Thursday, April 21, 2016

R is for Reptiles

I'm really stretching for these post topics.  This semester of college is just about over.  I'm a little tired.  Anyway, reptiles.  You don't see a whole lot of them in SF/F/H stories.  Why?

Europe is the default template for most fantasy stories written currently, at least in the U.S.  In sci-fi it can be a little more spread out.  I don't read much horror.  Other than dragons, there aren't many reptiles out and about it common settings.  I think adding some in could allow for some cool world-building.

One of the biggest things I've noticed during my fifteen trips to Walt Disney World has been the tiny lizards.  They are everywhere.  They're a little creepy, but kinda cool.  I guess Florida's climate is warmer than those found in most spec fic stories.  If a small lizard were described in a story, I would probably think immediately of Floridian weather if other conditions were not specified.  That could allow for very fast world-building.

There are so many little things you can do to avoid info-dumps and add flavor to your story.  Adding some reptiles might be one of them.

6 comments:

  1. Like a nanotech engineered bioluminscent lizard that illuminates the path ahead so you don't stub your toe.

    The AtoZ of EOS
    #TeamDamyanti

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  2. I love the idea of lizards in more sci-fi stories. When I was a kid, I caught a couple of those little green guys down in Florida. I kept one as a pet for a while, they're so adorable!

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  3. Great theme for the A to Z!
    Hmm, I like this idea -- it's always a good thing to add something unique and unexpected.

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