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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality is a work of alternate-universe Harry Potter fan-fiction wherein Petunia Evans has married an Oxford biochemistry professor and young genius Harry grows up fascinated by science and science fiction. When he finds out that he is a wizard, he tries to apply scientific principles to his study of magic, with sometimes surprising results.
2184 pages, ebook
First published March 14, 2015
About the author
Eliezer Yudkowsky
46 books1,707 followersFrom Wikipedia:
Eliezer Shlomo Yudkowsky is an American artificial intelligence researcher concerned with the singularity and an advocate of friendly artificial intelligence, living in Redwood City, California.
Yudkowsky did not attend high school and is an autodidact with no formal education in artificial intelligence. He co-founded the nonprofit Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI) in 2000 and continues to be employed as a full-time Research Fellow there.
Yudkowsky's research focuses on Artificial Intelligence theory for self-understanding, self-modification, and recursive self-improvement (seed AI); and also on artificial-intelligence architectures and decision theories for stably benevolent motivational structures (Friendly AI, and Coherent Extrapolated Volition in particular). Apart from his research work, Yudkowsky has written explanations of various philosophical topics in non-academic language, particularly on rationality, such as "An Intuitive Explanation of Bayes' Theorem".
Yudkowsky was, along with Robin Hanson, one of the principal contributors to the blog Overcoming Bias sponsored by the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University. In early 2009, he helped to found Less Wrong, a "community blog devoted to refining the art of human rationality". The Sequences on Less Wrong, comprising over two years of blog posts on epistemology, Artificial Intelligence, and metaethics, form the single largest bulk of Yudkowsky's writing.
Eliezer Shlomo Yudkowsky is an American artificial intelligence researcher concerned with the singularity and an advocate of friendly artificial intelligence, living in Redwood City, California.
Yudkowsky did not attend high school and is an autodidact with no formal education in artificial intelligence. He co-founded the nonprofit Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI) in 2000 and continues to be employed as a full-time Research Fellow there.
Yudkowsky's research focuses on Artificial Intelligence theory for self-understanding, self-modification, and recursive self-improvement (seed AI); and also on artificial-intelligence architectures and decision theories for stably benevolent motivational structures (Friendly AI, and Coherent Extrapolated Volition in particular). Apart from his research work, Yudkowsky has written explanations of various philosophical topics in non-academic language, particularly on rationality, such as "An Intuitive Explanation of Bayes' Theorem".
Yudkowsky was, along with Robin Hanson, one of the principal contributors to the blog Overcoming Bias sponsored by the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University. In early 2009, he helped to found Less Wrong, a "community blog devoted to refining the art of human rationality". The Sequences on Less Wrong, comprising over two years of blog posts on epistemology, Artificial Intelligence, and metaethics, form the single largest bulk of Yudkowsky's writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,723 reviews
July 12, 2013
Imagine Harry Potter being replaced with a Harry Potter with combined talents of Ender Wiggins, Artemis Fowl and Yagami Light and put him in world much darker than Rowling envisioned. Yep, that's what this book was. No Ron or Hagrid to distract you, this is a Machiavellian Harry who manipulates people to his own ends, with powers the Dark Lord knows not, and the ambition for world domination (or, as he would call it, world optimization)
It is a HUGE book and still ongoing. Took me three days straight to finish it, but I don't regret a moment of it. Not only was it fun, it was almost in all ways better than the originals (it does need to be heavily edited and consolidated in multiple parts, but as a fan-fiction, I'll let it slide).
So far (Jan'12) , there are five big arcs:
1. Harry trying to bring Malfoy to the side of Good
2. Harry's powerplay with Snape and Dumbledore
3. Extra-curricular mock battles in Defense Against Dark Arts class, similar to Ender's Game, that takes place in forests, corridors and even underwater
4. Harry helping carry out a prison break from Azkaban (not Sirius)
5. Hermione's quest to become a hero on her own right, rather than live under Harry's shadow.
+ More but that would be giving away spoilers
Not to mention multiple smaller arcs, littered infodumps (but not too much) and philosophical discussions about life, the universe and everything with the very smart Quirrel and Dumbledore.
Now, this is not just a story, the author has tried to put his ideas forward as a rationalist in this on-going series, and he has done so beautifully. The premise, the execution, and the stories are all superb. Kudos to the author for producing the best fan-fiction, if not the best fiction, I have ever read.
---
Rabid fan re-review: No review does the book justice. I mean seriously, I can't give you guys spoilers but HOLY FUCK. I just finished the latest arc and my mind has been blown with a power of a exploding star. I don't think even Rowling put as much thought behind HP as Eliezer Yudkowsky did.
Harry is a scientist. And he asks the basic question in the fantasy novel. How does Magic work? Why does putting stuff in a pot and brewing them make a potion that can change your molecular structure? How can it be conceivable for the human brain to operate in the anatomy of a cat?
And he delivers answers.
Even if you didn't like Harry Potter, this... this you should read.
It is a HUGE book and still ongoing. Took me three days straight to finish it, but I don't regret a moment of it. Not only was it fun, it was almost in all ways better than the originals (it does need to be heavily edited and consolidated in multiple parts, but as a fan-fiction, I'll let it slide).
So far (Jan'12) , there are five big arcs:
1. Harry trying to bring Malfoy to the side of Good
2. Harry's powerplay with Snape and Dumbledore
3. Extra-curricular mock battles in Defense Against Dark Arts class, similar to Ender's Game, that takes place in forests, corridors and even underwater
4. Harry helping carry out a prison break from Azkaban (not Sirius)
5. Hermione's quest to become a hero on her own right, rather than live under Harry's shadow.
+ More but that would be giving away spoilers
Not to mention multiple smaller arcs, littered infodumps (but not too much) and philosophical discussions about life, the universe and everything with the very smart Quirrel and Dumbledore.
Now, this is not just a story, the author has tried to put his ideas forward as a rationalist in this on-going series, and he has done so beautifully. The premise, the execution, and the stories are all superb. Kudos to the author for producing the best fan-fiction, if not the best fiction, I have ever read.
---
Rabid fan re-review: No review does the book justice. I mean seriously, I can't give you guys spoilers but HOLY FUCK. I just finished the latest arc and my mind has been blown with a power of a exploding star. I don't think even Rowling put as much thought behind HP as Eliezer Yudkowsky did.
Harry is a scientist. And he asks the basic question in the fantasy novel. How does Magic work? Why does putting stuff in a pot and brewing them make a potion that can change your molecular structure? How can it be conceivable for the human brain to operate in the anatomy of a cat?
And he delivers answers.
Even if you didn't like Harry Potter, this... this you should read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2022
AI researcher and decision theorist Eliezer Yudkowsky probably woke up one day and asked himself a single question: what would have happened in Harry Potter’s first year in Hogwarts, had he not been such an insufferable idiot?
You might not have considered him to be an idiot in the first place, but as the book progresses and the new Harry makes his way around Hogwarts, facing the same problems and situations, it becomes impossible to ignore the oh so logical and natural way he handles them this time. It really makes one wonder what was going through his head in the original version and feels like a direct critique of Rowling. It made me wonder how I managed to ever take the original seriously (might have something to do with me being 8 at the time).
In Eliezer’s version of the story, Harry is a child prodigy; Highly intelligent and educated well beyond his years in the sciences and the methods of rationality, he is well equipped to handle anything the magical world can throw at him and then some. But this Harry also has a dark side and we get to know him better as he struggles to find balance in himself.
The differences in this parallel universe don’t end with Harry, though. His adopting parents, Petunia and Prof. Michael Verres-Evans, are happily married and treat him as they would their own flesh and blood. Ron and Hermione remain mostly the same, although genius Harry obviously prefers to interact with the hard working book-worm and quickly decides that a boring, average ginger is simply not worth his precious time (speaking of time... no, I won’t ruin the surprise). A cunning and manipulative Draco Malfoy and a powerful yet cynical Prof. Quirrell take on larger roles, in quite unexpected ways. We also see much more of Dumbledore (who’s actually read The Lord of the Rings, seeing as every muggle student ever to come to Hogwarts thought that gifting him a copy was an original idea).
It seems important to note that magic is also treated a little bit differently, especially by a scientific Harry, who sets out to test and understand it, thus restoring order to the seemingly shattered laws of physics. Naturally, things don’t go according to plan and at times he is forced to improvise.
The book started out pretty well, with some laugh out loud scenes as Harry finds out about magic for the first time (see quote below). As I read the first few chapters I kept waiting for the level to drop, for the premise to exhaust itself, for my enthusiasm to subside, but 300 pages in and hungrily reading on, It was clear that I’ve stumbled upon something great and that the story is safe in the deft hands of Eliezer Yudkowsky.
