What do you think about this plot device?

[ScarletBea]

What do you think about the introduction of 'modern' humans, or Earth-like people and devices, in the middle of a fantasy book that is set in a completely invented world?

I fear I'm getting ready to read about such a reveal (many hints so far have driven me there), and I'm not that comfortable or happy about it...

I think it can be done properly, but sometimes it feels like a 'lazy way out', something that's just there, ready to explain a bunch of things.

A bit like that scene in Indiana Jones when he's being attacked by a guy with a big knife, who starts doing al these fancy moves, and suddenly Indy takes out his gun and just shoots him. Yes, it's funny and a way to easily get out of that situation, but it feels wrong for me in books, after being invested for so long (because I'm complaining more about the big reveals rather than when it's kinda obvious from the start).

[Alex Hormann]

I believe I know the book you're talking about

Spoiler for Hiden:

Adrian Tchaikovsky's Bear and Serpent?

. If so, It's not quite what you think it is.

As for the trope itself, I'm not a big fan. Much like I don't like post-apocalypse Earths that suddenly have magic, I think it strains credulity too much. If it's part of the world from the start, then it's not as bad. Shannara has done something similar in the latest series, and it's working quite well.

[ScarletBea]

Thanks and yes

Spoiler for Hiden:

it's just feeling like the pale people are humans, Lone Mountain was shot with a gun (I just read that bit)

I'm glad you're saying it's not exactly it, hehe

And exactly, it's the sudden change that I feel icky about

[Bender]

Sounds like Avatar's story!

Humans dropping on indigenous planets is common in sci-fi. Though if the world is fantasy one, I haven't read it yet.

[Neveesandeh]

I'm actually planning on doing this is one of my own books, and I'm not sure how to go about hinting at it.

The story is set in a world that's still pretty much in the seventeenth century, but it's a part of a multiverse and when one character goes into another world he runs into people with helicopters and machine guns.

I'm not sure how to make it seem like a natural and logical part of the story and world, rather than something completely ridiculous that just comes out of nowhere.

[Peat]

I've never heard of it before so can't really comment that much but...

I'm actually planning on doing this is one of my own books, and I'm not sure how to go about hinting at it.

The story is set in a world that's still pretty much in the seventeenth century, but it's a part of a multiverse and when one character goes into another world he runs into people with helicopters and machine guns.

I'm not sure how to make it seem like a natural and logical part of the story and world, rather than something completely ridiculous that just comes out of nowhere.

Foreshadowing is your friend. If you make it clear the multiverse exists early, the reader is more likely to accept this stuff. If you want to be more specific, maybe have some prophecies that could be interpreted that way, or some ancient broken artifacts that could be future tech from across the multiverse and so on.

[Bender]

Make a sudden jump and you can gradually let the character himself figure it out and readers along with him through some adventures along the way.

[J.R. Darewood]

Apparently Robert Jordan did this in WoT and it totally went over my head until I found this article

https://wot.fandom.com/wiki/Real-world_references

[Skip]

We are all just prisoners here of our own device.

[isos81]

I completely agree with you and the same just happened to me today in the morning while reading in subway before reading your topic. There was a line "what happens in Kaladar..." and this line broke my connection the epic world completely. I was so shocked I thought about stopping reading the book anymore.

A bit like that scene in Indiana Jones when he's being attacked by a guy with a big knife, who starts doing al these fancy moves, and suddenly Indy takes out his gun and just shoots him. Yes, it's funny and a way to easily get out of that situation, but it feels wrong for me in books, after being invested for so long (because I'm complaining more about the big reveals rather than when it's kinda obvious from the start).

This scene is funny but the director told that H.Ford was so sick in this scene they had to do it this way