{{Short description|Implausible plot device in fiction}} {{Distinguish|Great Moon Hoax}} "'''Alien space bats'''" ("'''ASBs'''") is a neologism for plot devices used in alternate history to mean an implausible point of divergence.
==Definition== "Alien space bats" was originally used as a sarcastic attack on poorly written alternate histories seen as being implausible. The attacks are usually phrased as the need for "alien space bats" or by saying that the alternate history has gone into "ASB territory". The term eventually evolved into a reference to ''deus ex machina'' to create an impossible point of divergence.<ref name=stason>{{cite web |url=http://stason.org/TULARC/history/what-if/8-What-are-the-Alien-Space-Bats-soc-history-what-if.html |title=What are the Alien Space Bats? (soc.history.what-if) |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Stas Bekman|date= |publisher=stason.org}}</ref> Examples include changes to the physical laws of nature, time travel, and advanced aliens interfering in human affairs. An example of the last change is Harry Turtledove's ''Worldwar'' series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.changingthetimes.net/admin/FAQ.htm |title=Frequently Asked Questions |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author= |date= |publisher=Changing the Times}}</ref>
==History== The term "alien space bats" was coined and popularized in the Usenet group "soc.history.what-if" in 1998.<ref name=pyramid/><ref>https://groups.google.com/group/soc.history.what-if/topics soc.history.what-if</ref> Alison Brooks (1959–2002), credited as the creator of the term, used it to debunk the possibility of a successful Operation Sea Lion by saying that Nazi Germany could successfully invade the United Kingdom across the English Channel only if they had the help of alien space bats.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/soc.history.what-if/oe0cz-kqO98 |title= Alien Space Bats: A History |accessdate =2008-10-09 |author=Alison Brooks |date=1999-04-15 |publisher =soc.history.what-if}} </ref><ref name=pyramid>{{Cite web |url= http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=5675 |title=Alien Space Bats for ''GURPS Fourth Edition'' |accessdate=19 December 2008 |author=Matt Riggsby |date=November 18, 2005| publisher=Pyramid}}</ref> Brooks regretted the use of the ASBs as a supernatural agency and preferred to restrict them to rhetoric.<ref name=stason />
S. M. Stirling credited Brooks with creating the term in the acknowledgments section of ''Dies the Fire'' in which he changed the laws of physics<ref>{{cite book | last=Stirling | first=S. M. | authorlink=S. M. Stirling | title=Dies the Fire | location=New York | publisher=Roc | pages=[https://archive.org/details/diesfire00stir/page/496 496] | year=2004 | isbn=0-451-45979-2 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/diesfire00stir/page/496 }}</ref> and also used the plot device to send Nantucket back in time in ''Island in the Sea of Time''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.changingthetimes.net/samples/brooks/alison_brooks.htm |title=Alison Brooks |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Christopher Nuttall |date= |publisher=Changing the Times}}</ref><ref name=Paul>{{cite web|url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue382/books.html |title=Off the Shelf: Dies the Fire |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Paul Di Filippo |work=Book Review |publisher=SciFi.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421103355/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue382/books.html |archivedate=2008-04-21 |url-status=live}}</ref> One character throughout ''Dies the Fire'' and its sequels believes the change to the laws of nature to have been done by an advanced alien race because the changes were finely tailored and refers to the race as alien space bats.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Issues/01Stirling.html |title=S. M. Stirling: Turning Points |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author= |date=January 2006 |work=Interview |publisher=Locus Online}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://hem.bredband.net/b104699/books/protwar/protwar_2.html |title=''The Protector's War'' Chapter 2 |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=S. M. Stirling |date= |work=Sample Chapter |publisher=smstriling.com |archive-date=2008-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821203448/http://hem.bredband.net/b104699/books/protwar/protwar_2.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In a review of ''Dies the Fire'', Dale Cozort addressed the perceived 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.'"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://members.aol.com/althist1/June04/diesthefire.htm |title=Review: Dies The Fire - By Steve Stirling |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Dale Cozort |year=2004 |publisher=Dale Cozort's Alternate History Newsletter |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328143757/http://members.aol.com/althist1/June04/diesthefire.htm |archivedate=March 28, 2008}}</ref> Paul Di Filippo often uses the term in reviewing the series.<ref name=Paul /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/books/sfw866.html |title=The Protector's War |accessdate=28 November 2008 |last=Filippo |first=Paul Di |date=September 5, 2005 |work=Book review |publisher=Sci Fi Weekly |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061022065242/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/books/sfw866.html |archivedate=October 22, 2006}}</ref> The term also appeared in John Birmingham's 2008 novel ''Without Warning''.<ref>{{cite book | last=Birmingham | first=John | authorlink=John Birmingham | title=Without Warning | location=New York | publisher=Del Rey Books | pages=[https://archive.org/details/withoutwarning00birm/page/33 33, 261] | year=2009 | isbn=978-0-345-50289-6 | url=https://archive.org/details/withoutwarning00birm/page/33 }}</ref>
==In popular culture== * In Ken MacLeod's ''Learning the World'', alien space bats actually appear as characters in the novel as an in-joke.<ref name=SH>{{cite web|url=http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2005/12/two_views_cit-comments.shtml |title=Two Views: Learning the World by Ken Macleod |accessdate=2008-10-08 |last=Harrison |first=Niall |author2=Dan Hartland |date=2005-12-15 |work=Book Review |publisher=Strange Horizons |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517091636/http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2005/12/two_views_cit-comments.shtml |archivedate=2008-05-17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Issues/09MacLeod.html |title=Ken MacLeod: Politics & SF |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author= |date=September 2006 |work=Interview |publisher=Locus Online}}</ref> * The gaming magazine ''Pyramid'' published an article describing how someone could play as an alien space bat in a role-playing game.<ref name=pyramid/> * In Failbetter Games' browser game ''Fallen London'', Victorian-era London is stolen by alien bats from space, though the creators said that this was a coincidence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-02-06 |title=Is it a coincidence … |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2v01c4/were_failbetter_games_developers_of_fallen_london/cod8j6o/?rdt=51704 |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Reddit r/IAmA |quote=[Alexis] A total coincidence. I was delighted.}}</ref>
==See also== {{portal|Novels}} *''Assiti Shards'' series *Jonbar hinge
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links==
===Interactive sites=== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20081028013242/http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/forumdisplay.php?f=9 Alien Space Bats and Other Magic] on the Alternate History Discussion Board. * [http://wiki.alternatehistory.com/doku.php/alternate_history_faq#alien_space_bats_asbs ''Alien Space Bats'' on the Alternate History FAQ] page of the [http://wiki.alternatehistory.com/doku.php/ Alternate History Wiki] * [https://archive.today/20130209193147/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alien_space_bats/ Alien Space Bats] Yahoo! Group
===Non-interactive sites=== *{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=G. W. |title=Alien Space Bats! |url=https://darkworldsquarterly.gwthomas.org/alien-space-bats/ |website=Dark Worlds Quarterly |date=1 January 2020}} * [http://www.alternatehistorybooks.com/p1_glossary_alien_space_bats.php Alien Space Bats] on [http://www.alternatehistorybooks.com/index.php Alternate History Books] * [http://www.changingthetimes.net/samples/brooks/original_alien_space_bats.htm "The Original Alien Space Bats - Irony and Steal"]—a fictional story featuring alien space bats by Alison Brooks
Category:20th-century neologisms Category:Alternate history fandom Category:Alternate history themes Category:Nantucket series Category:Narrative techniques Category:Science fiction terminology