Conceptualizing Mage 'College'

[Ray McCarthy]

You can't buy the eBook in Ireland either.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I imagine you can't get it anywhere in the British Commonwealth, and maybe only in the US. Which is a shame.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I don't think Ireland have been part of Commonwealth since 1922, 1936 or 1948, depending on who's view you take. The UK Government have agreed on that since 1948.

I wonder is it part of the running since Victorian Era USA/Europe Copyright war (still causing problems over Performance Rights payments on Radio and why many USA publications struggle still to get Eason's Distribution, used to be much worse.)

Not shipping a physical thing from USA is common enough (though still nuts, also some USA companies too only take Visa, Amex etc issued in USA, they won't take cards issued in Europe! USA doesn't operate the wonderful IBAN at all, which is incomprehensible.).

But an eBook on Amazon is hard to fathom.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

When we were talking about amending the contract for TQN to allow it to be sold overseas, my agent insisted that Ireland was part of the British Commonwealth, even though I didn't think so. If you say no, then no it is.

As far as ebooks on Amazon (or anywhere else) its not a matter of getting the book there, it's just the way the rights are assigned in the original contract, and they might be that way for any number of reasons.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Likely not definitive. But probably correct in this case.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth
particularly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth#Republics
So "Officially" the laws passed in 1948 and Ireland "really" left in 1949

I'm often mistaken, I was a year out. I knew the 1922 and 1930s were "fake" leaving Commonwealth dates as I suggested above.

Technically at Irish Independence in 1922 UK claimed King was still head of state and Ireland in Commonwealth and Ireland pretended otherwise.
In 1937 Ireland completely severed Commonwealth links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland#Partition

During its first decade the newly formed Irish Free State was governed by the victors of the civil war. When de Valera achieved power, he took advantage of the Statute of Westminster and political circumstances to build upon inroads to greater sovereignty made by the previous government. The oath was abolished and in 1937 a new constitution was adopted. This completed a process of gradual separation from the British Empire that governments had pursued since independence. However, it was not until 1949 that the state was declared, officially, to be the Republic of Ireland.

Eamonn de Valera was on the losing side and main cause of the Civil War, which killed far more than War of Independence.

This is wrong (in above link):
Two main languages are spoken in Ireland: Irish and English. (Ireland Link)
The main language by far is English, next Polish, then Chinese. Irish (Gaelic) is in 4th place. You'll see Polish in regular shops. Irish on road signs.
The other Wikipedia article
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland#Languages
Does correctly list Polish as 2nd language.

Technically Republic of Ireland or Irish Republic are UK terms, not Irish ones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_Irish_state

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Well, dragging the thread back on topic (and with apologies for going off on a tangent), if Michael wants to read Academic Exercises to see how Parker shows a college of magic as part of a larger university, he's living in the right country.

I second the recommendations of Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, and McKillip's The Book of Atrix Wolf. Also The Riddlemaster of Hed, now that I think of it. The school there teaches ancient riddles about the history and the magic of the realm (the riddles are rather like the Welsh triads), but it's worth reading for her concept of magic, which, like Le Guin's, is elegant and not overly complicated like some I have read.

The Collegia Magica books are wonderful, but they don't really tell much about the Collegia. Berg's treatment of magic is fascinating, though.

 

[ZombieWife]

One thing to keep in mind is power balance. As with all magic systems, a writer needs to understand his system. The system isn't just how a mage channels magic, or, what damage magic can do, but also includes any political, social or economic aspects.

• For example, if your magi are extremely powerful, what's to keep them from overtaking the world and ruling mankind?
  
• How do magi keep other magi in check?
• Is there a limit to power? If so, what is it?
• Is there a hierarchy? What does that look like?

I would think about how this magic "college" functions within the bigger world.

How many students does this place have at one time? And how does this number tie in to how prevalent magic is in this particular society? (I think of "magical college" and I think of magic being a commonplace thing.)

The academic side of it can look anyway you want and I love the suggestions above about delving into other non-Western academic traditions and such.

 

[Michael Colton]

Sorry for my lack of response folks, I've been super busy. Will respond to people's lovely comments in a massive multiquote tomorrow.

 

[Michael Colton]

Well, dragging the thread back on topic (and with apologies for going off on a tangent), if Michael wants to read Academic Exercises to see how Parker shows a college of magic as part of a larger university, he's living in the right country.

I second the recommendations of Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, and McKillip's The Book of Atrix Wolf. Also The Riddlemaster of Hed, now that I think of it. The school there teaches ancient riddles about the history and the magic of the realm (the riddles are rather like the Welsh triads), but it's worth reading for her concept of magic, which, like Le Guin's, is elegant and not overly complicated like some I have read.

The Collegia Magica books are wonderful, but they don't really tell much about the Collegia. Berg's treatment of magic is fascinating, though.

One thing to keep in mind is power balance. As with all magic systems, a writer needs to understand his system. The system isn't just how a mage channels magic, or, what damage magic can do, but also includes any political, social or economic aspects.

• For example, if your magi are extremely powerful, what's to keep them from overtaking the world and ruling mankind?
  
• How do magi keep other magi in check?
• Is there a limit to power? If so, what is it?
• Is there a hierarchy? What does that look like?

I would think about how this magic "college" functions within the bigger world.

How many students does this place have at one time? And how does this number tie in to how prevalent magic is in this particular society? (I think of "magical college" and I think of magic being a commonplace thing.)

The academic side of it can look anyway you want and I love the suggestions above about delving into other non-Western academic traditions and such.

There are too many posts to quote them all and respond piece by piece since I fell behind, but I certainly have taken note of the suggested reading as well as the important questions to be aware of. I much appreciate everyone's responses.