Quote ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“You turned into a cat! A SMALL cat! You violated Conservation of Energy! That's not just an arbitrary rule, it's implied by the form of the quantum Hamiltonian! Rejecting it destroys unitarity and then you get FTL signaling! And cats are COMPLICATED! A human mind can't just visualize a whole cat's anatomy and, and all the cat biochemistry, and what about the neurology? How can you go on thinking using a cat-sized brain?”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The book is funny, at times hilarious. The premise is well executed as Eliezer draws from his vast experience as a rationalist and lets us take a look at genius minds at work; we all know how hard that is to pull off. Methods of Rationality really hits its stride around chapter 5 and according to the author if you haven’t taken to it by chapter 10, then that’s a good time to call it quits (and rethink your interests).
From the get-go, different decisions create chains of cause and effect that send the book in pretty different directions (like Harry finding out almost immediately that he’s prophesied to battle against the dark lord). Other scenes repeat almost word for word, like the first potions lesson with Snape (only this time, Harry refuses to play the victim and stands up to him, in a rather spectacular fashion).
As the story progressed, I found myself engrossed in the plot, invested in the characters and generally unable to put the book down. It is not flawless and at times Eliezer’s inexperience as a novel writer shows, but overall this is as good as it gets. Come for the premise, stay for the story and along the way let the message of rationality rub off and enlighten you. I’ve rarely been as inspired to study, as in love with science or as driven to succeed as when I’ve read this book.
https://eddiesmo.wordpress.com/catego...
You might not have considered him to be an idiot in the first place, but as the book progresses and the new Harry makes his way around Hogwarts, facing the same problems and situations, it becomes impossible to ignore the oh so logical and natural way he handles them this time. It really makes one wonder what was going through his head in the original version and feels like a direct critique of Rowling. It made me wonder how I managed to ever take the original seriously (might have something to do with me being 8 at the time).
In Eliezer’s version of the story, Harry is a child prodigy; Highly intelligent and educated well beyond his years in the sciences and the methods of rationality, he is well equipped to handle anything the magical world can throw at him and then some. But this Harry also has a dark side and we get to know him better as he struggles to find balance in himself.
The differences in this parallel universe don’t end with Harry, though. His adopting parents, Petunia and Prof. Michael Verres-Evans, are happily married and treat him as they would their own flesh and blood. Ron and Hermione remain mostly the same, although genius Harry obviously prefers to interact with the hard working book-worm and quickly decides that a boring, average ginger is simply not worth his precious time (speaking of time... no, I won’t ruin the surprise). A cunning and manipulative Draco Malfoy and a powerful yet cynical Prof. Quirrell take on larger roles, in quite unexpected ways. We also see much more of Dumbledore (who’s actually read The Lord of the Rings, seeing as every muggle student ever to come to Hogwarts thought that gifting him a copy was an original idea).
It seems important to note that magic is also treated a little bit differently, especially by a scientific Harry, who sets out to test and understand it, thus restoring order to the seemingly shattered laws of physics. Naturally, things don’t go according to plan and at times he is forced to improvise.
The book started out pretty well, with some laugh out loud scenes as Harry finds out about magic for the first time (see quote below). As I read the first few chapters I kept waiting for the level to drop, for the premise to exhaust itself, for my enthusiasm to subside, but 300 pages in and hungrily reading on, It was clear that I’ve stumbled upon something great and that the story is safe in the deft hands of Eliezer Yudkowsky.
Quote ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“You turned into a cat! A SMALL cat! You violated Conservation of Energy! That's not just an arbitrary rule, it's implied by the form of the quantum Hamiltonian! Rejecting it destroys unitarity and then you get FTL signaling! And cats are COMPLICATED! A human mind can't just visualize a whole cat's anatomy and, and all the cat biochemistry, and what about the neurology? How can you go on thinking using a cat-sized brain?”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The book is funny, at times hilarious. The premise is well executed as Eliezer draws from his vast experience as a rationalist and lets us take a look at genius minds at work; we all know how hard that is to pull off. Methods of Rationality really hits its stride around chapter 5 and according to the author if you haven’t taken to it by chapter 10, then that’s a good time to call it quits (and rethink your interests).
From the get-go, different decisions create chains of cause and effect that send the book in pretty different directions (like Harry finding out almost immediately that he’s prophesied to battle against the dark lord). Other scenes repeat almost word for word, like the first potions lesson with Snape (only this time, Harry refuses to play the victim and stands up to him, in a rather spectacular fashion).
As the story progressed, I found myself engrossed in the plot, invested in the characters and generally unable to put the book down. It is not flawless and at times Eliezer’s inexperience as a novel writer shows, but overall this is as good as it gets. Come for the premise, stay for the story and along the way let the message of rationality rub off and enlighten you. I’ve rarely been as inspired to study, as in love with science or as driven to succeed as when I’ve read this book.
https://eddiesmo.wordpress.com/catego...
July 12, 2012
I wanted to like this, honestly. When I stumbled upon it and read that description, I figured it was going to be brilliant. So naturally it wasn't. The author leaves a note saying if you don't like it by chapter five, wait until chapter ten, and if you still don't like it by then, get out. That's exactly what I'm doing.
This isn't the first book (so to speak) where the idea is wonderful but it's executed horribly. For starters, the writing is a bit sloppy at times, and when I say at times, I mean every single second of this made my head hurt because it was painful to read. You can also swap painful with boring, because more than anything, that's all I got from it. Harry is even more of an arrogant little jerk who spends his time proving that he has to be right. He talks down to everyone, throws around words bigger than he is, and ultimately makes himself look like an ass with his attempts at humor. I should not hate an eleven-year-old this much! But I couldn't help it, and I think the biggest reason why is because he never once acts like an eleven-year-old.
I wasn't even interested in wherever the plot was going. I'm assuming there's some world-domination crap that could probably be interested if it was more realistic (I know it's the wizarding world, but you know what I mean!), but I got tired of listening to Harry mock the world the original Harry loves so much. Even McGonagall makes cracks at "being locked up in a cupboard for ten years," and more than I was appalled at that bad attempt at a joke, I was a little surprised that the author would write the characters so badly. The ironic part is that the start of chapter eleven (which I reached when I decided to call it quits) includes an author's note saying "in which everyone else in the wizarding world remains the same but only Harry's character is changed). Because really, from what I've heard that comes from the story later on, every character is different. Every character is like one asshole hipster of the original. Original Harry loved being a Seeker? Smart Harry thinks Seekers completely ruin the point of the sport.
This was so infuriating and painful to get through, and I only made it through ten chapters. I only gave it two stars because I adore the idea of the story. I could sit here for a while and tear this story apart, but I have better things to do with my time.
This isn't the first book (so to speak) where the idea is wonderful but it's executed horribly. For starters, the writing is a bit sloppy at times, and when I say at times, I mean every single second of this made my head hurt because it was painful to read. You can also swap painful with boring, because more than anything, that's all I got from it. Harry is even more of an arrogant little jerk who spends his time proving that he has to be right. He talks down to everyone, throws around words bigger than he is, and ultimately makes himself look like an ass with his attempts at humor. I should not hate an eleven-year-old this much! But I couldn't help it, and I think the biggest reason why is because he never once acts like an eleven-year-old.
I wasn't even interested in wherever the plot was going. I'm assuming there's some world-domination crap that could probably be interested if it was more realistic (I know it's the wizarding world, but you know what I mean!), but I got tired of listening to Harry mock the world the original Harry loves so much. Even McGonagall makes cracks at "being locked up in a cupboard for ten years," and more than I was appalled at that bad attempt at a joke, I was a little surprised that the author would write the characters so badly. The ironic part is that the start of chapter eleven (which I reached when I decided to call it quits) includes an author's note saying "in which everyone else in the wizarding world remains the same but only Harry's character is changed). Because really, from what I've heard that comes from the story later on, every character is different. Every character is like one asshole hipster of the original. Original Harry loved being a Seeker? Smart Harry thinks Seekers completely ruin the point of the sport.
This was so infuriating and painful to get through, and I only made it through ten chapters. I only gave it two stars because I adore the idea of the story. I could sit here for a while and tear this story apart, but I have better things to do with my time.
March 21, 2013
Great idea; terrible execution. In fact, I think the summary is completely misleading. While some scenes had me laughing out loud, I spent most of my time cringing or raising one eyebrow or the other; HPMOR is saturated with Yudkowsky's blatant disdain and a condescending tone.
Characters are, for the most part, wildly out of character. Harry completely fails to act like an 11 year old boy, and reads like a thinly-veiled, sociopathic self-insert. Draco is also worrying sociopathic, even beyond the rape threat that others have mentioned, when the books took careful pains to make him rather more human and sympathetic. Dumbledore and Quirrel have also been replaced by Doppelgangers Yudkowsky apparently felt would better fit his story.
