Re: Effects of Magic

Brian M. Scott <b.scott@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:21:26 +0100, Jonathan L Cunningham
<spam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
<news:1in2tx3.10si8a2kumlq8N%spam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> in
rec.arts.sf.composition:

Helen Hall <usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[...]

It's not believable to me either, I'm afraid. If being a
fire mage is a big deal, Ellen shouldn't be telling
people she's only just met, people she has no idea
whether she can trust. It makes the scene inwardly
inconsistent. You say it's terribly important that it's
kept secret, then she blabs to the first person she has
a proper conversation with.

It's believable to me for three reasons:

(a) Some people *are* good judges of character. I don't
tell secrets to people who aren't trustworthy. But I
might to someone who is trustworthy. And, yes, I can
tell.

On essentially no acquaintance? Whether you can or not, I
won't believe it in a story unless that ability is part of
the background and has been established. That's not the
case for Ellen.

Or I believe I can, which is what matters here.

In real life, perhaps, but not if you're Ellen in the story.

Which of three things are you trying to convince me of?

(a) You can't believe it
(b) No one can believe it
(c) I can't believe (and therefore must be lying).

I said I can believe it. That's a data point. You, clearly, think I am
foolish for doing so. It doesn't alter the fact.

I'm a little surprised at your reaction though: in a story I'm *more*
willing to accept the unlikely. What I can't accept is the impossible. I
don't think Ellen's trust is impossible. (I don't even think it
particularly unlikely. Not inevitable, by any means, but if I could
predict accurately everything she would say and do, I wouldn't need to
read the book.)

Clearly some people are naturally more suspicious and distrusting than I
am, although I have not yet bought the Eiffel Tower from any strangers
offering to sell it to me.

Jonathan

--
Jonathan L Cunningham
.

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