Fantasy Magic

[Lessien]

What do you all think about magic in fantasy? Can it be used to convey a Christian message? Or is having any magic at all--unless it's used by the villains--wrong?

See, I think magic is fine in a fantasy setting. It's even okay to portray it as something other than evil--as long as it's not the kind of magic the Bible prohibits. (ie, earth worship, universal oneness, sacrifices to pagan gods and godesses, etc.) If it's shown as something that can't possibly exist, then I say it's fine.

Others (my mom among them) think that magic of any sort--even in a fantasy setting--is wrong. I'm worried that if I put more than a smidge of magic into my stories and let the heroes use it too, she'll read it and say "You need to take this out."

What do my fellow fantasists think? Is magic okay in a fantasy setting?

 

[sunstruckdream]

I agree with your take. If it's not realistic and doesn't mirror pagan rites prohibited by God in the Bible, then fine. I'm not particularly into that sort of fantasy, and the stuff I write doesn't really go there, but I think if that's what you want to do, there's no harm in it. If it portrayed devil worship, seances, sacrifices to pagan gods (basically, what you said), I'd say no. But fantasy magic? I'd have a hard time calling something like Lord of the Rings or the Chronicles of Narnia evil.

 

[Tariel]

Yeah. I use magic all over the place If it's wrong, I'm doomed - I bet there's a whole circle of hell devoted to people who use fantasy magic in their writing, read Harry Potter, and eat candy corn.

That's beside the point. Fantasy magic isn't real in the same sense that dragons aren't real and Elves aren't real and Paolini's writing talent isn't real.

 

[sunstruckdream]

Yeah. I use magic all over the place If it's wrong, I'm doomed - I bet there's a whole circle of hell devoted to people who use fantasy magic in their writing, read Harry Potter, and eat candy corn.

That's beside the point. Fantasy magic isn't real in the same sense that dragons aren't real and Elves aren't real and Paolini's writing talent isn't real.

That entire post just made my morning. XD Very nice!

 

[Lessien]

Yeah. I use magic all over the place If it's wrong, I'm doomed - I bet there's a whole circle of hell devoted to people who use fantasy magic in their writing, read Harry Potter, and eat candy corn.

That's beside the point. Fantasy magic isn't real in the same sense that dragons aren't real and Elves aren't real and Paolini's writing talent isn't real.

lol! Amen, sister!

 

[CelticRose]

Entire classics would dissappear if you banned magic ~ but magic is not the same as witchcraft & I personally avoid the occult like the plague. I might catch something irreversible ~ like condemnation or worse damnation.

Fantasy is fantasy. The occult is another matter entirely & I think it is a shame people confuse the two.

 

[Tariel]

Entire classics would dissappear if you banned magic ~ but magic is not the same as witchcraft & I personally avoid the occult like the plague. I might catch something irreversible ~ like condemnation or worse damnation.

Fantasy is fantasy. The occult is another matter entirely & I think it is a shame people confuse the two.

Yes, they are completely different subject, but depending on the setting and how it's presented, I'll even put up with a degree of occult-like magic.

 

[CelticRose]

Yes, they are completely different subject, but depending on the setting and how it's presented, I'll even put up with a degree of occult-like magic.

Diecernment in all things. I am guilty of using the occult on occasions; it's so jolly convienient but I have to be careful of the cliches; I just can't take it all that seriously.

 

[NavyGuy7]

What do you all think about magic in fantasy? Can it be used to convey a Christian message? Or is having any magic at all--unless it's used by the villains--wrong?

See, I think magic is fine in a fantasy setting. It's even okay to portray it as something other than evil--as long as it's not the kind of magic the Bible prohibits. (ie, earth worship, universal oneness, sacrifices to pagan gods and godesses, etc.) If it's shown as something that can't possibly exist, then I say it's fine.

Others (my mom among them) think that magic of any sort--even in a fantasy setting--is wrong. I'm worried that if I put more than a smidge of magic into my stories and let the heroes use it too, she'll read it and say "You need to take this out."

What do my fellow fantasists think? Is magic okay in a fantasy setting?

there's a book series out there... oh, what was it, it's quite popular... very very popular, they made a movie out of one of them...

Oh yes....

It's called, "The Chronicles of Narnia."

 

[NavyGuy7]

In my story idea, though, my character uses magic. But it's different, and kinda scientific. Something in his blood gives him the ability to manipulate his surroundings, so all he has to do is focus his intent, or what he wants to be done. If he tries to do too much, though, he either faints or runs the risk of dying. He has only so much "Magick" as I call it, in his blood, the mysterious cell that let's him have these powers. Hehe. It's still in the works.

 

[Tariel]

In my story idea, though, my character uses magic. But it's different, and kinda scientific. Something in his blood gives him the ability to manipulate his surroundings, so all he has to do is focus his intent, or what he wants to be done. If he tries to do too much, though, he either faints or runs the risk of dying. He has only so much "Magick" as I call it, in his blood, the mysterious cell that let's him have these powers. Hehe. It's still in the works.

