If you were to ask people why they enjoy fantasy stories, escapism is likely to be a common answer.

Lush, whimsical worlds unlike our own with grand adventures to join and, of course, magic to marvel at. What’s not to love? The magic systems of these worlds exist on a spectrum of “soft” or “hard” depending on the story.

But what does that even mean, hard or soft magic?  

If you’re an avid fantasy reader, you’ve likely heard of Brandon Sanderson, author of the Mistborn series and other epic fantasy books. Perhaps you’ve even read some of his work. He’s known for coining the terms “soft” and “hard” magic as well as developing his “Laws of Magic” to differentiate the two and explain how they function within fantasy settings. We’ll help break down these magic systems so you’ll always know what you’re dealing with.

A soft magic system is mystical in nature and is all about instilling a sense of awe and wonder. You might know some of the rules that govern this kind of magic, but how it works and its limits are mostly left unknown. This unpredictability adds tension to the story.

In an interview with Russian news outlet Meduza, author George R. R. Martin explains how he views magic within his Game of Thrones series:

Magic is playing with forces you don’t completely understand. And perhaps with beings or deities you don’t completely understand. It should have a sense of peril about it.

Because soft magic isn’t as defined, it can serve a more metaphorical or thematic purpose.

Think of Disney’s Encanto, where the magic serves as a metaphor for intergenerational trauma, or the Force in Stars Wars being a metaphor for religious experience. Problems in these stories might be caused by magic, but are usually solved by very unmagical means. As author M.K. Hutchins put it: “Magic can’t save the family Madrigal. Rather, the magic shows us how they’re hurting.” Only when Mirabel, our non-magical protagonist, talks to her family about their hurts can they finally start healing.

 

If you like being dropped into vast universes filled with mysterious magic, then you might enjoy The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, written by Axie Oh and narrated by Rosa Escoda.

audiobook image for The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh featuring a Japanese inspired painting of a young woman stepping into the water

In this feminist retelling of a classic Korean folktale, our protagonist Mina is swept away into the Spirit Realm and must team up with demons, spirits, and other mythical creatures to wake the Sea God from his enchanted sleep.

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Looking for a world that feels a bit closer to home? Try The Nameless Restaurant, written by Tao Wong and narrated by Emily Woo Zeller.

This cozy urban fantasy takes us to Toronto, where there is a restaurant with clientele as magical as the food served there – but only if you can find it.

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Hard magic sits on the opposite end of this spectrum and is the system Sanderson favors. If you’ve ever watched Avatar: The Last Airbender, read the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, or played our favorite TTRPG Dungeons & Dragons, then you’re probably more familiar with this type of magic system than you realize. You know exactly how the magic works in these stories because the rules are clearly laid out:

  • In Avatar: The Last Airbender, only Earthbenders can manipulate earth or rock, except for the Avatar who can bend all the elements.
  • In Fullmetal Alchemist, their magic (referred to as alchemy) is governed by the Law of Equivalent Exchange which states that to obtain or create something, something of equal value must be lost or destroyed. Their magic borders on fantastical science.
  • When playing a spellcaster in DnD, your level determines the amount of spell slots you have and all spells come with perimeters as written in the Player’s Handbook.

Unlike soft magic, hard magic’s mechanics, limitations, costs, and consequences are what add tension to the story. Magic is often the cause of problems within the plot, and the challenge is for the characters to use that magic and its established restrictions for a creative solution.

 

If you’re a fan of The Witcher, check out The Warden, written by Daniel M. Ford and narrated by Lindsey Dorcus.

The Warden audiobook coverA noblewoman turned necromancer discovers a great evil in the village she’s stationed to protect in this blend of action-adventure fantasy and detective novel. Aelis’ necromancy is used to help people, but she’s also limited in her number of spell slots like the spell logistics of a DnD game.

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For those who love a good revenge story, take a listen to A Portrait in Shadow, written by Nicole Jarvis and narrated by Carlotta Brentan.

Enter a sumptuous world of art and magic in 17th-century Florence, where an artist is determined to paint her vengeance in magic. This historical fantasy uses magic drawn from an artist’s very life essence to create masterpieces that will heal hundreds and inspire generations. The downside? Every work of art drains their power.

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Both hard and soft magic systems contribute to fantasy settings in different ways that make their conflicts more interesting to resolve. There are stories with magic systems that land squarely in the middle, like the Harry Potter series, but most tend to lean towards one end of the spectrum or the other. Now when you sit down to watch that new fantasy show or listen to a new fantasy series, you’ll be able to tell the difference!