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There are two main types of magic systems within the fantasy genre: hard magic systems and soft magic systems. Learning the defining characteristics of these two categories of magic systems will help you to better understand this fundamental aspect of fantasy. In this article, we will be investigating the precise similarities and Hard Magic between a hard magic system vs a soft a magic system. The main differentiating factor between a hard magic system and a soft magic system is how strict and definitive the magical rules are within the fictional universe. Hard magic systems must conform to a concrete set of laws, whereas soft magic systems loosely follow an abstract series of guidelines. This is the gist of what separates hard magic systems and soft magic systems. However, Hard Magic are some additional comparative aspects and peculiar caveats to consider. These finer details will be discussed later on in the article. Before we dive any further into the intricacies that separate hard and soft magic systems, it is necessary to understand what exactly these terms mean. A model example of a hard magic system Hard Magic the drafting system in the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks. In this system, all of the magic in Hard Magic fictional world is harnessed from the power of light. Furthermore, magical users, better known as drafters Hard Magic Lightbringer terminology, are also limited in the colors of light they can draw power from. Certain drafters can only draw power from green light, Hard Magic other drafters can only draw power from blue light. Drafters are also limited in how much magic they can produce. Every use of magic drains a bit of sanity from the drafter. The more magic a drafter produces, the closer they creep to hysteria. The set of hard Hard Magic fast rules that regulate the light drafting Hard Magic system guide how every magical element is Hard Magic and utilized throughout the novel. Now that we know the basics of what a hard magic system, let us take a look at what a soft magic system is. A standard example of a soft magic system is the supernatural discipline of naming in The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. The rules governing this central branch of the overarching magic system are vague at best. Very little is known about this realm of magic except for a select few individuals. Some individuals even believe naming to be mere folklore. All that is known of naming is that each object in the universe has a true name. When Hard Magic true name is spoken by a magical user, they are able to wield immeasurable power over this specific object. Nobody knows for sure if this magic has any sort of bounds. A magical user that speaks the true name of an element of nature can virtually bend the world to their will Hard Magic just one word. These ambiguous, transcendental guidelines leave the door open for endless magical possibilities. There is a major caveat that must be taken into account prior to delving into the explicit details of a hard magic Hard Magic vs a soft magic system… and that is the hybrid magic system. True hard Hard Magic soft magic systems are an anomaly in the fantasy genre. More often than not, the typical magic systems that are employed in fantasy novels are considered hybrid magic systems. Soft magic systems incorporate subtle elements of hard magic systems. Likewise, hard magic systems may contain aspects that would typically fall under soft magic systems. Consequently, it is far more beneficial to think of hard and soft magic systems on a differential spectrum as opposed to simply one or another. There are a few commonalities between hard magic systems and soft magic systems. These characteristics are universal to all fantastical magic systems, regardless of how strict or definitive the magical laws are. It is standard for hard and soft magic systems to have an illustrious backstory that explains when and where magic came from. The specific details of the magical history differs from novel to novel. Certain authors elect to preserve an aura of mystery about the origins of the magic system. Other authors prefer to reveal every minor detail that may help to uncover the roots of magic. The historical attribute of Hard Magic systems adds a layer of depth and complexity that could not be attained otherwise. This additional detail benefits both hard and soft magic systems. An extensive past hints that magic existed in the world long before the current time period. This emphasizes to the reader that the magical world extends beyond what they see through the eyes of the protagonists. The magical world is not simply just what is around them, there are other magical users and supernatural capabilities that the reader may not even know about. Either way, the extensive history Hard Magic the magic system is almost always addressed regardless of whether the magic is hard or soft. Authors rarely leave this area up for interpretation because then there Hard Magic be no repercussions for the use Hard Magic magic. A lack of magical vulnerabilities would communicate the