You know that one book where society has crumbled into nothingness, dark forces rule the world in a totalitarian mess where people are almost universally oppressed, and it’s up to the very, very few special people to change the world into something better?
That ONE book?
What’s the title again?
Please note: this is, like everything else, a series of opinions – both informed and not at all so. So the feeling that I am full of crap and have no idea what I am talking about is ALWAYS a viable feeling about this article.
I think Fantasy writers have an easier time of things. First of all, any unexplained phenomena can be explained with two words: it’s magic.
Second of all, magic can do anything. Whatever the author requires, magic can fill in.
Third of all, when in doubt, emulate Tolkien.
This is, of course, to reduce a difficult genre into ridiculous simplicity.
Here’s the problem with either writing sci-fi or (if you’re Margaret Atwood) “speculative fiction.” Often you have to be an expert in technologies, societies, and minutiae that not only don’t exist, but are be ridiculously improbable.
Take space travel. Space travel is ridiculous. It involves literally incomprehensible amounts of space through an environment that is notable for having no environment at all. A lot of empty space is oddly known for being full of things, like lethal amounts of radiation or micro-asteroids. One doesn’t travel through space as much as one escapes from space or dies trying.
Stop hectoring me!
Today has been a Rube Goldberg machine of suck. For instance, I’ve had terrible heartburn all day, so it’s off to a roaring start.
I went into the bathroom to get some Tums. Mmmmm! Chalk! As I was putting the berry-flavored talcum pills away, I slammed my finger in the drawer. I cried out. This set off the parrot, who came screeching and flapping around the corner.
I am STILL slogging through chapter six. I’ve been here for days. I’m not blocked or anything, though. It’s just that the chapter needed an enema, and it’s taking longer than I thought
The BIGGEST minutiae 