The night circus by Erin morgenstern has my favorite descriptions of magic and magicians I've probably ever read. It's very obscured and accurate descriptions. She explicitly tells the reader what's happening but you don't explain how or why while giving subtle nods and hints to things that might be going on.
this post was submitted on 10 Apr 2023
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Asklemmy
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Adding this to my list, sounds dope
It's phenomenal. One of those books your can just live inside, take your time with.
On one hand, I love geeking out to a complex, well described magic system. On the other hand, the I like best wizards have magic that "just works".
If we're talking about real world magicians, Amy Poehler's feelings are about the same as mine. https://youtu.be/gOEgHp_GQuM
Currently listening to the ebook "magician" by Feist. I guess it depends on world setting, is it high fantasy, low fantasy, is the magician a grifter in a no-magic world, or an entertainer, a scholar, or a realistic depiction of an actual stage magician? All real life magic is based on illusion, and the story/prattle is as important as the trick behind the illusion. In saying that, magic can also be ritualistic, like interpretive dance where the steps don't matter, but the reasons and intention behind them do. If writing from that point of view, you can be obtuse, and I would recommend having a glance at The Satanic Bible by LaVey which would be a description of magic by a magician (or charlatan) which would help get in the mindset of a character. Never reveal the tricks, only describe the illusion, as that's what draws people to magic in the first place.
Personally if I were to write a magician as the main character I would reveal to the reader how the trick works because I can imagine how frustrating it would be to not know as a reader. However I do think it'd be really fun to hide how it works at first and reveal it later perhaps in the form of a conversation with a friend after a show or as an inner dialogue
However if the magician is not the main character I would not directly reveal the trick but imply it through the narrators thoughts or conversation with other characters, make it feel as of the main character themselves is trying to figure out how it worked to guide the reader along but not directly state the trick.
Moreover if the magician is actually using magic that much should be clear to the reader. If the trick is impossible without some real magical help that magic system should be known to the reader before the show/trick or the show/trick should be the reveal of that magic system in some way
I'm no writer so take this with a grain of salt of course but I do love to read and I can imagine situations where I might get frustrated or confused with an authors writing.
Sidenote, I'd love to hear more about whatever you're writing ;)
In D&D I have a character who is an Arcane Trickster Rogue and is a magician, they perform shows and use invisible Mage Hand to rob the audience.
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