wrong message to readers. Readers Hard Magic assume magical users to be invincible because there was no mention of any limitations that would be able to hold them back. Magical invincibility never bodes well in Hard Magic because then there would be no conflict. There must be flaws and weaknesses present within the magic system to allow for some sort of struggle. Fantasy Hard Magic make the extra effort to address this issue to avoid giving readers this false impression. They want their audience to know that the story does indeed have magical conflict. This writing guideline applies regardless of whether the magic system is Hard Magic or soft. Magical strife is a necessary anchor for all magic systems, no matter the category. Another shared attribute between hard and soft magical systems is explicitly addressing who the Hard Magic users are. This is an important point to discuss because it establishes a precedent for how and why certain characters within the narrative wield magic. Authors must distinctly point out who the magical users are in a narrative or the reader Hard Magic easily lose track of crucial plot sequences. For instance, during action sequences when magical users are engaging in supernatural combat techniques, it is important for the reader to note who is capable of wielding magic. If the reader is left in the dark as to which characters possess supernatural powers, it is going to be extremely challenging for the reader to follow what exactly is happening. Magical users must be explicitly identified to distinguish which characters are which. It is also typical to address the relationship between the magical user and the magic itself in both Hard Magic and soft magic systems. In certain fantasy novels, magical users can change the nature of the magic in the universe itself. For instance, a magical user who is skilled in the practice of dark magic may begin to change the very fabric of magic to suit more evil purposes and limit the use of magic for the greater good. Conversely, the relationship can work the other way. Rather than magical users reforming the essence of magic in the world, the exploitation of magic could influence the individual user. For example, if a magical user overextends their magical capabilities, a direct effect may be physical fatigue or mental unconsciousness. The bottom line is that all of these elements listed above are universal to Hard Magic hard and soft structures of magic. There is some distinctive criteria that is Hard Magic to categorize hard and soft magic systems. Some of these criteria are referenced more than others. Nonetheless, all of these criteria will be illustrated in the subsequent paragraphs. This is the most glaring point of differentiation between hard Hard Magic soft magic systems. It is what the majority of fantasy writers and readers first reference when determining how a magic system should be labeled. Hard magic systems definitively lay out all of the governing laws of how magic is created and used. There are very few loopholes, if any, in this type of magic system. The purpose of laying out the magic Hard Magic in this way is to present the reader Hard Magic all of the facts. The airtight organization of this type of magic Hard Magic confusion, allowing the reader to fully grasp the essence of the supernatural elements within the fictional universe. Soft magic, on the other Hard Magic, does not state any explicit laws that govern magic because there may not be any definitive Hard Magic in place. The Hard Magic behind soft magic is more conceptual than factual. The purpose of this type of magic is to leave the prospect of future magical possibilities open-ended. It is more unpredictable and mystical this way. This is the whole draw of soft magic systems. Although this mystery does have its benefits, the lack of conclusive direction has a greater potential to lead readers astray. Some of the indescribable magical powers found within the soft Hard Magic system are just that. Curious readers may find these inexpressible magical powers frustrating if they are unable to wrap their heads around the concept. In addition, these two magic systems differ in the reasoning provided for magical creation and use. Hard magic systems must adhere to a rigid line of logic. Once the rationale for magic is established, it is firmly set in stone and ingrained within Hard Magic very framework of the novel. Magical powers cannot deviate Hard Magic this rigid line of logic or it will put the integrity of the hard magic system into question. For this reason, random spontaneous supernatural capabilities cannot spring up out of nowhere without a solid rationale to back it up. For example, say that in a hypothetical hard magic system magical users can only draw their power from nearby sources of water. If the protagonist is faced with a life threatening situation with no water in sight, magic is not a viable option within Hard Magic sort of magic system. This is because the presence of magic under these circumstances would not follow a logical Hard Magic of reasoning. Soft magic systems have no such restrictions. With the abstract and conceptual nature of this system, magic can materialize on a whim with no rationale needed. Thus, soft magic can appear at nearly any point within the plot structure. This is both a blessing and a curse for fantasy authors. It is a blessing in that writers have essentially limitless artistic flexibility with magic in their narrative. It is a curse in that this freedom can be abused Hard Magic resolve any particularly sticky situation that the characters find themselves in. Let us say, for instance, that our favorite band of protagonists is cornered, backs against the wall, surrounded by enemies, and staring at death in the face. Hard Magic System vs Soft Magic System | Fantasy Book Fanatic

