# feel good authors



## jandj (Jun 30, 2005)

This is my first post so if this subject has already been discussed I apologize in advance.  My wife likes fantasy fiction but only stories with little violence etc.  Does anyone have suggestions of authors she can try that have stories that are as up beat as possible and concentrate more on relationships between characters rather than techno stuff?   I believe she has read a lot of Piers Anthony books.  Thanks.


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## dwndrgn (Jun 30, 2005)

Check out Spider Robinson's Callahan series, Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger Series, Mercedes Lackey, Terry Pratchett...I'm sure there are more but it is almost quitting time so I've got to prepare for departure...

good luck!


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## Rane Longfox (Jun 30, 2005)

My personal "feelgood fantasy" would be Neil Gaiman. But thats still reasonably violent.


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## Alia (Jul 1, 2005)

The Jaran Series by Kate Elliott is a good one with minor tech stuff, some violence, but not too bad... and a love story...


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## aurelio (Jul 1, 2005)

This is terribly self-serving of me, but my novel _EVE_ is pretty upbeat and fun.  

You can check out my website and decide for yourself.  It was also reviewed in the Chronicles Reviews.

I'll stop now.


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jul 1, 2005)

Definitely Terry Pratchett. Because he writes so well and the gags are so good you can't help but feel good! Personally, well-written, inventive fiction always makes me feel good, even if the subject matter is grim.


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## Taltos (Jul 1, 2005)

Two things that come to mind:
Asprin "MYTH" and "Phule" series
Silverberg "Majipoor" series -- although this is not humoristic fantasy


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## Mark Robson (Jul 1, 2005)

Just about anything by Anne McCaffrey fits the bill.  The Crystal Singer series, Tower and Hive series, Dragonriders of Pern etc.


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## Princess Ivy (Jul 1, 2005)

all my favorites: alandean foster, pratchet, macaffrey...
also add eddings (the original four series) and douglas adams (of course)


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## rune (Jul 3, 2005)

Tanya Huff - Keeper Chronicles series, it's amusing and exciting


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## Teresa Edgerton (Jul 3, 2005)

How about _The Last Unicorn_ by Peter S. Beagle?  It's quirky, nonviolent, sentimental, and beautifully written into the bargain.


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## nixie (Jul 3, 2005)

Could try Juilette Marillier's Sevenwater Trilogy.


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## Esioul (Jul 3, 2005)

Anything by Diana Wynne Jones. Also some of Tanith Lee's books. She may also enjoy Robin McKinley.


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## Brys (Jul 3, 2005)

Anyone think that Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser tales fall into the feel good category? The early ones are a bit darker in tone, but some of the later stories don't have a lot of violence, but are excellently written and very entertaining, and not quite as dark.


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## Teresa Edgerton (Jul 3, 2005)

Have to be careful with Tanith Lee, though, and stay with her Young Adult books -- her other books can be _extremely_ dark and violent.

Actually, jandj, if your wife has no problem reading about young protagonists, she might enjoy just about any of the books we've discussed on the YA board.


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## Azash (Jul 4, 2005)

I would suggest some of the discworld series. They are very funny in places and have very little violence.


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## everman (Jul 5, 2005)

The Harry Potter books of course, and anything by Patricia c Wrede. i would agree with the statement about the ya boards, as most adult Fantasy has violence in it (which is part of its appeal)


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## red_temple (Jul 6, 2005)

caladanbrood said:
			
		

> My personal "feelgood fantasy" would be Neil Gaiman. But thats still reasonably violent.


 
Unless you read Neil Gaiman's "Stardust."  Very feelgood, not much in the way of violence.


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## Rane Longfox (Jul 6, 2005)

True. Stardust is an exception


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## kyektulu (Jul 21, 2005)

I believe your wife would enjoy melanie rawn and maggie furey expeshily! try maggie furey's Aurian series!
xxxkyexxx


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## Azash (Jul 22, 2005)

kyektulu said:
			
		

> I believe your wife would enjoy melanie rawn and maggie furey expeshily! try maggie furey's Aurian series!
> xxxkyexxx


 
I'm about ahlf way through aurian and they are definitly feel good books, it has a brilliant storyline


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## garreth Jacks (Jul 22, 2005)

kyektulu said:
			
		

> I believe your wife would enjoy melanie rawn and maggie furey expeshily! try maggie furey's Aurian series!
> xxxkyexxx


 
What you have to be joking they are full of Despair, sorrow and anger a brilliant story line but I would not say they where feel good books


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## BAYLOR (Dec 3, 2021)

If have to go wit the the Retief Diplomat at large series by Keither Laumer 
And then there's Harry Harrison's *The Stainless Steel Rat * and* Bill The Galactic Hero* 

The John Grimes Space Saga by A Bertram Chandler  is defitnye feel good series and fun to read 

*The Dragon and the George*  and the series that follows by Phillip K Dick

* The High Crusade *by Poul Anderson .


