jeand@ihlpg.UUCP (AMBAR) (07/25/85)
> > -- while waiting for a D&D game to start the other > > night, several of us were discussing the interface between > > technology/science and magic. > > Can anyone give me some > > examples of stories in a similar vein. > > > > Chris Miller > Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept Series. In it the same > matter used as magic "mana" is also an extremely valuable source > of energy. However, I do not recommend the series because although > I have read this series and most of his Xanth stuff, he's very limited > in his description of the capacity of magic. He limits it too much; > for instance: in xanth everyone has one (1) magical ability. In the > Apprentice Adept books, an adept could work magic through one means- > in Style's case it was through music. > Moshe Eliovson I think that in the Apprentice Adept books, one of the points Anthony goes to great lengths to make is the flexibility and diversity of effects which one can create given 'just one means' of magic work. Thus in the books, though music is Stile's only form of 'shaping power' (the more and better music, the stronger spells he can cast), the effects range from teleportation to transformation, and more (it's been a while since I read the books........) -- AMBAR {the known universe}!ihnp4!ihlpg!jeand "To those who love it is given to hear Music too high for the human ear." --Bruce Cockburn
mff@wuphys.UUCP (Swamp Thing) (07/26/85)
> > Can anyone give me some > > examples of stories in a similar vein. > > > > Chris Miller > Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept Series. In it the same > matter used as magic "mana" is also an extremely valuable source > of energy. However, I do not recommend the series because although > I have read this series and most of his Xanth stuff, he's very limited > in his description of the capacity of magic. He limits it too much; > for instance: in xanth everyone has one (1) magical ability. In the > Apprentice Adept books, an adept could work magic through one means- > in Style's case it was through music. > Moshe Eliovson > Good point. How unrealistic can you get? Mark F. Flynn Department of Physics Washington University St. Louis, MO 63130 ihnp4!wuphys!mff ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "There is no dark side of the moon, really. Matter of fact, it's all dark." P. Floyd
mte@busch.UUCP (Moshe Eliovson) (07/27/85)
Based on Chris Miller's inquiry I wrote that Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series was a good interrelation between science & magic, but that I believed Anthony limited magic too much. > > I think that in the Apprentice Adept books, one of the points Anthony > goes to great lengths to make is the flexibility and diversity of effects > which one can create given 'just one means' of magic work. > -- > AMBAR > {the known universe}!ihnp4!ihlpg!jeand This is true, he didn't limit the scope of the magic, only the means to produce it. He loves to strictly define things. My personal preference is for more freedom. POLL: Which type of magic do you prefer? Choices: 1) Memorized & specially developed spells & artifacts (for instance Jack Vance or Master of the Five Magicks) 2) Adept magic (like Merlin or Gandalf) 3) objective magic, such as Piers Anthony's Xanth or Apprentice Adept where magic is strictly defined 4) Holy/Divine magic, demons & devils (Glen Cook's El Murid or Brian Daley's in The Starfollowers of Coramonde) 5) SF, as in mechanical magic (The Runestaff Series by Moorcock) 6) Other - please give a short explanation Send your replies direct and I'll post the results. Moshe Eliovson {allegra, ihnp4}!we53!busch!mte