Talking animals?

[FntsyScribe]

Ok. So, here it goes. I want some opinions on communication with mythical creatures. For example, a unicorn, or dragon. Would you use telepathy, simple talking, or just not do this at all? Or are there other ways to do this I am unaware of?

Any opinions here are appreciated! I am debating on whether or not my creatures will be able to communicate with my MC.

[J. R. Tomlin]

Well, I've never done it and there are only a few books where I consider it well done. Where it is, the communications are telepathic I think.

[III]

Yeah, usually it's done with telepathy and usually it's a rare or unique talent possessed by the MC. But hey, it's your book so you can make them talk or play charades or sing if you want to - whatever works for your story. Make whatever rules you want for your universe and stick with 'em and we'll gladly go along for the ride!

[Mjollnir13]

It all depends on the story. Personally, I don't see any problems with it...after all, it is fantasy. You will know what feels right.

As far as how they are communicating...again it's up to you. You could try something like a limited telepathy where the MC can only feel emotions from the creatures, or gets mental pictures of what the creature is thinking.

[FntsyScribe]

Tomlin, could you perhaps list some of those books so that I could read them. I'm trying to get a feel for how this could be done, and done well. Thanks!

[veinglory]

Either way seems fine to me. The dragon in the Neverending Story just talked normally.

[Shadow_Ferret]

It's your story. Do what works for you. There is no right answer.

My unicorn uses telepathy and the MC talks to him normally.

[DarkLight]

Mythical creatures ofen communicate wih others, whether by telepathy, actaul talking, sign language, facial expression, or other is up to you. Sometimes, someone has special powers or abilities that permit communication with certian vreeatures. Other times, mythical creatures speak languages the MC can speak, but others cannot. I rarely use telepathy commnication in my own work. I prefer real talking creatures... dragons and griffins and a fox.

[blacbird]

Narnia. Watership Down. To name a couple that come to mind right quick.

caw

[Sean D. Schaffer]

Because this is Fantasy there really is no right or wrong answer. Do with your characters what you want to do with them, and see if it works for you.

Besides what Blacbird listed, another book where the creatures actually talk is The Dragon and the George by Gordon R. Dickson. Although I've not read very many that deal with animals literally talking, they're still out there.

[Rolling Thunder]

The current work I've been shopping around involves a group of talking farm cats with magical powers. Two of the cats can talk to people (and both can shape shift to assume human form, which is the reason why they can communicate, even as cats) but the other cats can only understand human language, not reply in turn.

I'm reworking it a bit right now but I did manage to catch Dan Lazar's interest last year and he asked for the full MS after reading the query. Unfortunately for me it wasn't what he was looking for, but it shows there *is* interest out there in this type of story.

[MargueriteMing]

In Dragonriders of Pern they use telepathy, in Wizard of Earthsea the dragon talks to Ged directly. In some books the animals can all talk to each other, but not to humans.

[J. R. Tomlin]

Tomlin, could you perhaps list some of those books so that I could read them. I'm trying to get a feel for how this could be done, and done well. Thanks!The dragons in Banewrecker and Godslayer are a good example (and among the few dragons I like by the way) :)

I'd actually have to double check but I think they used telepathy. But communicating with them was rare and dangerous. I know they use telepathy with the crows.

[Death Wizard]

Seems to me there are two aspects to talking: the intelligence to talk and the physical ability to make sophisticated sounds. In fantasy, we take the intelligence for granted. Dragons, for instance, are often far more intelligent than people. The physical ability is less likely than the former. But do most readers really care about that? I know that I don't. Heck, parrots can make sounds that mimic speech. In that sense, why couldn't a monster or other animal?

[benbradley]

There's George Orwell's "Animal Farm" where I recall animals actually talked to each other, but it was unusual, if not unique, in that it was political satire rather than a fantasy. Animals talking was a vehicle to go someplace different than where most fantasies go.

I saw the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle (aw, geez, now that I remember it I've got something for yet another of III's threads...), I don't really recall if it was actual 'talking' or telepathy, and I don't think the movie made it clear either way, but most humans could not 'hear' the animals talk for whatever reason. Perhaps the book of that name would tell.

[ChaosTitan]

I am debating on whether or not my creatures will be able to communicate with my MC.

Narnia. Watership Down. To name a couple that come to mind right quick.

Assuming that FntsyScribe's MC is human, Watership Down isn't a good example. The rabbits talk to each other, but never to human beings.

I saw the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle (aw, geez, now that I remember it I've got something for yet another of III's threads...), I don't really recall if it was actual 'talking' or telepathy, and I don't think the movie made it clear either way, but most humans could not 'hear' the animals talk for whatever reason. Perhaps the book of that name would tell.

Everyone but Doolittle heard the animals as they make noise (dogs barking, the guinea pig squealing, birds cawing, etc...). But because Doolittle could "talk" to animals, he understood the words behind those sounds, so on-screen, the animals were portrayed as speaking English. In the first film (Rex Harrison musical version), the animals were shown normally, but Doolittle reported on what he said they were saying.

I can't think of the author, but I would recommend "The Last Unicorn." She interacts with a magician, and I can't recall if it's telepathically, or verbally.

[Zelenka]

There's also the Spellsinger series by Alan Dean Foster - it's a while since I read them, but his whole world, I think, was full of talking animals (although they wore clothes and the likes as well)

[Danger Jane]

I can't think of the author, but I would recommend "The Last Unicorn." She interacts with a magician, and I can't recall if it's telepathically, or verbally.

Peter S. Beagle is the author. I think she speaks verbally.

[JPSpideyCJ]

Dragons in my book talk in different languages, but they still can communicate through some basic form of verbal language.

[ChaosTitan]

Peter S. Beagle is the author. I think she speaks verbally.

Thanks! Oddly, I remembered his name this morning, precisely twelve hours after I posted. :ROFL:

[FntsyScribe]

Thank you all so much! Looks like I have quite a bit of reading to do....

[Dustry Joe]

A Heinlein book I read in junior high had a kid communicating with a dragon by means of a "voder"...a keyboard which could "play" speech sounds.

[arodriguez]

Gardens of the Moon (steven erickson) features talking crows. and a talking puppet. yeah its that damn good.

[JimmyB27]

Robin Hobb has Fitz and his wolf, Nighteyes in the Farseer books. They talk telepathically, and can communicate over long distances.
Her dragons (from the Liveship trilogy) also communicate telepathically.