Looking for new comic author sugggestions from you Brits.

[raisindot]

Hello!

I'm reaching a bit of a rut in my reading lately. I'm awaiting next novels from some of my favorite authors, and am looking to find new writers.

I'm particularly looking to expand my exposure to comic/satirical British writers past and present. I've fully covered the most obvious ones (Wodehouse, Waugh, Mortimer, Hornby, Sharpe, FForde, Adams, PTerry) and partially covered others (the Amises, Gaiman), but wouldn't mind learning of others you might recommend.

Since I'm not a huge fan of fantasy or SF, I'd prefer suggestions of authors of more "realistic" fiction. I prefer those that are heavier on dialogue, less on exposition and mannerisms. The more vulgar the better. Thank you!

J-I-B

 

[poohcarrot]

Robert Rankin - Witches of Chiswick/Website Story

"One of the few people who can always make me laugh out loud" - Terry Pratchett (or some quote like that! )

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

The 1st four (subtitled The Brentford Trilogy though there are now eight in it. ) are my paticular favorites,where it all began.

The Antipope
The Brentford Triangle
East of Ealing
The Sprouts of Wrath

You can also buy the 1st three in an omnibus edition.

Type this into Google or other seach engine:Order of the Golden Sprout, the new Robert Rankin Fan Club.
then on the left hand side click books for a synopsis of the plots.

 

[michelanCello]

Does it have to be british?

How about Vonnegut?

There's a hungarian writer who I like very much, his name is Jenő Rejtő, but he wrote a lot under the name P. Howard.
I just found two books of him on the internet, here they are, if you're interested. (They're not my favorites, but also very good. Mostly I like the "Dirty Fred" series... if I'll be in the mood some day, I'll translate the very first chapter (don't worry, it's only two pages, and only a dialogue) in english, because I think it's hilarious)

http://mek.oszk.hu/01000/01022/01022.htm

http://mek.niif.hu/01000/01021/01021.htm

 

[Dotsie]

I quite fancy having a read of China Mieville, but his work would probably be classed as fantasy (as would Robert Rankin). No idea if he's any good, but his work sounds interesting. And I don't know where he's from, but I'm pretty sure he's based in the UK.

 

[Bouncy Castle]

My first thought when I read the OP was Rankin!

I'm currently reading Knees Up Mother Earth!

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

I quite fancy having a read of China Mieville, but his work would probably be classed as fantasy (as would Robert Rankin). No idea if he's any good, but his work sounds interesting. And I don't know where he's from, but I'm pretty sure he's based in the UK.

China lives in London Dotsie.

 

[Dotsie]

Yeah, I looked him up & he was born in Norwich. Have you read him? Any good?

A good British satire writer I've just thought of is Ben Elton. Not fantasy or SF (although one novel is set a short time in the future). Get the old stuff though, what I've read of the ones from Inconceivable onwards weren't that good. Nicely vulgar

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

I have only one of his books Un Lun Dun got it an EasterCon when he was attending,he is well regarded as an author from what I have from other people.

Check him out at the Library first.

 

[poohcarrot]

Agree with Dotsie. Ben Elton's good. Ben Elton co-wrote Black Adder

 

[Tonyblack]

And check out the Red Dwarf books by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. They sometimes writes under the name of 'Grant Naylor'.

The books are excellent!

 

[mspanners]

Yep read the Red Dwarf books as they are fine!

 

[chris.ph]

ive read peridisio street station by china mievielle and its definately not satire more like horror scifi

 

[Tonyblack]

If you aren't looking for fantasy or sci-fi, but want a really good author with a very dry sense of humour, you could try Beryl Bainbridge. A particularly funny one by her is Young Adolf, based of the true fact that Adolf Hitler came to Liverpool when he was a young man to visit his brother and his Irish wife.

But all her books are really well written and funny.

You might also try reading Spike Milligan's books - they are hilarious!

 

[swreader]

On the theory that you can never have too many recommendations, here are two American comic satirists (mystery writers) whom you may or may not know.

Christopher Moore - Who has written Practical Demonkeeping, Coyote Blue, Bloodsucking Fiends, Island of the Sequined Love Nun, The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, Lamb, Fluke, The Stupidest Angel, A Dirty Job, You Suck, and Fool. He lives in San Francisco.

Carl Hiaasen - who has some 30 books, two of which have been made into movies. His first "mystery" is called Tourist Season. One of Hiaasen's previous novels, Strip Tease, became a major motion-picture in 1996 starring Demi Moore, and directed by Andrew Bergman. Despite what some critics said, Hiaasen continues to insist that the scene featuring Burt Reynolds slathered from his neck to his toes with Vaseline is one of the high points in modern American cinema.

You may already know both these authors, but if not, I think you'd enjoy them.

 

[Dotsie]

I agree that Christopher Moore's good, Catch-up put me on to him & Mr Dotsie's a fan too. I'm reading Lamb at the moment.

 

[Danny B]

If you want snappy dialogue and barbed commentary on modern manners, combined with pacy plotting, then you probably can't go wrong with reading Mike Ripley or Colin Bateman. Ostensibly mystery stories, they both specialise more in dissecting the mores and attitudes of whichever particular subset of society has taken their attention most recently. Christopher Brookmyre does a similar thing, though with less obvious wit than the first two I mentioned. A final mention should go to Nick Revell; I've only read one of his novels (Night of the Toxic Ostrich) but it's about as vulgar as you could ever hope for.

 

[raisindot]

On the theory that you can never have too many recommendations, here are two American comic satirists (mystery writers) whom you may or may not know.

Christopher Moore - Who has written Practical Demonkeeping, Coyote Blue, Bloodsucking Fiends, Island of the Sequined Love Nun, The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, Lamb, Fluke, The Stupidest Angel, A Dirty Job, You Suck, and Fool. He lives in San Francisco.

Carl Hiaasen - who has some 30 books, two of which have been made into movies.

Hiaasen is the "dean" of Florida "humor" fiction, sort of the comic counterpoint to the more 'serious' Elmore Leonard. Dave Barry's two novels are nearly total ripoffs off Hiaasen's style (they're both good friends, and I love Dave Barry's non-fiction books). Other similar writers are Lawrence Shames and, at the far extreme, Tim Dorsey (see thread).

Moore (see thread) isn't really a mystery writer--he's more of a parodists specializing in the horror/supernatural genre, although one of his most recent novels, "Fool," was a 're-boot' of the King Lear story as told from the POV of the Fool.

Both great authors, very fun to read.

J-I-B

 

[poohcarrot]

I didn't know Dave Barry had written two novels.
Dave Barry does Japan is brilliant.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

ive read peridisio street station by china mievielle and its definately not satire more like horror scifi

Have you read this one Chris.
Just finished "Aberistwyth Mon Amore" Brilliant! Similar style as Jasper Fforde as it is set in an alternative history.

Aberistwyth is a dirty town full of organised crime(run by Druids), loose women(in Welsh national costume and stovepipe hats), Private eyes and homosidal Welsh teachers.

Film Noire meets seaside resort. Strange but clever!

May check it out it looks a fun read.