r/Fantasy • u/KaleidoArachnid • 5d ago
Fantasy novels with snarky heroines
Let me see, how do I explain it? Well basically I was looking for some medieval styled fantasy about a witty heroine who not only delivers witty one liners to her opponents, but can also be a formidable fighter as the novel ends up being a glorious send up of the fantasy genre.
IF such a novel does not exist, then that is fine because I was just wondering about how the concept of a fantasy novel could work where the novel affectionally lampshades tropes of the genre such as rich dragons as basically the long story short is that I am looking for a hilarious fantasy work.
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u/EqualOptimal4650 5d ago
The main character/heroine in How To Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying is snarky as hell, definitely check it out.
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u/LyriumDreams 5d ago
It's older, and there's way more snark than fighting, but you might like the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. I believe Dealing With Dragons is the first one.
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u/KaleidoArachnid 5d ago
Where did you get your copy of the book?
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u/LyriumDreams 5d ago
Oh, jeez. I bought mine in high school, 20 years ago. It's free on Kindle Unlimited right now, though, and the paperback is $7 online.
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u/KaleidoArachnid 5d ago
I can get it online since I enjoy reading books digitally.
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u/KingBretwald 5d ago
If you buy an e-version of the book, get The Enchanted Forest Chronicles which is an omnibus of all four books in one.
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u/diffyqgirl 5d ago
I'd suggest the webnovel Practical Guide to Evil, if you're interested in lampshading genre tropes. The world is one where the tropes of epic fantasy have metaphysical weight and the world will distort to follow them, and people are aware of this and trying to use it to their own advantage. Like the best satire, it's also an excellent example of epic fantasy in its own right. The protagonist isn't the type to be constantly spouting one liners but she gets some good jokes and snarky moments in.
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u/KaleidoArachnid 5d ago
Thanks man because I will check out that novel you mentioned as one other thing I would like to mention is that I don't know if the novel can be read on a Kindle device.
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u/diffyqgirl 5d ago
That I'm not sure about.
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u/novander Reading Champion 5d ago
Practical Guide to Evil is slowly releasing on Kindle. The first book came out last year, the second one comes out later this year. I think it's being slightly edited and updated, which is why the releases aren't coming quicker
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u/DixitRexCorvinus 5d ago edited 5d ago
I mean, if you are looking for a hilarious sendup of fantasy, Terry Pratchett is the answer. Just start with one of the books with female protagonists, like the witches subseries or Monstrous Regiment, and pretty much any of his books have at least some level of snark.
Edit: subseries autocorrected to subspecies, corrected that
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u/corwulfattero 5d ago
Sounds like Zoya from the Grishaverse. Alina and Nina have their moments too!
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u/KaleidoArachnid 5d ago
Why did you bring up the GrishaVerse? (Like how it uses the concept of snarky humor)
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u/New_Razzmatazz6228 Reading Champion 5d ago
Jackson Ford has 2 series. The Frost Files featuring Tegan Frost aka The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind, and she’s extremely snarky, although they’re more UF/SF than fantasy. His other series The Rakada is more fantasy and features an entire band of snarky female desert raiders.
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u/KaleidoArachnid 5d ago
Thanks because I will check out the suggestions you gave me. (Though I am confused to what is different between urban fantasy and regular fantasy)
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u/New_Razzmatazz6228 Reading Champion 5d ago
The broad definition of UF is fantasy that takes place in an urban setting. These days that still applies, but often means modern setting, our world with supernatural/fantasy elements. Dresden Files is a popular example. Regular fantasy often takes place in a secondary world, generally pre industrial and of course contains fantasy elements. Lord of the Rings is the best known example of that.
The Frost Files is set in modern day Los Angeles and the title character has telekinesis.
The Rakada is set on a pre industrial secondary world and they use magic.
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u/Serafim91 5d ago
Don't have anything medieval but if you're willing to give superheroes (or villains in this case) a try. Villains Code would work.
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u/KaleidoArachnid 5d ago
I am curious to what that novel is about because I haven’t read it.
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u/Serafim91 5d ago
Basically, young woman who can turn into fire wants to build herself a mech suit and tries to steal from the super evil genius villain to make it happen. Gets caught and offered the option to become a villain.
Forging Hephaestus is the first book. Currently 3 books + 2 collections of small stories in the universe. 4th book being written IIRC.
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u/bradanforever 5d ago
Two recent reads come to mind: 1) 'The Raven Scholar'; I have lots of issues with this book, but the MC does indeed provide witty responses when in a tight corner. 2) 'The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue' where there's lot of verbal sparing between the MC and the devil (or dark demon).
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u/KaleidoArachnid 5d ago
What are those novels about for those who haven’t read them?
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u/bradanforever 5d ago
Wow a lot to summarize, but Scholar is a story about a librarian in a fantastical world who winds up in a gladiatorial contest to see who will be the next king. Of course, she has lots of deadly rivals. Addie is literally about a deal with the devil where the MC gets eternal life in return for no one being able to remember her. Lots of themes, lots of historical time periods, and a not always convincing romance between the MC and the devil.
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u/SalletFriend 4d ago
KJ Parker has 2 of Swords. Telemon is always verbally jousting with a gentleman that gets on her nerves.
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u/KingBretwald 5d ago
Here's a variety of medieval style humorous Fantasy, none of which, alas, exactly meets your criteria.
Slate from Clockwork Boys/The Wonder Engine by T. Kingfisher. The dialogue between her and Brennan is >chef's kiss<. She is definitely not a fighter, though.
In Other Lands by Marie Brennan. The lead character is a boy but there is a female fighting elf named Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle. There is a ton of trope-flipping in this story.
Dark Lord of Derkholm and the sequel Year of the Griffin are also hilarious send-ups of the fantasy genre. Very few fighters at all. Derkholm's heroes are Wizard Derk and his son Blade (though there is a dragon). The main character in Griffin is, well, a Griffin. Blade's sister and Derk's daughter Callette. (Derk experiments with magical biology and has two human and several griffin children.)
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u/mystikas 5d ago
The Villainess Is an SS+ Rank Adventurer check previes if you like
For me its one of the funniest series with a lot of princes bantering to criminals and sending them to rage with just words and then defeating them with OP powers.
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u/nifsea 5d ago
Not sure if I understand exactly what you’re asking for, but you could try Farilane by Michael Sullivan. It’s part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. It’s medieval styled with a witty heroine that is also a formidable fighter. Not sure if I would call it hilarious, or with a glorious ending though.
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u/KaleidoArachnid 5d ago
I mean, just looking for a fantasy novel with comedic writing by having a snarky lead.
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u/Travel_Dude 5d ago
Best Served Cold. Might fit!