The Sword and Laser discussion

V said something about wanting a thread for Happy or Light book recommendations (I don't recall her exact wording).
I didn't see a thread for that, so I'll kick it

Bypass Gemini, book 1 of the Big Sigma series by Joseph Lallo. The first two especially are great, but the whole series is fun. Book 1 is readable as a standalone, but it's so fun you'll want to go read the rest which continue the story.

Starship Grifters. This one left me saying "What the hell did I just read?!" but in a good way. It's standalone, but there's a sequel that I don't think was nearly as good.

Certainly in the “positive” side of the ledger I would put The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers. The book’s vibe of “we’re all in this together” lingers despite the various adventures and mishaps which the crew experiences.

Rob Kroese is great. I loved his "Iron Dragon" trilogy about trying to build a spaceship in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages, but wouldn't call that "light."

For "Happy or Light" I'd go with any and all Gail Carriger, starting with Soulless. For a brief bit of fluff, LeGuin's "Catwings," a picture book that features, well, cats with wings. Piers Anthony's "Prostho Plus" is a hilarious take on a dentist from present day Earth recruited by aliens to be a galactic dentist. "Year Zero" by Rob Reid is a takeoff on what would happen if a universe of music loving aliens suddenly realized they owed licensing fees for pirating Earth's music. Selecting from among the Pern books, White Dragon avoids most of the existential dread of being eaten by Thread and has themes of learning to cope when you're an outlier.

Jasper Fforde is the answer to the question. The Eyre Affair is brilliant . And perfect for the Stay at Home Crowd. Watch the film Jane Eyre ( Orson Wells at his peak) or read the actual book Jane Eyre. S&L Group has not read Jasper Fforde and that needs to be corrected

I'll repost some recommendations form the Episode discussion:

I feel the ultimate FUN re-read would be The Princess Bride - it's just so clever and witty and exciting and comforting! Also it's fun to spot all the differences to the movie.

Others have recommended to me to look into Solar Punk novels - that describe a more ecological, solar-panelled future - especially Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk and Eco-Speculation.

Oh, and I always wanted to try "Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future, maybe now is the time for that.

Fantasy for kids is often more likely to have the good guys be unambiguously good, and have them win out in the end. I've been thinking it's time to reread some Lloyd Alexander who I really liked as a kid. I know someone at work who is rereading the whole Redwall series by Brian Jacques and finding it appropriate for the times to have the good guys win against the odds (over and over again).

Jasper Fforde books are good choices as are other books that I often nominate such as A Dirty Job or any other book by Christopher Moore or the whole Callahan's Crosstime Saloon series by Spider Robinson.

Tor.com comes to the rescue with 17 optimistic fantasy titles:

https://www.tor.com/2020/03/30/17-opt...

Of course it includes a couple new Tor releases, but some of the picks look good.

Seth wrote: "Tor.com comes to the rescue with 17 optimistic fantasy titles:

https://www.tor.com/2020/03/30/17-opt...

Of course it includes a couple new Tor release..."

People on Twitter have a very different definition of “optimistic” than I do. Of the ones on that list that I’ve read, not many would I consider “light”.

Trike wrote: "Seth wrote: "Tor.com comes to the rescue with 17 optimistic fantasy titles:

https://www.tor.com/2020/03/30/17-opt...

Of course it includes a couple ne..."

Might as well stick in Lord of the Rings in that list...

Trike wrote: "People on Twitter have a very different definition of “optimistic” than I do. Of the ones on that list that I’ve read, not many would I consider “light”."

Yeap, just for starters Night Circus. In the opener we've got a five year old kid sent to live with a dad she doesn't know after her mom commits suicide. I threw it across the room. Well, metaphorically. I closed and deleted from my device.

John (Taloni) wrote: "Trike wrote: "People on Twitter have a very different definition of “optimistic” than I do. Of the ones on that list that I’ve read, not many would I consider “light”."

Yeap, just for starters Night Circus. In the opener we've got a five year old kid sent to live with a dad she doesn't know after her mom commits suicide. I threw it across the room. Well, metaphorically. I closed and deleted from my device."

Good choice, if you didn’t like that aspect. Her father proceeds to torture her for the next ~13 years.

Light! Fun!

10 LOVELY FANTASIES TO REMIND YOU THERE’S BEAUTY IN THE WORLD

https://bookriot.com/2020/04/11/lovel...

I agree with you guys and while those more official lists may have optimistic endings, most of the books in them are not exactly light or happy except in their endings.