I rather liked the idea, but the actual story is uncomfortably contemptuous of those who don't adhere to 'rationality'.
Characters are, for the most part, wildly out of character. Harry completely fails to act like an 11 year old boy, and reads like a thinly-veiled, sociopathic self-insert. Draco is also worrying sociopathic, even beyond the rape threat that others have mentioned, when the books took careful pains to make him rather more human and sympathetic. Dumbledore and Quirrel have also been replaced by Doppelgangers Yudkowsky apparently felt would better fit his story.
I rather liked the idea, but the actual story is uncomfortably contemptuous of those who don't adhere to 'rationality'.
September 10, 2012
Recently I've been wondering just what exactly I wanted from literary fiction. Surely I did not expect life-changing epiphanies, at least not from every single book. But neither did I want my books be merely means to cheap escapism, which I had, perhaps mistakenly, long associated with genre fiction. Somehow I seem to be asking both too much and not enough, and therein lies the reason for my inability to rekindle the kind of pure unadulterated love I used to have for reading. No longer can I simply pick up a book with a fancy cover and devour it like a fat kid with a Macdonald's burger. Now my books have to be interesting but not too fantastical, philosophical but not overly pretentious, and preferably famous but hopefully unfamilar to people my age. Structures should to be organic, voices have to be genuine and reviews must be glowing. Years of reliance on the "award-winning" shelf at the library have turned me into a spoiled and picky book reader. Perhaps not yet a book snob, but definitely approaching that territory. A book vegan, perhaps.
Yet sometimes despite my pickiness, I would find a book that by all accounts I should hate, but cannot help but love anyway, like a cheeseburger you bought because you were in a rush, but turned out to be your best meal of the day. Below is ostensibly a review for such a book, but really is a love letter to my favourite "book" at the moment.
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality is the first piece of fan-fiction I have ever read, and never in my life did I expect myself to fall head over heels in love with a wall of text posted on a website that is also home to thousands of pages of Harry/Draco erotica. To those of us that grew up with Rowling's books, the Harry Potter series was our heathen bible, our first novel, and the source of some of our fondest childhood memories. That someone by the name of "lesswrong" dared to "improve"on a book so loved and sacred in the eyes of its fans is nothing short of blasphemy. A fan-fiction that dared to attempt to surpass its original! It seemed like arrogance of the highest level, and I felt like God looking down upon the Tower of Babel.
Yet from the very first chapter, HPMOR felt like no ordinary tribute or parody. It was a truely original reimagining of a world that was already exceedingly familar to any casual consumer of popular culture, let alone a fan. At first, the differences between Eliezer Yudkowsky's universe and Rowling's may seem superficial. The basis of the story can be summed up by the HPMOR website's tagline, "Petunia married a professor, and Harry grew up reading science and science-fiction." Imagine, for a moment, that Harry was never an orphan, and grew up in a loving family into a well-adjusted, confident, if not a little eccentric 11-year-old. Imagine again, that Harry actually knew SCIENCE before encoutering magic. The result is a surprisingly different story from the original.
Without the insecurities and emotional baggage that accompanied the original protagonist, there is greater room in the story to explore the world around Harry, rather than to dwell on the inner turmoil of Harry himself. At the same time, the new, precocious Harry can now employ all the tools of rationality to discover, dissect and manipulate the magical world around him. He is no longer a passive observer in a strange, scary universe, but rather an active explorer from the get-go, more like a college student touring a new country, than a child transferring to a new school. While the new Harry is perhaps a less relatable character for real 11-year-olds, he is much a more interesting character for the adult reader. Harry's mix of cynicism and wide-eyed wonder felt genuine and appropriate, while at the same time providing us with an alternate view of the magical universe from a scientific point of view.
The other great divergence of HPMOR from the original lies in the tone of the story. The original makes clear the moral standing of each character(except in the very last book), including the much beloved Snape, whose true nature was eventually revealed. HPMOR never allows its characters to fit comfortably into explicit moral brackets, with the difficulties of seperating "good" from "evil" as one of its central themes. None of the characters are safe from moral ambiguity, not Harry, not Hermione, not even Dumbledore(who *spoilers* admitted that he may very well become the next Dark Lord after the fall of Voldemort) Yet in this grey alternate universe, we feel the anguish and joy of each character more acutely there ever before. Because the reader can now see how there are no easy choices for any of the characters, the plight of the characters feels more tragic. And with true victories few and far between, when a character does manage to come out ahead in an impossible situation, the accompanying euphoria is truly uplifting.
Ironically, this more gritty and realistic universe provided a much more optimistic world view than that of the original. Compared to original's utopic depiction of magical Britain, HPMOR, by making clear the deficiences of a pre-industrial, logicless society, puts muggles and wizards on a much more equal standing. In this world, nothing is perfect, not even magic. That muggle scientists have achieved what even wielders of magic have deemed impossible is testament to the strength of our spirit of enquiry and discovery. Some have found such overtly humanist elements in the story to be naive and unrealistic. But I found it to be an effective counter-weight to the over-adulation of magic as the answer to all of humanity's problems, needs and wishes. Yudkowsky allows his readers to immerse in this fantastic world, but also remembers to remind us that in many ways, we can already do magic.
Yet sometimes despite my pickiness, I would find a book that by all accounts I should hate, but cannot help but love anyway, like a cheeseburger you bought because you were in a rush, but turned out to be your best meal of the day. Below is ostensibly a review for such a book, but really is a love letter to my favourite "book" at the moment.
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality is the first piece of fan-fiction I have ever read, and never in my life did I expect myself to fall head over heels in love with a wall of text posted on a website that is also home to thousands of pages of Harry/Draco erotica. To those of us that grew up with Rowling's books, the Harry Potter series was our heathen bible, our first novel, and the source of some of our fondest childhood memories. That someone by the name of "lesswrong" dared to "improve"on a book so loved and sacred in the eyes of its fans is nothing short of blasphemy. A fan-fiction that dared to attempt to surpass its original! It seemed like arrogance of the highest level, and I felt like God looking down upon the Tower of Babel.
Yet from the very first chapter, HPMOR felt like no ordinary tribute or parody. It was a truely original reimagining of a world that was already exceedingly familar to any casual consumer of popular culture, let alone a fan. At first, the differences between Eliezer Yudkowsky's universe and Rowling's may seem superficial. The basis of the story can be summed up by the HPMOR website's tagline, "Petunia married a professor, and Harry grew up reading science and science-fiction." Imagine, for a moment, that Harry was never an orphan, and grew up in a loving family into a well-adjusted, confident, if not a little eccentric 11-year-old. Imagine again, that Harry actually knew SCIENCE before encoutering magic. The result is a surprisingly different story from the original.
Without the insecurities and emotional baggage that accompanied the original protagonist, there is greater room in the story to explore the world around Harry, rather than to dwell on the inner turmoil of Harry himself. At the same time, the new, precocious Harry can now employ all the tools of rationality to discover, dissect and manipulate the magical world around him. He is no longer a passive observer in a strange, scary universe, but rather an active explorer from the get-go, more like a college student touring a new country, than a child transferring to a new school. While the new Harry is perhaps a less relatable character for real 11-year-olds, he is much a more interesting character for the adult reader. Harry's mix of cynicism and wide-eyed wonder felt genuine and appropriate, while at the same time providing us with an alternate view of the magical universe from a scientific point of view.
The other great divergence of HPMOR from the original lies in the tone of the story. The original makes clear the moral standing of each character(except in the very last book), including the much beloved Snape, whose true nature was eventually revealed. HPMOR never allows its characters to fit comfortably into explicit moral brackets, with the difficulties of seperating "good" from "evil" as one of its central themes. None of the characters are safe from moral ambiguity, not Harry, not Hermione, not even Dumbledore(who *spoilers* admitted that he may very well become the next Dark Lord after the fall of Voldemort) Yet in this grey alternate universe, we feel the anguish and joy of each character more acutely there ever before. Because the reader can now see how there are no easy choices for any of the characters, the plight of the characters feels more tragic. And with true victories few and far between, when a character does manage to come out ahead in an impossible situation, the accompanying euphoria is truly uplifting.
Ironically, this more gritty and realistic universe provided a much more optimistic world view than that of the original. Compared to original's utopic depiction of magical Britain, HPMOR, by making clear the deficiences of a pre-industrial, logicless society, puts muggles and wizards on a much more equal standing. In this world, nothing is perfect, not even magic. That muggle scientists have achieved what even wielders of magic have deemed impossible is testament to the strength of our spirit of enquiry and discovery. Some have found such overtly humanist elements in the story to be naive and unrealistic. But I found it to be an effective counter-weight to the over-adulation of magic as the answer to all of humanity's problems, needs and wishes. Yudkowsky allows his readers to immerse in this fantastic world, but also remembers to remind us that in many ways, we can already do magic.
