Episode 109 - The Humour
This month is Episode 9 - The Humour. The panel discusses the spec-fic books that best tickle their funny bones and how humour can help or hinder the narrative. Hear about Piers Anthony's A Spell for Chameleon, Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Neil Gaiman* & Terry Pratchett's Good Omens, and Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair.
*Panel's Note - this recording was made prior to the allegations against Neil Gaiman becoming widely public.
A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony
A Spell for Chameleon is the first book in Piers Anthony's Xanth series. It follows the story of Bink, a young man living in the magical land of Xanth. In this world, everyone has a magical talent, but Bink, despite his best efforts, seems to have no powers at all. When he is exiled from his home for failing to show a magical ability, he sets off on a quest to discover his true talent. Along the way, he encounters various magical creatures, faces numerous challenges, and begins to uncover secrets about himself and his world. The book blends fantasy, humor, and adventure as Bink's journey leads him to surprising revelations about magic and identity.
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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
A quintessential science fiction humour novel where the plot, while almost wholly irrelevant, involves the imminent destruction of Earth to make way for an intergalactic highway. Some well known (and well loved!) elements include Zaphod Beeblebox - a galactic president who has stolen a spacecraft with an infinite improbability drive, Marvin - the depressed android, and the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything - 42.
Adams has an incredibly inventive and humourous take on science fiction, and is often celebrated for his wit, imaginative world-building and satirical commentary on bureaucracy, technology, and human nature. If you enjoy clever humour, creative storytelling, and a playful critique of modern life, this book should definitely be in your to-read pile!
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Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Good Omens is a comedic novel about an angel and a demon, Aziraphale and Crowley, who have grown rather fond of Earth and its inhabitants. When they learn that the apocalypse is imminent and the Antichrist is about to bring about the end of the world, they team up to prevent it. However, they soon discover that they’ve misplaced the Antichrist, who is now a normal boy living in a small English town. As the date of Armageddon approaches, the unlikely duo, along with a motley crew of characters including a witch and a group of amateur occultists, work to thwart the cosmic plans and save the world. The novel blends humor, fantasy, and satire, exploring themes of good, evil, and the complexities of human nature.
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The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
The Eyre Affair is the first novel in the "Thursday Next" series, which follows the life of literary detective Thursday Next. It’s a quirky and inventive novel, set in an alternate 1985 where literature is central to society and time travel and literary characters are real. Thursday works for a special branch of the police that deals with crimes involving literature. When a notorious criminal known as Acheron Hades steals the original manuscript of Jane Eyre and kidnaps the character of Jane Eyre herself, Thursday must dive into the world of classic literature to stop him. The novel is a blend of mystery, fantasy, and literary satire, filled with clever references and a playful take on classic literature.
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