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Magic.exe: A comic fantasy adventure in the spirit of Discworld
Tollund only wanted to tidy up magic.
Instead, he accidentally deleted it—and created a world that insists it never existed.
Magic was never meant to be neat. It was loud, unpredictable, and had a terrible sense of humour, much like humanity itself. When Tollund, an unassuming wizard with more patience than flair, cast a spell to erase magic, he thought he was saving everyone.
What he actually created was a world that still wages wars, hoards power, and invents weapons that make firestorms look quaint—only now it does so while claiming to be perfectly rational.
As Tollund stumbles through this strange new reality, he begins to suspect that magic hasn’t vanished at all. It has simply… moved house. Into batteries. Into machines. Into the humming heart of a thing people insist on calling “progress.”
Part satire, part fantasy, and part uncomfortably honest reflection on human folly, Magic. exe if magic and technology are two sides of the same mischievous coin, can anyone ever truly switch it off?
Perfect for readers who like their humour British, their fantasy clever, and their apocalypses slightly ridiculous.
Instead, he accidentally deleted it—and created a world that insists it never existed.
Magic was never meant to be neat. It was loud, unpredictable, and had a terrible sense of humour, much like humanity itself. When Tollund, an unassuming wizard with more patience than flair, cast a spell to erase magic, he thought he was saving everyone.
What he actually created was a world that still wages wars, hoards power, and invents weapons that make firestorms look quaint—only now it does so while claiming to be perfectly rational.
As Tollund stumbles through this strange new reality, he begins to suspect that magic hasn’t vanished at all. It has simply… moved house. Into batteries. Into machines. Into the humming heart of a thing people insist on calling “progress.”
Part satire, part fantasy, and part uncomfortably honest reflection on human folly, Magic. exe if magic and technology are two sides of the same mischievous coin, can anyone ever truly switch it off?
Perfect for readers who like their humour British, their fantasy clever, and their apocalypses slightly ridiculous.
179 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 21, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 4, 2026
The first think I noticed about this is how reminiscent it is of Pratchett. Both in style and in humour it evokes the Discworld and other creations of the late, great Sir Terry. If it were nothing more than a tribute to him, it would be a good read.
But this isn't only fan fiction. Williams has his own ideas, his own take on life, and 'Magic.exe' is very much his story, coming out of his own life knowledge and experience (especially in IT and all matters computer-related) as well of his evident love for Pratchett style fantasy.
And the story springs directly from that conjunction (or is it a collision?!). Magic has got out of hand, and the Wizard Tollund tries to do something about that - with unexpected consequences. It seems to have gone away, but something is still lurking in servers and data centres...
It's a great idea, and well developed, giving us a short but enjoyable read with some intriguing ideas, and some memorable lines. My favourite was from chapter 17:
'It was raining in a way that suggested the clouds were no longer trying. The water was no longer falling so much as slumping, like the sky had grown tired of holding it up, better known as British summer.'
A common phenomenon, familiar to most of us (at least, most of us who live in Britain) but described in words both accurate and amusing.
However, at the risk of being pedantic I have two criticisms.
One is that the humour, though very Pratchett, is sometimes a bit overwhelming. Sir Terry's humour was precise and well-honed. He aimed to make people laugh, but also to think: his jokes had a point to them. Williams seems to me to be a bit more 'shotgun' in his approach: it feels like he's just added in every joke, pun or wry look at the world that he thought of. The net result was, to me at least, a little overwhelming: any deeper points he might have been making were likely to be lost in the noise.
The second was that the ending felt a bit abrupt and somewhat disappointing. Or did I miss something here? I get that Aura has discovered a whole new level of what being human means, but I would have liked that to have been developed more, perhaps to show us how that affected Tollund and Myra, and maybe an idea about where this was leading to in the longer term.
Having said these things I am, however, mindful that this is a first novel, and as such it is very impressive in the imagination and writing talent displayed. It flows, it amuses, and it gives pause for thought as well. Very promising for the future.
But this isn't only fan fiction. Williams has his own ideas, his own take on life, and 'Magic.exe' is very much his story, coming out of his own life knowledge and experience (especially in IT and all matters computer-related) as well of his evident love for Pratchett style fantasy.