May 4, 2016
I wanted to love this book, I really did. I mean, the premise itself was what got me hooked. I'm sure we've all thought that there was something to be desired in the Plausibility and Possibilities department of the original Harry Potter series, so I jumped at the idea of a realistic story inspired by the methods of rationality! Turns out it wasn't inspired by it so much as it was drowned by it. Spoiler Alert: I didn't finish the book. Yudkowsky left a note about how the series hits its stride at chapter 5, and "if you still don't like it by chapter 10, give up." So I followed his advice. I'll try to summarize why I did so:
1. Harry Potter is a little shit. And you know it. I thought long and hard about whether or not this was truly a bad thing, and I think I'm still convinced that it is. Asshole should have a reason for being assholes. They either contrast the good in others, serve to advance the plot, or provide a more interesting POV (i.e. we WANT to hear stories from their POV). This Harry is none of those. He's unnecessarily entitled, and his manipulation skills are both highly romanticized and very Gary-Stu-esque. I don't want to be anywhere near this kid, let alone hear his mind-cogs turn.
2. This story was less about Harry Potter than it was about the awesomeness of 'being rational'. I may have had a biased foundation because I knew the author was from Less Wrong. But, I tried to keep an open mind, and I have to say that my opinion didn't stray much from my initial impression. Speaking as someone with a long career in the STEM field, I still don't understand this infatuation some people have with rationality. Humans weren't meant to be cool, calculating and logical probability machines. Emotions are a part of our everyday lives; it plays a part in almost all of our decisions, and it's been indisputably advantageous in the evolutionary sense. So why is it that this story is absolutely dripping with contempt for any method of reasoning that strays beyond that of the 'scientifically sound'?
To sum it up, science is all about keeping an open mind. So why am I being pounded with the idea that 'the rational way is the only way'? That any decisions made based on emotions or feelings deserve to be scorned to the highest degree?
3. The writing was not much more than mediocre. Yudkowsky would be better suited to writing about hypotheses and experiments than about fictive people. Even McGonagall felt flat and one-dimensional. This was mitigated in no part by all of Harry's impressive (and very tedious) references to all sorts of logical and mathematical theorems. It was too much. It was boring. And dull (ironically). I don't want to keep reading about why Harry wants to do this, how he'll do it, and what it does for his ominous plans for the future. I want to know more about this alternate world, its characters and their interactions with each other. I wanted a work that was rich in the culture of an alternate world, and ended being served dish after dish of Harry's bland Mind-Porridge.
I wish I could better express how horrified I was at this blatant love song for rational thinkers. I've encountered too many people in my academic career who valued rational thinking above everything else in their lives, and falsely equate it with a sign of superior intelligence. This book is just another iteration of those fantasies, only longer.
1. Harry Potter is a little shit. And you know it. I thought long and hard about whether or not this was truly a bad thing, and I think I'm still convinced that it is. Asshole should have a reason for being assholes. They either contrast the good in others, serve to advance the plot, or provide a more interesting POV (i.e. we WANT to hear stories from their POV). This Harry is none of those. He's unnecessarily entitled, and his manipulation skills are both highly romanticized and very Gary-Stu-esque. I don't want to be anywhere near this kid, let alone hear his mind-cogs turn.
2. This story was less about Harry Potter than it was about the awesomeness of 'being rational'. I may have had a biased foundation because I knew the author was from Less Wrong. But, I tried to keep an open mind, and I have to say that my opinion didn't stray much from my initial impression. Speaking as someone with a long career in the STEM field, I still don't understand this infatuation some people have with rationality. Humans weren't meant to be cool, calculating and logical probability machines. Emotions are a part of our everyday lives; it plays a part in almost all of our decisions, and it's been indisputably advantageous in the evolutionary sense. So why is it that this story is absolutely dripping with contempt for any method of reasoning that strays beyond that of the 'scientifically sound'?
To sum it up, science is all about keeping an open mind. So why am I being pounded with the idea that 'the rational way is the only way'? That any decisions made based on emotions or feelings deserve to be scorned to the highest degree?
3. The writing was not much more than mediocre. Yudkowsky would be better suited to writing about hypotheses and experiments than about fictive people. Even McGonagall felt flat and one-dimensional. This was mitigated in no part by all of Harry's impressive (and very tedious) references to all sorts of logical and mathematical theorems. It was too much. It was boring. And dull (ironically). I don't want to keep reading about why Harry wants to do this, how he'll do it, and what it does for his ominous plans for the future. I want to know more about this alternate world, its characters and their interactions with each other. I wanted a work that was rich in the culture of an alternate world, and ended being served dish after dish of Harry's bland Mind-Porridge.
I wish I could better express how horrified I was at this blatant love song for rational thinkers. I've encountered too many people in my academic career who valued rational thinking above everything else in their lives, and falsely equate it with a sign of superior intelligence. This book is just another iteration of those fantasies, only longer.
December 20, 2018
мне очень не понравилась эта книга, её чтение было для меня испытанием. но я знаю, что она нравится многим хорошим людям, в том числе тем, чьи вкусы мне близки, а мнение — авторитетно. мне очень хотелось их понять, поэтому я дотянула до конца — и, сразу скажу, скорее не пожалела: непосредственный финал HPMOR написан здорово, до определённой точки — почти блестяще, и примерно полторы звёздочки из моей оценки — чисто за финал.
увы, это показывает и то, как я оцениваю остальную книгу.
мне не понравилось в ней почти ничего. мне настолько почти ничего в ней не понравилось, что я рискую растеряться и запутаться в своём ворохе претензий. я попробую их причесать — но прошу прощения, если звучать они будут сумбурно.
1. useless trivia
цитата 1:
Professor Quirrell's lessons had spent roughly zero time on the surprising yet useless trivia that some idiot had imagined a 'Defense class' should look like
цитата 2:
Harry didn't dare look up to the sky. "That means Mars is coming closer to the Earth, as both planets go around the Sun. Mars is reflecting the same amount of sunlight as always, it's just getting nearer to us. What do you mean, the stars proclaim my innocence?"
я затрудняюсь даже предположить, как можно было дать обе цитаты одному персонажу в диапазоне пары глав, но, пожалуй, для меня они суммируют самую несносную проблему книги. Гарри бесконечно декларирует, что эрудиция не так важна, что важна чистота и критичность мышления, что наборы бессмысленных фактов — это мило, но не более... но сам он чаще всего выступает именно как кладезь википедийных знаний!
в его словах из цитаты 2 есть эрудиция, они технически верны... но в них нет проницательности, нет остроумия. нет, извините, глубины. зачем Гарри произносит бесполезный, тривиальный, неинтересный факт про Марс? что это прибавляет к нашему пониманию ситуации, как это обогащает читателя (или собеседника героя)?
ничего. никак. это surprising yet useless trivia, которым книга, увы, просто переполнена — что само по себе не смущало бы разум, не будь она также переполнена декларациями того, что ценно ровно обратное.
да, излагаемые Гарри факты подчас любопытны (подчас — очень!). но эрудиция — не ум. эрудиции недостаточно, чтобы сделать интересное, проницательное высказывание или наблюдение.
в этой книге много умных фактов, но мало интересных мыслей.
2. Гарри — скучная мэри-сью
мэри-сью — такой же литературный приём, как и все остальные; почему нет. его можно использовать интересно. проблема Гарри — в том, что он не только гениален интеллектуально, но ещё и идеальный актёр (способен изобразить или скрыть любую эмоцию); находится в идеальной физической форме (ни разу мы не видим, чтоб он, скажем, не смог увернуться от заклинания просто потому что не спортсмен); почти идеально трезв в суждениях.
финал объясняет, почему оно так (кроме физической формы). интереснее следить за ним от этого не становится. читатель довольно быстро понимает, что Гарри не просто решит любую проблему, которую подкинет ему сюжет, но и что он решит её играючи; до арки с Азкабаном (середина книги!) Гарри нигде даже ни разу не запинается. его способности абсолютно имбовы в рамках описанного мира.
увы, на мой взгляд, до самого конца ни одной интересной задачи, над которой правда хочется поломать голову, автор так и не подкинул своему герою за всю книгу... кроме разве что этической.
(задача про дементоров в Азкабане заявлена как вроде бы сложная, но там же выясняется, что герой может просто усилием воли ввести новое правило игры и переписать изначальные условия, что любую сложность, увы, отменяет.)
3. ...но порой ведёт себя как полный кретин по воле сценариста
нет, я не верю, что описанный герой, у которого есть пароль-для-самого-себя для проверки, не стёрли ли ему память, сочтёт, что если записка написана его почерком — то это правда записка от него из будущего. даже я бы так на его месте не сочла, а у меня пароля нет. это просто cutscene stupidity: автор оглупляет персонажа, потому что сочинил его таким, что иначе ему не продвинуть сюжет.
