Today’s topic comes from QSFer John Allenson: “What, if any, is the role of humour in science fiction and fantasy?”
Most sci fi and fantasy tends to be pretty serious stuff – looking at the social and cultural impacts of current trends on the future, aka climate change, overpopulation, technical advances, etc for sci fo, and the imminent end of the world as dark forces converge in fantasy.
But I’ve also read my share of humorous works, especially on the sci fi side – see Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, or Piers Anthony’s Xanth.
I’m wracking my brain for some examples on the sci fi side, but coming up short.
So my questions today – what humorous sci fi and fantasy novels or series have you read, and were they successful? And do you think humor has a role in these genres (and if so, what is it)?