And the story springs directly from that conjunction (or is it a collision?!). Magic has got out of hand, and the Wizard Tollund tries to do something about that - with unexpected consequences. It seems to have gone away, but something is still lurking in servers and data centres...
It's a great idea, and well developed, giving us a short but enjoyable read with some intriguing ideas, and some memorable lines. My favourite was from chapter 17:
'It was raining in a way that suggested the clouds were no longer trying. The water was no longer falling so much as slumping, like the sky had grown tired of holding it up, better known as British summer.'
A common phenomenon, familiar to most of us (at least, most of us who live in Britain) but described in words both accurate and amusing.
However, at the risk of being pedantic I have two criticisms.
One is that the humour, though very Pratchett, is sometimes a bit overwhelming. Sir Terry's humour was precise and well-honed. He aimed to make people laugh, but also to think: his jokes had a point to them. Williams seems to me to be a bit more 'shotgun' in his approach: it feels like he's just added in every joke, pun or wry look at the world that he thought of. The net result was, to me at least, a little overwhelming: any deeper points he might have been making were likely to be lost in the noise.
The second was that the ending felt a bit abrupt and somewhat disappointing. Or did I miss something here? I get that Aura has discovered a whole new level of what being human means, but I would have liked that to have been developed more, perhaps to show us how that affected Tollund and Myra, and maybe an idea about where this was leading to in the longer term.
Having said these things I am, however, mindful that this is a first novel, and as such it is very impressive in the imagination and writing talent displayed. It flows, it amuses, and it gives pause for thought as well. Very promising for the future.
January 28, 2026
Magic.exe is a smart, satirical fantasy that uses humor to explore some very uncomfortable truths about humanity. When Tollund accidentally deletes magic from the world, what emerges isn’t peace or order — it’s a hyper-rational society still obsessed with power, war, and destruction, just dressed up as “progress.”
The writing is witty, thoughtful, and distinctly British in its humor. What I loved most is how the book suggests that magic never truly disappears it simply changes form, slipping into machines, batteries, and technology. The satire lands because it feels plausible, not exaggerated. If you enjoy clever fantasy that blends humor with social commentary and doesn’t take itself too seriously while still saying something meaningful, Magic.exe is a fantastic read.
The writing is witty, thoughtful, and distinctly British in its humor. What I loved most is how the book suggests that magic never truly disappears it simply changes form, slipping into machines, batteries, and technology. The satire lands because it feels plausible, not exaggerated. If you enjoy clever fantasy that blends humor with social commentary and doesn’t take itself too seriously while still saying something meaningful, Magic.exe is a fantastic read.
October 18, 2025
Part satire, part fantasy, and part unnervingly honest reflection on human folly, Magic.exe asks: if magic and technology are two sides of the same mischievous coin, can anyone ever truly switch it off?
Perfect for readers who like their humour sharp, their fantasy clever, and their apocalypses slightly ridiculous.
Perfect for readers who like their humour sharp, their fantasy clever, and their apocalypses slightly ridiculous.
January 7, 2026
Magic.exe is what happens when Discworld crashes into modern tech culture. Clever, absurd, and unsettlingly accurate, Danny Williams turns magic into a mirror for humanity’s obsession with control. I laughed, then paused, then laughed again usually at myself.
January 7, 2026
This book is hilarious in the way that makes you uncomfortable because it’s true. The idea that magic didn’t disappear, but simply rebranded as technology, is brilliant. Tollund is a wonderfully understated protagonist in a world that refuses to learn its lesson.
January 7, 2026
Sharp satire, imaginative worldbuilding, and just the right amount of chaos. Magic.exe manages to poke fun at progress while celebrating the ridiculous creativity of humanity. A must-read for fans of Pratchett-style humor with a modern edge.
January 7, 2026
Danny Williams nails the tone: playful, clever, and quietly devastating. Beneath the jokes about spells and batteries is a sobering reflection on power, war, and how little we change. Funny fantasy with teeth.
January 7, 2026
I came for the comedy and stayed for the philosophy. Magic.exe asks big questions without ever taking itself too seriously. It’s rare to find a book that can be this absurd and this thoughtful at the same time.
January 7, 2026
Tollund may be an unassuming wizard, but his mistake reshapes reality in fascinating ways. The blend of magic and machinery feels fresh, smart, and disturbingly plausible. A laugh-out-loud read that lingers long after the last page.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews