# Fantasy world, with guns, trains and no magic?



## Godzilax99 (Jul 15, 2012)

Good day everyone ,

As the title suggested, is it still considered normal or possible that a fantasy world could be considered fantasy without the magic factor? 

I am working on my story line and had this thought whether to make it more original. Currently, i'm working on a story focused on certain morals and ethnics issues, such as racism and also power struggles within royalties and nobles. 

Then an idea struck me. Instead of putting all these in a sword and magic era, why not try putting it in a more advanced age. Like the industrialized age, where steam engine are discovered. 

Of course I want the guns and swords as well since guns aren't going to be very power.

Mythical creatures and monsters also seems interesting to blend it together.

Magic on the other hand will be more like an lost art. But someone know how to use it and it has some diabolical powers. 

What do you think?


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## Jabrosky (Jul 15, 2012)

Sounds like a very novel world concept you got there! I say go for it.


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## Taro (Jul 15, 2012)

i think if done well it could be an interesting story, and in my opinion fantasy doesn't always has to be magic and what not. i would love to see where this goes and it would almost sound steampunkish. Good luck and i can't wait to see some chapters of this.


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## shangrila (Jul 15, 2012)

You've pretty much just described Steampunk, sans the magic as a lost art.

In response to your question; of course it can work. Fantasy is a broad term. Your story/world doesn't have to be filled with goblins, swordsmen and kings. Fantasy is just, well, _fantasy_. The unreal. The imagination.


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## ScipioSmith (Jul 15, 2012)

shangrila said:


> You've pretty much just described Steampunk, sans the magic as a lost art.
> .



Add in Magic as a lost art and you have Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky. So yes, I think it could definitely work; I love that series.


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## johnsonjoshuak (Jul 15, 2012)

I've actually started a series that is very similar to the world you are describing, except that I do have magic users in it (albeit very limited). 

I refer to it as "Gunpowder Fantasy" as it doesn't quite reach the Steampunk level of steam-power, fantastic inventions out of place with the technology. There is are a couple of other, better known than me, authors that write in this area (William King's Terrarch Series and A. S. Warwick's Commonwealth Chronicles tend more toward muskets than rifles, but still Gunpowder technology).

I use rifles, telegraphs and steam trains while integrating elves, orcs, griffins, manticores and magic. My tagline is "On the world of Zaria, elves, magic and mythical creatures coexist beside rifles and railroads."

I have some posts on my blog (gunpowderfantasy.com) about how I use the different technologies and how I set up my races differently.

I think that it's definitely a niche but, hopefully, it takes off!


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## Jabrosky (Jul 15, 2012)

By the way, recently I've considered writing fantasy in the opposite direction, namely that with a Stone Age-inspired tribal setting. I haven't really found a decent plot for it yet, but it would make for some fun worldbuilding.


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## BeigePalladin (Jul 15, 2012)

sounds intresting. I think it would work just fine since you don't need magic for fantasy, and settings can vary greatly. it sounds very intresting


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## Mindfire (Jul 15, 2012)

I've always wanted to see what a fantasy western would look like.


And no, I will not read that series by Stephen King.


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## ANewMe23 (Jul 16, 2012)

I think the idea sounds interesting. I also like the idea of magic as a lost art too.


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## Godzilax99 (Jul 16, 2012)

Thanks for all the comments and encouragement. Nice.. I will try to head that direction of thought.. Now I just got to do some research on guns, namely guns around the gunpowder era.. I won't want my goblins or orcs to use M16 or AK47.. That will be a bit too warhammer 40K. 

What do you think about the magic as an lost art? My thought that will probably be more logical is that, the magic was a very powerful weapon.. Like creating a hurricane, or earthquake... Or simply made human combust by themselves and etc.. but yet, it wasn't a easy thing to learn and master it. In fact, it's way too risky, as many mages and wizards get burned and killed in the process. 

So people turned to using technological advancement, such as catapults to throw burning hurls of fire instead of having a person casting a huge fireball.. 

My other thought for the story is also to be advancing forward... Like example, the first 2 books(maybe) will be still swords and sorcery while the characters in the story died of old age and etc, then the next generation of heroes and villains took over and the world had advanced forward... 

Magic in the other books will be lesser in elements and more to the mystic stuffs.... 

