Relatively lighthearted fantasy book recommendations?

[gewata]

Although not exactly fantasy (although there is magic in the world) I am constantly extolling the virtues of The Amtrak Wars by Patrick Tilley. There's quite a lot of dystopia and postapocalyptia, sex and violence, but there's also tribes belonging to the She-Kargo and D'Troit factions, and a Japanese clan called the Toh-Yota, who have a palace on Aron-Giren (Long Island), along with other clans such as the Toh-Shiba and the Su-Zuki.

The books are a little hard to find, but well worth the read in my opinion. Good action, romance, treachery, all that good stuff.

 

[sandangel]

Rivers of London might be a bit dark (the writer used to work on Doctor Who, just to give an idea), but the protagonist is a total nerd, and the characters have great chemistry together. Peter Grant and Harry Dresden would get along like a house on fire. And then they'd set a house on fire.

Also, if you like fractured fairy tales, check out Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms by Mercedes Lackey. Though you may have trouble watching Disney movies without thinking about this series.