The best thigh-slappingly funny science fiction books

This is an obvious choice as it is one of the funniest sci-fi books ever, and one of our personal faves. It’s been a massive hit all around the world and even now, over 40 years after its publication, still ranks high in the bestseller charts and readers’ all-time-favourite lists. Our first encounter with it was the BBC Radio 4 series that spawned the book. We loved its originality, its production, its sound effects, its cleverness, its humour and, most of all, Slartibartfast. The book – and its subsequence sequels – did not disappoint. So, if you’re in need of cheering up – grab a copy of HHGTTG, or H2G2, or HG2G, or whatever you want to call it.

This book is the first one based on the Red Dwarf TV series. There have been twelve series to date, and they provide a glut of delightful sci-fi comedy – quirky, ingenious, and always very funny. Great for binge-watching if you can put your life on hold for a bit. The books are great, too. Possibly even funnier? The first, Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers, expands on the backgrounds of Lister, Rimmer, The Cat, Holly, and Kryten. What a gang, eh? In real life, you’d probably end up strangling them.

A very funny book based on the John Carpenter movie of the same name. It’s about the crew of the malfunctioning Dark Star, engaged in the suitably pointless mission of “destroying unstable planets.” Highlights include the alien shaped like a beach ball, and the philosophical bomb agonizing over its purpose in life – to blow or not to blow. Sadly, the book is out of print, although you might bag a second-hand copy. One of us (Corben) obtained a manky copy on the No. 47 bus as he made his way with his greyhound Professor Wagglesworth to the Catford Dog track in 1974. The Professor performed poorly that night – distracted by a frisky poodle in the crowd – so Corben read the book instead. It made him realise that life, unlike greyhound racing, is not to be taken seriously.

If you’ve gone through life thinking that a sprout can’t be funny, this book will convince you otherwise. Barry the Sprout is the star of the show, lodged in the head of lead character Will Starling. But the whole book is a joy. Highly inventive and very funny. It involves time travel, weird conspiracy theories, Queen Victoria, the Elephant Man, Jack the Ripper, the Brentford Snail Boy, and many more. 

Here's a little-known gem that is clever and witty, packed with funny incidents and terrible puns. It’s about downsizing consultant Graham Paint who owns the eponymous insect. Much to his inconvenience, the caterpillar (which, like its namesake cat, exists in a state of quantum uncertainty) starts spawning alternative realities, each with their own copy of Graham – causing havoc for him, and the police. The storyline has echoes of the Gwyneth Paltrow movie Sliding Doors, but is much funnier and smarter. Oh, and check out the book’s trailer on YouTube.