Funny enough, adding the "k" on the end gives it a much more occultic connotation in my mind.

One of my characters is a Firemage, and she makes some very wrong choices concerning her magic. In my world magic users are a non-human race (The only real difference is that they can use magic and the humans cannot). Anyway, she starts off totally desolate - she's a murderer and thinks nothing of it. Tar doesn't even see the need for something resembling a reason to kill a man. Her attitude and motives change over the course of the story, but she remains a mage and continues to use magic (at times without proper discretion)
Sorry, I don't know why I rambled. Off to bed

 

[sunstruckdream]

Funny enough, adding the "k" on the end gives it a much more occultic connotation in my mind.

Yeah, same here. I think I read that that's how Wiccans and people who actually use that sort of craft spell it to differentiate it from the stuff you read about in fantasy: "Magick."

 

[Lessien]

Same here. I think you should take the 'k' off.

 

[Solomon Kane]

In the fantasy stories I've written I've used a number of magic different types and styles of magic.

The lowest form of magic in my settings would be simple chemistry. If the basic population knows nothing of how to use willow bark as a cure for headaches, or how to mix different chemicals together so that they explode, along with other simple knowledge of herbs and mixing of elements, and the person who does know how to do these things hides the knowledge in rituals, then the people belive it is magic.

The next level of magic is based on the use of rituals and the focus of the mind to create alterations in the reality around them. The rituals are used to tap into the ambient energy of the setting and the focus is needed to create the desired effect.
This form is the most dangerous since a person can absorb to much energy or become so centered within their own mind that they become insane.
Due to the nature of the rituals and what the desired results are this form of magic can take anywhere from several minutes to days/months to preform.

The final level is similar to what has already been posted here. There are individuals in my setting that have, due to bloodlines, the ability to create effects through non mechanical means without having to use the established rituals. They contain the power within themselves and only need to fosus on the desired result.

I tend to write magic as being neither good or evil. Instead I present it as a tool. Much like a hammer it can be used to create results that help people and establish material that benefits humanity or can be used as a weapon that can kill. And like a hammer, if your not being careful, you can end up smashing your own hand or losing your grip and hurting someone nearby,

 

[Tariel]

Where does resurrection magic fall into all of this? I know several people who are perfectly fine with with fantasy magic in general, but draw the line when it comes to bringing back the dead. In my world, resurrection is possible, but it's very risky for the mage doing it, so it's not done often. They also have their own set of ethics about who it is or isn't ok to bring back. I'm slightly concerned about the reaction I'll get to it from the general Christian community though - what do you guys think?

 

[CelticRose]

One of the best fantasy stories I ever read was on exactly that; Sabriel by Garth Nix.

 

[Lessien]

Where does resurrection magic fall into all of this? I know several people who are perfectly fine with with fantasy magic in general, but draw the line when it comes to bringing back the dead. In my world, resurrection is possible, but it's very risky for the mage doing it, so it's not done often. They also have their own set of ethics about who it is or isn't ok to bring back. I'm slightly concerned about the reaction I'll get to it from the general Christian community though - what do you guys think?

It depends on how it's used. When you say 'resurrection,' do you mean literal resurrection (ala Rowling's Resurrection Stone) or necromancy? If it's the former, I say it's okay, as long as you stick to the guidelines you mentioned. If it's the latter, I say it should be portrayed negatively, just because it seems like true dark magic to me.

 

[Tariel]

It depends on how it's used. When you say 'resurrection,' do you mean literal resurrection (ala Rowling's Resurrection Stone) or necromancy? If it's the former, I say it's okay, as long as you stick to the guidelines you mentioned. If it's the latter, I say it should be portrayed negatively, just because it seems like true dark magic to me.

It's not necromancy

 

[Lessien]

Then I'd say it's fine.

 

[NeoScribe]

I'd say is magic okay so long as its not all wicca and stuff, so yeah, I'm parroting everybody else. I use magic extensively in my book, but largely because of its use in the development of the world everything is set on. Its a replacement for technology and thus anyone with lots of magic on their side comes out on top in the social scheme of things. It doesn't involve human sacrificing or anything of that sorts though. It actually takes years of practice so that starting from childhood is probably your best bet if you want to be a competent magic-user (also the reason for at the begining elves in my book are the top nations, they got plenty of time to learn magic and thus got plenty of resources to go taking over other peoples, this actually backfires on them when technology does start appearing and outclasses magic in every way but the elves refuse to change their ways. Hey if it worked for the past 5000 years it'll work today it their line of thinking.)

My main character actually thinks there is some sort of scientific explantation to it but since he can't actually use it he relies on the words of other who do. When question by his sister on the nature of magic he seems to have figured it out and compares it to higher mathematics... At which point the sister completely stops listening out of boredom.