Alien space bats
Encyclopedia
Alien space bats is a neologism for plot device
s used in alternate history to create a point of divergence
that would otherwise be implausible.
's Stars and Stripes trilogy
. The term eventually evolved into a reference to deus ex machina
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
's Worldwar
series.
S. M. Stirling
credited Brooks with creating the term in the acknowledgments section of Dies the Fire
and also used the plot device to send Nantucket back in time in Island in the Sea of Time
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
uses the term often when reviewing the series. The term also appeared in John Birmingham
's 2008 novel Without Warning
.
Plot device
A plot device is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot....
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 poorly written alternate histories due to lack of plausibility. These attacks are usually phrased as 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 HarrisonHarry Harrison
Harry Harrison is an American 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.-Setting:All three novels involve the point of divergence of British involvement in the American Civil War after the Trent Affair. This happens when Prince Albert dies prematurely rather than...
. The term eventually evolved into a reference to deus ex machina
Deus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
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 American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
's Worldwar
Worldwar
Worldwar is a series of novels by Harry Turtledove whose premise is an alien invasion of Earth in the middle of World War II. The military invasion begins on or around May 30, 1942, but the aliens, who call themselves the Race, reached Earth orbit in December 1941...
series.
History
The term "alien space bats" was first coined, then popularized in the usenet group soc.history.what-if. Alison Brooks (1959-2002) is credited as the creator of the term, using it to debunk the possibility of a successful Operation Sea Lion 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 French-born Canadian-American 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 Emberverse series.-Personal:Stirling was born on...
credited Brooks with creating the term in the acknowledgments section of Dies the Fire
Dies the Fire
Dies the Fire is an alternate history, post-apocalyptic novel by S. M. Stirling and the first installment of the Emberverse series. The book is a spin-off from the Stirling's Nantucket series. In that series, modern-day Nantucket is thrown back in time to the Bronze Age...
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.-Plot summary:An elliptical region, including the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts and the United States Coast Guard ship Eagle, is transported by an unknown phenomenon back in...
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 American science fiction writer. He has been published in Postscripts...
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.-Early life and career:...
's 2008 novel Without Warning
Without Warning (novel)
Without Warning, is an alternate history novel written by Australian author John Birmingham and released in Australia in September 2008 and in the United States and the United Kingdom in February 2009. It is the first book in a new stand-alone universe...
.
Alien space bats in popular culture
- In Ken MacLeodKen MacLeodKen MacLeod , is a Scottish science fiction writer.MacLeod was born in Stornoway. 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 WorldLearning the WorldLearning the World is a science fiction novel by Ken MacLeod published in 2005. It won the 2006 Prometheus Award, was nominated for the Hugo, Locus, Clarke, and Campbell Awards that same year, and received a BSFA nomination in 2005...
alien space bats actually appear as characters in the novel as an in-jokeIn-jokeAn in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
. - The gaming magazine PyramidPyramid (magazine)Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
published an article describing how someone could play as an alien space bat in a role-playing gameRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. - Steven H SilverSteven H SilverSteven H Silver is an American science fiction fan and bibliographer, publisher, and editor. He has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer ten times and Best Fanzine three times without winning....
's "Bats in the Bayou," tells the story of an alien space bat invasion of the Texas bayous.
Interactive sites
- Alien Space Bats and Other Magic on the Alternate History Discussion Board.
- Alien Space Bats on the Alternate History FAQ page of the Alternate History Wiki
- Alien Space Bats Yahoo Group
- Alien Space Bats and Such on The Ark: Counter-Factual.Net Discussion Forums
- Alien Space Bats on TV TropesTV TropesTV Tropes is a wiki which collects and expands on various conventions and devices found within creative works. Since its establishment in 2004, the site has gone from covering only television and film tropes to also covering those in a number of other media such as literature, comics, video-games,...
Non-interactive sites
- Alien Space Bats on Alternate History Books
- The Original Alien Space Bats - Irony and Steal—a fictional story featuring alien space bats by Alison Brooks