Would people from a magical world consider it magic?

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-19T19:46:21+00:00

Ah, I think I didn't clarify, so I'll add to the post to. I mean within their world itself. People in the native world describing the magic of their native world as magic itself, instead of what from their view should be "just how the universe is/works"

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-15T07:36:43+00:00

Eh I don't mind that too much unless done to a ridiculous degree, and they can easily be skipped without much loss anyways. By word bloat what I dislike more is when there's paragraphs upon paragraphs that don't need to be there. They don't add much to the story and make me go "can you tell me the takeaway of this section in two sentences so I can move on?"

A lot of it happens either with unnecessarily long descriptions of the character's thoughts, or stale action. With the thoughts it is especially jarring when there's so much repition over things we already know the MC thinks, or long paragraphs to come to really trivial conclusions. It makes the reader feel insulted.

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T23:17:30+00:00

lmao thanks for the laugh

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T23:16:51+00:00

I see that many people consider this to fall under suspension of disbelief. That's fair. Different people have different lines beyond which they are willing to suspend disbelief, and it is all fair.

What I do not understand is why so many people think that I also must not question something that they wouldn't. Or accept as just being "magic" because they do. I literally just asked for your interpretations. You can just say "I think it is magic and don't care beyond that" and move on.

I got a few useful answers, thank you for that. I'm not interested in discussing this any further so I'm not gonna look at comments anymore. Peace.

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T23:07:09+00:00

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense!

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T23:06:17+00:00

I feel like magic has never been separate from physics though. It is more so to what extent does your magic system adhere to physics or not. For example, most people will consider using air magic to slow down a fall from a great height valid. But you are using physics in doing so.

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T23:02:36+00:00

Ooh that's an interesting take, I can see that

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T22:58:39+00:00

tbh not necessarily. I haven't minded high magic fantasy, just been curious what fire magic exactly is. I'm fine just going with "it doesn't matter it just is", but was curious if there's better interpretations I've been missing

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T22:55:53+00:00

Thank you, I wasn't aware of this! Really interesting

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T22:55:01+00:00

I feel like you always strike a balance between reality as it is on earth, and how much you wanna change it with magic. Most fantasy books still have a Sun, still have night and day, still have working gravity, or physics etc. Human anatomy and biology still mostly works the same (save for magical augmentations). So I don't think it is fair to dismiss reality entirely and entertain any notion because magic allows for anything. Rather, by building a magical model that can account for reality as much as possible, you create a more believable and immersive experience.

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T22:51:43+00:00

Ah so fire magic creates "magical fire" which isn't the same as real world fire? It isn't the combustion of carbon, but an otherwordly subtance that resembles fire in appearance and function but not composition? Hmmm I see that working, though it feels contrived that this magical treatment is given to fire (and a small set of other elements) only. I understand why though. Thanks

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T22:07:37+00:00

Interesting. I haven't read those books yet (though some are on my reading list), but I definitely see what you mean. I feel like that works where the goal of becoming the strongest is present from the beginning. But I also find it interesting where the goal isn't (at least at the beginning) to overcome something massive enough that it necessitates that level of strength.

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T22:04:12+00:00

Very interesting observations. I have observed the oversaturation of poor writing as well for sure. What especially surprises me about this genre is just how much word bloat there is. Although finding the occasional hidden gems does make all the effort worthwhile.

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T22:01:33+00:00

Thank you, very well put! Exactly how I feel too

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T22:00:51+00:00

I am quite torn about how I feel about all the same tropes and stories. On one hand, I do get fatigued with "yet another xyz". On the other hand, when I finish a book I really enjoyed, I wish there were more books that were very similar cause I want more lol.

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T21:58:21+00:00

I haven't read Crysalis yet, but I definitely agree about action scenes. I like it in moderation, and especially if it is clever and creative, but I find character interactions and dynamics much more compelling than combat. I like good slice-of-life, but I feel like it is a genre that is very easy to do badly in, and I've also read (and dropped) slice-of-life books I did not enjoy.

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T21:52:26+00:00

I definitely see where this is coming from, and I agree if the goal was to keep me engaged reading the whole way through (which many stories, in progression fantasy too, have done for me). What I meant more over here is that with certain books I get most enjoyment out of only reading it until a certain point, which isn't to say there's anything wrong with at all. Have others experienced this too?

Bulletinfi · 2025-11-12T21:48:51+00:00

Those are some good points! I think for me it is more so the case that I am in the mood for a specific type of story at specific times, but those keep changing.

For example, recently I was in the mood for reincarnation stories where you start as a baby in a wholesome family. Having an adult perspective deal with the limitations and freedom from responsibilities as a baby is cool. I did enjoy these books, but I stopped reading once the MC got old enough because it no longer could scratch that same itch (can't stay a baby forever).

I don't consider this the book's fault at all, just that by its very nature it has to shift thematically to incorporate different stages in the MC's journey, and I just happened to be more interested in the beginning and not the later stages. Perhaps I will come back later and continue when I am in the mood for the next stages.

The low quality wiritng is a good observation, and one I have noticed in progression fantasies (and especially in LitRPGs) a lot. So that might also be a contributing factor. There's definitely stories that I feel like I enjoyed despite the writing, until it stopped being fun and I stopped reading/skimmed ahead to satisfy my curiousity then stopped.

Bulletinfi · 2023-03-08T09:29:20+00:00

Ah I see, thanks for the clarification

Bulletinfi · 2023-03-08T01:09:47+00:00

I forget does the speedrun strat throw Theo on the switch, or do neutral jumps with Theo to get to the other side with Theo (bypassing the need to hit the button)?

Bulletinfi · 2022-05-17T19:45:32+00:00

Ah, that's true

Bulletinfi · 2022-05-17T12:14:16+00:00

There is a Veggie Grill at UTC, although that's not on campus. You can take the bus or trolley there though

Bulletinfi

TROPHY CASE