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Quick answer: If you loved John Dies at the End, read Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Good Omens and The Library at Mount Char. All blend dark humour, cosmic weirdness and heroes who barely know what is going on.
Jason Pargin, who first wrote as David Wong, created a story about two slackers who take a mysterious drug and see another reality. It is a mix of horror, comedy and sci-fi that stands out for its voice. The books below share the same irreverent, bizarre energy.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits | David Wong | Adult | more Pargin |
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | Douglas Adams | Adult | cosmic comedy |
| Good Omens | Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman | Adult | dry wit |
| Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency | Douglas Adams | Adult | absurd mysteries |
| The Library at Mount Char | Scott Hawkins | Adult | weird fantasy |
| Horns | Joe Hill | Adult | horror comedy |
| The Hollow Places | T. Kingfisher | Adult | funny horror |
| Monster Hunter International | Larry Correia | Adult | monster action |
| Dungeon Crawler Carl | Matt Dinniman | Adult | game-show apocalypse |
| Welcome to Night Vale | Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor | Adult | podcast weirdness |
| Fight Club | Chuck Palahniuk | Adult | dark satire |
| Slaughterhouse-Five | Kurt Vonnegut | Adult | time-hopping classics |
| Storm Front | Jim Butcher | Adult | wizard detectives |
| The Rook | Daniel O'Malley | Adult | secret agencies |
| Kraken | China Mieville | Adult | urban weirdness |
1. Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong
A sloppy, satirical novel about a teenager in a future where a mysterious suit is giving him powers. It carries the same dark, jokey voice as John Dies at the End.
Best for: more Pargin.
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Arthur Dent is whisked off Earth moments before it is destroyed. The classic of absurd science fiction humour.
Best for: cosmic comedy.
3. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
An angel and a demon try to stop the end of the world. British humour at its sharpest.
Best for: dry wit.
4. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
A detective who believes everything is connected investigates a murder and a ghost. Silly and surprisingly clever.
Best for: absurd mysteries.
5. The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
A woman raised by a mysterious figure in a strange library fights to free herself. Dark, grisly and funny.
Best for: weird fantasy.
6. Horns by Joe Hill
A man wakes up with horns and learns what people really think. A dark comic horror with a dash of mystery.
Best for: horror comedy.
7. The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
A woman finds a hole in her uncle's museum that leads to a willow-filled world. Creepy and funny with a snappy voice.
Best for: funny horror.
8. Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia
An accountant joins a company that hunts monsters. Action-packed with plenty of guns and jokes.
Best for: monster action.
9. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
A man and his cat are pulled into a deadly dungeon game show after Earth is destroyed. Violent, hilarious and addictive.
Best for: game-show apocalypse.
10. Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
Based on the podcast, it follows a small town where every conspiracy is true. Surreal and charming.
Best for: podcast weirdness.
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
An insomniac forms an underground fight club with a charismatic stranger. Dark, satirical and a cult classic.
Best for: dark satire.
12. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Billy Pilgrim becomes unstuck in time after the bombing of Dresden. Short, funny and sad.
Best for: time-hopping classics.
13. Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden is a wizard detective in Chicago. Fast and funny.
Best for: wizard detectives.
14. The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
A woman wakes up with no memory and discovers she works for a secret supernatural agency. Witty and smart.
Best for: secret agencies.
15. Kraken by China Mieville
A giant squid specimen vanishes from a London museum, setting off a weird investigation. Strange and funny.
Best for: urban weirdness.
How to Choose
If you want more Pargin, start with Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits. For classic comic sci-fi, choose The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dirk Gently or Slaughterhouse-Five. For horror with laughs, pick Horns, The Hollow Places or The Library at Mount Char. If you like fast, goofy action, try Monster Hunter International or Dungeon Crawler Carl. Be aware that many of these books are graphic and crude, and they contain strong language. A quick tip: read the first chapter of one or two before deciding. Humour this strange is a matter of taste, and sampling saves you from buying a book that does not suit your sense of fun.
Related: Printable List Of John Grisham Books In Chronological Order · John Sandford Books In Order Printable List
Frequently Asked Questions
What is John Dies at the End about?
Two friends, David and John, take a drug called soy sauce that lets them perceive other dimensions and hostile creatures.
Who wrote John Dies at the End?
Jason Pargin, who originally published it as David Wong.
Is there a movie?
Yes, a 2012 film adaptation directed by Don Coscarelli.
Is the book scary or funny?
It is both, with gross-out humour and horror.
Is it part of a series?
Yes, it is followed by This Book Is Full of Spiders and What the Hell Did I Just Read.
Is it for teens?
It has strong language and violence, so it suits adults.
Is John Dies at the End a horror novel?
It is horror comedy, with monsters and gross-out scenes alongside many jokes.
Do I need to read the sequels?
No. The first book works on its own, but fans often continue with the others.