все сцены, где Гарри затупил, показались мне крайне натянутыми и неубедительными не задним числом, а прямо тогда, когда я их читала.
(а весь финал построен вокруг того, что Вольдеморт в ответственный момент забыл отобрать палочку у Гарри. и нет, это не была специальная игра в поддавки.)
4. нет реальной живой фактуры
ладно, оставим в покое Гарри. но кто и что его окружает?
...набор клише, которые автор собрал не из наблюдений за реальными людьми в реальной жизни, а комиксов и массовых фильмов. это — одна из причин, почему постоянный блеск Гарри выглядит так тускло: на самом деле у него нет фона, он выступает перед куклами. дети в Хогвартсе не ведут себя ни как реальные дети, ни как взрослые; все попытки как-то очертить, кто они и что они (когда не материал для избиения гением Гарри) в основном написаны в комедийном ключе.
автор читал книги о том, как думают и ведут себя люди, но... такое чувство, что ему это просто неинтересно. ему интересна деконструкция базовых голливудских клише типа «героический герой» и «мудрый наставник» (ко времени написания книги уже давно вошедшая в сам мейнстрим). и обычно его герои ведут себя как герои комиксов.
люди в этой книге не писаются (или хотя бы не падают в обморок) от страха, например. не проявляют бессмысленного, неадекватного упрямства. не совершают особо импульс��вных поступков. не отвечают на понты Гарри ударом по морде (кроме той ситуации с Драко). не впадают в настоящий когнитивный диссонанс. в общем, не показывают реальных проявлений реальных живых людей, каких-то интересных чёрточек. не показывают человеческую природу.
а ведь именно про это было бы интересно почитать — про то, как применить методы рационального мышления к реальным, живым, тёплым, зачастую дурацким людям, а не набору стереотипов, ведущих себя преимущественно так, будто они обсуждают всё происходящее на интернет-форуме.
5. автор очень злоупотребляет приёмом «герои уже знают, что происходит, но читателю мы не покажем, что они держат в руках, чтобы искусственно создать напряжение»
это вообще-то довольно дешёвый приём, а тут он в каждой третьей главе. иногда — в очень загадочных местах. ракета вместо метлы — это самое банальное и неинтересное, что Гарри мог придумать, зачем было нагнетать вокруг этого напряжение?
6. где любопытство?
почему феномен Гарри никого не удивляет? нет, три объяснения «ну я так и подумал» от важных именных героев в финале — не ответ.
я даже не спрашиваю, почему с ним разговаривают на Визенгамоте. почему люди вроде Амбридж вообще допустили вариант пустить его на Визенгамот?
почему Гарри не удивляет магический резонанс между ним и Квиреллом?
(с другой стороны — почему всех, а в первую очередь — МакГонагалл так изумляет каждый чих Гарри, включая довольно банальный шантаж, например?)
(и когда она изумляется, почему это всегда комически, без попытки понять? где любопытство?)
7. ГДЕ ЛЮБОПЫТСТВО?!
что такое магия? какие частицы являются её носителями или как иначе она передаёт воздействие на объект?
что означает фраза «это заклинание навсегда потратит немного жизни и магии»? какие реальные естественнонаучные концепты за этой формулировкой стоят? не может же автор, учёный, физик и так далее, мыслить об устройстве своей вселенной на уровне HP и маны из видеоигры?..
если папа Невернон действительно полностью скептичен к магии, о чём они с Гарри говорили, когда Гарри ненадолго вернулся домой?! этот разговор был бы интереснее чуть ли не всей остальной книги, блин! какие психзащиты срабатывали у папы Невернона, как Гарри его в итоге переубедил? почему, блин, самое интересное осталось за кадром!
(я бы не задавала такие вопросы героям другой книги, но автор же сам вроде как ставит нам планку.)
8. люди, с которыми автор несогласен, выведены совсем глупыми
я имею в виду — на очень базовом уровне. окей, автор считает, что нет оснований примиряться со смертью. но когда Гарри пытается подискутировать об этом с оппонентами (Дамблдором и Люпином), те отвечают ему какими-то совсем уж бездарными клише в духе «Х не хотел(а) бы, чтобы ты его/её воскрешал».
мне кажется, что если самый высокий уровень дискуссии, который ты можешь сформулировать у оппонента, таков, то не стоит писать книгу на эту тему.
9. автор постоянно повторяет, что «у нас тут не как в комиксе», а потом пишет комикс
прямо перед началом финальной сюжетной арки, где все загадки будут раскручены, а все ответы даны, Гарри рефлексирует, что, мол, вот в кино бы перед концом учебного года все ответы нашлись, но у нас-то тут не кино. в реальности такого никто не обещал.
а потом автор даёт нам все ответы и закрывает все сюжетные линии, да.
к концу книги у меня возникло подозрение, что Юдковский просто не в курсе, что пишет точно такой же комиксный сю��ет, как и те, с которыми он дискутирует, просто не на базовом уровне, а на уровне первичной деконструкции шаблонов — ну типа того, что мы сто раз видели у Уидона, например. местами у него получается уныло, местами — весьма харизматично, но комиксом эта история быть не перестаёт.
это не смущало бы мой разум, если бы в тексте не было столько высокомерия, почти отвращения в адрес этих клише, столько поплёвывания на них свысока.
и это ведёт меня к, пожалуй, главному вопросу:
10. если автор считает стереотипы из комиксов такими глупыми, почему он дискутирует с ними, а не с чем-нибудь другим?
противостояние Дарта Вейдера и Люка Скайуокера — плоское и банальное? так зачем тогда герои HPMOR вообще мыслят в терминах дартов вейдеров и люков скайуокеров? почему не деконструировать образ, ну не знаю, Раскольникова или там Гамлета хотя бы, а лучше — Розенкранца и Гильденстерна?
если голливудская культура кажется автору глупой, зачем он остаётся на её уровне и спорит с ней? ведь все эти более умные истории — они давным-давно написаны.
и тем не менее, герои HPMOR — все — ведут себя так, будто никогда не читали не то что «Преступление и наказание», а даже и «Властелина колец» (да, несмотря на то, что в тексте прямо утверждается обратное). их головы — всех — набиты глупейшими, банальнейшими киношными стереотипами, как будто за всю свою историю человеческая культура более интересных сюжетов, героев и образов не породила, будто никогда не бывало в ней негероичных героев или героинь без романтических линий.
я, к слову, эти стереотипы не презираю. как по мне, даже простейшую историю про добро и зло можно изложить хорошо, да и вообще культура итеративна. презирает и постоянно пинает их автор — будто ему не приходит в голову, что если тебе скучны истории для и про детей, можно просто читать и писать истории для и про взрослых.
***
автор окружает Гарри дурачками (почему при первой встрече Гермиона так тупила с экспериментом с чаем? почему она не набросала мгновенно хотя бы пару десятков вариантов ответа на загадку про три числа?), и поэтому его иногда вполне красивые умозаключения блекнут. в чём интерес читать о том, как герой раскидывает дошколят?
точно так же, мне кажется, и автор зачем-то окружил себя культурным контекстом существенно ниже своего уровня — и спорит до хрипоты с вещами, которых никто не утверждал.
никто не утверждал, что герой всегда обязан быть героичным и с челюстью, а героиня — иметь романтическую линию. никто не утверждал, что строгая училка обязана быть строгой училкой. даже в массовой культуре это давно уже не так. даже у самой Роулинг это не было так.
***
в этой книге есть места, которые мне понравились, в том числе — понравились сильно. мне пришёлся очень по душе пересчёт магических денег на маггловские, который сразу сделал мир куда более выпуклым и добавил масштаба всем событиям. мне понравилась последняя сцена с Ритой Скитер — тем, насколько к ней не привлекают внимания. мне искренне понравились линии Драко и Снейпа, и начало сцены с троллем, и некоторые шутки.
мне искренне понравился первый финал — от момента, когда Гарри Всё Понял, до зеркала. если бы в сцене с зеркалом Волди просто убрал камень в карман, улыбнулся, надел плащ и навсегда ушёл из повествования, я думаю, что всерьёз переоценила бы вообще всю книгу.
