The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Better Guns for Dresden and Co.
Mr. Death:
Just because something doesn't happen every book does not mean it's not true.
We see magic interfering with technology all the time, including things with no electronics. That includes guns.
Why would it not include guns? What makes guns special compared to, say, an internal combustion engine, that Harry's magic would reliably foul up one, but is "absolutely not" a problem for the other?
Harry's observations are generally spot on, and I see no reason to doubt his assessment here, except that it's inconvenient for your idea of everyone packing state-of-the-art weapons.
Shift8:
--- Quote from: Mr. Death on July 21, 2017, 03:19:40 PM ---Just because something doesn't happen every book does not mean it's not true.
We see magic interfering with technology all the time, including things with no electronics. That includes guns.
Why would it not include guns? What makes guns special compared to, say, an internal combustion engine, that Harry's magic would reliably foul up one, but is "absolutely not" a problem for the other?
Harry's observations are generally spot on, and I see no reason to doubt his assessment here, except that it's inconvenient for your idea of everyone packing state-of-the-art weapons.
--- End quote ---
Because it does not happen in the overwhelming majority of cases that is why. And we have other direct statements in the book that guns are very much primary weapons in the DV.
We have per WOJ that Harry's understanding of this is incomplete and or flawed. Dont know how much simpler it could be really. Makes alot of sense considering that despite Harry's constant suspicion of technological failure, it very often seems to not matter. Take his fear of hospitals for example, and then the fact that it didnt seem to do anything during all his visits to one. Or the fact that 9.5 time out of ten every gun in the DV seems to work just fine. Sure is awfully consistently a non-issue.
Dresden sure had no problems with a lever action rifle. And they are not what you would call mechanically simple. Especially compared to semi-auto pistols or assault rifles.
Mr. Death:
Where in WOJ does it say that Harry is wrong about how magic affects technology?
Why do you believe guns are not affected in the same way as cars, even though they're about the same "level" of technology?
That it's only happened a couple times on the page does not mean it's not something that happens.
Shift8:
--- Quote from: Mr. Death on July 21, 2017, 04:13:50 PM ---Where in WOJ does it say that Harry is wrong about how magic affects technology?
Why do you believe guns are not affected in the same way as cars, even though they're about the same "level" of technology?
That it's only happened a couple times on the page does not mean it's not something that happens.
--- End quote ---
Read back a bit, it was quoted already IIRC. Jim stated that the rules are not changing, but the reason Harry's assumptions about magical interference dont work out alot is because he doesnt fully understand the physics of it.
Cars and guns are not on the same level. A car is objectively far more complex. Even just the engine.
Statistically, is matter of fact that in the Dresden files, guns work without fail an order of magnitude more often than they fail based on all the instances we have seen in the books. Its not that it never ever ever happens, but that it happens so rarely it basically doesn't matter much.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: Mr. Death on July 21, 2017, 04:13:50 PM ---Where in WOJ does it say that Harry is wrong about how magic affects technology?
Why do you believe guns are not affected in the same way as cars, even though they're about the same "level" of technology?
--- End quote ---
This I can answer, there's a specific WOJ where he spells out the various differences. They are actually affected MORE than cars (despite being of comparable vintages), due to relative size, aura interaction, and the typical emotional state of a gunman vs a driver in the moment. Also, alas, he did say there are factors involved which harry is unaware because his understanding of Magic is not Perfect.
--- Quote from: jimbutcher on January 21, 2007, 05:22:55 PM ---
--- Quote from: Grise on January 18, 2007, 02:48:40 PM ---The 'Harry screws up guns' thing hasn't been seen for several novels now, and I sincerely hope it's something JB has decided to let go to dust. First away, if Harry's disruption thing is so bad that it can mess up simple chemistry and even simpler mechanical operations, then howinblazes does his car ever work? Orders of magnitude more complex, mechanically, chemically, and electrically speaking...
--- End quote ---
On the other hand, using a GUN in earnest tends to be a tad more emotionally (and therefore magically) engaging than your average drive in a car. Proximity has a lot to do with it, too. Harry's actually TOUCHING the gun, generally in his right hand (the hand that projects magical energy) to boot. In fact, the gun is small enough that it's actually going to be encompassed by his bioelectric field (a very mild, but totally individual field of electromagnetic energy that the human body produces).
The car is a much larger (relative) object that is (relatively) farther away, even when Harry is driving under stress--and even so, the Beetle (and other cars) have broken down on-stage more often than guns have actually jammed on-stage.
And there are other factors involved of which Harry is not entirely aware. Alas, that the viewpoint character is non-omniscient. :)
The rules aren't changing. The proper circumstances just haven't all aligned the way they have in the other instances of guns glitching.
Jim
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: Shift8 on July 21, 2017, 04:24:00 PM ---Read back a bit, it was quoted already IIRC. Jim stated that the rules are not changing, but the reason Harry's assumptions about magical interference dont work out alot is because he doesnt fully understand the physics of it.
Cars and guns are not on the same level. A car is objectively far more complex. Even just the engine.
Statistically, is matter of fact that in the Dresden files, guns work without fail an order of magnitude more often than they fail based on all the instances we have seen in the books. Its not that it never ever ever happens, but that it happens so rarely it basically doesn't matter much.
--- End quote ---
You are lookign at the right WOJ, but I think it's directly contradicting several of your conclusions
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