10 Fantasy Books That Bring the Humor of Grog Strongjaw to Life
19/11/2024
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Grog Strongjaw isn’t just a hulking barbarian; he’s a comedic genius who brings lighthearted chaos to every adventure. If you’re looking for fantasy books that combine Grog’s humor with epic quests, here are 10 must-reads that will have you laughing between battles.
- Barbarian Character: Gotrek Gurnisson
- Motivation: Seeking an honorable death to redeem his past mistakes.
- Traits: Gotrek, a berserker dwarf with a death wish, often charges headlong into combat with little concern for consequences. His gruff demeanor contrasts hilariously with Felix’s sarcastic commentary as they journey together. The duo’s dynamic brings plenty of comedic moments amidst thrilling battles.
- Gotrek and Felix: unsung heroes of the Empire, or nothing more than common thieves and murderers? The truth perhaps lies somewhere inbetween, and depends entirely on who you ask…
Relive the early adventures of the Slayer and his human companion. From the haunted forests of the Empire to the darkness beneath the Worlds Edge Mountains, Gotrek and Felix face demented cultists, sinister goblins and a monstrous troll. In the city of Nuln, they get involved in an invasion by the sewer-dwelling skaven. And in the frozen north, an expedition to the lost dwarf hold of Karag Dum brings Gotrek and Felix face-to-face with a dread Bloodthirster of Chaos…
- Barbarian Character: Cohen the Barbarian
- Motivation: Surviving old age while still maintaining his legendary status as a hero.
- Traits: Cohen hilariously flips the barbarian trope on its head. Despite his advanced age, he remains a formidable warrior. His love for combat and loyalty to his oddball group lead to absurd and laugh-out-loud moments. Pratchett’s witty writing makes Cohen a standout comedic character.
- Terry Pratchett’s profoundly irreverent, bestselling novels have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody next to the likes of Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen. The Color of Magic is Terry Pratchett’s maiden voyage through the now-legendary land of Discworld. This is where it all begins — with the tourist Twoflower and his wizard guide, Rincewind.
- Barbarian Character: Grinda the Unsuitable
- Motivation: Proving herself as a capable warrior despite her un-barbarian-like appearance.
- Traits: Grinda is a hilarious take on the barbarian archetype, blending immense strength with moments of cluelessness. Her loyalty to her quirky group and love for battle often lead to laughably over-the-top situations. The entire series is a parody of fantasy tropes, filled with humor and heart.
- Once upon a time, a princess slept in a magical tower cloaked in thorns and roses.
When she woke, she found no Prince Charming, only a surfeit of hair and grotesquely long fingernails—which was, honestly, better than some creep who acted without consent. She cut off her long braids and used them to escape. But she kept the beard because it made a great disguise.
This is not a story about finding true love’s kiss—it’s a story about finding yourself. On a pirate ship. Where you belong.
But these are no ordinary pirates aboard The Puffy Peach, serving under Filthy Lucre, the one-eyed parrot pirate captain. First there’s Vic, a swole and misogynistic centaur on a mission to expunge himself of the magic that causes him to conjure tea and dainty cupcakes in response to stress. Then there’s Tempest, who’s determined to become the first dryad lawyer—preferably before she takes her ultimate form as a man-eating tree. They’re joined by Alobartalus, an awkward and unelfly elf who longs to meet his hero, the Sn’archivist who is said to take dictation directly from the gods of Pell. Throw in some mystery meat and a dastardly capitalist plot, and you’ve got one Pell of an adventure on the high seas!
In this new escapade set in the magical land of Pell, Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne lovingly skewer the tropes of fairy tales and create a new kind of fantasy: generous, gently humorous, and inclusive. There might also be otters
- Barbarian Character: Chesney Arnstruther (metaphorically a “barbarian” in his battle for justice).
- Motivation: Taking on Hell with his unique sense of morality and determination.
- Traits: Chesney isn’t a traditional barbarian but exudes the same unyielding spirit, diving into situations he barely understands with relentless loyalty. His misadventures and literal deal with the devil are brimming with humor and absurdity, offering a lighthearted spin on fantasy conflicts.
When mild-mannered Chesney Arnstruther accidentally summons a demon and causes Hell to go on strike, he doesn’t expect to wind up as what he had always dreamed of being: the Actionary, a costumed crimefighter with a weasel-headed fiend for a sidekick.
But that’s just the beginning of a journey that will see the “high-functioning” autistic actuary enmeshed in the schemes of a greedy televangelist, romancing a pepper-spray-wielding manicurist, and sitting down to a poker game with the Devil where the stakes include his immortal soul.
- Barbarian Character: Thok the Mighty
- Motivation: Redemption and breaking free of societal expectations as a “dumb muscle.”
- Traits: Thok embraces the role of the strong, somewhat clueless barbarian who brings unexpected insights in the most comedic ways. His interactions with the rest of the group (an accountant and other adventurers in a satirical economy-driven world) lead to plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.
Professional heroes kill and loot deadly monsters every day, but Gorm Ingerson’s latest quest will be anything but business as usual.
The adventuring industry drives the economy of Arth, a world much like our own but with more magic and fewer vowels. Monsters’ hoards are claimed, bought by corporate interests, and sold off to plunder funds long before the Heroes’ Guild actually kills the beasts. Of course, that’s a terrible arrangement for the Shadowkin; orcs, goblins, kobolds, and their ilk must apply for to become Noncombatant Paper Carriers (or NPCs) to avoid being killed and looted by heroes.