потому что в предфинальной арке автор выписал, на мой взгляд, очень убедительного злодея, который не просто победил — а спокойно объяснил, что и противостояния-то никакого никогда не было, он не мог проиграть — потому что никто ему не оппонировал. который не лишён неких личных чёрточек и недостатков (вроде чрезмерной обидчивости), но это уже неважно, этим невозможно манипулировать. автор почти вывел повествование на качественно новый пласт — что будут делать два (три? десять? миллион?) бессмертных копий Тома Риддла, обречённых на вечные рокировки, какое будущее они построят, в каком виде человечество, которое, вероятно, в итоге полностью будет заменено копиями Тома Риддла, доберётся до края галактики и прочих фундаментальных загадок бытия? а даже если не брать так глубоко — на что будет похож мир, которым правят две вечные копии одного человека, разные, но равносильные и против своей воли друг друга любящие?..
...а потом Вольдеморт говорит «ха-ха-ха» (неиронически!) — и вся эта довольно тонкая и интересная этика вышвырива��тся в окно ради дурацкой задачки, которую я разгадала за десять секунд. (в моей версии вместо нановолокна была цепочка молекул с остановленным броуновским движением — любую угрозу можно устранить, охладив до абсолютного нуля.)
***
я не жалею, что прочитала HPMOR, хотя бы ради её финала. но я должна признать, что цели своей не добилась. даже читая отзывы умных и авторитетных для меня людей, я не понимаю, как они сумели увидеть в этой книге то, что сумели: некие тонкие проницательные наблюдения, некие глубочайшие познания, неожиданные повороты и эффектные загадки. мне кажется, мы с этими людьми живём в каких-то разных квантовых мирах и читали какие-то разные книги.
мне искренне жаль, что я — не в их мире.
увы, это показывает и то, как я оцениваю остальную книгу.
мне не понравилось в ней почти ничего. мне настолько почти ничего в ней не понравилось, что я рискую растеряться и запутаться в своём ворохе претензий. я попробую их причесать — но прошу прощения, если звучать они будут сумбурно.
1. useless trivia
цитата 1:
Professor Quirrell's lessons had spent roughly zero time on the surprising yet useless trivia that some idiot had imagined a 'Defense class' should look like
цитата 2:
Harry didn't dare look up to the sky. "That means Mars is coming closer to the Earth, as both planets go around the Sun. Mars is reflecting the same amount of sunlight as always, it's just getting nearer to us. What do you mean, the stars proclaim my innocence?"
я затрудняюсь даже предположить, как можно было дать обе цитаты одному персонажу в диапазоне пары глав, но, пожалуй, для меня они суммируют самую несносную проблему книги. Гарри бесконечно декларирует, что эрудиция не так важна, что важна чистота и критичность мышления, что наборы бессмысленных фактов — это мило, но не более... но сам он чаще всего выступает именно как кладезь википедийных знаний!
в его словах из цитаты 2 есть эрудиция, они технически верны... но в них нет проницательности, нет остроумия. нет, извините, глубины. зачем Гарри произносит бесполезный, тривиальный, неинтересный факт про Марс? что это прибавляет к нашему пониманию ситуации, как это обогащает читателя (или собеседника героя)?
ничего. никак. это surprising yet useless trivia, которым книга, увы, просто переполнена — что само по себе не смущало бы разум, не будь она также переполнена декларациями того, что ценно ровно обратное.
да, излагаемые Гарри факты подчас любопытны (подчас — очень!). но эрудиция — не ум. эрудиции недостаточно, чтобы сделать интересное, проницательное высказывание или наблюдение.
в этой книге много умных фактов, но мало интересных мыслей.
2. Гарри — скучная мэри-сью
мэри-сью — такой же литературный приём, как и все остальные; почему нет. его можно использовать интересно. проблема Гарри — в том, что он не только гениален интеллектуально, но ещё и идеальный актёр (способен изобразить или скрыть любую эмоцию); находится в идеальной физической форме (ни разу мы не видим, чтоб он, скажем, не смог увернуться от заклинания просто потому что не спортсмен); почти идеально трезв в суждениях.
финал объясняет, почему оно так (кроме физической формы). интереснее следить за ним от этого не становится. читатель довольно быстро понимает, что Гарри не просто решит любую проблему, которую подкинет ему сюжет, но и что он решит её играючи; до арки с Азкабаном (середина книги!) Гарри нигде даже ни разу не запинается. его способности абсолютно имбовы в рамках описанного мира.
увы, на мой взгляд, до самого конца ни одной интересной задачи, над которой правда хочется поломать голову, автор так и не подкинул своему герою за всю книгу... кроме разве что этической.
(задача про дементоров в Азкабане заявлена как вроде бы сложная, но там же выясняется, что герой может просто усилием воли ввести новое правило игры и переписать изначальные условия, что любую сложность, увы, отменяет.)
3. ...но порой ведёт себя как полный кретин по воле сценариста
нет, я не верю, что описанный герой, у которого есть пароль-для-самого-себя для проверки, не стёрли ли ему память, сочтёт, что если записка написана его почерком — то это правда записка от него из будущего. даже я бы так на его месте не сочла, а у меня пароля нет. это просто cutscene stupidity: автор оглупляет персонажа, потому что сочинил его таким, что иначе ему не продвинуть сюжет.
все сцены, где Гарри затупил, показались мне крайне натянутыми и неубедительными не задним числом, а прямо тогда, когда я их читала.
(а весь финал построен вокруг того, что Вольдеморт в ответственный момент забыл отобрать палочку у Гарри. и нет, это не была специальная игра в поддавки.)
4. нет реальной живой фактуры
ладно, оставим в покое Гарри. но кто и что его окружает?
...набор клише, которые автор собрал не из наблюдений за реальными людьми в реальной жизни, а комиксов и массовых фильмов. это — одна из причин, почему постоянный блеск Гарри выглядит так тускло: на самом деле у него нет фона, он выступает перед куклами. дети в Хогвартсе не ведут себя ни как реальные дети, ни как взрослые; все попытки как-то очертить, кто они и что они (когда не материал для избиения гением Гарри) в основном написаны в комедийном ключе.
автор читал книги о том, как думают и ведут себя люди, но... такое чувство, что ему это просто неинтересно. ему интересна деконструкция базовых голливудских клише типа «героический герой» и «мудрый наставник» (ко времени написания книги уже давно вошедшая в сам мейнстрим). и обычно его герои ведут себя как герои комиксов.
люди в этой книге не писаются (или хотя бы не падают в обморок) от страха, например. не проявляют бессмысленного, неадекватного упрямства. не совершают особо импульс��вных поступков. не отвечают на понты Гарри ударом по морде (кроме той ситуации с Драко). не впадают в настоящий когнитивный диссонанс. в общем, не показывают реальных проявлений реальных живых людей, каких-то интересных чёрточек. не показывают человеческую природу.
а ведь именно про это было бы интересно почитать — про то, как применить методы рационального мышления к реальным, живым, тёплым, зачастую дурацким людям, а не набору стереотипов, ведущих себя преимущественно так, будто они обсуждают всё происходящее на интернет-форуме.
5. автор очень злоупотребляет приёмом «герои уже знают, что происходит, но читателю мы не покажем, что они держат в руках, чтобы искусственно создать напряжение»
это вообще-то довольно дешёвый приём, а тут он в каждой третьей главе. иногда — в очень загадочных местах. ракета вместо метлы — это самое банальное и неинтересное, что Гарри мог придумать, зачем было нагнетать вокруг этого напряжение?
6. где любопытство?
почему феномен Гарри никого не удивляет? нет, три объяснения «ну я так и подумал» от важных именных героев в финале — не ответ.
я даже не спрашиваю, почему с ним разговаривают на Визенгамоте. почему люди вроде Амбридж вообще допустили вариант пустить его на Визенгамот?
почему Гарри не удивляет магический резонанс между ним и Квиреллом?
(с другой стороны — почему всех, а в первую очередь — МакГонагалл так изумляет каждый чих Гарри, включая довольно банальный шантаж, например?)
(и когда она изумляется, почему это всегда комически, без попытки понять? где любопытство?)
7. ГДЕ ЛЮБОПЫТСТВО?!
что такое магия? какие частицы являются её носителями или как иначе она передаёт воздействие на объект?
что означает фраза «это заклинание навсегда потратит немного жизни и магии»? какие реальные естественнонаучные концепты за этой формулировкой стоят? не может же автор, учёный, физик и так далее, мыслить об устройстве своей вселенной на уровне HP и маны из видеоигры?..
если папа Невернон действительно полностью скептичен к магии, о чём они с Гарри говорили, когда Гарри ненадолго вернулся домой?! этот разговор был бы интереснее чуть ли не всей остальной книги, блин! какие психзащиты срабатывали у папы Невернона, как Гарри его в итоге переубедил? почему, блин, самое интересное осталось за кадром!
(я бы не задавала такие вопросы героям другой книги, но автор же сам вроде как ставит нам планку.)