What do you think?


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## Fluffypoodel (Jul 19, 2012)

I think that it sounds like a great idea. sometimes I think that fantasy writers get too caught up in a flashy magic system that they lose focus on the plot and the characters. setting the story in the gilded age or steam punk allows you to have fantastic elements but it also grounds the social issues that you were describing in historical contexts. I have thought about writing a steam punk book myself so all the power to you. Good Luck!


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## ahhhitswells (Aug 28, 2012)

I am writing a steampunk themed novel as well!


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## squishybug87 (Aug 28, 2012)

Oooh Steampunk  I say go for it. You can watch some documentaries about the American Civil War or visit some museums if you wanted some ideas about fire arms. I would also love to see how this one turns out. I like that you're dealing with themes and characters over magic.


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## Anders Ã„mting (Aug 28, 2012)

Godzilax99 said:


> Good day everyone ,
> 
> As the title suggested, is it still considered normal or possible that a fantasy world could be considered fantasy without the magic factor?
> 
> ...



Sounds fine, go for it. Fantasy doesn't need magic, it just needs imagination and the willingness to imagine a different world.


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## Godzilax99 (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks! I think I know what I can do with this. 

Steampunk.... Ok, I'll start doing research on that.. Renaissance period seems an interesting age to do some research in, since the invention were so cool. 

Anyone interested to correspond with me on this, or we could share ideas.. I'm all into that.


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## CupofJoe (Aug 29, 2012)

I like muskets so my most recent WIP is centered on the first half of the 18th century for technology. I don't get to use steam but i can have telescope and flintlock rifles [very rare and expensive!]. And to fit in to the background of story [rationalism on the rise] my magic is very subtle.
So I would say do for it.
Gunpowder fantasy - i like that term!


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## Zero Angel (Aug 29, 2012)

My first thought was "Final Fantasy!" They frequently use guns and trains, although there is generally magick out the wazoo. 

But then yes, "Steampunk" is the genre that you are looking for. It's a thing. Check it out.


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## Godzilax99 (Aug 30, 2012)

Zero Angel: I actually also felt Final Fantasy is somewhat fitting to my world setting. The guns is a bit high tech, but I'm looking at guns more like a flintlock or matchlock guns..I might even want to put in ships that fly, using hot air balloons.. should be interesting.. but still in the planning..


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## Zander (Aug 30, 2012)

It would be awesome. Deviations from traditional fantasy seem to be getting more and more popular, and it would be mad to have more in the way of semi-victorian steam punk worlds.


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## grimreaper (Aug 31, 2012)

Yes , the idea would certainly work . For myself , I like the magic and the supernatural in fantasy , but it is nice and refreshing to see storylines and ideas that depart from the flood of traditional , generic , Tolkien (or Martin) clones produced these days.


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## Godzilax99 (Aug 31, 2012)

Speaking of traditional Tolkien or George Martin clones. what are the factors in those books that seems repeating? I know Tolkien's clone will be the elves, dwarves and humans.. And the usual will be the elves always are slender and use bows and arrows while living in nature, talking to trees, while dwarves are always from the mountains or lovers of ale and craftsmanship. 

How about George Martin? Haven't read a lot of his books yet. Only done the Song of Fire and Ice, but still haven't got the Dance of the Dragon book yet. 

I kinda like George Martin style of writing. His characters are well detailed and very lovable. And like what my wife said, all the characters feel real. Like a real person's reaction to certain things. Like the Queen Cersei.. Her love for her sons made her go the extreme, while Tyrion Lannister is an extremely sensitive person because of his upbringing. He is good at listening to people's conversation and catching the intention clearly. 

I think George Martin's book focused a lot on characters and also the dialogues.


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## Galbatroth (Sep 1, 2012)

I definitely think it could work if done correctly. I say go for it.


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## mbartelsm (Sep 2, 2012)

This sound a like the anime Baccano! except magic does not exists and the fantasy factor are a group of immortal people which are the center of the story


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## Snowpoint (Sep 6, 2012)

Just because magic is real doesn't mean people know that it is real, or how to use it. Like science, or the nuclear bomb. It would have worked in the stone age, but we didn't figure it out till later. 

Atmosphere would be important. if you are writing "Fantasy Fiction" there needs to be something special there.


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