Harry Potter and The Methods of Rationality

[Migey]

Wow.

Huh.

Really?

Wow.

That's interesting.

[Slick Mongoose]

I love that this has been foreshadowed for so long, and yet I still expected

(recent chapter spoilers)

Harry's first aid to save her.

[Humanderthal]

New chapter up.

[Jukka Sorasti]

It is kind of funny at first, but the smug attitude and extremely disparaging tone it takes with Rowling's work annoyed me too much to keep reading it. If you don't like Harry Potter you might find some of the jokes funny, but really it's just a Marty Stu story with slightly better writing than the norm for fanfiction.

[Migey]

How far did you get? It kind of stops even acknowledging the existence of Rowling's version of the world fairly soon, moving completely on to its own agenda and style (aside from the occasional jab). I think my appreciation of this was vastly enhanced by the comparison to Rowling's far more illogical world (which allowed me to far more appreciate a lot of the interesting workarounds hes used and things hes done with the whole thing) but I soon started enjoying it utterly on it's own merits and not as a parody of the original.

And the MoR Harry does slightly tend towards Gary Stu-ness at times, but I think he's done quite well. He often cocks up and makes mistakes, and is unable to do what he sets out to do. He is often stupidly insensitive and over the top, and has enough personality flaws that he feels well rounded and weirdly real to me - while he is a genius, there is a real sense of almost psychological damage in the sense of how much he applies his insane knowledge and grasp of the human mind and reality in general to his own life, to the point where it has totally taken over any possibility of actually living normally.

This isn't better then the norm for fanfiction. This is light years ahead of the norm for normal fiction.

[Gertrude]

Two new chapters up :) I don't check it often and just happened to yesterday, and the new chapters went up today. The good news is that he has said he's got one more short chapter and then he begins the final arc and (wants to be) completed by the end of 2014.

I know Les Wrong is not my bitch but ... arrrrgh! The pace is killing me. I wish I had discovered this sometime after it was all done.

[felice]

Not amongst the better instalments, I fear.

Quirrel drinking the blood of My Little Ponies was funny but immersion-breaking, and the whole sending of 12-year-olds into the Forbidden Forest at night seemed wildly implausible at this point in the story.

[Gertrude]

Not so implausible when considering that it was Filch making that decision and Hagrid following through. I'd question it if it was approved by Minerva or Dumbledofre, but Filch seems as petty and short-sighted as the book, and Hagrid isn't known for critical thinking. I did like when Draco reacted rationally to the danger and not like his movie counterpart would :p.

It's not great, but the centaur thing was interesting. I was hoping for a bit more on the Lily connection, but I guess it doesn't need to be spelled out.

[felice]

I can believe Filch and Hagrid would be capable of it, maybe - though even for them, less than a month after Hermione's death and with an unknown unicorn killer on the loose, it's incredibly reckless. But I find it hard to believe it got as far as that. None of the detention recipients thought to tell anyone else about Filch's insanity? If not reporting it to a teacher or auror directly, then griping to friends who'd report it? And there's nothing to prevent students being taken out of Hogwarts in the middle of the night? And Dumbledore's subsequent defence of Filch is pretty dubious; he makes some reasonable points, but fails to acknowledge that Filch crossed a line.

But yes, the centaur bit was good.

[Gertrude]

But the kids didn't know what their detention was to be prior to being led to the forest, no? I didn't re-read it, but that's what I remember. As to taking kids out of Hogwarts in the middle of the night, perhaps, but I assume a teacher (or Filch) could circumvent that - like an alarm system they punch the code into. Or maybe it didn't register because they were with staff. :dunno: They didn't leave the grounds after all, just the castle proper. Eh, it's not the most implausible thing, but I agree it is stretching it. Doesn't really matter to me because Draco's actions saved it for me. He reacted rationally when he actually thought about it. Now that I am thinking of it, what is more implausible is that they let Harry out. The aurors have their own time turners, no? Or maybe they were just authorized to use them but no one had one (which seems an oversight given the situation).Perhaps I should re-read to see if I am making shit up. But we got the centaur because of it, so I'll let it slide.

[Slick Mongoose]

It's not great, but the centaur thing was interesting. I was hoping for a bit more on the Lily connection, but I guess it doesn't need to be spelled out.

You've probably noticed this already, but:

Tears were gathering in Petunia's eyes.

"And Lily would tell me no, and make up the most ridiculous excuses, like the world would end if she were nice to her sister, or a centaur told her not to - the most ridiculous things, and I hated her for it."

By the way, In the author's notes he recommends another online fiction called Worm. Which I finished recently, and is absolutely awesome.

[Gertrude]

Yeah, I was just hoping for a callback or something. It's a nice detail. After thinking about it though it's better that it just stands as is and lets people who remember it feel clever :P

Hmm, Worm didn't tempt me in the slightest, even though it was him recommending it. I guess I assumed it was another fan fic and I just didn't feel like dipping into that. Could you give a quick description?

[Slick Mongoose]

Worm isn't a fanfic, it's an original superpower-based web novel. Like Wild Cards in terms of lots of people all over the world having powers, but mostly from one POV. The powers are original and intelligently used, the mysteries are all well thought out, and the characters are great.

[Gertrude]

Cool, thanks. I might check it out.