The Night Circus is an oddball kind of book because (view spoiler)[awful things happen all the time but are never acknowledged as awful. E.g. the child torture is described, but more as "well, that was that and that's how she learned to heal herself". No time is spent on the psychological effect any of this had on the character, on her feelings toward her mentor, etc. So, yes, it does keep it's "light tone" in a way, maybe a bit like Westerns in which people are shot dead left and right and then the heroes go laugh and drink in the tavern - you're not meant to take the world too seriously, you're meant to stay on the entertaining, adventurous surface of things, without thinking of the heroes as alcoholics, the merry whores as traumatized victims, the baddies as tragic figures. It's just a bit of fluff for show, at least the part I've read (I got stuck about 40% through). For me, that lightness despite of awfulness didn't really work, I wanted these glaring issues to be addressed instead of swiped away with a magical gesture. But perhaps I judged prematurely. (hide spoiler)]

In terms of really happy / light books: definitely all of the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett. Laughter is the best medicine! Where to start? Either the beginning, The Colour of Magic, or highlights such as Guards! Guards! or Going Postal.

Not SFF, but very funny, warm and comforting: All Creatures Great and Small and all of its sequels - these are the memoirs of an English veterinarian who moves to the Scottish highlands to work there, and all the very unique, eccentric characters he meets.

Space Opera: 1. I second the Becky Chambers suggestion, and 2. We Are Legion (We Are Bob) - funny, optimistic, and Bob really gets stuff done! Has its melancholy moments, but the optimism definitely wins out. I'd say the worst thing that happens, happens right at the start as the premise of the novel, and the tone gets lighter as things progress.

Fantasy: middle-grade novels! All of Rick Riordan (please don't judge him by those horrible movies he had zero say in): The Lightning Thief and everything that follows. Also: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor), Dealing with Dragons, The Wishing Spell, The Secret Garden, The Rithmatist, The Nixie's Song, and so on.

Do awful things happen to children in these books? Yes, obviously, because they're the heroes who have to save the world / rescue their mother / find a new family because their old one sucks or is dead. But problems are solvable, there's humor, magic and lightness, and wonderful friends are found along the way - the books leave you with a smile on your lips. I really think if anyone needs a lovely pick-me-up these days, middle-grade fantasy is the way to go.

After over a month in isolation I'm seriously in need of the lighter, reliable reads.

I see some good recommendations have already been made, including Gail Carriger and Terry Pratchett and I'm happy to see the excellent All Creatures Great and Small getting a mention! If we're mentioning non-F/SF I'll toss in the hilarious My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell (way better than the TV series btw) and the peerless Jeeves & Wooster stories by P.G. Wodehouse.

I see Anne McCaffrey's Pern got a mention which is good, but I must say her SF books are often overshadowed by her excellent dragon tales. Her Powers That Be stories in particular are well worth a read and, despite having a really dystopian megacorp dominated setting, have a real cozy sense that the good guys will inevitably win and all will be well because they all work together and...well, they are so nice.

Personally I've returned to rereading Janet Edwards who, to me, is pretty much the most reliable author I know. If you pick up one of her books you are guaranteed to be swept up in a fascinating story, holding your breath as the characters face the odds, and when you close the book you'll have that rosy warm glow of a book with a satisfying ending. Somehow she has this ability to put her characters in the most awful situations, but, very much like Anne McCaffrey, you are somehow assured it'll turn out OK in the end so you can just relax and enjoy the ride. If you want to give her a go I'd recommend Telepath, but any of her books are good reading.

I recall enjoying Martians, Go Home, but I don’t remember enough of it to say whether it was silly-funny or dark-satire-funny.

It does sport one of the all-time great cover paintings by Kelly Freas.


Larger version:
https://images.app.goo.gl/6ro3uQqyWNU...

Looks a little like Veronica...

If I recall correctly, Jim C. Hines Goblin Quest is a light/happy book. It's been awhile since I read it though, and I never went beyond the first book in the series.

I'll agree with the Tor.com post with their new releases on The House in the Cerulean Sea, it has been one of the only fiction books I could get through because my brain is all nahhhhh.

I think in general science fiction and fantasy aren't really about the light, are they? Maybe if you went down the line of paranormal romance or something that had a happily ever after...

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I think in general science fiction and fantasy aren't really about the light, are they? Maybe if you went down the line of paranormal romance or something that had a happily ever after...."

What about stuff like Star Trek? There sure are lots of conflicts that crop up every episode, but it's still set in a future where humanity has united into one 'nation' which works towards the good of all, and has even banded together into a Confederation with other species from around the galaxy.

Considering our current position as a species, I'd say that's pretty optimistic. I don't know if optimistic is the same as 'light' or not, I suppose it depends on who's reading.

