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What books do you recommend for someone looking for positive vibes or casual amusement or escape
This was inspired by a conversation in the What are your reading thread.
I found myself wanting a larger discussion, so I'm asking here.
Try Going Postal by Terry Pratchett.
Anything from the Discworld series really. Just pure fun and joy!
My first thought too, though of the ones I’ve read Small Gods is my personal favorite. I’m not entirely sure the premise is all that hopeful, but the yarn is great silly fun and I found hope in it.
Was going to suggest Discworld, too. There are a couple darker, or at least more serious, moments here and there in the series but in general they’re super lighthearted and fun.
Yeah I loved Guards Guards the other day. I've been having to slow down cause I can't keep dropping money on the next book! Great escape reads.
Moist Lipwig and Sam Vimes are some of my top fictional characters in how they are exceptionally competent while still developing as people over all their adventures.
Moist stories are probably an a nice piece of escapism for some people, seeing how his a conman drafted into government service by a dictator and they work to change things for the better.
Does this imply that you recommend starting discworld with this book? I got burnt out of wanting to start the series after deep diving book order recommendations while simultaneously trying to avoid spoilers. Feels overwhelming as an outsider.
The Discworld isn't your typical long fantasy series telling one big story, where you have to read everything in order, or be worried about spoilers.
It's really a bunch of loosely interconnected books that happen in the same world.
Some of them are loose sequels to each other because they follow the same group of characters, but frankly even for those it's not a big deal if you don't start with a specific book or if you don't read them all.
Every Discworld is a good starting book. And it's OK if you only read one or two.
To answer your question - Yes, Going Postal is a good starting point.
I started Discworld with it (Going Postal), and found it a very approachable starting point (and a very fun book). I would absolutely recommend it as someone’s first Discworld book.
Since then, I’ve read Making Money (it’s a bit of a continuation of Going Postal), Guards Guards, and Mort.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch is a fun, easy, escapist read.
Good pick, it's a really fun fantasy-world heist story that feels like a fast read even though the book's kind of a doorstop, heh.
In the same vein of "fast, fun heist stories set in a fantasy world" I would highly recommend the Rogues of the Republic series by Patrick Weekes.
I've seen Terry Pratchett mentioned a couple of times so I'll drop the mandatory The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams.
It's simultaneously silly and clever, while at the same time being a fantastic adventure across space and time. The characters are funny, the situations are funny, the writing is extremely funny, and the preposterous universe Adams builds throughout the books is wonderful to get lost in.
Don't stop at Hitchhiker's guide, Douglas Adams has other good ones like Dirk Gentley's Holistic Detective Agency, The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul and Last Chance to See.
See also, Lamb by Christopher Moore. It belongs among the great humorous novels of all time alongside the work of Adams and Pratchett.
I really recommend comic books for this! There's a lot out there--it's not just action comics. I recommend taking a look at Keiichi Arawi's series Nichijou. If you like it, check out CITY.
Other than that I quite like Young Adult fiction when turning my brain off. A lot easier to read when there aren't a bunch of big worlds! Take a look at Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism.
Oooh, if we're talking comics, Bone by Jeff Smith is good. It was probably the first comic I picked up besides MAUS. The Amulet series, too. Watchmen. Although my picks aren't really "escapes", just really great narratives.
I'm 100% on board with you, though. I feel comics have always been under-represented in adult reading.
As an aside, have you ever noticed that media portrays pretty much every comic book-reader as a Sheldon Cooper / Leonard Hofstadter super-nerd type?
The Worm Tunnel by Michael Dahl comes to mind for me on this (though it is considered a 'teen mystery' novelette). It's like reducing a sauce when cooking, there is less quantity in the end, but what has been boiled down is excellent.
Watchmen is amazing. There's a reason it consistently ends up as the only comic book on "top sci-fi books of all time" lists.
That reason is definitely not "positive vibes" though, so OP beware.
I often find myself rereading Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and its sequel The House at Pooh Corner (1928), both by A. A. Milne. I think they're really good examples of comfortable escapist fantasy fiction with VERY low stakes. They're collections of casual short stories and definitely have a positive vibe (until you get to Eeyore lol). The Hundred Acre Wood (the setting of the stories) is one of my favorite fictional places; it's basically Arcadian simplicity with cozy adventure. So yeah, would definitely recommend these two books if you're looking for a relaxing and uplifting read!
My daughter has the audio recordings, we used to listen to them at night as she was going to sleep. My favorite parts are the introduction to Winnie the Pooh and this poem about bears and squares.
All of it is lovely nonsense.
The Hundred Acre Woods are in Ashdown Forest in south east England. ‘Pooh corner’ is there and the bridge where they play Pooh sticks.
There’s also an old tree that features in the books in some way. I don’t know much more about it than that as I don’t know the stories very well.
Beware of Chicken, which is a send-up of Cultivation novels, turned out to be a genuinely fun read on its own, with a likeable MC. The tone is light-hearted and unapologetically positive, with just enough drama to keep things interesting, and I like that.
I normally reach for b-movie sci-fi action, comedy for comfort reads.
Mainly Craig Allensons, Expeditionary Force series, specifically the Audiobook narrated by RC Bray. First half of the first book seems to go one way, and then the script flips on a dime and it turns into a grand odyssey across and beyond the Galaxy. Can get a bit samey after a while so it makes for a good background listen. But the insults are gold and friendly banter or long chats between the teams is what I keep coming back for.
There also the Hard Luck Hank series by Steven Cambell. It's a New York story in space New York, with each title taking place in a very different version of the city. Be it a run down mob town or a showbiz town or a financial capital or a city in the midst of gang war. But all the while you're grounded by the same core cast who evolve with the city in reasonable ways.
