Currently Reading: Discworld 1 and 2

(Actual titles: The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic, respectively)

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Bravd and Weasel looked at the figure, now hopping across the road with one foot in a stirrup.

"Fire-raiser, is he?" said Bravd at last.

"No," said Rincewind. "Not precisely. Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos were lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armor and shouting 'All gods are bastards.' Got any food?"

Author: Terry Pratchett

Mini-synopsis: These are tales from a flat circular planet carried by four elephants on the back of a giant space turtle, and it only gets weirder from there.
 
Notes: I hadn't realized before picking up a Discworld book that the series is parody, but it didn't take me long to figure that out. From using 8 instead of 7 as the most magical number to making the protagonist an utter coward, from the gods playing something like chess with human lives to the inclusion of Death as a character (he talks in SMALL CAPS and likes card games--it's hilarious), the books are a twist on just about every known twistable feature of tales told.
 
Of course, parody isn't generally my thing. It doesn't let me suspend disbelief naturally. It took a little getting used to, then, despite the clever humor; also, it wasn't until part way through the second book that I realized I actually cared whether Rincewind (the main character) stuck around for future installments. He's such a heel in the first book. But once that connection hit me, I started really enjoying the story. After that it made me laugh a lot more... and now I just might go looking for book 3 one of these days.

The above quote had me snickering at random moments for days after I first read it.