[felice]

But the kids didn't know what their detention was to be prior to being led to the forest, no?

No, you're right there. Though the time and location they were told to report to would presumably still be a bit odd. Sunset in May is pretty late...

Cool, thanks. I might check it out.

Do! It's incredible. Worm

[Gertrude]

Grrrr - I tried Worm out. I'm just interested enough in the background mysteries to want to know what's up with that, but completely not engaged with the storytelling at this point. I discovered I am struggling through chapters and that this isn't really my thing. Anyone know of a good place to find a summary? I tried the parahuman wiki and it's spotty at best.

I am at the point where the Undersiders have their own territories and bases of operation under Coil. Am totally bored and dislike the fight scenes, which is the majority of the series it seems. The Slaughterhouse Nine should be scary, but are so over the top it's hard to take them or any of the gangs seriously.

Am curious about the project 53 capes, Scion and the Endbringers. A couple of other minor things too, but could care less if Taylor ends up happy, sad, a supervillain to rival all villains or just an ordinary hero at the end of the day.

[felice]

That's a pity. If you want spoilers, Interlude 26 explains a great deal of what's going on. Some additional info:

The Project 53s were created by an organisation that knows the truth and is willing to commit atrocities in order to attempt to save the world. The Endbringer explanation wouldn't mean much to you.

[protar]

So, I'm here dodging around the later spoilers to ask:

What is going on with the first DADA lesson (and other canon deviations)? I thought the entire point of this fanfic was that it followed the book canon aside from Harry's upbringing and the subsequent consequences. So why is Quirell talking about killing curses in the first week of first year?

ETA: And furthermore (and I won't spoiler tag this because it's just minutae about magical creatures and insofar as I've read not plot relevant.) why are mountain trolls listed as the third most powerful monster in the world (before dementors and dark wizards.)? Has this man not heard of a Nundu? Not to mention the other anatomical inaccuracies.

[Slick Mongoose]

Don't read felice's spoilers unless you're definitely not carrying on with Worm. Those mysteries you like have a great resolution in the story.

Although if you don't like the action scenes, then it's difficult to recommend you continuing. I do think it gets better and better, but the action scenes get bigger and crazier as well.

So, I'm here dodging around the later spoilers to ask:

What is going on with the first DADA lesson (and other canon deviations)? I thought the entire point of this fanfic was that it followed the book canon aside from Harry's upbringing and the subsequent consequences. So why is Quirell talking about killing curses in the first week of first year?

In "levelling up" Harry, the author had to level up other characters as well. Else things would be too easy. From chapter 11 (Omake files):

OMAKE FILES #1: 72 Hours to Victory

(A.k.a. "What Happens If You Change Harry But Leave All Other Characters Constant")

Dumbledore peered over his desk at young Harry, twinkling in a kindly sort of way. The boy had come to him with a terribly intense look on his childish face - Dumbledore hoped that whatever this matter was, it wasn't too serious. Harry was far too young for his life trials to be starting already. "What was it you wished to speak to me about, Harry?"

Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres leaned forward in his chair, smiling grimly. "Headmaster, I got a sharp pain in my scar during the Sorting Feast. Considering how and where I got this scar, it didn't seem like the sort of thing I should just ignore. I thought at first it was because of Professor Snape, but I followed the Baconian experimental method which is to find the conditions for both the presence and the absence of the phenomenon, and I've determined that my scar hurts if and only if I'm facing the back of Professor Quirrell's head, whatever's under his turban. While it could be something more innocuous, I think we should provisionally assume the worst, that it's You-Know-Who - wait, don't look so horrified, this is actually a priceless opportunity -"

[protar]

In "levelling up" Harry, the author had to level up other characters as well. Else things would be too easy. From chapter 11 (Omake files):

OMAKE FILES #1: 72 Hours to Victory

(A.k.a. "What Happens If You Change Harry But Leave All Other Characters Constant")

Dumbledore peered over his desk at young Harry, twinkling in a kindly sort of way. The boy had come to him with a terribly intense look on his childish face - Dumbledore hoped that whatever this matter was, it wasn't too serious. Harry was far too young for his life trials to be starting already. "What was it you wished to speak to me about, Harry?"

Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres leaned forward in his chair, smiling grimly. "Headmaster, I got a sharp pain in my scar during the Sorting Feast. Considering how and where I got this scar, it didn't seem like the sort of thing I should just ignore. I thought at first it was because of Professor Snape, but I followed the Baconian experimental method which is to find the conditions for both the presence and the absence of the phenomenon, and I've determined that my scar hurts if and only if I'm facing the back of Professor Quirrell's head, whatever's under his turban. While it could be something more innocuous, I think we should provisionally assume the worst, that it's You-Know-Who - wait, don't look so horrified, this is actually a priceless opportunity -"

Not that I'm not being entertained by the fanfic, but it seems to me that a more accurate subtitle would be "What Happens If You Inexpertly Change Harry But Leave All Other Characters Constant." If Harry's personality in the fic makes things too easy and requires secondary adjustments to the canon to compensate for, then that kind of implies that Harry has been changed too much for the author to tell the story that he wants to tell. I would be more interested in a fic which keeps everyone utterly consistent except Harry personally.

Also maybe I'm missing something but how exactly does Quirell's altered curriculum make it harder for Harry to guess that he has Voldemort living on the back of his skull?