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Alien space bats (ASBs) is a neologism
Neologism

A neologism is a newly coined word that may be in the process of entering common use, but has not yet been accepted into mainstream language . Neologisms are often directly attributable to a specific person, publication, period, or event....
 for plot device
Plot device

A plot device is an element introduced into a narrative solely to advance or resolve the Plot of the story. In the hands of a skilled writer, the reader or viewer will not notice that the device is a construction of the author; it will seem to follow naturally from the setting or characters in the story....
s used in alternate history to create a point of divergence
Point of divergence

In discussion of counterfactual history, a divergence point , also referred to as a departure point or point of divergence is a historical event, with two possible postulated outcomes....
 that would otherwise be implausible.

n space bats originally was used as a sarcastic attack on poor alternate histories due to lack of plausibility. These attacks are usually phrased in terms of the need for alien space bats or by saying the alternate history has gone into "ASB territory".






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Alien space bats (ASBs) is a neologism
Neologism

A neologism is a newly coined word that may be in the process of entering common use, but has not yet been accepted into mainstream language . Neologisms are often directly attributable to a specific person, publication, period, or event....
 for plot device
Plot device

A plot device is an element introduced into a narrative solely to advance or resolve the Plot of the story. In the hands of a skilled writer, the reader or viewer will not notice that the device is a construction of the author; it will seem to follow naturally from the setting or characters in the story....
s used in alternate history to create a point of divergence
Point of divergence

In discussion of counterfactual history, a divergence point , also referred to as a departure point or point of divergence is a historical event, with two possible postulated outcomes....
 that would otherwise be implausible.

Definition

Alien space bats originally was used as a sarcastic attack on poor alternate histories due to lack of plausibility. These attacks are usually phrased in terms of the need for alien space bats or by saying the alternate history has gone into "ASB territory". This original definition was used by one critic to criticize Harry Harrison
Harry Harrison

Harry Harrison is an United States science fiction author best known for his character the Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! , the basis for the film Soylent Green ....
's Stars and Stripes trilogy
Stars and Stripes trilogy

The Stars and Stripes Trilogy is a collection of three alternate history novels written by Harry Harrison....
. The term eventually evolved into a deus ex machina
Deus ex machina

A deus ex machina is a plot device in which a surprising or unexpected event occurs in a story's plot, often to resolve flaws or tie up loose ends in the narrative....
 to create an impossible point of divergences. Examples include changes to the physical laws of nature, introducing magic into the world, time travel, and advanced aliens interfering in human affairs. An example of aliens interfering in human affairs to change the direction of history is Harry Turtledove
Harry Turtledove

Harry Norman Turtledove is an United Statesn novelist, who has produced works in several genres including historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction....
's Worldwar
Worldwar

Worldwar is a series of four alternate history science fiction novels by Harry Turtledove.The premise of the series is an Extraterrestrial life invasion of Earth in the middle of World War II....
 series.

History

The term "alien space bats" was first coined, then popularized in the usenet
Usenet

Usenet, a portmanteau of "user" and "network", is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It evolved from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name....
 group . Alison Brooks is credited as the creator of the term, using it to debunk the possibility of a successful Operation Sealion
Operation Sealion

Operation Sea Lion was Nazi Germany plan to invade the United Kingdom during World War II, beginning in 1940. The operation was postponed indefinitely on 17 September 1940....
 by saying the only way it could be successful was if alien space bats helped the Nazis. Brooks regretted the use of the ASBs as a supernatural agency, preferring to restrict them to rhetoric.

S. M. Stirling
S. M. Stirling

Stephen Michael Stirling is a France-born Canada-United States science fiction and fantasy author.Stirling is probably best-known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and the more recent time travel/alternate history Nantucket series and The Emberverse series....
 credited Brooks with creating the term in the acknowledgments section of Dies the Fire
Dies the Fire

Dies the Fire is an alternate history, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction novel by S. M. Stirling and the first installment of the Emberverse series....
 and also used the plot device to send Nantucket back in time in Island in the Sea of Time
Island in the Sea of Time

Island in the Sea of Time is the first of the three alternate history novels of the Nantucket series by S. M. Stirling....
 and change the laws of nature in Dies the Fire. One character throughout Dies the Fire and its sequels believes the change to the laws of nature was done by an advanced alien race because the changes were finely tailored and refers to this race as alien space bats. In a review of Dies the Fire, Dale Cozort addressed the implausibility of the novel by saying "Just say to yourself, 'The elder gods or alien space bats took our toys away and that’s all there is to it.'" Paul Di Filippo
Paul Di Filippo

Paul Di Filippo is an United States science fiction writer. He is known for being a prolific writer in a wide range of sub-genres, including steampunk and cyberpunk, and for his Gonzo journalism writing style....
 uses the term often when reviewing the series. The term also appeared in John Birmingham
John Birmingham

John Birmingham is an Australian author. Birmingham was born in Liverpool, England and migrated to Australia with his parents in 1970....
's 2008 novel Without Warning
Without Warning (novel)

Without Warning, is a alternate history novel written by Australian author John Birmingham and released in Australia in September 2008 in literature and in the United States and the United Kingdom in February 2009 in literature....
.

Alien space bats in popular culture

  • In Ken MacLeod
    Ken MacLeod

    Ken MacLeod , an award-winning Scotland science fiction writer, lives in South Queensferry near Edinburgh. He graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in zoology and has worked as a computer programmer and written a masters thesis on biomechanics....
    's Learning the World
    Learning the World

    Learning the World is a science fiction novel by Ken MacLeod published in 2005 in literature. It won the 2006 Prometheus Award and was nominated for the Hugo Award for Hugo Award for Best Novel that same year....
     alien space bats actually appear as characters in the novel as an in-joke
    In-joke

    An in-joke is a joke whose humor is clear only to those people who are "inside" a social group or occupation; an esoteric joke. They may be colloquially referred to as "You had to be there" moments, as in "You had to have been there when it happened to think it's funny"....
    .
  • The gaming magazine Pyramid
    Pyramid (magazine)

    Pyramid is a game magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games....
     published an article describing how someone could play as an alien space bat in a role-playing game
    Role-playing game

    A role-playing game is a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a role-playing game system of rules and guidelines....
    .


See also

  • Assiti Shards effect
  • Jonbar Hinge
    Jonbar hinge

    A Jonbar Hinge is a science fiction conceit derived from the Jack Williamson novel The Legion of Time. Specifically it comes from the short story John Barr, when picking up one of two objects is a major turning point in history: choosing one will lead to a utopian civilization named Jonbar, while the other to the tyranny of the st...


External links


Interactive sites

  • on the Alternate History Discussion Board.
  • page of the
  • on


Non-interactive sites

  • on
  • - a fictional story featuring alien space bats by Alison Brooks