5 Novels Written as Genre Parodies That Stand on Their Own

Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen
Austen isn’t necessarily the first name that comes to mind when you think “satire,” especially if you’re Mark Twain. Northanger Abbey, however, is lauded both as Austen’s Gothic parody and as one of her most lighthearted and accessible reads. Austen fans will find all the grand balls and dancing and conflicted love stories they could want, and fans of a good, spooky Gothic novel will find all the necessary ingredients, but with an added self-awareness that makes all the proceedings deliciously amusing. Naive young Catherine thinks life is like her beloved Gothic thrillers, so when she finds herself in a musty, shadowy mansion, she sees intrigue, suspense, and malfeasance at every turn.

Discworld series, by Terry Pratchett
When it comes to prolific authors, Terry Pratchett ought to be at the top of any list. His sprawling, 41-novel Discworld series works as both a pitch-perfect parody of your favorite epic fantasies and a fully fleshed fantasy world in its own right. Here, the wizards occasionally know what they’re doing, while the witches only rarely don’t. The thieves guild does as much as the City Watch to keep affairs in order. And Death will almost certainly be your favorite character. In the spirit of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, life on the Disc has been closely documented, dissected, and analyzed. There are companion books to guide your time in Ankh-Morpork. You can examine the philosophy, folklore, and science of the world. Next year, you’ll be able to color your own version of Granny Weatherwax’s wardrobe (much to her chagrin). It’s not such a small world after all.

The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
The complexities run deep in Goldman’s beloved book and the equally beloved movie classic. In its published form, the narrative in-joke is that this, The Princess Bride, is merely an abridged version of a classic fairy tale, originally by S. Morgenstern, itself a supposed satire. It’s not, of course. Instead, Goldman penned the novel based on stories he made up for his daughters. The result is a book that lovingly tweaks the fairy tale format, while delivering a swashbuckling escapade that has all the fantasy elements you could want. As Goldman enumerates, the book includes:

• fencing,
• fighting,
• torture,
• poison,
• true love,
• hate,
• revenge,
• giants,
• hunters,
• bad men,
• good men,
• beautifulest ladies,
• snakes,
• spiders,
• beasts of all natures and descriptions,
• pain,
• death,
• brave men,
• coward men,
• strongest men,
• chases,
• escapes,
• lies,
• truths,
• passion,
• and miracles.

Redshirts, by John Scalzi
Anyone who has watched even one episode of the original Star Trek series knows of the poor Redshirt, the hapless crew member—always dressed in a red uniform—who exists almost solely to die instead of the main characters in dangerous situations. John Scalzi knows of the ill-fated Redshirts, and he co-opted them to produce his own riotous sci-fi read. In this trip through the galaxy, we’re not going to see things from the point of view of some broad-shouldered, boulder-jawed Captain Kirk figure; we’re getting down in the trenches with the cannon fodder ensigns. When Ensign Andrew Dahl joins the crew of the Intrepid, he thinks things couldn’t be better. Well, until he notices one startling pattern: every Away Mission ends with a lethal conflict, and never once do the ship’s senior officers seem to fall victim to the carnage. When Andrew and the rest of the below-decks mission-avoiders stumble upon some important intel, they may have just found a way to save their own skins.

Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell
In the universe of Fangirl, Rainbow Rowell’s delightful ode to coming of age and fan culture, the Harry Potter books exist. But so does Simon Snow, a competing “Chosen One” hero whose magical boarding school and environs seem might familiar to Potterheads. In a remarkable bit of meta sorcery, Rowell took Snow and his nemesis-soulmate, Baz, the fanfiction nuclei of Fangirl, and expanded their story in Carry On. While the novel has clear and intentional parallels with J.K. Rowling’s magical mystery ride, Carry On not only holds its own as a commentary on Chosen One narratives, but as a fantasy world in its own right. Every character is layered, the dialogue sizzles, and the romance will ensnare you.