random crunchy madness

[kaigou]

From the ofic boards where I often hang, in a discussion I started on science fiction vs. fantasy in genre definition. Quoting someone else's explanation, and my utterly random response.

For example: Your hero and his companions turn a corner and find a dragon blocking their path. You have the understandable need to describe the critter standing there. Your focus on the "weird and unusual" in the story will determine if it's SF or Fantasy.

If you automatically write about the dragon's biological nature (with or without reproductive cycle), the whys and wherefores of it breathing fire and the psychology of fighting them, you're writing SF.

I suddenly had this vision of writing a scene something along the lines of:



Their voices were hushed in the city twilight, footfalls echoing on concrete. Jake turned a left, Fred right on his heels, only to slam into Jake's back.

"What the---" Fred looked past Jake, and goggled.

A six-foot tall dragon stood blocking their path. Fred studied its build, automatically noting its structure was similiar to Varanus komodoensis, although the Komodo dragons weren't known to stand on their hind legs, nor did they spout fire. He sniffed cautiously; this dragon was using a volatile combination of sulfur and something sweet. Fred suspected it was chromium dioxide, often known to be secreted in the nostril passages of some members of Alligator sinensis. The skin was mottled green, with raised ridges above the cold repetilian eyes. The dragon had claws easily ten centimeters in length; it bared its teeth, revealing sharp fangs that glittered like little scalpels. Fred swallowed hard; if the dragon was a close relation to Varanus komodoensis, the saliva was probably deadly as well.

But his eyes widened at the sight of the dragon's posture. Fred inched closer to Jake, keeping his voice low.

"Don't make any sudden moves," he hissed. "Or it'll jump us."

"Hunh?" Jake gave him a wild-eyed look. "Man, it's a dragon! It's a frickin' dragon, in downtown---"

"Shut up," Fred snapped, still keeping his voice low. "See that? He's exposing a pair of hemipenes from his cloaca."

"Dude." Jake glanced at the dragon, then back at Fred. "Wait..in English?"

"He's in heat, man."

Bwahahahaha.

*cough*

I crack myself up sometimes.


...And now I have three people on that forum demanding I FINISH the story. FINISH it? What's there to FINISH? Heh. I told 'em the board doesn't allow bestia--err, erotica. Nyah.

Comments

[merith.livejournal.com]

okay, because my mind goes there...

Change the names to Heero and Duo, Heero's POV is total SF and Duo's is Fantasy. And, yeah, it can be a little erotic - though beastiality... ew. Even with fantasy characters.

[solitude1056.livejournal.com]

I mentioned this to Zaz, and she's been inspired:

Duo didn't blink as he pulled his gun - hell with this shit - he wasn't going to wait for a six foot dragon to make dinner of his virgin ass.

I'm working on her. ;D

[merith.livejournal.com]

That is so cool... Let me know where/when to prod. I like Duo's attitude - and Heero's logic! *grin*

[sarolynne.livejournal.com]

*laughs!!!*

*rereads*

*laughs and laughs more*

That is seriously priceless. You just made my whole night. Of course, it also pointed out one of my biggest peeves with the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genres. I really wish more fantasy authors would pay attention to details, and likewise, that Sci-Fi authors would get over their Cool Theories and tell the goddamn story.

Bah. I turn my nose up at both. I will write speculative fiction.

[solitude1056.livejournal.com]

The discussion seems to have boiled down to the notion that sf mines science for its ideas, while fantasy mines mythology. By that standard, I'm writing sf, not fantasy. By the standard of "things must have a viable 'we'll be able to, someday' extrapolation from current knowledge" I'm still writing sf.

I think I may start labelling my ofics cyberpunk fantasy.

[sarolynne.livejournal.com]

That works.

See, I always wondered what a person is writing when it's obviously alien world (as opposed to fantasy world), with fairly scentific explanations for things, but the technology level is pre-industrial and there's magic.

Or something like that.

I get sick of the fantasy mining mythology thing. I like that, but really, it's so limiting. There's no reason why a fantasy world has to look like Midieval Europe, only cleaner. Culturally, politically, there's no reason it can't be all original, and pretty liberal and ground breaking, but it's alway the same!

...

I will take my rant somewhere more appropriate for it. >_>

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

That's actally one of the things that first attracted me to FMA. It's fantasy, when you think about it, but there's not an elf or a wizard in sight, and they picked a different time period from "vague medieval" to set it in.

[sarolynne.livejournal.com]

Me too, actually. And the "magic" isn't even magic. It's science. I really loved that about it.

[christeos-pir.livejournal.com]

I'm SO waiting for Zania to take this and run with it...

[atpolittlebit.livejournal.com]

Have to catch my breath. Laughing too hard!!!!

Ahahahahhaahahaahahahha!!!!

[maaya1x2.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha! XD While I wouldn't say no to a continuation, it is hilarious on its own.

[koyote19.livejournal.com]

This made my day. Except instead of putting in Heero & Duo... I ended up picturing Jack & Hurley from Lost instead. Way too funny not to continue though.

[okaasan59.livejournal.com]

I was thinking, "males can have cloacas?" and Shannon said that yes, pretty much all reptiles (she thinks) have cloacas. Now that I think about it, all the snakes and lizards I've seen have 'em. And gorillas, I think. But maybe just the females. Bah...my brain stinks.

[ladystarlightsj.livejournal.com]

Hi, sol. Just saw you over on masqthphlsphr's journal and wondered if I could add you as a friend. (filters wanted would be personal/political -- preferred, anyways. ;) )