If you want a one-shot read, Masters of Formalities by Scott Mayers plays of the best form of comedy. Absurd high brow etiquette. It's quick and easy and my only complaint is that there isn't more.
For a bit of variety, Minimum Wage Magic is a short urban fantasy series set in magical Detroit. I love the worldbuilding and it speaks to the the millennial grind and family pressure but without getting too heavy. Also the Goddess of Dragons is my favorite deity and I am happy to set out cheap booze in her name.
And non-fictionish, When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris is a witty collection of essays and stories that I crack open whenever I need a quick pick-me-up.
A book I found hopeful, about a friendship while working in difficult but not tragic circumstances is Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman.
Calahan's Cross Time Saloon is funny and full of puns and hopeful.
A Psalm for the Wild Built is uplifting and comforting science fiction.
The Sector General series is set in a star trek style federation universe.
As I wrote in the other thread, Whatever you Do Don't run true tales of a Botswana Safari Guide is an easy read that made me laugh out loud.
James Herriot and Terry Pratchett I will always recommend.
I came into this thread to mention Becky Chambers. All her books are very comforting. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet made me smile the whole time I was reading it.
Thirding A Psalm for the Wild Built. First book I though of after I read "casual entertainment." It is the easiest book to recommend, truly a delightful little read.
I understand it is beloved, but I found it went a little too far in the calm & comforting direction. I ended up putting it down around 30% of the way through because it felt like nothing was happening and my attention was slipping.
That said, I had read The Murderbot Diaries not long beforehand so perhaps my expectations were elsewhere.
It's more a character study than a plot driven book like the Murderbot novellas. It's about Dex being unsatisfied even in a utopia and trying to find their purpose. Expecting the same would be like tossing Murderbot aside due to a lack of a detaile magic system. ;)
I do have to fourth the book and everything Chambers writes for this thread so I'm quite biased. And I love Martha Wells but they're very different authors.
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
The Road To Roswell and The Bellwether by Connie Willis
I would also add Minor Mage to that!
I'd like to recommend the Ethshar series. I mentioned this in another book suggestion thread, but they do fit here. They're standalone novels (for the most part) set in the same setting. They're all generally light-hearted and fun reads, and are relatively quick reads at that. For me, they really capture that feeling of fantasy that is "fun" to read, quick and enjoyable stories that don't overstay their welcome. I actually started reading another of them after bringing them up in the other thread because I felt like I could use something quick and lighthearted right now.
That's an intriguing recommendation!
I love fantasy but stopped reading it because it's always some overly-serious 16 tome sprawling epic. In many cases it's not even finished yet, so you don't even know when (or if) it's getting concluded. Most of the famous ones have some interesting ideas, or fascinating magic systems.. but I just can't dedicate the next 3 years of my life reading the same thing.
Something more light-hearted that doesn't overstay its welcome (and is mostly stand-alone) sounds exactly like what I need to get back into the genre!
Which book of the series do you recommend to start with?
I would recommend the first book The Misenchanted Sword as a great starting point. It gives some nice background to the series and is set during the establishment of the Etshar city states.
I started with the second book, With a Single Spell and loved it.
The author goes over the books he thinks are good starting points and what later books serve as follow ups/loose sequels to specific previous books on his FAQ page in question 9.
I know how you feel about long book series. I'm currently on Book 7 of Malazan Book of the Fallen and while I love it I find myself thinking a lot while reading it. With my work getting a bit nuts I've been branching out into some easier to follow and lighter books.
Check out some David Sedaris. For example, Me Talk Pretty One Day or Naked.
Jack Handey - The Stench of Honolulu
I believe the goodreads score is too low. Jack Handey to me is unbeatable for a light hearted, short, funny read.
A Company of Liars
Time Traveller's guide to medieval Europe
The Bartholomew and Chaloner series of books written by Susanna Gregory
Culture series of books written by Iain M. Banks
My favorite author for amusement/humor is Christopher Moore. Great for when you want to laugh out loud while reading.
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
I think it's the seminal "cozy fantasy" book. The stakes are as high as starting a café in a fantasy town.
The audiobook is also very very good, as Travis, the author, is a professional audiobook narrator and of course reads their own book :D
From traditionally published books I would add Saints Astray by J. Carey but it is a sequel of Santa Olivia which has a significantly different tone.
Now I am going to recommend some web serials.
This used to be about dungeons - features party dynamics of a five people in a mostly safe world withbinteresting magics. And also dungeons. Moved to Amazon.
Hoard - is a character driven exploration of connections between individuals and a found family story. The harem premise might put people off but the author(also of Gods are Bastards and Only Villains do That, each with very different tone) makes it work.
Soul Guardian - another found family story this time with a high up demon, his rival, a young human witch and a hellhound acting as a family. Has very strong Good Omens vibes. Moved to Amazon.
Heart of Dorkness - an adopted daughter of the goddess of darkness goes on adventures.
A friend introduced me to Bernard Cornwell 7 or 8 years ago, he really knows his business.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Cornwell
Try the first book of any series, my favorites are the Sharpe and Starbuck series.
I've been enjoying the Sydney Rye books by Emily Kimelman. They're fun mysteries, quick to read, and the dog doesn't die (but the villains do).
This might be a weird answer but a lot of Tolstoi's short stories are very fun and and thoughtful. If you were raised religious Tolstoi will make a lot of sense.
fwiw in English the name is usually spelled with a y at the end rather than an i (assuming its the very famous author you probably mean)
You're right. Google corrects it to Tolstoy. My book spells it with an i. The russian character й can be transliterated as i or as y.
yeah I think it's just because he's famous enough that one transliteration took over as the standard, rather than the usual variability you get with transliterating Russian names.