Once more I am reading a book where a human gets sucked into another world. This can be another dimension, alternate universe, Fairy Land, or Alien Planet. In this case, it is a 17-year old girl with tragedy and attitude on her side whammying her head into a land of fairies and elves. Now don’t get me wrong, there are lots of things that I am enjoying about this book. But let me use this scenario as an example of a standard I bump into in scifi/fantasy:
- Human is injured/In wrong place at wrong time
- Human ends up in foreign, unbelievable world/place/universe
- Story is told through Human’s eyes – showing their disbelief and confusion
- Said Human is often rude and sarcastic
OK. So, perhaps I want to hear this story told from the other side. I want to hear from the elf and what he thinks about this idiot, unknown, alien that has appeared in his world that is by turns insulting and weepy. I think this would be infinitely more entertaining. Instead of seeing this story through my peevish American culture, it would be told through the other culture and I think I would get so much more out of the adventure. Of course, that would take more effort on the author’s part.
Any recommendations?
Oh, that’s a good question. Nothing immediately springs to mind though. I’m going to have to go and check out some of my books and see if I have anything…
Lynn
people from the other side would just think their human visitor was crazy, right? I’d actually love to read that! “but, but, how come my smartphone doesn’t work here?” “you’re what? what’s a phone??”
Neither of these titles are exactly what you’re looking for, but I vaguely remember conversations between the main character and people in their new environs, where everyone things the new person is completely off their rocker.
The Strange Case of X, by Jeff Vandermeer (short story) – a sort of argument between a shrink and his patient. Patient is convinced he’s from another world, a world with something called “automobiles”, shrink is convinced the guy needs more therapy.
Household Gods by Harry Turtledove – contemporary woman gets bonked on the head and wakes up in ancient Rome, wakes up in the body of a widowed woman who owns a business. “new” family thinks their Mom has gone crazy.
Song of Albion trilogy by Stephen Lawhead – two friends wake up in magical land of celtic mythology, and yup, everyone they meet thinks they are crazy, but tries to keep them out of trouble. first book is the best in the series.
Thanks for the recommendations. Lawhead and Turtledove I have heard of – and only read 1 Lawhead book years ago. Definitely good stuff to add to the TBR mountain range.
Alan Dean Foster’s Quozl is about aliens on Earth from their point of view.
Now I have to admit I have been a bad Foster fan by not having gotten around to this book. You’ve given me more incentive to read it sooner instead of later.
I would like to read that version too! Think of how difficult it would be. What if this funky alien human didn’t speak your language? What do you do with this crazy creature? Wodl the other race be kind or not?
I’ll check out Quozl too. Sounds great!