Modern Good Reads discussion

I am really curious, because it is very hard to write something totally alien. Readers relate to human emotions and motives, so I would love to hear about books and authors who can make that connection between a reader and an alien culture that bears no relation to human interaction.

If you're a reader, what are you looking for in the story and from the characters? If you're a writer, how do you set about crafting such a creature, deal with language, etc?

I just finished reading a beta copy of Mike Dunbar's 3rd book in the Castleton series, and in it there are alias that are very much like lizards. For most of the book their behavior and actions are not able to relate to (as is the intent from the author) but towards the very end the author has a scene where the protagonists eavesdrop on a conversation between a few of the mother aliens and in that moment, they become more humane. Most animals care for their young. Seeing aliens "worry" for their young was a very real situation. It was a great introduction for mid-grade and young readers.

Another great example that really struck me as a teenager was C.S. Lewis' Perlandra series. You start by focusing on the things about them that are different, dealing with the culture shock, and then finding concepts that are similar (however different in action, intent being similar.)Such as caring for their young. So what if they feed the baby from a tube in their belly button, they are still caring for their young. From an author's perspective, studying anthropology or zoology is a great resource for being able to create such characters. There are certain things that most animals have in common, which have allowed us to continue to survive. Finding unique ways to demonstrate those basic needs, and then having the character witnessing it have an "aha" comparison moment goes a long way in helping the readers make the same connection.

I haven't read the Perlandra series, so that's a new one for me.

That's a really good point about the anthropology and zoology. I saw one of those nature photos of a mother snail, carrying her baby snail on her back through a puddle of water. For that moment I connected with a snail. It was crazy. Yes we do recognize motives and emotions through simple actions like that.

Can that be extended to societal organization or cultural characteristics? Any examples?

Well, many mammals have hierarchical structures within their packs/ herds just as humans. Just as humans tend to follow an "alpha" who tends to have qualities that their culture values, many mammals follow alphas, animals who represent the best/strongest/ most likely to survive. Many animals subdivide in familial units. Most have territorial tendencies just as humans. Preening is a characteristic shared across many species for the sole purpose of attracting a mate. The list really goes on and on.

Taylor Anderson's Destroyermen will have you looking at cats and lizards in a whole new way while John Ringo will terrify you with his Posleen War aliens.

Kathy wrote: "Taylor Anderson's Destroyermen will have you looking at cats and lizards in a whole new way while John Ringo will terrify you with his Posleen War aliens."
Tell us more, Kathy. What was it about the way these books treated the aliens that caught your imagination?

(I know cats and lizards aren't aliens, ;) )

My brother sparked me off on this question. I chatted with him this evening and these are the books he loved in this area:

followed by the sequel:

Echoing the zoology comment above, the first thing that hit him was how the aliens grew within their environment which was initially hostile. Later when the aliens were more advance they managed to capture some humans. The indifference the aliens had to the humans' pain and misery was striking. Impacted him.
The aliens were solely conveyed by narrative and description, no conscious thoughts. It was like having a first person perspective (observing them) without being able to draw any conclusions about their thinking. There were no patterns to recognize in their behaviour.

Anyone else who has read these or other books and has some insight to shed on how the aliens are tackled?

Ceri wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Taylor Anderson's Destroyermen will have you looking at cats and lizards in a whole new way while John Ringo will terrify you with his Posleen War aliens."
Tell us more, Kathy. What w..."

In my book, when you travel to an alternate world and encounter thinking, inventing beings that aren't human, that counts as alien. Even if they are giant kitty cats and lizards.

Imagination-catching-wise (*grin*), I liked his insight on cats. The way they communicated, the use of their ears, eyes, and tails, and yet they were so very human. The lizards...eek! Up until Anderson's latest book, Storm Surge , the lizards were vicious, almost unthinking, sentient beings. Now, Anderson is giving one of them a slightly more humane role. It will be interesting to see where he goes with it.

As for Ringo's Posleen War...*shudder*... The things the humans are fighting, their culture...yuck. Yet again, in his later books, we're introduced to the more downtrodden of the aliens and my sympathy rose up for them.

The Man-Kzin Wars This entire series gave me a healthy dose of culture shock.

Kathy wrote: "Ceri wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Taylor Anderson's Destroyermen will have you looking at cats and lizards in a whole new way while John Ringo will terrify you with his Posleen War aliens."
Tell us more, ..."

So the authors are sneaking in a connection to the reader. It does sound as though the readers are kept disconnected from the alien's thinking making us judge them by their behaviour? Is that right?

Michelle, give more! :)

I read one of Larry Niven's novels involving the Kzinti, a warmongering aggressive race of bipedal cats (they do go down on all fours in combat).

I think this is the Man-Kzin Wars Michelle was referring to.

The one I read, which I am having a hard time recalling the title, was about a human stranded on a planet with a primitive tribal group of all female cats. He was a sociologist/linguist of sorts, and he spoke their growling language.

It was a very interesting and even comical storyline, because several times over these catgirls tried to get frisky with him. He had to become the Alpha and establish his dominance to avoid certain complications.

But, one of the best alien character development novels I have ever read was The Sparrow.



There were two different sentient races entwined in a feudal system hierarchy on this planet. And They seemed to be fairly reasonable/intelligent creatures, but by the end of the phenomenally well-written novel, you realize just how alien they are. They did some very horrible things to the main character, who was a catholic priest, and in their society it was acceptable. (comeuppance perhaps?)

And the wonderful music these aliens broadcast, the signals of which inspired the journey to visit this planet, were an ode to various forms of intoxication and debauchery, sung like an angelic choir from their melodious voices.

That was culture shock.

Very well written, character driven scifi.

:)

China Miéville's Hosts in his novel "Embassytown" are aliens for whom Language is everything. This renders them beyond the comprehension of (and unable to comprehend) all but the most rigorously trained Ambassadors. However, authors and other language professionals who read the book will have no trouble sympathising with them.

Agree with Bryan. Embassytown is really alien. And it's a great novel. Incredibly well written and very thought-provoking.

I will be putting this on my want to read!

Try "Footfall."

I have an as yet unpublished short story in which the aliens are so different, our human language breaks down in trying to describe them. They are of other dimensionalities and directionality that dominates our reference systems.

I knew an author once who created an alien world filled with alien flora, fauna, and sentient beings. He became so involved in his world that he learned the language of the aliens and spoke it fluently. He went further. He began writing first large sections of the book, and then the whole thing in this alien language. Alas, he could find no readers among the devotees of Science Fiction. Then he hit upon an idea, a remarkable idea, one that made both his fortune and his reputation: he published the book as a tutorial to improve education. Pure genius!
Please take no offense at my attempted humor, Marc. I do love alien worlds and I admire the authors who create them.

A.R. wrote: "I knew an author once who created an alien world filled with alien flora, fauna, and sentient beings. He became so involved in his world that he learned the language of the aliens and spoke it flue..."

none taken A.R. :-)

When I read 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke, I tried to imagine what the aliens who left the monolith on the moon looked like, and what sounds they would make, if I should hear them speaking. After a long, deep think, I decided they were, as was the intention of their creator, incomprehensible.

I think real aliens would be so "other" that we could have no possible "image" in us even to begin imagining them.

There are too many variables in space to comprehend the reality of real aliens.

A fascinating question.