One of the glories of science fiction and fantasy is the way that writers can mash up different genres and sub-genres to provide new perspectives on old tropes. This has been happening for at least as far back as Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream mixes together Greek mythology (Theseus and Hippolyta), stories of English Faerie folk (Oberon and Titania), romantic comedy (the mismatched lovers), and lowbrow slapstick (the “rude mechanicals”) to obtain a play which throws a fresh light on all its elements. The play is also ridiculously funny, which is why it’s still a favorite with modern audiences.
I like funny. I love funny. Most of the stories I’ve written contain plenty of laughter, even when they deal with serious subjects. And mashing together different sub-genres is a perfect opportunity for jokes.
