Telling the reader what it means

Having given the technology a physical form and found a point of interest, the writer now hypes the alien tech. He does this by telling us the hero’s reaction to the technology—because we will react the same way.

If the hero thinks the technology is magical, we will think the same. If they think it is ancient, mystical, alive… we will usually believe whatever they believe.

He couldn’t take his eyes off them. He didn’t recognize them, but just looking at them made his skin tingle. They looked ancient. They looked mystical. They looked almost alive.

Phoenix

Notice again Said’s use of repetition for effect: they looked x, they looked y, they looked z.

Everything in the Phoenix universe is so amazing it needs to be repeated! Again! And again!

He looked at it closely, trying to keep a grip as he turned it around in his hands. It felt weird and he didn’t understand it at all, but Biff was fascinated. It was strange. It was alien. It was the coolest thing he’d ever seen.

She turned and twisted her body. The cloak clung to her in a way that was comfortable and flexible, not at all shapeless like she’d been expecting. She felt stunning. She felt confident. She felt like she would turn heads at any party in the galaxy.

Jola was horrified by it. Nothing about it seemed natural and it made her flesh creep. Everything about it was wrong. It had no place here. And, if the humans had delivered it, it was most likely dangerous.

Write your own variation here.

Science fantasy worldbuilding in Phoenix 5: Exotic technology

Telling the reader what it means