Our main character is a "investigator" who has Power over gravity. He went to prison for murder, but Hard Magic got him out after a few years to help arrest any other Actives. He tries taking down his former girlfriend who is Hard Magic active, but is thwarted by a team of Actives rescuing her. We also have a young woman who can Travel, ie Teleport. Her adopted father is killed for a bit of device that was made Hard Magic Tesla. This sets her out Hard Magic a Hard Magic for revenge. They collide at the base of a secret society of Actives called the Grimnoir who are in a war with the Imperium of Japan, who is bent on taking over the world for all Actives. Throughout this book we find several famous people were also Actives, either fighting on one Hard Magic or the other. The Imperium is run Hard Magic the Chairman, who is the most powerful Active ever. Sullivan, the hero is probably the Hard Magic most powerful around, but he keeps that secret. Faye the Traveler is also very powerful which we learn as she discovers her powers. Working for the Chairman is Sullivan's brother, an evil and heartless bastard if there ever was one. We get running battles between these two sides through the book. We also have sub-plots, like Hard Magic plot to kill Black Jack Pershing by the richest man in the world. We get some love and romance. We get the horrors of war. We get a little bit of everything. Due to the time period we get a lot Hard Magic travel by train, and by blimp. We do get a bit of non-Active magic, use for communication mostly. Ok, so I like this book, while some people will probably find it cheesy. But I was always a fan of the old Hard Magic and white serials from back then. I also love the whole feel of this being some old movie. Hard Magic get Hard Magic character development, to better understand a few of the main characters. But not everyone, but then this is the first in a series and I am assuming we will get more into Hard Magic others in the next books. It is a very easy read, so the pages zip along when I sat down to read. I Hard Magic definitely remember this series when Hard Magic want to get something that is just a mindless read for the pleasure of reading. So if you like tough guys Hard Magic gals, gun fights, magic and that whole 's feel, then this is a great little book for you. There was a whole lot I didn't get into, but that is for you to discover. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh Hard Magic try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Hard Magic to Book Page. Preview — Hard Magic by Larry Hard Magic. Jake Sullivan is a licensed Private Eye—with a seriously hardboiled attitude. He also possesses raw magical talent and the ability to make objects in his vicinity light as a feather or as heavy as depleted uranium, all with a magical thought. It's no wonder the Hard Magic turn to Jake when they need someone to go after a suspected killer who's been knocking off banks in a magic Jake Sullivan is a licensed Private Eye—with a seriously hardboiled attitude. It's no wonder the G-men turn to Jake when they need someone to go after a suspected killer who's been knocking off banks in a magic-enhanced crime spree. Problems arise when Jake discovers the bad girl behind the robberies is an old friend, and he happens Hard Magic know her magic is just as powerful as his, and the Feds have plunged Jake into a secret battle between powerful cartels of magic-users--a cartel whose ruthless leaders have decided that Jake is far too dangerous to live. Get A Copy. Mass Market Paperbackpages. Published May by Baen first published More Details Original Title. Grimnoir Chronicles 1. Audie Award for Paranormal Other Editions Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Hard Magicplease sign up. Would it work for an early teen boy who is not into that at all. John Plenty, if you're really into guns. See 1 question about Hard Magic…. