonderfully satirical novel.
American Gods is very good as well, I did not try the other books by Neil Gaimlan you mention but will definitely give them a try, thanks for the recommendation.
Good Omens was like my favourite cake spiced with bits of oh-so-ironic-and-absurd British humour.
There’s always Neil Gaiman. His style is definitely different, but you can feel some similarities. He and Pratchett wrote Good Omens together. Check out Stardust, the Graveyard Book, or American Gods. And of course The Sandman, but it is darker.
I’m listening to the audiobook of the graveyard book narrated by him right now and it’s fantastic
Gaiman’s narrations are fantastic. Add Neverwhere to the list above!
Try the stories of Harry Harrison.
I’ll second Harry Harrison, and specifically recommend Bill the Galactic Hero.
Oh yeah, I remember this one! I remember it being pretty funny, but that must have been 22 years ago, wow.
Maybe check out Christopher Moore
Definitely read some Wodehouse.
Edit: Stanisław Lem’s Pirx series as well!
Tom Holt is much in a similar vein as Pratchett (even shared the same cover artist for a while) with his satirical takes on fantasy & fairy tale tropes.
Surprised no one has mentioned Robert Rankin, who has a darker view that Adams but is good at satirical takes, even though some of his works do feel dated since they were written for the contemporary audience of the publications time.
Diana Wynne Jones is also recommended, she was an influence on Pratchett to a degree. She picks apart a lot of fantasy tropes in her books. she was also a friend and teacher to Gaiman. Most people know her for the Ghibli adaptation of her book Howl’s Moving Castle.
Jasper Forrde has been described to me as like Adams but haven’t read his book yet.
and finally the Gormenghast series by Mervyn Peake, which was referenced a lot in the early Discworld novels.
I’d definitely agree with the people recommending Robert Rankin.
Tom Sharpe is also funny (Wilt, Porterhouse Blue, etc.)
Also (disclaimer that it’s by someone I used to know which may affect my judgement) Go Up by Simon Broadbent is clearly influenced by the Terry Pratchett books set in Ankh Morpork.
I didn’t like it quite as much, and it is more middle grade, but A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking feels kind of Pratchett influenced.
It’s actually a very dark book in some points, but Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 is that style of absurdist humor set during World War II. My English teacher assigned that one to me when he found out I loved Hitchhiker’s Guide.
I second (third? fourth?) the Kurt Vonnegut suggestions too. I have never regretted reading anything with his name on it.
Phule’s series might tickle your fancy:
I think a lot of the comments are focusing on similar subject veins, but for similar writing styles as you asked, I would suggest checking out Christopher Moore or jason pargin( former pen name David Wong)
Yes, great thought! His book “Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal” is SO GOOD
That book made me laugh out loud on a plane in the middle of turbulence.
This book is on my once-a-year reading list - I also love the Bloodsucking Fiends books.
I recently read The Stranger Times by Caimh McDonnell, an urban fantasy about a tabloid reporting on supernatural events that’s very tongue in cheek and although the humour doesn’t always hit, it did remind me of Rivers of London by ways of Terry Pratchett. The characters are certainly very Pratchett-ian. The story starts of with the Stranger Times looking for a “new Tina” a.k.a. assistent editor because the editor is insufferably rude and terrible to people. The job description reads: “Publication seeks desperate human being with capability to form sentences, using the English language. No imbeciles, optimists or Simons need apply.”
The Rivers of London series by Ben Aarronovich; It’s a police procedural set in a world where magic is real, and exploited by dangerous criminal groups. The book’s protagonist is (initially) a trainee magic-cop in a centuries-old division of the Metropolitan Police.
Give Robert Rankin a Google. The Brentford trilogy is amazing.
Those two are hard to top!
You may enjoy ‘Tuf’s Voyaging’. An early G.r.r. Martin novel, about some dude space traveling.
It’s more pulpy, but if you’re fantasy starved, try Jack Vance (especially the Dying Earth series).
He’s a very prolific and inventive writer. DnD pretty much copied his magic system.I’m not sure if it will scratch that itch, but Pratchett’s daughter Rhiannon is co-releasing something Discworld related in the near future.
I’m mostly in the same boat, except I haven’t been able to pick up the Shepherd’s Crown. I’m still not ready for it to be over.
