James Barclay

[Mantyluoto]

James, when you designed the magic system for the world of Balaia did you design it fully before you started writing or did you make it up as you went along?

[James]

AS with most things, it was a bit of both. I had defined parameters... colleges with distinct lores and spell books, the use of stamina to limit the power of a mage, the time and risk of big spells etc. I also had plenty of spells worked out in terms of effect, difficulty, stamina drainage.

But by no means all. I developed heaps of new spells as the books and situations demanded them. The only key criterion was that no spell could suddenly turn up unannounced as a get-out for a deadly situation. Magic, as Ilkar points out more than once, can't do everything.

As for the whole dimensional magics thing, that appeared only in planning for the second trilogy and the full suite of spells was developed specifically for Demonstorm.
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'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

[Mantyluoto]

So how many beers is it going to take to persuade you to publish it all?

cant blame a guy for asking

[DeathJunior]

A spell book of Belaia spells? ooh
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Dan Jaines a walking dictionary of Danisms

[Mantyluoto]

when i was reading the books i started recording the names of the spells but its the descriptions and the workings of the magic system that i want to explore. thats the Gamer in me coming out.

[Selik]

Wouldn't say no to a copy of that myself if it were ever to appear
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"I sit on my arse, not my head." - Baron Gresse.

[James]

Well you know what they say.... never say never. And it would be a neat companion if it was joined with stuff about lore, the Baronial system, rules of trade combat etc...

I'll think about it.
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'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

[Mantyluoto]

Thats all i can ask.

Thank you

[Mantyluoto]

maps.... don't forget maps

[Malop]

I was just wondering how much the magic system in the books compares to the system you used in the roleplaying games you played James?
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Member and President of the Will Begman Appreciation Society.
Fantasycon 2005 Walsall Attendee
Fantasycon 2006-2009 Nottingham Attendee
Fantasycon 2010 Nottingham (stopped over for lunch)
Fantasycon 2011 Brighton (Is that in France?)

[Mantyluoto]

[James]

Not too far distant, malop. What I liked about the DragonQuest system was stamina depletion, the chance of it all going wrong and the idea that preparation length had a direct influence on potential result. As I've said before, I think magic needs to be flawed or it becomes too powerful a force. These are good flaws...
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'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.

[Mantyluoto]

I can see sales of the Dragonquest game hitting an all time high now!

[Lizzy]

One of the things I have come to appreciate about your writing James, is the way you explain how the magic works in your books. Some fantasy books just seem to say 'he cast a spell and....' without fully developing the way the magic functions or is controlled etc.

It makes your books an all the more rich and real read.
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Listen to Lizzy, she's always right! as said by Jovial

[James]

Tragically it is no longer on sale. Bought by a competitor and killed, so far as I know.

Thanks Lizzy
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'A human with a hand outstretched in friendship carries the fangs of a taipan in his palm.' A TaiGethen saying.