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 4. Hard Magic details. More filters. Sort order. Start your review of Hard Magic Grimnoir Chronicles, 1. May 06, carol. Shelves: male-leadsteampunktime-period-fantasy. One reviewer hit it on the head when he noted that there is a lack of world building, and tossed-in s vocabulary is supposed to stand for setting. There's more detail on guns then there are physical characteristics of setting and mood, critical elements of the detective noir. There's a lot of odd ethnic referrals going on as well that make me vaguely uncomfortable. I don't know a lot about the 20s, but it almost seems if Correia is pulling on American political attitudes from the 40ss post WWII in his characterizations of Germans and Japanese and the political divisions. I get the feeling he didn't research the s for this book--more like he watched a couple of Al Capone movies. I enjoyed Faye, the grey-eyed talented Okie kid who grows into her power, but I think I loved her because I root for grrl-power, and not because the characterization was done particularly Hard Magic. Her simplistic speech pattern when we are inside her head need finesse as she progresses through her development. As usual, females play the "almost-but-not-quite-equal" role, despite the actions of Faye. One's a healer Hard Magic one's a ex-prostitute I believe there's an ex-ho in Monster as wellso you can pretty much tell from there how their characterization is going Hard Magic run. Her end scene with the jellyfish might negate my assessment, but that section is a little to weird to analyze. I liked the premise of the story, the fascinating idea of "powers" branching Hard Magic into "adjacent" areas with practice. He is also taking the narrative short-cut of the Hard Magic narrator, and flipping between a number of protagonists and antagonists. Despite the shift in narrators, there is one character "surprise" and a mediocre plot twist based on character premeditated plans in the last few pages of the book. It's a technique that irks me to no end Hard Magic two reasons: one, because it feels like it's substituting character sketches for a congruent storyline; and two, it smacks of poor characterization--shouldn't we already be aware of their goals if we are in the characters' minds? Alright, so it's not the most positive of reviews, but you can see so many 5 and 4 star reviews, I don't really need to re-iterate what's good, do I? His latest blog is ranting against the campaign to raise awareness about the abducted schoolgirls, Hard Magic well as mocking the men involved in the anti-pedophile campaign. Plus there's the whole effort to destroy the Hugos by "getting underrepresented white minority conservative writers" 'represented. In other words, move along. I will delete your nonsense. BTW, I also down-rated all his other books I read. View all comments. May 06, Stephen rated it it was amazing Shelves: signed-first-or-limited-editionaudiobookhardboiled-and-noir, good- guysfantasysff-operation-chaotica. Now, with Hard Magicthe first of a new series called the Grimnoir Hard Magic, Correia unloads the guilt and pumps up the pleasure by crafting a smart, authentic, incredibly fun alternate history in which Hard Magic has been incorporated WINNER Actives are a small but growing percentage of the population and are generally viewed with suspicion and hate by the general population. Correia deftly incorporates the divergent history into the narrative including beginning each chapter with famous historical quotes that have been altered to include references to the presence of magic as a proven phenomenon. For example: One general law, leading to the advancement of all organic beings, namely, multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die. The appearance of esoteric and ethereal abilities, magical fires and feats of strength, in recent decades are the purest demonstration of natural selection. Surely, in time, that general law will require the extinction of traditional man. In addition to being a real hoot, these commentaries help give Correia's world a Hard Magic feeling of depth. Examples include teleportation, healing, pyrokinetics, electricity, invulnerability, super strength, telekinesis, density manipulation, super speed, ESP, etc Hard Magic - Wikipedia

Hard Magic lies at the heart of fantasy. From ancient myth to Star Warswriters have dreamt up countless magic systems. Lifetimes of Hard Magic dreams are brought to us on the Hard Magic with the wag of a wand. Its tropes are beloved, but as the world becomes more saturated with magic-filled stories, it has become more important than Hard Magic to make our magic system standout and believable. Think about how your magic system integrates with the other components of your story, like character, emotion, plot, and theme. These are all affected by how you design your magic systems, and that starts with choosing between a hard or soft magic system. Magic systems exist on a spectrum that was popularized by Brandon Sanderson. It ranges from hard to soft. Hard Magic side of the spectrum has its pros and cons, and once you learn them, you can decide where you want your system to fit on the spectrum to best serve the story. First, we have hard magic. These are systems with defined rules and regulations. A hard magic system will have a clear set of boundaries to it. An earthbender can manipulate rocks but not fire. Then we have soft magic. These are systems of mysticism. It is wild and undefined. The reader can see it Hard Magic out but is often unaware of the mechanics. Gandalf came back to life because he is a wizard. Note that as I discuss these concepts, though I may use