A great new addition to this sub-genre is The Sheriff of Yrnameer by Daily Show writer Michael Rubens. It focuses on a self centered thief and smuggler named Cole who is trying to get away from a bounty hunter Alien named Kenneth.
In this world, capitalism is king and all the planets have corporate sponsors and the earth was destroyed (“At least we got the terrorists”.) Before long Cole has to deal with a peace loving tough girl, businessmen zombies, freeze dried children, a computer with sub par artificial intelligence, a human loving alien, before making it to the mythic unsponsored planet of Yrnameer to battle the toughest creature in the galaxy and try to save a planet full of peace loving artists.

This is a novel that will make you laugh but it also has a lot of action and adventure along the way.