Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality

[rowyn]

tuftears linked me to this Harry Potter fanfic a couple of months ago.

I do not have a history of reading fanfic. But I've been over my "deriding fanfic" phase for several years now, and Tufty's review was enough to get me to at least click the link.

Then the story was enough to hook me within pages.

The story is a kind of alternate-universe Harry Potter, differing from the original in several key respects. This Harry Potter is a scientific-minded genius and an adherent to the philosophy of rationalism. This does not result in the stereotypical "scientist who derides magic as impossible". It results in the boy wizard who approaches magic, and everything else, from the perspective of scientific inquiry. The story is well-written, smart, funny and surprising. Definitely recommended! :)

Comments

[rowyn]

Yes, I wouldn't say that it's without its faults, of which "protagonist often comes across as impossibly smart" is definitely one. On the other hand, the author certainly keeps his protagonist adequately challenged despite that, and his Harry does have his moments of immaturity and blindspots, so I don't hold it too much against him.

Also, I didn't want to make the mistake of carefully explaining the shortcomings of a story I actually enjoy a lot, and leave the impression that it's not really that good. :) I could go on at great length about the things I didn't like about Rowling's own books, and I enjoyed those a lot too. :)

[jordangreywolf.livejournal.com]

I know just what you mean. =) I could probably write an essay on everything I DID NOT like about something that I ultimately enjoyed, whereas I wouldn't even waste my time on stuff that I deem bereft of redeeming value (unless, that is, it's something so unredeeming yet SO POPULAR that I can't escape it and thus feel the urge to complain).

There is a lot worthwhile about this particular fanfiction treatment, but a great deal of it is precisely because it is a fanfiction. I likely wouldn't stick for long with a story with a protagonist like this if it tried to stand on its own. However, at times it works well as a though-provoking reaction to the original - particularly on matters of heroism and villainy that I felt were given short shrift in the Harry Potter series.

Also, I couldn't help but laugh out loud when Hermoine was assigned to Ravenclaw, and the protagonist reasoned that this was a foregone conclusion, and if she hadn't been assigned to Ravenclaw, then the house surely had no cause to exist.

(I still stick to my crackpot theory that in some earlier prototype draft of Harry Potter, Hermoine was going to be in Ravenclaw and Whazzisname Weasley in Hufflepuff, but it got changed in the course of development because having them be friends AS WELL AS rivals would have been just "too sophisticated" for a children's book. ;) )

[rowyn]

Yes, I like it as a commentary on the original.

I think I would enjoy it even on its own merits, but it would probably be a better standalone if Harry were as old as he acts (17-25 or so -- he does show *some* traits of actual immaturity, so I wouldn't peg him at 30+) instead of an insanely precocious kid.

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

That's exactly my thought, it works great as a commentary on all the ramifications of the original HP story that get glossed over for the sake of 'keeping the story going'!