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Comment by notanzaiiswear | Hacker News Reader

I often wonder about a fantasy world where magic works like technology in the real world (like there is long arduous research to create new spells, not simply "being born with magical talent"). Would it become a popular fantasy setting?

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Pretty much what you are describing about is Ra by qntm [1]. I would definitely recommend it!

[1] https://qntm.org/ra

Was going to recommend this

The Obsidian Trilogy (Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory) is set in such a world, though it also features "wild magic" (you petition the wild gods for an effect, and you probably get it, but you take on an open-ended obligation to do something for them at a later point) and demonic magic.

> you petition the wild gods for an effect, and you probably get it, but you take on an open-ended obligation to do something for them at a later point) and demonic magic

So.. technical debt and "hacks" ?:D

Sir Terry Pratchett often explored something similar to that in his Discworld novels but perhaps in reverse - who knows!

"Anthill Inside" 8)

A comedy series takes this literally. Magic 2.0 by Scott Meyer.

On some computers there's a mysterious file that has all of the (world/universe's)? object variables, such as a person/object's location or height, age, etc, and magic is performed by manipulating those via verbal macros.

New spells are researched by literally programming and debugging.

It's a fun series, but it feels the author's done about as much as he can with it.

I read a litrpg book that the main character got a power that was basically programming. He could modify objects to do certain things based on triggers.

It was quite entertaining. But most of what he did was either off-the-cuff, or the book hid the hours and hours of testing and research so that it wouldn't bore the reader.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the name of the book in my reading history.

Now that you mention it I seem to remember a book where a programmer beams himself into a world where he can then live like a wizard because he can affect it with his programming. Also can't remember the title, but it was a fun read.

I found it!

Apocalypse: Generic System (Systems of the Apocalypse Book 1)

I haven't read the sequel yet, though.

That's basically how it works in Harry Potter. That's why you have to go to school for magic.

There is not a lot about discovering new spells, though? Possible exception Snape's remarks in his notebook on potion brewing.

And in HP people have the innate talent for magic.

People can have more or less talent at technology, although it's usually called "intelligence."

Recent Dr Strange has him learn how to forge magic items in a somewhat structured way after running into an alien who approaches magic pretty much like technology.

Wizard's Bane (1989) is a fun take on that.

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