Recommendations Dealing with sudden magical mutations

[NeverSayNether]

Or transformation powers. Or swapping bodies freaky friday style. Or anything else that focuses on the protagonist being subject to an unusual supernatural condition that they have to just… live with.

I’m thinking of the manga Ruri Dragon, where Ruri wakes up with horns one day and still has to go to school. Or the earth based parts of Bioshifter where Hannah decides to keep to her sacred daily routine, hoping this whole “turning into an interdimensional spider person” thing will solve itself tomorrow.

I want to see a person with wings be uncomfortable sitting on a public bus.
I want to see a person lament over the lack of tail friendly pants in a supermarket.
I want to see a person awkwardly sit through a family dinner without eating; robots don’t tend to have digestive systems.

I’m also open to gender swap recommendations, as that’s basically a very specific version of this whole “adjusting to weird changes” idea… though most of those types of stories seem to use the swap once and then, just, never use the plot point again. Well, they may use it — just not as a way to actually explore how such a change could throw your normal life into bouts of chaos, both big and small.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Well, I tried to do that in Strange Awakening (the gender swap thing) - not sure how effective it is though.
Have toyed with some of the rest of it but never got past concept stage.

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

You might check out my book, Skinwalkers. It has lots of characters with shapeshifting powers. One of them used to be a dog, and is having to get used to acting like a person.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

You might check out my book, Skinwalkers. It has lots of characters with shapeshifting powers. One of them used to be a dog, and is having to get used to acting like a person.

Also the Justin Flinchley stuff - the last one in your sig - is pretty close to what the OP is looking for, from the sound of it.

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

Also the Justin Flinchley stuff - the last one in your sig - is pretty close to what the OP is looking for, from the sound of it.

If you don't mind reading a Christmas story in August lol

 

[expentio]

My stories kinda deal all with transformation. The closest to your description might be my teenager/turned eldritch goddess, who tries to keep her everyday life together, while reality shifts because of her.

The others have the same angle of being turned into something monstrous, while still remaining human inside. Yet I#m not quite sure if this is what you mean. The others also all play in a medieval fantasy world. You just won't find it that they quickly are fine with their condition, and try to cling to things as they were.

BTW, Ruri Dragon is a great manga. (Although, sometimes people just seem a little too relaxed and socially acting perfect member of society about a frickin dragon in their class.)

 

[Arkus86]

For most stories I have read, the characters dealing with their transformations is mostly limited to the opening stages. After that, it's mostly forgotten.

The closest I can think of are probably An Unwilling Monster and Fork This Life!
Felice hybrid and From the Outer, might be worth checking out too, though the latter is more wish-fulfilment fantasy than anything else.
You can also try stories from QuietValerie, those tend to focus on M to F transformation, especially early on. Specifically Pellan Rise, Kammi Kettu or Falling Over might have what you're looking for.
Maybe Ricochet too, though the main character only grew more annoying for me the more I read that story.

 

[SternenklarenRitter]

Check out "The Adventures of a Fluffy Fairy". Its less body horror and more silliness, but the protagonist gains and looses appendages like they are chips at a casino.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

We had a big discussion about this once, when I was talking about commissioned work I had to do for an individual, writing the most hideous transformation stories (well, at 10 cents/word, I'm not saying "no") they were hideous because he wanted me to write about the pre-effects, the terrible physical concerns that happen; every bone snapping or muscle tearing, or the painful itching, etc. He wanted to read all of that. I admire people who take a lot of consideration into transformation stories. It shouldn't be a "one and done" change; unless it's entirely 100% magic - and then you have to explain to readers how the magic works.

I'm glad you think about things like this for characters to lament about. *^^*

 

[NeverSayNether]

Well, I tried to do that in Strange Awakening (the gender swap thing) - not sure how effective it is though.
Have toyed with some of the rest of it but never got past concept stage.

Added your story to my read later pile!
Well, not just that one story — maybe half of the people ones mentioned? I just kinda replied before realizing that I should read the rest of the thread first

Thanks for the recommendations everyone!

 

[expentio]

We had a big discussion about this once, when I was talking about commissioned work I had to do for an individual, writing the most hideous transformation stories (well, at 10 cents/word, I'm not saying "no") they were hideous because he wanted me to write about the pre-effects, the terrible physical concerns that happen; every bone snapping or muscle tearing, or the painful itching, etc. He wanted to read all of that. I admire people who take a lot of consideration into transformation stories. It shouldn't be a "one and done" change; unless it's entirely 100% magic - and then you have to explain to readers how the magic works.

I'm glad you think about things like this for characters to lament about. *^^*

Absolutely!
I also think that the "Poof" solution is pretty cheap.
If I let someone transform, they're usually in for either a living nightmare or severe torture. (Not that one takes very much from the other)
(They're getting better afterwards, though)