 Fantasy: October 01, 2008 Issue [#2636] |
  Fantasy
This week: Edited by: Robert Waltz  
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Not only is the universe stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.
-Sir Arthur Eddington
(1882-1944,
English astronomer)
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
-Douglas Adams
(1952-2001,
English writer) |
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Life, The Universe, And Everything
I stole the title, there, from the late, great Douglas Adams, who's also quoted above. In his most famous work, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and its sequels, his Universe is populated by bizarre, strange, illogical, and incomprehensible beings - and then there are the nonhumans.
Many science fiction universes, in fact, posit nonhuman intelligences. Similarly, fantasy novels often incorporate nonhuman species - elves, dwarves, and so on.
The thing is, we humans have exhibited a marked tendency to annihilate ourselves; would we really tolerate other intelligent beings on the same planet for very long?
Well, we may not have to make that decision.
While a staple of science fiction, mainstream and scientific speculation, conspiracy theories, and wishful thinking, there is not one shred of solid, conclusive scientific evidence of life beyond our atmosphere, intelligent or not. There are, however, organic materials in interstellar dust clouds - potentially the precursors of life. No one knows (from a scientific perspective) how life got started on this planet, though, so getting from spaceborne organic molecules to living, breathing(?) aliens is still a matter for mystery and investigation.
We - and by "we" I mean both the population in general as well as writers of speculative fiction - have to come to terms with the idea that it is very likely that there are no little green men out there. It is possible that the specific combination of conditions that gave rise to our familiar biosphere is rare enough that it may only occur once in a galaxy - if that. Consider: we're in a place in the galaxy where stars are far enough apart that there's little interference between planetary systems; the solar system is clean enough so that extinction-event planetary impacts are relatively rare; our planet is in just the right zone from the sun so that it's neither too hot nor too cold; said sun is single, only moderately variable, and at a stable phase in its life cycle; Earth has a protective magnetic field that shunts away much harmful cosmic radiation; we have a big moon that causes tides that force evolution from sea to land... the list goes on. Lest you think that it can't be so unlikely because we're here, consider a lottery winner: once you win the lottery, it's certain that you've won it; until you have won it, your chances are... well, astronomical. Now consider if you don't even know that the lottery exists, and perhaps you can begin to understand why some think life on other planets may be wishful thinking.
Of course, this is all speculation; we know absolutely nothing about any kind of extraterrestrial life. But speculation is part of our mission as writers of the unknown. We won't know until we get out there... or they get here, whichever comes first. |
A few items about aliens; from the fanciful to the serious:
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Only one comment from my previous newsletter:
Caledonia Lass  wrote:
I do enjoy your newsletter. Sometimes I feel like I am behind a bit, but I only respond when I feel I have some useful input. :D On the comics, ones that got me started in fantasy were the Graphic Novels, Elfquest. I remember reading and re-reading those in high school! I also loved X-Men.
As for the comment someone left on fantasy plots, I think it would be nice to see a newsletter devoted to over used fantasy plots. Babyangel had a point, why are so many fantasy books alike? What's wrong with breaking from the 'norm'? How many fantasy authors today actually build their own world(s)? And why? I've certainly spent years building my own world so that I have something to write from as if I know it intimately (and I do), but also to have something to write from continuously. A whole world where anything can happen as long as the author dreams it up.
Excellent newsletter as always, I look forward to it every month!
Thanks for the positive feedback!  Your idea about a newsletter devoted to over-used fantasy plots is a good one, and I'll certainly keep it in mind for a future issue, unless someone else jumps on it first. I think many fantasy books are alike for the same reason that romance novels tend to have similar plots: people like the familiar and expected, even when the world involved is unfamiliar and strange. Perhaps especially when the world is unfamiliar and strange.
As for your question about authors creating their own worlds - I've said before that all authors create their own worlds; it's just that some of them bear a closer resemblance to the "real" world, and fantasy / science fiction authors do it consciously. But often it's a matter of degree - and the more detail you put into your world, the more believable it becomes for the reader.
That's it for this one! Thanks for reading, and until next month...
DREAM ON! |
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