On Writing: Magic Systems and Handling Power Escalation [ Mistborn l Last Airbender l Naruto ]
I won’t spoil this video but I want to compare this with a series of books that I love, and another that is written by the same author. These are the Black Magician Trilogy and the Age of Five, both by the amazing author, Trudi Canavan.
I love both series. I think that they deal with the issues from this video differently though, which is very interesting.
Are the Powers earned?
Sonea is a natural, a wizard who is so powerful, her magical power leaks from her body and forces the Magician’s guild to hunt her and train her. She spends a great deal of the first book not having control of her spells, seeking dubious alliances and finally having to deal with the antagonists of the first act.
In comparison, Auraya Dyer gains almost ultimate power in the first act of the book. True, she has to deal with the kidnap of her family and the entire village in the first chapter, but we don’t have enough time to make the sudden ascension seem earned.
Do they grow in power?
Sonea does grow in power as she moves through the three books in the Black Magician Trilogy. Her power level at the end of book three is many times greater than when she resolves her issues in the end of book 1. This is down to her learning Black Magic, of course, and having to use it to defend her homeland from an invasion.
In the Age of Five, the invasion happens almost right away, but though we think the antagonists are actually the 5 Pentadrian High Priests, or the Wilds, a larger foe behind them is revealed. Auraya Dyer was always going to have been this powerful in the books – all she does s learn new ways of using her power which have greater and greater effects and end up destroying not one entire religion, but two!
Which is better?
The Black Magician Trilogy got a lot of love compared to a slew of less enthusiastic reviews from readers (though they’re all wrong, the series is great!). But the escalation in the former works well. In the latter, the ceiling for the powers is never totally shown – How can one limit a god and leave and feeling all powerful? However, the rules of the magic system are not given in one great lump but are secrets earned in the story that allow the Priestess of the White to grow in ability – she always has the capacity, just not the knowledge to access it.
In the end, these are different stories – one about finding love and losing it, and another about discovering what is true and what is not, and making a choice that impacts the entire world. The magic systems are not the same (I think many people expected them to be – I did when I first read the book, initially). But that’s okay, because both work for their respective stories and demonstrate Canavan’s ability as a great writer.
And the point, my dear man?
The point is that I will endeavour to be like Trudi Canavan (okay, I can try to be an amazing, international bestseller but that’s a little beyond my horizons right now). I will try to make sure that my magic systems fit the kind of story I want to write about. In my current work, the Kingdom of the Lion, I need to make sure the magic system will be clear, the limits as definable and as clear as I can make them because I don’t want power escalation – I want to have antagonists that challenge a character’s basic identity and personality as well as their ability to smush them into a fine paste.
Thanks to Tim Hickson ( https://twitter.com/TimHickson1) for the video and to Trudi Canavan (https://twitter.com/TrudiCanavan)for her awesome works of fiction!
Imagine Erratically 