8. люди, с которыми автор несогласен, выведены совсем глупыми
я имею в виду — на очень базовом уровне. окей, автор считает, что нет оснований примиряться со смертью. но когда Гарри пытается подискутировать об этом с оппонентами (Дамблдором и Люпином), те отвечают ему какими-то совсем уж бездарными клише в духе «Х не хотел(а) бы, чтобы ты его/её воскрешал».
мне кажется, что если самый высокий уровень дискуссии, который ты можешь сформулировать у оппонента, таков, то не стоит писать книгу на эту тему.
9. автор постоянно повторяет, что «у нас тут не как в комиксе», а потом пишет комикс
прямо перед началом финальной сюжетной арки, где все загадки будут раскручены, а все ответы даны, Гарри рефлексирует, что, мол, вот в кино бы перед концом учебного года все ответы нашлись, но у нас-то тут не кино. в реальности такого никто не обещал.
а потом автор даёт нам все ответы и закрывает все сюжетные линии, да.
к концу книги у меня возникло подозрение, что Юдковский просто не в курсе, что пишет точно такой же комиксный сю��ет, как и те, с которыми он дискутирует, просто не на базовом уровне, а на уровне первичной деконструкции шаблонов — ну типа того, что мы сто раз видели у Уидона, например. местами у него получается уныло, местами — весьма харизматично, но комиксом эта история быть не перестаёт.
это не смущало бы мой разум, если бы в тексте не было столько высокомерия, почти отвращения в адрес этих клише, столько поплёвывания на них свысока.
и это ведёт меня к, пожалуй, главному вопросу:
10. если автор считает стереотипы из комиксов такими глупыми, почему он дискутирует с ними, а не с чем-нибудь другим?
противостояние Дарта Вейдера и Люка Скайуокера — плоское и банальное? так зачем тогда герои HPMOR вообще мыслят в терминах дартов вейдеров и люков скайуокеров? почему не деконструировать образ, ну не знаю, Раскольникова или там Гамлета хотя бы, а лучше — Розенкранца и Гильденстерна?
если голливудская культура кажется автору глупой, зачем он остаётся на её уровне и спорит с ней? ведь все эти более умные истории — они давным-давно написаны.
и тем не менее, герои HPMOR — все — ведут себя так, будто никогда не читали не то что «Преступление и наказание», а даже и «Властелина колец» (да, несмотря на то, что в тексте прямо утверждается обратное). их головы — всех — набиты глупейшими, банальнейшими киношными стереотипами, как будто за всю свою историю человеческая культура более интересных сюжетов, героев и образов не породила, будто никогда не бывало в ней негероичных героев или героинь без романтических линий.
я, к слову, эти стереотипы не презираю. как по мне, даже простейшую историю про добро и зло можно изложить хорошо, да и вообще культура итеративна. презирает и постоянно пинает их автор — будто ему не приходит в голову, что если тебе скучны истории для и про детей, можно просто читать и писать истории для и про взрослых.
***
автор окружает Гарри дурачками (почему при первой встрече Гермиона так тупила с экспериментом с чаем? почему она не набросала мгновенно хотя бы пару десятков вариантов ответа на загадку про три числа?), и поэтому его иногда вполне красивые умозаключения блекнут. в чём интерес читать о том, как герой раскидывает дошколят?
точно так же, мне кажется, и автор зачем-то окружил себя культурным контекстом существенно ниже своего уровня — и спорит до хрипоты с вещами, которых никто не утверждал.
никто не утверждал, что герой всегда обязан быть героичным и с челюстью, а героиня — иметь романтическую линию. никто не утверждал, что строгая училка обязана быть строгой училкой. даже в массовой культуре это давно уже не так. даже у самой Роулинг это не было так.
***
в этой книге есть места, которые мне понравились, в том числе — понравились сильно. мне пришёлся очень по душе пересчёт магических денег на маггловские, который сразу сделал мир куда более выпуклым и добавил масштаба всем событиям. мне понравилась последняя сцена с Ритой Скитер — тем, насколько к ней не привлекают внимания. мне искренне понравились линии Драко и Снейпа, и начало сцены с троллем, и некоторые шутки.
мне искренне понравился первый финал — от момента, когда Гарри Всё Понял, до зеркала. если бы в сцене с зеркалом Волди просто убрал камень в карман, улыбнулся, надел плащ и навсегда ушёл из повествования, я думаю, что всерьёз переоценила бы вообще всю книгу.
потому что в предфинальной арке автор выписал, на мой взгляд, очень убедительного злодея, который не просто победил — а спокойно объяснил, что и противостояния-то никакого никогда не было, он не мог проиграть — потому что никто ему не оппонировал. который не лишён неких личных чёрточек и недостатков (вроде чрезмерной обидчивости), но это уже неважно, этим невозможно манипулировать. автор почти вывел повествование на качественно новый пласт — что будут делать два (три? десять? миллион?) бессмертных копий Тома Риддла, обречённых на вечные рокировки, какое будущее они построят, в каком виде человечество, которое, вероятно, в итоге полностью будет заменено копиями Тома Риддла, доберётся до края галактики и прочих фундаментальных загадок бытия? а даже если не брать так глубоко — на что будет похож мир, которым правят две вечные копии одного человека, разные, но равносильные и против своей воли друг друга любящие?..
...а потом Вольдеморт говорит «ха-ха-ха» (неиронически!) — и вся эта довольно тонкая и интересная этика вышвырива��тся в окно ради дурацкой задачки, которую я разгадала за десять секунд. (в моей версии вместо нановолокна была цепочка молекул с остановленным броуновским движением — любую угрозу можно устранить, охладив до абсолютного нуля.)
***
я не жалею, что прочитала HPMOR, хотя бы ради её финала. но я должна признать, что цели своей не добилась. даже читая отзывы умных и авторитетных для меня людей, я не понимаю, как они сумели увидеть в этой книге то, что сумели: некие тонкие проницательные наблюдения, некие глубочайшие познания, неожиданные повороты и эффектные загадки. мне кажется, мы с этими людьми живём в каких-то разных квантовых мирах и читали какие-то разные книги.
мне искренне жаль, что я — не в их мире.
October 11, 2015
This is the funniest thing I have ever read. I have never read something this funny before. It was extremely difficult to do anything except read it until I had "finished" it, and now it's hard to do anything but think about it and wish there was a lot more of it for me to read.
I guess I'll just read some of his rationalist essay series instead!
I guess I'll just read some of his rationalist essay series instead!
March 23, 2012
I can't decide if this was really good or really bad. As a novel (or the majority of a novel) it was pretty terrible. As fanfic it seemed pretty good (to me, which doesn't mean anything, because I am not the kind of guy that reads fanfic at all). I guess I'll go with three stars which seems to say both of those things at once.
Concept that I like: take 11-year-old Harry Potter, about to enter Hogwarts. Make him an incredibly astute and science-minded young boy, and then see just how he'd react to all of the situations that J. K. Rowling threw him into. Wrap it all up in some Douglas Adams-inspired humor (more Dirk Gently than HHGTTG) and serve warm. That right there is pretty good all around, and that's what the first few chapters are. I recommend them to anyone that is familiar with the Harry Potter universe.
Concept that I hate: author(s) realize that writing this is a Good Thing (note: questionable) and proceed to drag it out over 80 chapters, getting more and more serious. Turn Harry Potter into the Ender Wiggin of the magical world, except also give him Peter and Valentine's sense of Machiavellian scheming. Combine that with poor writing that tells rather than shows, and the signs saying: WARNING - AUTHOR IS MAKING UP PLOT AS THEY GO ALONG and next thing you know it's all fallen apart.
And really, that's understandable. When you take this new Rational and Science-y Harry and put him in the story, it goes something like this:
McGonagall: "... and we're worried that you'd run off and do something stupid like try and fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named by yourself."
Potter: "That's ridiculous. Why would I want to endanger myself like that? How about I go hide out in Australia and let a team of experienced Aurors find him and take care of him, and I come back when it's over?"
I like that and the author(s) present it with a dose of funny. However, it also immediately takes the story off of the canon rails. If the humor is in seeing Harry react to Rowling-established situations but his reactions prevent him from reaching the next stop on the list of Rowling-established situations, what can you do? Just start writing your own novel? Apparently the answer is yes.
... and right here I guess this is the point where I realize that I have no prior interaction with the fanfic world and maybe this is The Best Fanfic There Is and I'll never know. Oh well. If this is the best then I'm absolutely disinclined to try any others.
Good points:
- it made me laugh many times. The laughs decreased as the chapter numbers increased and by the end I was probably down to 0.5 laughs / chapter but still ... there are a lot of other "funny" books that never made me laugh out loud even once.
- the author(s) did a great job of applying science to the magical world over and over, and it was not only entertaining but educational.
