Welcome to Hamgee University Press, publishing humorous urban fantasy, with sci-fi elements, by M T McGuire.

 

Hi, I’m M T McGuire and I write humorous urban fantasy books. Think Terry Pratchett, only not as good. Or maybe, StarWars, but with better jokes.

Read a free story and see if you like it!

My stuff also owes more than a bit of a nod to late 1980s/early 1990s 2000AD Magazine and of course, Dr Who, because it’s British, and I like to think it has the same ability to be funny and serious at the same time. It also contains snarky humour and flying cars because … what’s not to like about flying cars? So if any of those things appeal to you, you might enjoy my stuff. It’s easy enough to find out because you can try some free here

Yes, I’ve read sci-fi and fantasy books too but it’s stuff like Asimov, John Wyndam, The Five Children and It, Narnia, Tolkein, Patty Jansen, JJ Greene etc. There are a lot of books that aren’t remotely sci-fi that inform the way I write; Bill Bryson, John McCarthy, Graham Greene and H E Bates are some of my favourite authors. I read memoir, historical novels and history books of course, history is a huge influence on what I write. And telly.

In the early 1990s (yes, I am OLD) I lived in London and used to do stand up. I would to come home after a gig, well after midnight, completely wired, and I would often have a hot bath and then watch telly to wind down a bit. At that time of night, the only thing on was 1960s sci-fi; stuff like The Prisoner, Original StarTrek, James Bond, The Avengers, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Randal and Hopkirk (deceased) etc or ancient films like The Day The Earth Stood Still.

That’s what went into my brain mincer … and my books are the stuff that comes out.

These are humorous stories although they can get a bit dark, or at least deep, but nothing that will worry anyone who’s read the scary bits of Harry Potter without trouble. My novels are a mash of genres; mostly it’s urban fiction comedy, but with a fantasy plot, based in a dystopian parallel universe with sci-fi elements like laser guns and flying cars. There are more than one sentient species so not everyone is actual human. I dunno … think StarWars meets Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams meets James Bond or maybe even Narnia with lasers.

The flagship, K’Barthan Series, is a twist on the standard chosen-one style fantasy plot but there are the aforementioned lasers … and flying cars. The hero is a coward whose aversion to danger makes him one of the nation’s best getaway drivers, there’s an evil dictator who must be overthrown … oh and it’s portal fantasy … and a love story … in places. If you’re unsure there are some shorter books that are free so you can try them out. Just follow this secret link here: https://www.hamgee.co.uk/cmot3

I hope you enjoy them.