definitive language, this Hard Magic is fairly subjective. One Hard Magic to consider when picking a system is: How Hard Magic the magic going to be used? Will Hard Magic characters need it to solve problems or will it live more in the background? Accomplished fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson has a set of three rules for designing magic systems, and his first rule is key here. If your character will regularly be using magic to solve problems, then consider a hard magic system. As your audience learns the rules, they will be able to solve problems Hard Magic their characters. The audience can follow the logic of how the magic was used. In a hard magic system, you can lean harder into magic for problem-solving. It just means you should try to avoid it. A couple of times per story is fine, but use it too much, and you will risk sacrificing tension in your scenes. If the audience starts to expect unknown magic to swoop in and save the day, then none of your scenes will have tension because there is always the chance of a deus ex machina. In summary, if your story involves a lot of problem-solving with magic, lean towards a hard magic system. If not, consider a soft one. Magic can be used to portray the theme of a story. Its different effects serve as stand-ins for real-world concepts, and how much your audience understands the rules of your magic system affects the extent to which you can do this. Image via Walt Disney and Lucasfilm. It serves as a metaphor for religious experience. Hard magic systems can be too rigid for this same metaphorical usage. If the audience knows exactly how the magic works, it takes away the mystery surrounding it. For example, if we learn of a biological reason that people can use the force, it loses its religious metaphor. Instead of being a mystical experience, the force becomes a mechanical operation. They often set themselves aside from other genres and have a barrier for entry. The type of magic system you choose can change the size of that barrier. Hard magic systems make for a higher barrier of entry. If a reader unfamiliar Hard Magic fantasy has to learn and understand how your system works, they Hard Magic bounce right off the page. Hard magic may be appealing to the hardcore reader, but it can be arduous for the casual one. It requires a lot more suspension Hard Magic disbelief. If you have ever been in the middle of a show with a hard magic system and had your roommate come in and start watching, you Hard Magic exactly what I mean. Soft magic systems can help avoid the complex aspects of fantasy. There is less to learn to understand the story, and a casual reader is more likely to read a story that is easier to understand. As your story progresses, you Hard Magic want to expand Hard Magic powers of Hard Magic magic. This can help raise the stakes as the story progresses, especially for longer series, but being very explicit with your magic upfront can make that difficult to do. In a hard Hard Magic system, since the audience is clued into Hard Magic the magic works, any expansion will need an airtight alibi or else it will come across as contrived. You will have to work hard to weave the power expansion into the story. Image via Funimation. On the other hand, soft magic systems leave a lot of room for expansion. The soft magic system can also suffer from serious power creep because of this ability to expand easily. If powers expand, it should still make sense within the story and serve as a logical leap from the previous powers. If Hard Magic magic expands, it should be used to forward whatever its purpose in the Hard Magic is Hard Magic example, theme. Hard Magic can and should use these guiding principles to build your magic system. Your system Hard Magic draw from aspects of both. Just stay aware of the weaknesses of the path you choose, and ensure you utilize Hard Magic strengths. This is the first post in a series on building magic systems. In the future we will cover magic origins, function, costs, constraints, etc. Keep an eye out for the rest of the series! TL;DR: Magic systems are broken into two main categories: hard and soft. Which one Hard Magic choose will depend on your audience, use of magic for problem solving, use of theme, and planned expansion of your system. If you have any questions or comments, join the discussion on our Discord! Be sure to sign up for our newsletter below Hard Magic stay in the loop on the blog and Campfire news. Well I disagree with that it requires a lot more suspension of disbelief in hard magic system. Because if the hard magic system is grounded in science then the reader will understand the power much better, then just some magic user used their wand or something. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Spectrum Magic systems exist on a Hard Magic that was popularized by Brandon Sanderson. Problem-Solving One thing to consider when picking a system is: How is the magic going to be used? Theme Magic can be used to portray the theme of a story. Markus May Hard Magic, at am - Reply. Sebastian Hansen February 4, at am - Reply. Leave A Comment Cancel reply Comment.