An estimated 80% of my fiction output is rooted in spite.

[magistrate]

Ran across this in my Twitter reading today. Made me stop and raise an eyebrow. Because, really – "grim" and "bleak" are the descriptors they've chosen to entice me to see this film? (Well, there's also "incredible", but that gives me little insight into what sets this film apart, and thus does little to capture my interest.)

Now, possibly I just haven't read widely enough in the genre to realize that there's a strong undercurrent of happy, lush, uplifting post-apocalyptic fiction out there. Something like that. But to me, grim, bleak landscapes aren't exactly the aspects of a post-apocalyptic work you need to advertise – they're more or less to be expected from the genre. Advertising those, especially when you have a medium such as Twitter and have to seriously consider which few, precious words you're going to use, makes it sound to me like you just don't have anything more interesting to say than "This work competently executes the tropes it's expected to." It's the "square house, door in front" of the review world.

...which all basically means that, in a fit of pique, I have decided that I want beautifully optimistic post-apocalyptic fiction to exist. If someone else doesn't write it, I may have to.

(It's not even that I dislike grimdark post-apoc. I do enjoy it, when it's done well. But sometimes you just have to go for the subversions.)

Comments

[sholio]

No, tragically, but the second novella in the book has a lady with telepathic companion fishers (the descriptions of them are ADORABLE - they're always popping up on top of things or humping around exploring) and a guy who rides an enormous coyote. And I'm fairly sure the bad guys are riding either elk or moose, though the descriptions are kind of vague since the protagonists aren't sure what they are either.

[magistrate]

Aww! ...you know, for how little I read/write/seek them out in fiction, I will admit that I'm a sucker for companion animals.

I think my favorite word for animal movement is "gallumphing". Especially when it's things like the monster from The Host gallumphing about. With all its little legs.

[sholio]

.... THE HELL AM I WATCHING HERE.

Yeah, it's not really something I go looking for and it can sometimes strike the wrong note, but I seem to enjoy it more often than not. Especially when the companion is something unusual.

[magistrate]

You are watching the monster attack scene from a surprisingly adorable Korean monster film. (Guaranteed 100% free of pit-fighting teddy bears.)

...I have an SG1 braintic where Sam Carter dies and her consciousness gets transported into a different universe and winds up in a semi-uplifted mountain lion developed with alien technology to provide service animals for offworld 'gate teams. 'cause that makes a whole lot of sense. But aside from that and Ness, I just never seem to do anything with them.

...well, there are also the Behemats in my middlegrade novel, I suppose. Which are not so much "animals" as "sentient, nonhuman creatures created out of an extrusion of human will." I am the best at middlegrade.