magic in fantasy fiction

John C. Wright has an excellent post about the morality of magic in fiction.

Myself, I have a hard time writing magicians/wizards/sorcerers as good guys. It’s difficult to believe that kind of power wouldn’t corrupt someone. I mean, look at what money or political power does to people – think of how the ability to shoot lightning bolts and teleport could corrupt the character.

I think the most favorable magic-using character I’ve written in the last few years was Septimus Rhazion in the Ghost “Choose Your Own Adventures”, and even he screwed up and got several people killed because of his attempt to cheat death via forbidden power.

-JM