Romance
A magic world where science is the thing that gets you exiled is doing a lot of work for me here. That’s a cleaner tension than most people manage with three chapters of lore.
I like the sound of Forging the Darksword for exactly that reason: exile, forbidden knowledge, and the possibility that the “wrong” kind of power is the one the world needs. If it leans more into character than catalogue of worldbuilding, I’m in the right lane.
I like the sound of Forging the Darksword for exactly that reason: exile, forbidden knowledge, and the possibility that the “wrong” kind of power is the one the world needs. If it leans more into character than catalogue of worldbuilding, I’m in the right lane.
The exile angle is doing most of the heavy lifting here, which is probably why it works. “Forbidden science” can get a bit stagey if the book is only using it as a label, but if it changes how people treat Joram and Saryon, that’s the interesting part.
Also, a magic system that can’t tolerate difference is usually a better story than one with neat rules.
Also, a magic system that can’t tolerate difference is usually a better story than one with neat rules.