Planet of Fate is a work-in-progress sci-fi-fantasy short novel being authored by SWJS. The author, after retconning some of the material and restarting, is on chapter one at the moment, and all chapters, once finished, will be viewable on the author's deviantart account: http://swjs.deviantart.com/gallery/#Planet-of-Fate
The project started c. 2009 and is still ongoing.
Planet of Fate, often shortened to POF, is about a race of aliens called Anubians, and their struggles throughout a period of time. The novel starts off with the main character's parents, out and about in the city, enjoying their anniversary. They are, however, soon killed by an explosion while at dinner. Once they receive the news, their son and daughter, Sarko and Sally respectively, go through emotional instability, and both go down different paths. Sarko's path will end up leading him to discover that his parents' deaths weren't accidents, and that there is much more going on around him than he is able to see. The novel follows not only Sarko, but his sister, his peers, and his people throughout the many events of significance and hardships they all encounter, with the story being told from other points of view, as well as some minor characters.
Many other works inspired several details for things in the novel, including Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Masters of the Universe, and even some Disney films, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame. TV Tropes itself has also been very inspirational and helpful while writing Planet of Fate. However, the most influencial work for POF was Destroy All Humans!, as the characters were originally Fan Characters, before SWJS and Nukawin decided to get their ideas protected.
Originally, the characters of POF were part of a comic called Web Comic/Alienz, authored by SWJS and illustrated by Nukawin. After economic problems arose, SWJS and Nukawin went their separate ways, and SWJS began writing Planet of Fate, while Nukawin continued with Alienz. Nukawin has since cancelled Alienz to pursue a career in taxidermy.
POF once rarely used descriptive imagery, one reason being most of the characters were drawn when they were part of Alienz, and another reason was because SWJS wanted the readers to visualize his creations for themselves, instead of just going with what he wanted them to be. However, due to the many retcons and changes to the novel, it will now feature descriptive imagery.
Planet of Fate provides examples of:
- Alien Blood: Anubians have black blood. Serpentine have red blood. Krystillites have green blood.
- Alien Animals: Played straight with the Schritt, a fur-covered snake. Most creatures in POF have some similarities to Earth life though.
- Alien Sky: Played straight on Anubia. The sky is a lavender color.
- Aliens Speaking English: Justified. If the entire book was written in the Anubian language, no one would be able to read it.
- All Planets Are Earth-Like: Averted with most planets, including Anubia. Played straight with Ayelanwee.
- Ancient Astronauts: How the Anubians colonized Anubia.
- Author Appeal: SWJS has a large fascination with quicksand, and also happens to be a big fan of bondage. He's also a massive Star Wars fan, and just an overall big nerd. You can expect to see references to all these things and more.
- Bizarre Alien Biology: In the many descriptions and biographies that are strewn about his DeviantArt page,
SWJS explains that the Anubian Birth Canal resembles a third intestine. It stretches for several feet, coating the baby in secretions as it passes through. These secretions are an essential final-step to Anubian physiology, as they are full of nutrients that can only be produced in the mother's body. The nutrients themselves strengthen the child's body, to help support it in Anubia's high gravity, and also allow the Anubian to survive the vaccuum of space for an amount of time.
- The Empire: A good version with the Anubians.
- E.T. Gave Us Wi-Fi: The A.P.I.'s weapons are reverse-engineered Anubian Tech, but more-so, it turns out all the modern-day music stars got their songs from transmissions picked up from Anubia. Elvis was an actual Anubian though.
- Faster-Than-Light Travel: Warpspace.
- Functional Magic: In the Inherent Gift flavor.
- Half-Human Hybrid: Dr. Cobbletree's wife, created accidentally, is an Anthropomorphic Mountain Lion. Her name is Puma.
- Handicapped Badass: Sarko. Has an arm and a leg blown of in the middle of a battle, crawls back to to his ship and rips pieces off, fashioning himself prosthetic limbs, and then jumps back into the battle as if nothing happened. The Anubians won the battle.
- Healing Hands: Anubians with telekinesis.
- How Do I Shot Web?: Like many young, naive characters, Sarko doesn't know his full potential.
- I Come in Peace: Subverted. Sarko and Celia didn't want any trouble from the humans. It's just that the humans aren't willing to part with mineral resources, especially their diamonds. Oh, and the API are corrupt. That too.
- Meaningful Name: The Antebellum Family. Literally meaning "before the war". The Antebellum family ruled Anubian for generations before the Venom War. Just before the war, Lord and Lady Antebellum are killed, and their daughter, Sutra, takes the throne.
- The Men in Black: The Agency of Paranormal Investigation on Earth, The Imperial Organization of Anubian Protection for the Anubians.
- Overly Long Name: Doctor Rudolph Kaiser Cobbletreevonberryschnitzelhausen.
- Swamps Are Evil: Sinestra, a Swamp World where the ultimate evil once conveniently called home.
- Villain Song: Xaphir gets one called "Villains' Night", based off the song "Ladies' Night" by Kool & the Gang, making this the first Disco Villain Song. There is no actual sheet music though, only lyrics.
