The Neurodiversiverse – Alien Encounters, edited by Anthony Francis and Liza Olmsted (book review).
Fiction has always reflected its time and has addressed social issues. Charles Dickens frequently wrote about the social issues that were prevalent, bringing them to the attention of readers. Early science fiction was primarily action-oriented, and one colleague referred to it as ‘Mills & Boon for boys’. Many men in this society believed that women should only play domestic roles. Only in the second half of the 20th century did people take women writers of SF and fantasy seriously.
While not perfect yet, the majority of genre books now feature women in professional roles. Expectations indicate that women’s perceptions in both present and future societies have become more proactive. Characters from ethnic minorities are currently experiencing a similar transformation in English-reading parts of the world. The excellent writing from authors from all around the world, who incorporate their cultures into their books, aids in this ongoing revolution. It is an exciting time for readers.
While non-Caucasian characters and writers are starting to establish themselves and infuse their work with diverse cultural expectations, other groups continue to receive less attention. Physically disabled people have often taken part in epics and are beginning to take major roles. Neurodivergent characters rarely take the lead. They do play crucial parts in some fiction, but larger roles are infrequent. They think differently from the average writer, but we tend to forget that we have problems communicating with other intelligent mammals, such as dolphins, because their neural pathways are different; they see the world differently. Why then would the average person be able to communicate with extraterrestrial aliens? This book is an attempt to remedy that.
All the stories in ‘The Neurodiversiverse’ involve neurodivergent people and their encounters with extraterrestrial aliens. There are as many approaches to the theme as there are types of neurodivergency, giving each story or poem an element of uniqueness. There are thirty stories and poems from ten authors and a scattering of illustrations.
The opening poem, “When the Aliens Came,” by Avra Margariti, is an inspired choice. The first item in any anthology sets the anticipation for the rest of the volume, and this poem succinctly shows the constraints ‘normal’ society puts on the neurodivergent to try to make them fit. They also apply these constraints to aliens, as society has a tendency to force everyone to conform to the perceived norms, even when aliens are clearly different.
Not everyone perceives the world in the same way. Synaesthesia is a condition where someone may, for example, see words as colours. It is a way of perceiving things differently. In ‘Music, Not Words’ by Ada Hoffman, Justina has problems with words; she sees the world better in terms of music, so when the aliens come, she calls down the spaceships with music.
‘A Hint Of Colour’ by Jody Lynn Nye makes use of a similar effect. Lana Park can sense emotions through the colors of people’s auras. She is part of a planetary exploration team. While tests have indicated no sentient life, Lana realizes that plants have auras that react the same way as humans.
Although we acknowledge that not everyone thinks or perceives things in the same way, it is unusual to find stories that include aliens who respond to stimuli differently from their norm. Some of the stories presented here suggest that alien societies exhibit a neurodiverse range of responses. In ‘The Grand New York Welcome Tour’ by Kay Hanifen, the tour guide, Nyla, admits to being OCD. On her first tour, she makes a connection with one of her group, who, like her, is the awkward one who gets left out of the other’s plans.
In ‘Shadows Of Titanium Rain,’ Anthony Francis also accepts that if there are neurodiverse humans, then this should also be true in alien species. In this story, humans have expanded out into space and are mining on a moon of Tylos, described here as a ‘hot Jupiter.’ In the tidally locked moon, one side is very hot, the other extremely cold. The aliens, called Passenghasts, can only survive in the hot regions. Unfortunately, human mining has shifted the moon’s orientation, putting the aliens in danger. Djina, a member of the human team, experiences acute anxiety when interacting with her own kind, leading her to often isolate herself and create images. It is this activity that draws a similarly isolationist Passenghast to her and leads to the beginning of communication.
People often have preconceived notions about how the average person would respond in a given situation, and it is considered unacceptable to behave differently. In Brian Starr’s ‘The Interview,’ Ben is interviewed for a position as an ambassador to an alien planet. While he is highly qualified, he always seems to fail at the interview stage. To Tsah, the alien interviewing him, he is unexpectedly refreshing in his approach. Both Tsah and the reader end up asking a very valid question, ‘What is an interview for?’ Maub Nesor’s story ‘These Things Never End Well’ points up the idea that the corporate view is not always the right one.
These are just a few of the many enjoyable stories and poems in the book. Scattered amongst them are illustrations such as the intricate ‘Skeleton In Roses’ by Natasha Voi. Although all the pieces have the same theme, there is a wide variety. Readers are likely to recognize familiar characters among the protagonists, and their portrayal here offers a unique viewpoint. Thinking differently can be beneficial.
Stories and novels often feature neurodiverse people in minor roles; perhaps this book is a step towards more of them taking charge and taking center stage. This book is highly recommended, particularly for writers who aim to incorporate greater diversity into their works.
Pauline Morgan
November 2024
(pub: Thinking Ink Press, California, 2024. 325 page enlarged paperback. Price: $19.99 (US), £16.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-94240-26-6)
check out website www.thinkinginkpress.com/product/neurodiversiverse-alien-encounters/