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glencook-fans-digest      Tuesday, July 16 2002      Volume 01 : Number 198




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Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2002 20:25:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: [e-mail] (Steve Chew)
Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) Brother Vs. Brother

>>> >
>>> > Spoilers for Glittering Stone and Shadows Linger
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > In Stone when the Nar are opening the East Gate and Murgens bunch show
>>> > up to stop them Murgen writes that this is the first instance of brother
>>> > fighting brother.
>>> > In Shadows after the Old Crew take off the rest of the Company pursues
>>> > and catches them . Pawnbroker tells Croaker about it. They even
>>> > reference the the others as "the rest of the Company".
>>>
>>> I'm probably being thick here -- but where's the contradiction? Can you be a
>>> little more explicit?
>>>
>>
>>What I think he means is:
>>How can the fighting at the east gate be the first time the company
>>fought itself (brother fighting brother) if it fought itself after
>>Juniper?
>>Either Murgen didn't know about the earlier case or there's some other
>>reason.
>>
>    If I was Gordian I would say that it's simply an inconsistency.
>:)
>
    Whoops, make that "If I was Alexander..."  ;-)

                Steve


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Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 02:20:09 -0700
From: Joe Murphy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) Brother Vs. Brother

Richard Chilton wrote:

>
>
> The Old Man is the classic reference to the commander.  Used to refer to
> rank, not age.  The 50 year old sergeant would refer to the 30 year
> captain as the Old Man.  I'm not sure how it started out (maybe the
> senior officer taking command after the commander went down?  maybe the
> senior appointed officer listening to the most experinced officer?
> maybe the burden of command aging you?) but its use is wide spread.
>
> Richard

- --------------------------------------------------------------------
 In Stone Murgen mentions that now that the "Old Man" is getting old thaey cant
call him that anymore, so it's definitely a reference to position rather than age.

Murph

>
>
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Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 11:05:42 +0000
From: Troy Lefman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) BC Magic system [potential spoilers]

Steve Chew wrote:

> >
> >At 08:05 PM 7/10/2002 -0300, Richard Chilton wrote:
> >>I could be really off base here of course - power words aren't the only
> >>system of magic that exist in fantasy, but they do fit the books closer
> >>than the other ones.  Rare components don't appear to be sacrificed to
> >>make most spells work; it doesn't look like most of the wizards deal
> >>with other worldly entities for power (but that apperantly happens often
> >>enough for Lady to recognize when it happens with her); wizards don't do
> >>long, time comsuming rituals for most times; wizards don't spend forever
> >>studying spells, nor do they live virtuous or sinful lives (at least not
> >>more than others).
> >
> >powerful and complex magics in a matter of seconds.  I'm inclined to
> >suspect that magical "energy," however measured, is more of a factor than
> >knowledge, especially given that Lady later possesses the knowledge but
> >lacks the energy.  That would also explain why many of the truly powerful
> >wizards simply don't demonstrate any sense of subtlety--they just aren't
> >accustomed to needing it.
> >
> >David
> >
>
> David,
>         I think you're right that it is mostly a magical "energy" or
> perhaps magical "will" which is the source of each person's magic.  The
> words or components may help focus it, but aren't strictly necessary --
> you made the good point about Silent.  It also seems that some knowledge
> as to how to focus the energy to produce specific results can be helpful.
> This may be where the specialization of the Taken comes in -- they've
> learned specific tricks to focus their energy to perform certain tasks
> well.  It also seems possible that this energy is inherited (Lady and
> Soulcatcher are sisters and Lady's daughter may have magical ability too).
>         However, I think that we're trying to enforce a rigorous system
> of magic where it doesn't exist -- I don't think Cook has thought about
> it (or necessarily cares to think about it) in this amount of detail.
>
>                                 Steve
>
> --
> Steve Chew - [e-mail] - http://www.interzone.com
> "Read any books whatever come to thy hands, for thou art sufficient
>  both to judge aright, and to examine each matter....Prove all things,
>  hold fast that which is good."
>         -- John Milton

All magic can be anything.  Magic power can come from the killing of a family
member (the baby in Hart's Hope), from the use of runes (the Death Gate
series), mental energies (Darkwar), or anything else.  It all depends on what
the author wants to use.  Nothing is written in stone, unless there are rules
for the story.  Magic power is unlimited in source.


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Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 12:40:02 -0500 (CDT)
From: Changeling <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) BC Magic system [potential spoilers]

>
> All magic can be anything.  Magic power can come from the killing of a family
> member (the baby in Hart's Hope), from the use of runes (the Death Gate
> series), mental energies (Darkwar), or anything else.  It all depends on what
> the author wants to use.  Nothing is written in stone, unless there are rules
> for the story.  Magic power is unlimited in source.

Well, yeah. But that's why were' having this conversation. Trying to
figure out what rules Glen is playing by in the Black Company series.

- -Matthew


**************************************************************************
*                                                                        *
* It's that moment of dawning comprehension that I live for.             *
*                                                                        *
**************************************************************************


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Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2002 13:40:37 -0500
From: David Ainsworth <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (glencook-fans) BC Magic system [potential spoilers]

At 11:05 AM 7/14/2002 +0000, Troy Lefman wrote:
>All magic can be anything.  Magic power can come from the killing of a family
>member (the baby in Hart's Hope), from the use of runes (the Death Gate
>series), mental energies (Darkwar), or anything else.  It all depends on what
>the author wants to use.  Nothing is written in stone, unless there are rules
>for the story.  Magic power is unlimited in source.

Yes, but authors have to make decisions regarding how magic functions and
what its limitations are in each book/series.  I'd argue that magic in
fantasy settings works in the same sort of generic way as, say, FTL travel
in sci-fi.  Readers expect some sort of system or explanation, however
vague and farfetched, and authors have to figure out how to engage with the
matter.

Further, whether or not Cook has a fully thought out and developed magic
system, one may potentially be derived from the BC series.

Here are a few basic observables:
Magic walks a line between total illusion and actuality.  Less powerful
spellcasters (like the Company wizards) are less able to manifest entirely
real effects, though often the illusion is more than sufficient.  (Plenty
of sources.  Taken magic, of course, is nearly always real, though Lady, at
least, demostrates a flair for illusion.)

One wizard who knows another wizard is present, and has some idea of his
location, can reduce or suppress his abilities, although this appears to
weaken the suppressing wizard as well.  (Seen most explicitly in The White
Rose, although it's a factor in many of the deaths of the Taken.)

Preparation increases the power of magic.  (Presumably for an illusion, a
more complete visualization is helpful in improving the spell.  Goblin and
One-Eye evidently prepare illusions for their various clashes.  It may also
be possible to "hang" spells and have them ready to go, given the speed
with which some wizards can throw off effective spells, like Harden when
fighting the Taken, and given how others seem ineffective when surprised,
but this point isn't clear.)

Magic requires both knowledge and talent.  (Plenty of examples.)

And this is just a brief compilation.

David

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End of glencook-fans-digest V1 #198
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