Andrew Harman

Andrew Harman, born in 1964, is a United Kingdom author recognized for his comedic fantasy novels, characterized by intricate plots, abundant puns, and absurd situations. His early works were set in fictional kingdoms like Rhyngill and Cranachan, and later in the composite university town of Camford, a blend of Oxford and Cambridge. Harman's writing style, which emerged in the 1990s, has been described as a response to the success of authors like Terry Pratchett, featuring convoluted narratives and humorous wordplay.

Beyond his literary career, Harman transitioned from writing in 2000 to establish YAY Games, an independent UK publisher specializing in board and card games. This venture has achieved recognition, releasing titles such as Frankenstein's Bodies, Sandcastles, and Ominoes. Despite critical commentary on the nature of his humor, Harman's work has been noted for its energetic and ingenious approach to humorous fantasy.

Andrew Harman's literary output is primarily defined by its farcical fantasy genre, often featuring highly complex plots and a liberal use of puns and humorous names. His novels frequently delve into "tales of the absurd," a style that gained prominence in the 1990s. Early in his career, his narratives were set in imaginary realms such as Rhyngill and Cranachan, populated by recurring characters. Later, he developed fictional settings like Camford, a satirical amalgamation of the university towns of Oxford and Cambridge. A distinctive feature of his books is the use of titles that are deliberate puns on well-known works, published under the Orbit imprint in the UK.

Critical assessments of Andrew Harman's work have noted its unique blend of humor and fantasy. Some reviews have described his fiction as "sometimes clever and occasionally very amusing," but also prone to "many jokes for the sake of jokes," placing it somewhat outside conventional fantasy. His puns have even been compared unfavorably to those of Piers Anthony. However, other critiques have lauded him as "one of the most ingenious and energetic writers of humorous fantasy," even suggesting he was a "genuine rival to Terry Pratchett." His use of puns and absurd situations has been praised for avoiding "clumsy childishness."

Since the year 2000, Andrew Harman has shifted his creative focus from writing to the realm of game development and publishing. He founded YAY Games, an independent company based in the UK that specializes in board and card games. This award-winning company has released several notable titles. Among these is Frankenstein's Bodies, released in 2014, which drew inspiration from Iain Lowson's RPG Dark Harvest: The Legacy of Frankenstein. Further releases include the family-friendly game Sandcastles in 2015, and Ominoes, a game presented as being 6,000 years old, launched in 2016.

“sometimes clever and occasionally very amusing, but it consists of many jokes for the sake of jokes and is a little way removed from the conventional fantasy novel.”

“even worse than those of Piers Anthony.”

“One of the most ingenious and energetic writers of humorous fantasy. 'The nearest', as one reviewer noted, 'to a genuine rival to Terry Pratchett.'”

“Filled with puns, absurd situations, clever literary asides and outright farce, without the clumsy childishness of less talented writers who've tried to do the same.”

“There is hardly a word in The Sorcerer's Appendix by Andrew Harman which fails to grate. Harman's recipe for humour is to invent a large number of very stupid characters, and show them behaving in very stupid ways, time after time. He then explains to the reader what has transpired, repeating much of it.”