kerravonsen | (Reply)

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An interesting response to an interesting post!

You are right that "Smith of Wooton Major" is a good example of wondrous magic. In LotR, magic is so subtle that to all practical purposes the "good guys" almost never use it, and it's implied that the "bad guys" make a habit of it. The few exceptions, such as Gandalf or Galadriel or Elrond have inherent magic due to their natures-- yet even they seem reluctant to use it frequently. The Silm has a lot more magic in it than LotR does, but once again it's implied that manipulative magic is somehow, well, if not "bad" at least "not good". The Hobbit seems to fall somewhere in between.

But JRRT had a great fondness for "wondrous magic". I've been re-reading "Roverandom" lately, and the magic in that tale is utterly charming. But he still shows a certain amount of disdain for "magicians" in it.

One of my favorite "rules-based magic" universes is Randall Garrett's Lord D'arcy series. Magic has basically taken the place of science in that AU, and they have "forensic sorcerors" who help with criminal investigations, and "theoretical sorcerors" who don't practice magic but research it and present papers on new spells. Magicians have to be licensed by the church, and they have conventions.