Kurt Vonnegut and similar

[DesperateADHDMum]

I’ve just read my way through all the Kurt Vonnegut novels and wondered if anyone has any recommendations for similar?

JG Ballard, Ray Bradbury?

John Wyndham

Thanks - I have read some of theirs and enjoyed but not enough to read more iyswim!

I get a book subscription and they keep sending me too far down the science fiction route - I’m more interested in the stories enabled by using sci-fi than the science itself! Also don’t like it when the author takes themself too seriously - I like the humour in KV books

On JG Ballard - are there any you particularly recommend? I thought I might try Super Cannes

I've never come across another writer quite like Vonnegut. He has a Monty Pythonesque quality.

The one that really sticks in my memory is Empire of the Sun. Not scifi at all, but, once you read it a lot of his other, weird books seem to make more sense.

Iain Banks

Was coming on to say the same thing I'm afraid.

But I also like Philip K Dick in terms of weirdness. Would recommend Ubik or Time out of Joint or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (it's nothing like the film) as a starter and see if you like any of those.

Have you tried Anne McAffrey? She does take herself very seriously, but the universes she created are fun and the science is definitely incidental - and bonkers.

Also enjoy Philip K. Dick - maybe I’ll try a few more of his. Also Russell H Greenan but no one I speak to seems to have read him!

I’ll have a look at Anne McAffrey - thanks.

I agree that there’s nothing quite like Vonnegut.

Have you read Franz Kafka? Possibly has some similar weirdness and humour.

Read Kafka years ago - will try anew! Thanks

What about The City and the City China Mieville

Douglas Adams always seems to me to be obviously influenced by Kurt Vonnegut and especially by The Sirens of Titan. At any rate he has a lot of the same stylistic tics, though he's not as dark as Vonnegut.

I’ve just read quite a funny and light SF book called Girlfriend on Mars by Deborah Willis. It fits your description of a story enabled by science.

I'm certain that the aliens in Life of Brian were influenced by KV's Tralfamadorians.

Have you read Slaughterhouse 5? No surprise he's dark.

I like the dark. And he’s very prescient. But as I’ve read them all I’m a bit stuck!

the penguin classics science fiction series hit the right notes as not too science and more dystopian. I might look through the set and pick out some authors from there

Tom Robbins, for not taking himself too seriously!

Have you read Catch 22? Similar vintage.

I used to like Frederick Pohl, Clifford Simak and Poul Anderson, but I haven't read them for years... The one I remember most is Pohl's The Space Merchants - it was really unnerving when his novel started to become reality...

thanks for all the tips - I’ve got a few in mind now to start me off!

Try George Saunders, he was influenced by KV.

Thanks! Another one for the list!!

You're welcome, I hope you find something you enjoy.
Fwiw I enjoyed the short stories more than Lincoln in the Bardo.

John Irving said that KV was an influence on him (though I generally prefer his earlier books).

Ballard is good, but very humourless.

Have you tried Douglas Copeland? Quite a KB vibe and a bit sci-fi-y whilst not being actual sci-fi