Lofty title for a post....
In beginning work on my alternate history/fantasy, one of (many!) problems immediately came to fore, specifically what will the nature of magic be in the story?
Will I want transmogrification? Will I want talking animals? What sort of magic will be needed for transportation? Will food be created out of thin air, a la Harry Potter? Will magicians need to study incantations, cast spells and hexes, will they need wands, OR will magic be kind of a strange branch of physics, and machines will need to be constructed to carry out magical functions?
I still don't know yet, because obviously I want the most organic and effective approach to the use of magic as possible. And that hasn't quite occurred to me, though I mull these problems constantly.
As enamored as I am of the steampunk subgenre of fantasy, I am inclined to think of magic as being Science's odd cousin, powering all kinds of ornate doo-dads. This is in the same vein as Martha Wells world of Ile-Rien, or Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials books. Perhaps even that of Oz, come to think of it. However that all works out, I'm pretty sure I won't be using magic the way Tolkien did, or J.K. Rowling either.
All I know is that I have to establish a consistent framework for the use of magic, and then make sure I DO NOT have a character use magic in a way that violates my own framework. I will NEVER be a writer like that!
But even with all the contemplation and frustration, the main thing is that this is kinda fun!
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1 comment:
F-ing pissed!!!
I just wrote you a lovely four paragraph comment on this blog, and then needed an account. So! I sign up for an account, and it erases the whole damn thing!!!! FRACK!!!
Okay...
Here goes again... If I didn't love you buddy, I wouldn't bother!!!
I have always like the way that they did magic in the Dragonlance series. You had to be schooled in magic,very knowledgable and well read. Magic was elemental and taxing on the user.All races have the ability to use magic, some better than others! (Elves, DRagons, Humans)
I like the talking animal thing! You don't want the fact that the animals can talk over run your character ideas though. sometimes the silent animal companion is the best. (The panther in Lone Drow)
My friend Chris would use his friends as the basis for all of his characters. It was really neat to see how he would imagine us as a character in the fantasy realm. I was a Ranger elf! Very cool!
Just an idea!
Good luck Papa Kyle!
I want to read it when you are done!
Jon
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