| Re: Must fantasy include magic
Yes, the Morgaine books -- which I love -- are like Andre Norton's Witch World books, in that they combine familiar fantasy tropes with an imaginary science so advanced that it appears magical. Somehow, the two blend seamlessly. Maybe because we aren't so far removed as we like to think we are from the time when the scientist and the magician could be the same person.
When Morgaine uses the sword Changeling, she's calling on the principles of an advanced science which the readers doesn't understand, but she does.
But when Vanye holds the sword, he believes he is dealing with something far different, and he wields it in the spirit of a magician's apprentice in awe and in terror.
I think both work, because to some extent readers can view the sword from both sides: we are comfortable with the idea that incredible things can be accomplished with science, but we don't know how Changeling (and the gates) works anymore than Vanye does. |