It's a bit dated and probably difficult to find in many bookstores, but Keith Laumer's "Retief" series is a lighthearted, satirical series in which the main character, Jaime Retief, is a human galactic diplomat who uses his wits, and occasionally busts a few alien heads, to solve intergalactic foreign affairs.

The most feel good of my recent reads have been the Murderbot tales by Martha Wells. I just finished the ARC for Network Effect and it ends with hope and anticipation for the future.

I just remembered something: the Sector General series by James White: https://www.goodreads.com/series/4445...

It's about a galactic hospital station in which every alien species in the galaxy gets medical treatment and human and alien doctors and nurses work together. Surgeons also download alien memories (and personalities) into their brains so that they'll have the necessary knowledge of how to diagnose and treat each species.

It was written in the 60s/70s and first appeared as separate short stories, which were later combined into the first novel (which is why the first is very episodic). But it holds up quite well for its age, especially the technology is still convincing, and the medical stuff is based on the author's own experience as a surgeon.

So if you've always wanted to read about a multi-cultural space station and doctors curing super weird aliens and puzzling out what's wrong with them, then this would be a great light read for you.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I think in general science fiction and fantasy aren't really about the light, are they? Maybe if you went down the line of paranormal romance or something that had a happily ever after... "

This is why I'm just done with the trend this century of dystopian/grimdark SFF. If you read SF of the 50s and 60s you'll see a lot of optimistic stories. Many are definitely weighed down by outdated attitudes about gender, race etc but the essential stories are positive in their outlook. That's not to say that there aren't conflicts and bad things within them, but the basic arc of many novels written then tends to be positive.

For whatever reason writers for the last 20 years or so revel in dark, dystopia etc and while those also have a place, it's become boring, repetitive and has distorted the field.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I think in general science fiction and fantasy aren't really about the light, are they? "

True. Probably because it’s accepted as a truism that all stories require conflict, and you have to continually top yourself. Eventually everything explodes, usually quite literally. In order to get to that point you need a real villain, someone who is pure evil, which raises the stakes even more.

It’s hard to do light, or fun, or optimistic given those particular starting conditions.

Eva wrote: "I just remembered something: the Sector General series by James White: https://www.goodreads.com/series/4445..."

Yes, that's a very nice, fun series without too high of stakes (in general). Just be prepared for some weird dated gender stuff.

Mark wrote: "The most feel good of my recent reads have been the Murderbot tales by Martha Wells... "

You know... I didn't look at it that way, but now that you say that: Sure, I can see that. I love the Murderbot series.

Well hrumph! I wanted to suggest Pippi Longstocking as some good, clean nostalgia fun. Yet as I look at both my area libraries I see not a kindle copy to be found. Available on Amazon though, if you don't mind paying $9 for a novella's worth of story.

John (Taloni) wrote: "Well hrumph! I wanted to suggest Pippi Longstocking as some good, clean nostalgia fun...."

Well in that case I can admit to reading books for a younger audience. I'm currently reading Five Go Off to Camp but if you want something more Sword & Lasery you could always check out The Demon Headmaster, Mr. Majeika or The Worst Witch - all in the finest tradition of "Children get into a scrape but it all turns out OK so just enjoy." with lots of chuckles along the way.

Kev wrote: "If I recall correctly, Jim C. Hines Goblin Quest is a light/happy book. It's been awhile since I read it though, and I never went beyond the first book in the series."

I'll second the recommendation. I finished it and it was a light romp, where the little guy gets his due. Just don't eat the stew.

John (Taloni) wrote: "Well hrumph! I wanted to suggest Pippi Longstocking as some good, clean nostalgia fun. Yet as I look at both my area libraries I see not a kindle copy to be found. Available on Amazon though..."

In general Astrid Lindgren's novels may provide some great lighter reads - with the notable exception of The Brothers Lionheart which I remember to be so extremely sad it was difficult for me to get through...

Ronja, the Robber's Daughter, however would be a wonderful Fanatsy novel to read with your kids!

Kev wrote: "If I recall correctly, Jim C. Hines Goblin Quest is a light/happy book. It's been awhile since I read it though, and I never went beyond the first book in the series."
You can also try his latest series starting with Terminal Alliance. The setting is not quite happy-go-lucky (Earth had been, in general, zombiefied, some humans are cured and serve as soldiers in multispecies space fleet) and there are serious themes, but if the protagonist are janitors taking over a warship and learning how to operate it on-the-fly with a little help from Mr Clipp^W^W system assistant looking as an animated pufferfish (It looks like you’re trying to establish a communications channel with another ship. Would you like help?) it has to be a *little bit* funny ;-).

Book Riot did a post on this topic, with some familiar books listed. https://bookriot.com/2020/04/14/feel-...