Systems of Magic, and a request

[rising_moon]

Recently I've read a few excellent fantasy novels which were written around believable, consistent, and reasonable systems of magic. Believable magic is one of the elements that will sell me on a writer. I've enjoyed The Abhorsen Trilogy, by Garth Nix, and, most recently, The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss.

I've learned that Brandon Sanderson, who wrote this essay on systems of magic, is going to finish Robert Jordan's 12th and final novel of the Wheel of Time series. Depending on my Lady's response to his work, I might take up the first one. :)

Unrelatedly (maybe): can any of you recommend a good history (articles, blogs, anything) of technical approaches to affixing Identity? That is, assuring that individuals are who they say they are? I'm making a study of transaction psychology -- financial services inclined but not fixed -- and would love some background data on approaches to identity assurance. Thanks!

Comments

[dreda.livejournal.com]

Wait. WAIT. The twelfth one is going to be the last one? Really and for true?!?

ZOMG I can chuck this moldering monkey corpse off my back!!

[rising-moon.livejournal.com]

Hee! So says his web site (http://www.brandonsanderson.com/), anyway, which I found through polyhymnia_. The magic bar graph reports that he is 85% finished!

[dreda.livejournal.com]

"We'd rather leave his legacy as it stands than have bad books attached to his name." - B. Sanderson

other than the books he wrote himself, of course...

(Grr. Crack monkey, get thee behind me! ;)