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## Droflet (Dec 3, 2021)

For me, oddly enough, anything by Stephen King. It makes me feel good when King gives the bad guys their just desserts. Usually in a grisly manner, but hey, grisly feels good too. Or maybe that's just me and my dark sense of humor.


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## worldofmutes (Dec 3, 2021)

Droflet said:


> For me, oddly enough, anything by Stephen King. It makes me feel good when King gives the bad guys their just desserts. Usually in a grisly manner, but hey, grisly feels good too. Or maybe that's just me and my dark sense of humor.


As a book, I kind of thought *The Outsider *was a bit generic. But I liked the worms leaking out of his head. 

I just don’t know why Stephen King doesn’t do “ritual killings” anymore, like, killing the monster with a sock is pretty dull. Annihilate him with a flame thrower!


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## Droflet (Dec 3, 2021)

Now, that's my kind of worm. Bloodthirsty.


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## Rodders (Dec 3, 2021)

The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe and So Long and Thanks for All the Fish by *Douglas Adams*. Great fun and pretty relatable.

I too loved the Stainless Steel Rat series by *Harry Harrison*. I haven't read them for a while, though. I struggled with Bill the Galactic Hero. Same humour, but I found them a little too childish.

*Terry Pratchett*'s Discworld series was my first thought when i opened this thread. I haven't read any for over 20 years, but I remember them very fondly.

Not Science Fiction or Fantasy, but. *Bill Bryson*? Very light reading whilst still being informative and funny.


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## Dan Jones (Dec 3, 2021)

I highly recommend _Klara And The Sun_ by Kazuo Ishiguro. Science fiction yes, but the very softest of SF (there's no techno babble at all), and it is more about the relationships of the human characters, and indeed what makes us human, and how to act in the fullest possible way, all from the perspective of a robot. It's a wonderful book.


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## farntfar (Dec 3, 2021)

Stephen Donaldson's 2 book series "The Mirror of her Dreams" and "A Man Rides Through" are interesting and without any graphic violence. 

She should probably keep away from his other stuff, like the "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant", and the" Gap series". 
His short stories in "Daughter of Regals and other stories" should be ok though.


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## Guttersnipe (Dec 3, 2021)

I second the Myth Adventures series by Robert Asprin. It's usually pretty funny, but there are heart-warming scenes. Also The Last Unicorn.

Momo by Michael Ende. The titular character works to save her friends from strange entities called the Men in Grey, who are stealing their time. It's set in Italy and includes a turtle with a picture-showing shell.


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## BAYLOR (Dec 5, 2021)

* The Never Ending Story*  by Michal Ende . It's a great book and was a great film too.


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## BAYLOR (Dec 22, 2021)

*Lest Darkness Falls *by L Spague De Camp Martin Padway a 20th century man visiting Rome get he by a bolt of lightning and finds himself in 6th century Rome. A Hilariously funny fish out water book, a classic and , a joy to read. 

*Silverlock* by John Myers Myers  Ive rieve recommended  this one on many occasions . It too is joy to read .


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## Ray Zdybrow (Jun 13, 2022)

Rodders said:


> The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe and So Long and Thanks for All the Fish by *Douglas Adams*. Great fun and pretty relatable.
> 
> I too loved the Stainless Steel Rat series by *Harry Harrison*. I haven't read them for a while, though. I struggled with Bill the Galactic Hero. Same humour, but I found them a little too childish.
> 
> ...


With you on "the Stainless Steel Rat"


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## BAYLOR (Jun 16, 2022)

jandj said:


> This is my first post so if this subject has already been discussed I apologize in advance.  My wife likes fantasy fiction but only stories with little violence etc.  Does anyone have suggestions of authors she can try that have stories that are as up beat as possible and concentrate more on relationships between characters rather than techno stuff?   I believe she has read a lot of Piers Anthony books.  Thanks.



*Silverlock* by John Myers Myers This is a fantasy novel staring every character from Myth and literature set on in mythical realm knows as The Commomneealth Its comically funny with swashbuckling misadventure. it's also a classic and fun to read. And Shannon Sliverlock is a very interesting is a fun character and so are various people mythical and otherwise with whom he meets. Its safe to say that one is very upbeat and fun. 

*Let Darkness Fall* by L Sprague De Camp one of the very first alt his science fiction novels ever written and classic and lots of fun to read and it too is very up beat . There is no complicated technobabble whatsoever. Its the story of 20th century man named Martin. Padwasy who while vision Rome get his with a Bolt of Lightning and suddenly find himself back in 5th Century Rome. Yes , Mr has landed in Rome just before the fall and he use all of inguinyt to get himself out the pickle he's in. the book too is hilariously funny.


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## BAYLOR (Oct 24, 2022)

James Rollins


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