In my
stories I try to be as close to reality as possible, while adding just enough
fiction to make things interesting. I am personally not a fan of sword and
sorcery styled fantasy, because so often magic is used as a cheat rather than a
tool. There are no consequences to the use of magic and the power it bestows on
the user is apparently limitless and conveniently requires no training to use. Granted
this is not one hundred percent the rule. Creators like George R. R. Martin,
Peter S. Beagle, and to some degree J. R. R. Tolkien are fair at keeping the
science in magic.
There it
is. The science to magic. It is not this thing that falls into the hero’s hands
at just the right time, for all the right reasons, and is his to command for no
other reason than he is the hero and it just is. There is a logical explanation
for all things in nature and magic is simply the science of the fantasy world.
Magic as a Science
Alchemy
is likely the premiere thought that comes to mind when considering science and
magic in the same sentence. It is not the only one, but it is the most tangible
to explain. Alchemy is really just chemistry. There are rules to how it works,
and a means to an end. Without following the rules you could well not only fail
to reach your intended result, but you could very well lose your eyebrows.
This
analogy should be the first thought on any writer’s mind when playing with
magic. What are the instructions for use on this tool? Who should use it? What
are the dangers? Who makes it? What powers it? What happens when it breaks down
or used incorrectly? I am not here to tell you what your “magic” can or cannot
do, but I will say, as a reader and viewer of some fantasy, I want to know that
you understand what you are messing with. You would not give anyone a drill
press without some guidance and proper protection, your magical/ mystical/
god-given epic/ awesome/ all-glorious orb/ rod/ medallion/ crystal of knowing/
being/ controlling/ some-other-power should be no different!
Real Magic
When
I was a creative and lonely teen I admit to snagging a few mystical tomes from
the local psychic fairs and Pagan shoppes. As I read all these awesome things
that were possible with the use of magic, sympathetic magic mind, a reality
began to form. There are a ton of rules to this little game and a lot of things
required to make this work! This, I think, is what really formed my need for
plausibility. Well, and my overt obsessive-compulsive need to make charts,
lists, graphs and notes on everything.
I
recommend grabbing some books on the following subjects to understand magic
before writing it into your character’s life; mythology, angelic languages,
ancient languages, alchemical symbols, medicine, plants, astronomy, lunar
cycles, divination, eastern and western religion. But, goodness steer clear of
anything that spells magic with a “k”.
Practice, practice, practice!
Magic
is an art as much as a science. Your character should not be awesome at it from
the get go. Also, and goodness knows I love to play them too, but only in video
games are characters allowed to simply level up. I understand that in anything,
when it finally clicks it feels like a level up and seems like it happened
instantly, but think about the time and effort it really took. It isn’t fair to
your reader or your character to win just at the right moment without a bit of
struggle first.
Your
character knows he is going to have to fight the big baddie and he knows he
needs to sharpen those magic claws on something before that meeting. Give him
little moments to work this out. Maybe he should lose his eyebrows once or
twice?
The Grand Finally
Is
it luck, genetics, or hard work that gave your character the power in the first
place? And, which of these things allowed him to perfect it? How long does it
last and what are the consequences? Only when you are willing answer these
things can you master the art of plausible fantasy.
Spend
some time trying to memorize and pronounce an ancient language, or drawing the
perfect alchemical symbol. Better still, try it while running in circles at
night, wearing a moo-moo and house slippers, a necklace of sausage around your
neck, fending off your neighbor’s yapping Chihuahua. Yeah, that should make you
sympathize with your heroes.
No comments:
Post a Comment