Why do so many of my favorite books involve magic?

[JJM 777]

Do any of you more rational people enjoy books with magic? Which ones?

Me not. Also scifi is uninteresting when it is obviously impossible in any foreseeable future. Comedy movies are an exception, anything goes whatever makes us laugh.

 

[Mark6]

One of my favorite authors, HP Lovecraft, was a firm atheist (though he says in theory he was agnostic). Yet his stories are full of weirdness and sometimes even magic.

Wasn't "magic" in Lovecraft's stories just very alien science?

 

[Mark6]

Do any of you more rational people enjoy books with magic? Which ones?

I recently read "The Scar" by China Mieville, and loved it. It is magical fantasy, set in vaguely 19th-century setting, but the world is very very different from ours. (For one thing, it is flat)

Loved "Elric of Melnibone" series when I was young; nowadays it seems rather simplistic.

I like G.R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" -- in part because magic is subtle, and appears rarely. And thus has so much greater impact when it DOES appear.

 

[stokes234]

I think it was more aimed at teenagers, but I really liked the magic in the Mistborn trilogy. I found it quite an original idea, and originality makes a story entertaining. I agree with the idea that having a universe with a different set of rules allows for more interesting stories as well.

 

[HansMustermann]

Probably, but why then don't I prefer other forms of escapism. I do like many mysteries, which could also be called escapism; however, that is partly because I like things to work out; be resolved; come to a satisfying conclusion; have good triumph over evil; etc.

If escapism were the only reason, why wouldn't I prefer truly escapist romances? Or spy stories? Or horror? If I ever enjoy any of those, it's because the author is a good writer with a good story, not because of the genre. This excepts horror, which I never read (having been frightened out of my wits as a child by watching Twilight Zone on TV).

Why do some people prefer watching football instead of baseball, while others just play a WoW raid instead of both? Why do some people prefer spicy foods while others like chocolate? Why do some people like big breasts while others like small breasts, while others, let's just say, will just look at the woman's feet and not because they're shy. Just because you like one domain as broad as "novels", doesn't mean you have to like every genre in it.

Besides, what's the worst that it could mean? That your fantasies involve a world where magic works and you're one of the chosen? So? As long as you're aware that it's a fantasy and not the real world, I still don't see the harm or contradiction.

The ones that have a problem are those who make themselves believe that it's real. That in the real world their lucky numbers, or guardian angel, or whatever, actually skew reality in their favour. But liking to fantasize about another reality that would be more fun, just means you have a functioning brain. It just makes you, oh, the same as every human ever born

 

[Kaosium]

Why do so many of my favorite books involve magic? I'm thinking of The Witches of Karres, the Vlad Taltos series, the Lord of the Rings, the Narnia books, The Deed of Paksenarrion, the Valdemar books, the Meredith Gentry series, the Lord Darcy books, the Sookie Stackhouse series, many of Simon R. Green's books, many of Andre Norton's books, the Ozark Fantasy Trilogy, lots of Tanya Huff's books.

From my younger days, The Wizard of Oz and the series, some of E. Nesbit's books, George McDonald, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Mary Poppins, The Sword in the Stone.

Do any of you more rational people enjoy books with magic? Which ones?

I've been reading fantasy and science fiction since I was a child, I've read many of the works on your list, and enjoy TV shows like the "X-Files," "Lost," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel" and "Heroes."

Rationality is for serious things, everyone needs to have fun too!

 

[FattyCatty]

I've been reading fantasy and science fiction since I was a child, I've read many of the works on your list, and enjoy TV shows like the "X-Files," "Lost," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel" and "Heroes."

Rationality is for serious things, everyone needs to have fun too!

Like you, I've been reading science fiction and fantasy (among other things) since I was a child. But I've rarely been interested in the TV science fiction/fantasy offerings; the exceptions tend to be British (Dr. Who, Torchwood). I don't even watch "True Blood," in spite of my love for the Sookie Stackhouse series.

So which of the "works on my list" have you enjoyed? I think my favorites (based on frequency of re-reading) are Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series (as a bonus, A Civil Campaign is one of the funniest science fiction books I've ever read); Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series; Steven Brust's Dragaera books; James H. Schmitz's The Witches of Karres; Eric Flint's 1632 series; Elizabeth Moon's The Deed of Paksenarrion novels and Vatta's War series; and Steve Miller's and Sharon Lee's Liaden universe books (I haven't read all of them yet -- something to look forward to in life).