Quote:
Originally Posted by Teresa Edgerton  Magic is the attempt (in fantasy, often the successful attempt) to control supernatural forces from the outside. The magician works magic to call on forces beyond himself; those forces do not need magic to express themselves. |
Magic can not simply be an attempt to control supernatural forces. I just made an attempt to
will the rain away. That attempt isn't magic, its an attempt at magic. The rain remains. Damn rain.
I always thought that magic was an entity in its own right. In the Discworld, magic is a colour and perhaps an element. In Cecelia Dart-Thornton's
Bitterbynde, magic is infused in seelie and unseelie wights. In Hobbs' assassin books, magic seems to be a heriditary trait (I'm talking about the Skill) passed through generations.
I think I may have misintepreted Teresa's statement in its context; but I find the subject fascinating and couldn't help throwing my own tuppence out there.