Contemplating Magic

[HabeasCorpus]

Possibly. Which makes the outcome of the process even more gruesome because these women ...

Or... or... they could be pregnant and pissed. I testify before this honored assembly that there is neither anything more potentially beautiful or potentially horrifying than an angry pregnant woman.

/chauvinism

In all seriousness though, one thing you may wish to consider is that during the development of children, there are some pretty drastic and pretty distinct stages. Things that were important one moment aren't the next (and by moment, that could literally be a moment whereas in other cases, it could be a matter of a week or a year). You will likely be dealing with a rather limited range of depth of thought and depth of emotion as well unless you imbue upon them somehow an adult's perspective, either via POV or other device. Either way, as with all things, I would love to see it work, but you've got your work cut out for you.

 

[Feo Takahari]

I don't agree that something has to get involved just because children get into the fighting. I mean, look at Chronicles of Narnia. It's about as lighthearted as they come (until you get to The Last Battle anyway) and about 90% of the onscreen battles have children in them.

I can't track down the quote, but there was something I read once--I think it was in the comments to a story called Toy Hammer. Apparently, someone had questioned why so many likeable characters died in battle. The author responded that if you're writing about a bloody war, but the good guys all come out okay, that's not military fiction, that's military pornography.

(I gave up on "The Magician's Nephew" a little after Jadis woke up, so if all the battles in Narnia are fought with pillows or something, I'm sorry.)

Anyway, whether and how these children would be exploited depends both on what exactly they can do (maybe magic can't kill?) and exactly how rare they are (is the populace even aware magic exists?)

 

[Mindfire]

I can't track down the quote, but there was something I read once--I think it was in the comments to a story called Toy Hammer. Apparently, someone had questioned why so many likeable characters died in battle. The author responded that if you're writing about a bloody war, but the good guys all come out okay, that's not military fiction, that's military pornography.

(I gave up on "The Magician's Nephew" a little after Jadis woke up, so if all the battles in Narnia are fought with pillows or something, I'm sorry.)

Anyway, whether and how these children would be exploited depends both on what exactly they can do (maybe magic can't kill?) and exactly how rare they are (is the populace even aware magic exists?)

But this is fantasy, not military fiction. The rules are different.

 

[Feo Takahari]

But this is fantasy, not military fiction. The rules are different.

Well, Toy Hammer is military fantasy . . .

Like I said, it's beside the point if the author can keep the kids out of war.

 

[Mindfire]

Well, Toy Hammer is military fantasy . . .

Like I said, it's beside the point if the author can keep the kids out of war.

My point is that fantasy is not beholden to any rules except internal consistency (and even that can be hand-waved). Or to paraphrase Joffrey, "the author can do as he likes". The characters of the Percy Jackson series fight battles all the time, and that series is also quite light-hearted.

 

[Mason]

The assumption has been made that magic is only useful in war. Does magic necessarily mean violence? What about invisibility spells, levitation, breathing underwater, creating light sources etc.?

 

[wyrmfoe]

The assumption has been made that magic is only useful in war. Does magic necessarily mean violence? What about invisibility spells, levitation, breathing underwater, creating light sources etc.?

Right, you could very well do a whole thing about these kids using their magic for industrial purposes in a factory or a warehouse or out in the field or a mine. There are plenty of ways to go with this that don't involve turning the children into weapons.

 

[Steerpike]

Right, you could very well do a whole thing about these kids using their magic for industrial purposes in a factory or a warehouse or out in the field or a mine. There are plenty of ways to go with this that don't involve turning the children into weapons.

That's true, and I think all those things would happen. But it does strain credulity a bit for me, unless there is a very compelling explanation, to think that no one would use them for war if their magic offers an advantage.

 

[Feo Takahari]

How about this: magic is flashy, but for one reason or another (you can determine why), it's generally considered to be useless. It's treated as a curiosity of youth, like how small children can hear dog whistles or tell what broccoli really tastes like. Then recently, some villain figured out a potential use for it, and he wants to exploit children for that use. You can avoid the creepiness of HAVING a world of children as tools or weapons, but create tension with the villain's plan to create one (even child-appropriate stories that otherwise maintain a light tone can often get away with detailed speculation on things like this.)

 

[Queshire]

Going along with making it flashy but useless, what if magic isn't real for adults? What if it's only little more than just a hologram or something for adults, but the younger you are the more real it is? Something like an imaginary friend or something like that?

 

[Mason]

Thanks for the input guys!

Here's where I'm at with my world:

Many centuries before (the story takes place) magic was incredibly powerful and destructive. There was some horrible catastrophic war that basically shattered the old civilizations. After this event magic users were less and less common, eventually almost dying out completely. The remaining light of civilization has rebuilt without the benefit of magic...

In contemporary times, the gift has shown up only in children and only for a short period of time. The devout claim it is the gods taking magic for fear of the destruction it once caused. Scholars believe magic is a natural force of the world and is experiencing some sort of backlash or fallout because of the war. But of course the bad guys want to find a way to use it for evil once again...

Intriguing enough to continue? Of course all of this information is not general knowledge to the reader or even some of the characters...the history of magic and its uses would be scattered throughout the prose.

 

[Queshire]

Honestly, if it's rare and only now starting to come back then that would increase the chance of the kids being taken to be studied / turned into weapons.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Or, what if the magic showing up in only children is just the first stage of its complete return? What if things are changing? What happens to the first child to hit that milestone wherein they are expected to lose their magic... and it does not fade?

 

[AnnaBlixt]

I predict people with the gift having loads of children.

And also perhaps a whole science around the prevention of puberty. In a fantasy setting, why not develop herbs or drugs (hormonal?) that could delay the onset of puberty?