Stuck in a rut

[crowther7689]

Hi all,
I have read, and reread every easily available Terry Pratchett book, my problem is I can't 'get into' another book.

I am look for an author perhaps with a similar style of writting to TP, something with as much satire and brilliant plots.

It doesn't have to be fantasy, just as addictive as the discworld!

Any recomendations? Thanks in advance.
ps Brilliant forum, hope it's ok to start off with a thread like this.

 

[Thadlerian]

something with as much satire and brilliant plots.

Well, if that's what you're looking for, what else is there to recommend but Jasper Fforde? Satirical and extremely humorous (and complex) plots. So far he has published the four Thursday Next novels, plus The Big Over Easy.

 

[chrispenycate]

The use of fantastical worlds or situations to comment upon happenings in that small corner of creation that we refer to as "reality" did not originate in the twentieth century (reread Dean Swift's "Gullivers travels" from an adult perspective, and you cun see where his "Modest proposal" came from) and neither is the use of humour therein; but if you're looking for more Pratchett, with a diferent author's name, you're likely to be disappointed.

There are many more fantasy universes out there that don't take themselves too seriously (I assume you do require a series? If you can make do on individual books the field widens exponentially) but which one you will find addictive is sooo personal. Putting up two that probably no-one else will, Eric Flint's "Joes World"("The Philosophical Strangler") and Esther Freisner's "Elf defence" collection (Well, perhaps I am collecting for the "Alphabetical SSF thread).

Much as I love the discworld (I've applied foe immigration permits) I can O.D. on it, and move onto hard SF, which I can find just as habituating. It's probably just as well that the pTerry can only manage a book and a bit a year.

Meaning more of the same is likely to be eating soya pseudosteak, while risking branching out (cheap if you've a public library, somewhat less so if, like me, you're obliged to purchase them) could introduce you to tandoori or caviar; or merely porridge, but you don't have to clean your plate.

 

[GrownUp]

Have you read Douglas Adams' Hitchhikers Guide series? It's quite eighties.

Tom Holt is good for more standalone books.

Dianne Wynn Jones is less sarcastic but has a nice line in shrewd observation, even though hers are children's books.

 

[Brys]

Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance
The Compleat Enchanter by L Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
Some Lankhmar stories, eg Lean Times in Lankhmar or Bazaar of the Bizarre by Fritz Leiber.

All of them are excellent humour in fantasy and they have a relatively similar style to Pratchett - not to mention that Pratchett was influenced by these.

Another good fantasy satire:
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.

There's no real need to say that all of these have excellent plots, and quite a bit of satire (if not quite as much or as overt as in Discworld).

 

[Rane Longfox]

Douglas Adams and Robert Rankin are the first two that spring to mind

 

[crowther7689]

Wow fast replies and loads of suggestions. Will get down the library and get some out. I finally gave in and read the da vinci code tonight, anything will be an improvement on that!
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[fungi from Yuggoth]

You might also like to take a look at Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series.

 

[Space Elf]

Piers Anythony and his Xanth sereis???

In quantity they nearly match Pratchett, but Piers does like his puns .. a bit too much.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Tom Holt/Robert Rankin are both similar writers to Terry Pratchett (or at least they write about similar ideas!).

Also check out Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series and Robert Asprin's Myth-inc series - both good 'comedy fantasy' novels.

p.s. welcome to the forums, crowther

 

[FelineEyes]

There is an author, whose name escapes me right now, who wrote a book called The Wanderings of Wuntvor. A very entertaining read, though it is the sqeual to another book by the same author, The Exploits of Embezum. I haven't read that one. Anyway, the humor similar to Terry Prachett's, just a shade less witty. Still fun though.

 

[Jay]

When asked about fun fantasy, I always feel obligated to mention Thorne Smith.