“ One of the great delights of reading science fiction and fantasy stories is the feeling of being immersed in a world where everything is a bit different. Ordinary people—even children—have unusual abilities. The dangers are different, the power relationships are different, even “normal” is different, and the reader has to figure out this new world on the fly. Every word has potentially a different meaning than in the familiar work-a-day world. New words—made-up words, words you have never heard before—can indicate entirely new ways of thinking.
Eileen Gunn, “Where Everything Is a Bit Different.” Introduction to the story collection Filter House by Nisi Shawl.
2 years ago
