Goofy Books

This post is probably going to reveal some kind of major character flaw or some kind of issue that should probably referred to a talented psychiatrist, but there's just something about silly books that I really like. The writing in most of these books is pretty good, but the story it just a little twisted.

I would think that the ultimate example of what I'm talking about would be the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series. There is more to the story than just the plot. An accepted absurdity is integral to just how enjoyable the story is. Describing flying as the ability to throw one's self at the ground and miss, or a floating party that has lasted for several generations is a symptom of what I'm talking about. You do have to ask yourself whether or not the author is mentally stable, but when you read their stories, you assume they are and hope and pray that they don't find competent medical assistance any time soon.

However, Douglas Adams certainly doesn't have a monopoly on this kind of writing. Alan Dean Foster, Harry Harrison, Piers Anthony, Craig Shaw Gardner and Steven Brust come to mind rather quickly. I'm sure that there are plenty of other writers who have written in this fashion too, and as I find more of these goofy books, I go ahead and add them to my collection. Whether it's cats being the most advanced species in the universe, a world where movies are real or one totally devoted to bars, if it's strange, someone will write it down.