YASID (Yet Another Story I.D.)

[stePH]

Would somebody help me here please? I'm trying to retrieve the title of a story featured on one of the EA 'casts (most likely Escape Pod); I don't remember the plot -- what I mostly remember is that the readers were probably supposed to assume the characters were typical humans, but at the end it was revealed that they were some completely different not-even-remotely-human species. Furthermore, this kind of device could only work within the written (or spoken) word; presenting it as a graphic novel or teleplay would have made the "twist" obvious.

I ask because the book I'm currently reading, Sheri S. Tepper's The Family Tree, is revealed to be doing exactly the same thing about three-quarters into the book, and that EA story came to mind when I reached the reveal in The Family Tree.

[Scattercat]

Was it the one with the aliens who smelled everything and had no ability to receive sound or visual information?  (Was that even on Escape Pod?)

I know the trope you're talking about, definitely...

[Millenium_King]

The story "Planet of the Apes" does that too.  I'm not sure the trope has a name beyond "withheld information" - or maybe "pissing off the reader."

[Umbrageofsnow]

The trope is called Tomato Surprise.

Originally named by Analog, interestingly enough.

[stePH]

Was it the one with the aliens who smelled everything and had no ability to receive sound or visual information?  (Was that even on Escape Pod?)

Can't be sure; all I remember is that the physical description of the characters suddenly became relevant at the very end and that's when it was revealed that they weren't humans. I don't even recall whether they were extraterrestrials, or some other earth-bound species.

And it was almost certainly on EP, possibly on PP or PC, but since those are the only story podcasts I listen to now, it couldn't have been any other. Well, maybe Variant Frequencies but the Stringers and Wallace closed up shop quite some time ago; I don't think it was there.

[stePH]

The story "Planet of the Apes" does that too.  I'm not sure the trope has a name beyond "withheld information" - or maybe "pissing off the reader."

Not quite; Planet of the Apes uses a "withheld info" trope as well, but it's the "Earth All Along" trope, not the one I'm talking about above.

[Wilson Fowlie]

Did you read last year's Flash Fiction entries?  If so, it might be you're thinking of this story.

[stePH]

Did you read last year's Flash Fiction entries?  If so, it might be you're thinking of this story.

If it didn't make it into audio form, then I don't know that story.