When Gorm Ingerson, a Dwarven ex-hero with a checkered past, stands up for an undocumented goblin, he inadvertently singles himself out for recruitment by a prophet of the mad goddess to undertake a suicidal quest. But there’s more to Gorm’s new job than an insane prophecy: Powerful corporations and governments have shown an unusual interest in the quest. If his party of eccentric misfits can stop fighting each other long enough to recover the Elven Marbles, Gorm might be able to turn a bad deal into a golden opportunity.
- Barbarian Character: Ahira Bandylegs
- Motivation: Protecting his friends and figuring out how to survive after being transported into a fantasy game world.
- Traits: Ahira is a hulking barbarian who loves smashing things first and asking questions later. His loyalty to his misfit group of friends, mixed with his sometimes absurd choices in battle, adds humor to their high-stakes adventures.
- Seven college students meet for another night of role-playing games, where they will be cast as wizard, warrior, cleric, or thief. However, their conniving gamemaster has something entirely new planned for them. The seven gamers are cast into an alternate world of magic, fire-breathing dragons – and a quasi-medieval culture with slavery. The only way back to Earth is through a dragon-guarded Gate Between Worlds, about which little is known.
The five men and two women face tough challenges – simple survival in a harsh environment as well as finding the mysterious Gate to bring them home. Publishers Weekly praised this series for its “energy, wit, and a strong moral sensibility.”
- Barbarian Character: Thistle the Barbarian
- Motivation: Protecting his companions while navigating an adventure thrust upon them.
- Traits: Thistle, a barbarian in a satirical D&D-like world, exemplifies the trope of strength over strategy. His simplistic but good-hearted nature and love for combat provide comic relief as his group hilariously struggles to deal with unexpected heroism.
- What happens when the haggling is done and the shops are closed? When the quest has been given, the steeds saddled, and the adventurers are off to their next encounter? They keep the world running, the food cooked, and the horses shoed, yet what adventurer has ever spared a thought or concern for the Non-Player Characters?
In the town of Maplebark, four such NPCs settle in for a night of actively ignoring the adventurers drinking in the tavern when things go quickly and fatally awry. Once the dust settles, these four find themselves faced with an impossible choice: pretend to be adventurers undertaking a task of near-certain death or see their town and loved ones destroyed. Armed only with salvaged equipment, second-hand knowledge, and a secret that could get them killed, it will take all manner of miracles if they hope to pull off their charade.
And even if they succeed, the deadliest part of their journey may well be what awaits them at its end.
- Barbarian Character: Connavar
- Motivation: Defending his people and finding glory as a warrior.
- Traits: Connavar is a bold and slightly reckless barbarian, driven by his love for battle and sense of loyalty. Though not always the brightest, his earnestness and interactions with his misfit companions bring lighter moments amidst the epic narrative.
- Fierce and proud, the Rigante dwell deep in the green mountain lands, worshiping the gods of air and water, and the spirits of the earth. Among them lives a warrior who bears the mark of fate. Born of the storm that slew his father, he is Connavar, and tales of his courage spread like wildfire.
The Seidh–a magical race as old as time–take note of the young warrior and cast a malignant shadow across his life. For soon a merciless army will cross the water, destroying forever the timeless rhythms of life among the Rigante.
Swearing to protect his people, Connavar embarks on a quest that will take him into the heart of the enemy. Along the way, he receives a gift: a sword as powerful and deadly as the Seidh who forged it. Thus he receives a name that will strike fear into the hearts of friend and foe alike–a name proclaiming a glorious and bitter destiny . . .
Demonblade.
- Barbarian Character: Fezzik
- Motivation: Loyalty to his friends, particularly Inigo Montoya, and finding purpose outside of being muscle-for-hire.
- Traits: Fezzik, the lovable giant, fits the barbarian archetype perfectly—enormous strength, a somewhat simple-minded but kind heart, and a love for playful rhymes. His humorous interactions with the group, coupled with his undying loyalty, make him a standout comedic character.
- As Florin and Guilder teeter on the verge of war, the reluctant Princess Buttercup is devastated by the loss of her true love, kidnapped by a mercenary and his henchmen, rescued by a pirate, forced to marry Prince Humperdinck, and recused once again by the very crew who absconded with her in the first place. In the course of this dazzling adventure, she’ll meet Vizzini—the criminal philosopher who’ll do anything for a bag of gold; Fezzik—the gentle giant; Inigo—the Spaniard whose steel thirsts for revenge; and Count Rugen—the evil mastermind behind it all. Foiling all their plans and jumping into their stories is Westley, Princess Buttercup’s one true love and a very good friend of a very dangerous pirate.
- Barbarian Character: Thud
- Motivation: Helping his team navigate dungeon-crawling escapades and acquiring treasure.
- Traits: Thud is a quintessential battle-loving barbarian, fiercely loyal to his crew and delightfully dim-witted. His over-the-top enthusiasm for smashing things, coupled with his well-meaning but misguided ideas, provides a constant source of laughter.
- After five years as a city guard, Durham’s horizontal career trajectory adds a corkscrew when a misdelivered order assigns him to caravan duty for an eclectic group of Dwarves who hire themselves out as professional dungeoneers.
No ruler wants to leave a powerful magical weapon lying about in a dungeon where just any prophesied upstart can stumble across it and use it to overthrow the kingdom. That’s where The Dungeoneers come in. Dungeons sacked, artifacts recovered, no job too big or too small. They’re not adventurers; they’re professionals.
With the discovery that Durham may have arrived with a destiny attached to him the Dungeoneers find themselves in the midst of some history about to happen. Will experience and Dwarven know-how be enough to carry the day?
Conclusion
These books prove that fantasy isn’t all doom and gloom—it can also be laugh-out-loud funny, especially when a Grog-inspired barbarian is at the helm. So grab a mug of ale, dive into these stories, and let the laughter (and smashing) begin!
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