Xenofiction

Xenofiction is a genre of fiction that takes the point of view of normal or intelligent animals, nonhumanoid fantasy creatures, or nonhumanoid aliens, with particular attention to differences in perception or outlook. There are stories worldwide told in the eyes of plenty of animals, ranging from pets like dogs and cats to wild animals like lions or bears. Some even have the point of view of aliens or fantasy creatures like dragons.

Examples of Xenofiction Films

• Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a 1993 film based on the 1961 novel by Sheila Burnford. The film follows the journey of three pets- a wise golden retriever named Shadow, a fun-loving American bulldog named Chance, and a prissy Himalayan cat named Sassy- as they trek through the Californian wilderness to be reunited with their owners. The movie gained popularity among the audience, and a sequel titled "Lost in San Francisco" was later released in 1996.
• The Lion King is a classic Disney animated movie released in 1994 and regarded as one of their most outstanding cinematic achievements. The story - inspired by Hamlet and the stories of Joseph and Moses - revolves around a young lion cub named Simba, destined to rule the Pride Lands after his father, Mufasa, whom he deeply admires. However, his uncle Scar becomes jealous of Mufasa and Simba, orchestrating a tragic accident that forces Simba to flee his home. He is then raised in a jungle by a meerkat and a warthog, adopting their carefree lifestyle while harboring guilt for his past. As Simba grows older, he encounters his childhood friend Nala, who reminds him of his true identity and responsibility to his kingdom. He has to make a tough decision: whether to return home and claim his rightful place as king or abandon his kingdom in its darkest hour. This movie's success led to a 1998 sequel, a 2004 prequel/interquel, two television shows, a Broadway musical, a photorealistic 2019 remake, and a photorealistic 2024 prequel to said remake.

Examples of Xenofiction Literature

• The Jungle Book is a classic novel by Rudyard Kipling published in 1894. The book follows the story of Mowgli, an orphan boy raised by Indian wolves and taught by Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther. Throughout the book, Mowgli also faces dangerous enemies, such as the man-eating tiger Shere Khan, the chaotic Bandar-Log monkeys, and fellow humans. Apart from Mowgli's story, the book also features other tales such as "The White Seal," which narrates the journey of a white fur seal named Kotick trying to find a new home for his fellow seals, and "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," the story of a brave mongoose who protects a human family's home from two vicious cobras. Over the years, "The Jungle Book" has been adapted into various forms, including three films by Disney in 1967, 1994, and 2016.
• The Call of the Wild is a novel by Jack London published in 1903. It narrates the story of Buck, a Saint Bernard mix, who is taken away from his comfortable pet life and forced to lead the life of a sled dog. The novel depicts how Buck adapts to the harsh conditions of sled dog life and gradually starts feeling the urge to run free in the wild. "The Call of the Wild" is often published alongside another of London's works, "White Fang," which was released three years later.
• Jack London's novel White Fang, published in 1906, is often paired with his other famous work, The Call of the Wild. While The Call of the Wild is about a domesticated dog adapting to life in the wild, White Fang tells the story of a three-quarters wolfdog who begins his life in the wild before eventually becoming domesticated. Throughout the novel, White Fang endures numerous trials and instances of cruelty at the hands of his masters, including being forced to fight other dogs. However, the power of love ultimately transforms White Fang and helps him find his place in the world.
• The Fox and the Hound is a novel published by Daniel P. Mannix in 1967. It has a different tone than the 1981 Disney film adaptation, with the fox named Tod and the hound named Copper never becoming friends. The novel portrays a somber outlook on nature, depicting the countryside being gradually taken over by urbanization.
• Watership Down is a novel by Richard Adams, first published in 1972. The book tells the story of a group of rabbits who leave their home and journey to a new location after discovering their home will be destroyed. The rabbits, led by brothers Hazel and Fiver, face numerous challenges while building their new home, including the threat of an authoritarian warren. An animated movie adaptation was released in 1978, known for its intense and frightening moments. Later, a television series was released in 1999, which differed significantly from the novel's plot and was more family-friendly. Netflix released a CGI miniseries in 2018, intended to be more faithful to the book.
• Richard Adams, the author of the famous novel Watership Down, wrote another animal novel in 1977 called The Plague Dogs. The book narrates the story of two dogs, Rowf, a black lab mix, and Snitter, a fox terrier, who escape from a laboratory and try to survive in the wild of western England, with the help of a fox who accompanies and teaches them. As they move on from eating trash to hunting sheep, the authorities become suspicious and believe the dogs are infected with a plague. In 1982, an animated adaptation of the novel was released.
• Felidae is a renowned German novel published in 1989 that narrates the story of a house cat named Francis who moves to a new neighborhood in a town. Francis discovers the body of a murdered cat in his new backyard, which leads him to embark on a long and dangerous journey to uncover the murderer. The killer, who goes by the name of Claudandus, has formed a cult that aims to free all cats from humans. To stop the murderer from committing more murders, Francis seeks the help of various characters, including boisterous Maine Coon Bluebeard, gentle and blind Russian Blue Felicity, and intelligent Havana Brown Pascal. The novel was later adapted into an animated film in 1994, notorious for its bloody and gory scenes and a controversial scene featuring cats mating. It was also the most expensive film produced in Germany at the time. Despite its violent content, the novel and its adaptation have gained a significant following.
• Warrior Cats, also known as Warriors, is a popular book series first published in 2003. It was written by a team of authors who collectively go by the pen name Erin Hunter. The series narrates the story of five colonies, called Clans, of feral cats living in the wilderness, where they hunt and fight for survival. The series begins with the tale of Rusty, a domestic cat who leaves his human family to join ThunderClan, one of the five clans. Despite being looked down upon for being a house cat, Rusty works hard to be a warrior and eventually becomes the leader of his new home. The series covers multiple generations of cats and features various characters from the past and present, including Rusty's descendants. However, the series is also known for its numerous continuity errors and unfortunate implications, such as its portrayal of prejudice against house cats. The series also has several other Erin Hunter series after it: Seekers (a more environmental story about bears), Survivors (about dogs living through an apocalyptic earthquake), Bravelands (about African animals partly inspired by The Lion King), and Bamboo Kingdom (about Chinese animals like pandas and snow leopards).
• The book series Guardians of Ga'Hoole, initially published in 2003 by Kathryn Lasky, is set in a world of owls where they have formed their kingdoms. The story revolves around the noble deeds of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a group of knightly owls who rise every night to keep the world safe. The series starts with a young barn owl named Soren, who is pushed out of his nest by his jealous older brother, Kludd. Soren escapes from a child-labor "academy" with the help of an elf owl named Gylfie, and together with a great gray owl named Twilight and a burrowing owl named Digger, they soon become guardians and help defend other owls from threats like the Pure Ones. The book series was followed by a 2010 animated adaptation titled Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole. A spinoff sequel called Wolves of the Beyond was published in the same year. Two other spinoff series called Horses of the Dawn and Bears of the Ice were later released, years after the conclusion of Ga'Hoole's story.