Art by Nera Bui, neraxichy.deviantart.com
Lost Frequencies Character Inspiration
When we think of other lifeforms existing on other planets today, many people assume that these lifeforms, if they exist, wouldn't look like a human, let alone have technology or be conscious, and when we do think of advanced extra-terrestrial lifeforms, we still often assume they wouldn't look anything like us.
In science fiction, there have been many depictions of extra-terrestrial lifeforms which do look and behave like humans. There have of course been monstrous depictions of aliens who want to destroy humanity too.
What would extra-terrestrial life look like? Has been a question which has fascinated mankind for centuries. Scientists, authors and people from all professions have come up with their own theories and ideas over the years. As I was planning to write Lost Frequencies, I adopted my own approach to this question. I tried to keep things simple and logical. In my mind if there is, or ever have been, extra-terrestrial lifeforms, particularly conscious lifeforms, then there is no real reason why they wouldn’t look similar to a human being. Especially if we think of humans as being part of a basic blueprint for a conscious lifeform, allowing some room for tweaks here and there. Since the universe managed to throw together planet Earth in such a way that it became habitable for life, it could have happened elsewhere and probably has happened elsewhere in the universe. Therefore, planets that are able to support life could have similar atmospheres and terrains.
Taking this all into account, nature usually follows two general rules, survival of the fittest and following the simplest path possible. I decided then that my aliens would resemble humans with some minor differences in their appearance and their planet. I named my aliens Iyeekans and their planet Iyeeka.
Being a massive Tolkien fan, I couldn’t help but draw inspiration from his Elves. The majority of Iyeekans are tall and pale, there are other Iyeekans that are much shorter with tanned skin, and both have pointed ears. For most of their evolution, Iyeekans were naturally kind and compassionate, instead of fighting amongst themselves for resources they evolved and learnt to work together. Hoarding resources was frowned upon and seen as a mental illness. They didn’t have singular rulers, but instead they lived in smaller communities with an elected council for each community. In many ways Iyeekans are a utopian vision of how a conscious lifeform could live and work together, but there are flaws and problems with this vision.
The other reason I wanted my Iyeekans to resemble humans, is because we find it much easier to associate ourselves and feel compassion for people who look like us. Lost Frequencies is a sci-fi novel but it also carries a warning about climate change and natural disasters that are beyond our control. I want my readers to be able to empathise with my characters and immerse themselves into the world of Iyeeka.
If you enjoyed my book please let me know! I would love to hear from you. Also a big thank you to Nera Bui for her amazing artwork.