So You Want Your Laughs with Your Dark and/or Fantasy | #TopTenTuesday 246

One of the things that I always appreciate are characters that don’t always take themselves too seriously or that have high volumes of sarcasm. Put that into fantasy and you might just create my favorite book.

Today for Top Ten Tuesday (as always hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) the prompt is books that make me smile. I specified that a bit. I’m sharing books with (dark) fantasy that can make you laugh. Or they did with me.

Discworld’s Death Arc by Terry Pratchett

“I? KILL? said Death, obviously offended. CERTAINLY NOT. PEOPLE GET KILLED, BUT THAT’S THEIR BUSINESS. I JUST TAKE OVER FROM THEN ON. AFTER ALL, IT’D BE A BLOODY STUPID WORLD IF PEOPLE GOT KILLED WITHOUT DYING, WOULDN’T IT?”

Pratchett’s Death is a work of art of a character. He is one of my favorites. While he shows up as the stereotype skeleton with a black robe and a scythe, his personality makes him interesting. While he does his jump he wonders about humanity and tries human things. Just imagine him as a farmer or as Santa. Yeah.

Gentleman Bastard by Scott Lynch

‘You’re one-third bad intentions, one-third pure avarice and one-eight sawdust. What’s left, I’ll credit, must be brains.’

There is just so much ass in these books between these characters. I love it.

Winnowing Flame by Jen Williams

“There is, it seems to me, a certain type of man who is terrified of the idea of a woman wielding power, of any sort; the type of man who is willing to dress up his terror in any sort of trappings to legitimise it.”

There is something so funny about people bitching with animals. A lot of the laughs are also accompanied with a lot of truth.

Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee

“The seat at the other end of the table was empty. Ayt had not arrived yet. Hilo checked his watch. He leaned back in his chair and smiled at those assembled, apparently at ease as he waited.
“Ayt-jen must’ve stopped to key my car.”

The variety of different characters and them clashing creates tense, emotional and also often funny moments. Especially Hilo likes to sass his way in and out of any argument.