Grrl Power #961 - Easy peasy thaumaturgeezy (Patreon)

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I understand why in most fantasy settings, it takes people (humans especially) decades to learn how to use magic... or at least why it takes everyone else decades, but in nearly every book I read, the Main Character has a considerable aptitude for learning. That is to say, a lot of stories I read take place over a few months to a year or two at most, and the MC goes from trying to cast "Rehydrate Trail Rations" to battling arch-wizards by book 5.

That isn't to say I've never read a straight-up D&D book, but those are never about someone learning how to be a wizard. The stories are about something else, and the MC learns a few tricks along the way. Whether they aren't a wizard when the book starts or they are, either way they might learn about three new spells by the end of the story. I suppose someone has probably written a book that covers a person's 80 year lifespan, during which they become an arch-wizard, but that sounds like a challenging read.

The problem with magic is that if there's not a massive commitment needed to learn it,  or only one person in 10,000 can ever touch mana, then just anyone can spend three months in Nepal and become the sorcerer supreme.

In the Grrl-verse, there is such a thing as computer aided spell design, but getting a computer to cast a spell is a lot trickier. Usually the best you can get out of a stock ass computer is getting them to activate enchanted items. Truly sapient AI's can be taught to use magic, but usually have some peculiar limitations with how they harness mana and interact with the Aether. Sapience is only part of the puzzle though, because there are plenty of animals that can use magic as well. Not so much on Earth, usually, but on like a D&D type world.