Bad points, unfortunately a much longer list:
- horrible writing. If I had to read about one more smile, statement, face, blood, reaction, expression, or whatever else being "cold" I would have been tempted to throw my Kindle across the room. See also "hard." I literally lost count of how many times Harry experienced some black cold rage or was threatened by someone with a hard cold tone in their voice.
- characters in the story are incapable of giving looks that are anything but significant. This book apparently takes place in a world where a full third of communication is done by facial gymnastics.
- "plot" (see how I put it in quotes to imply that it's not even a plot and I'm being generous by calling it such) is held together by ... I don't know what. Held together by the comments section of whatever fanfic site this is posted on, with people saying "OMG CANT WAIT 4 NEXT CHAPTER"?
- nerd pop culture references. Ugh. I mean it's not like "DID U SEE THE LAST EP OF BIG BANG THEORY?" kind of thing, at least it's the old standards of Star Wars and Ender's Game and Lord of the Rings, but still.
- did I mention that Harry is the new Ender + Peter + Valentine?
- in this universe voices always appear behind someone while they're doing something. Everyone sneaks up all the time. It's totally rad.
I'm gonna stop bashing it now. I read it all the way through (Chapter 80 being the most recent at the time of this review) and didn't stop, so obviously it held my interest, but the farther I got the more I found myself skipping pages of descriptions about scheming and double-crossing and plotting and other tedious things, just trying to cherry-pick the science and humor bits that were getting lost in the fumbling plot. I'm happy it's over and I won't be seeking out new chapters as they appear.
Concept that I like: take 11-year-old Harry Potter, about to enter Hogwarts. Make him an incredibly astute and science-minded young boy, and then see just how he'd react to all of the situations that J. K. Rowling threw him into. Wrap it all up in some Douglas Adams-inspired humor (more Dirk Gently than HHGTTG) and serve warm. That right there is pretty good all around, and that's what the first few chapters are. I recommend them to anyone that is familiar with the Harry Potter universe.
Concept that I hate: author(s) realize that writing this is a Good Thing (note: questionable) and proceed to drag it out over 80 chapters, getting more and more serious. Turn Harry Potter into the Ender Wiggin of the magical world, except also give him Peter and Valentine's sense of Machiavellian scheming. Combine that with poor writing that tells rather than shows, and the signs saying: WARNING - AUTHOR IS MAKING UP PLOT AS THEY GO ALONG and next thing you know it's all fallen apart.
And really, that's understandable. When you take this new Rational and Science-y Harry and put him in the story, it goes something like this:
McGonagall: "... and we're worried that you'd run off and do something stupid like try and fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named by yourself."
Potter: "That's ridiculous. Why would I want to endanger myself like that? How about I go hide out in Australia and let a team of experienced Aurors find him and take care of him, and I come back when it's over?"
I like that and the author(s) present it with a dose of funny. However, it also immediately takes the story off of the canon rails. If the humor is in seeing Harry react to Rowling-established situations but his reactions prevent him from reaching the next stop on the list of Rowling-established situations, what can you do? Just start writing your own novel? Apparently the answer is yes.
... and right here I guess this is the point where I realize that I have no prior interaction with the fanfic world and maybe this is The Best Fanfic There Is and I'll never know. Oh well. If this is the best then I'm absolutely disinclined to try any others.
Good points:
- it made me laugh many times. The laughs decreased as the chapter numbers increased and by the end I was probably down to 0.5 laughs / chapter but still ... there are a lot of other "funny" books that never made me laugh out loud even once.
- the author(s) did a great job of applying science to the magical world over and over, and it was not only entertaining but educational.
Bad points, unfortunately a much longer list:
- horrible writing. If I had to read about one more smile, statement, face, blood, reaction, expression, or whatever else being "cold" I would have been tempted to throw my Kindle across the room. See also "hard." I literally lost count of how many times Harry experienced some black cold rage or was threatened by someone with a hard cold tone in their voice.
- characters in the story are incapable of giving looks that are anything but significant. This book apparently takes place in a world where a full third of communication is done by facial gymnastics.
- "plot" (see how I put it in quotes to imply that it's not even a plot and I'm being generous by calling it such) is held together by ... I don't know what. Held together by the comments section of whatever fanfic site this is posted on, with people saying "OMG CANT WAIT 4 NEXT CHAPTER"?
- nerd pop culture references. Ugh. I mean it's not like "DID U SEE THE LAST EP OF BIG BANG THEORY?" kind of thing, at least it's the old standards of Star Wars and Ender's Game and Lord of the Rings, but still.
- did I mention that Harry is the new Ender + Peter + Valentine?
- in this universe voices always appear behind someone while they're doing something. Everyone sneaks up all the time. It's totally rad.
I'm gonna stop bashing it now. I read it all the way through (Chapter 80 being the most recent at the time of this review) and didn't stop, so obviously it held my interest, but the farther I got the more I found myself skipping pages of descriptions about scheming and double-crossing and plotting and other tedious things, just trying to cherry-pick the science and humor bits that were getting lost in the fumbling plot. I'm happy it's over and I won't be seeking out new chapters as they appear.
March 14, 2015
Update: 15 March, 2015
OMG! It's over. It has been a wild ride, one of the best I've ever been on. The ending was satisfying in ways I cannot express. Yudkowsky has wowed, amazed, and blown minds through this epic, and I can't wait to read more of his work in the future!
--
I have never felt the need to take fan fiction seriously. They are, at best, exercises of creativity in a predetermined world, and the best of them usually do not stray too far from the established lore. As it stands, “Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality” is the only exception – it has hooked me in so deeply that I just cannot get out of the fascinating world that its author, Eliezer Yudkowsky, has created.
If you have always felt that Rowling’s characters, and vision of Hogwarts and magical Britain were lacking then you weren’t the only one. They always felt absurd to me as well, lacking coherence and sense in a world that exhibited elitism towards ordinary human beings and looked down at science. The ignorance they displayed is appalling. Yudkowsky addresses these issues with his fantastic fan fiction that offers a whole new take on this universe.
The world remains the same, but with some major differences. Petunia, finally showing some sense, has married a professor at Oxford after she took a ‘beauty’ potion from her sister. Together they raise Harry Potter with love and affection, instilling in him an undying love for rationality and scientific inquiry. Harry is a child prodigy who is acerbic and downright pedantic at times, but brilliant nonetheless. He is a combination of the qualities of Artemis Fowl and Yagami Light (Death Note), displaying intelligence and wit simply unheard of in an eleven year old boy. He is joined by Hermione, who is instantly marked as his rival and romantic interest, and Draco, who is charming and a smart social manipulator. Ron and Hagrid are blissfully absent since they do not have anything to offer in Yudkowsky’s vision of magical Britain; both characters become part of the scenery and do not play any essential roles.
The storyline involves a lot of political maneuvering, social manipulation, being extremely clever, and copious amounts of rationalism. It results in an extremely funny story where Snape gets taken down a notch, Dumbledore is shown to be an clumsy strategist, and McGonagall remains forever flustered by everything that happens around her. Oh, and Harry is a Ravenclaw.
It is a fun and easy read that gets complicated at times. This is due to the fact that Yudkowsky writes about advanced topics such as Bayes’s Theorem, cognitive bias, and artificial intelligence, among many things. The simple but academic writing style makes these topics clear and accessible. The plot is intriguing and the author somehow manages to fit ‘rational’ ideas into every other chapter while still remaining captivating. The story is highly didactic, aimed at teaching you the abovementioned concepts, among other things, while at the same time pokes fun at the goofier bits of the original series. Yudkowsky is also adept at generating tension that drives the story forward.
That is not to say that the writing isn’t without its flaws. Yudkowsky dumps a lot of information on the reader at times, which slows the story down to glacial speeds. The info dumps are especially pronounced at the beginning, but diminish as the story picks up. This also means that external characterization is relatively sparse. However, their internal thought processes are laid out by the author, offering us insight into what makes them tick. In fact, it works better than you might think, though it’s not for all types of readers. Although the final work is concise and well-presented, it still lacks the polish that published works have. That can be fixed in the hands of a capable editor though, who can organize and trim it down to a more enjoyable read than it already is.
“Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality” is still an ongoing project that has 77 chapters as of today (January 18, 2012). It took me about eleven days to absorb it all. It has reintroduced me to rational thinking and changed my outlook towards the world. This ‘book’ simply cannot be recommended enough if you want to have a terrific time while broadening your horizon by learning about science, philosophy and rationality.
OMG! It's over. It has been a wild ride, one of the best I've ever been on. The ending was satisfying in ways I cannot express. Yudkowsky has wowed, amazed, and blown minds through this epic, and I can't wait to read more of his work in the future!
--
I have never felt the need to take fan fiction seriously. They are, at best, exercises of creativity in a predetermined world, and the best of them usually do not stray too far from the established lore. As it stands, “Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality” is the only exception – it has hooked me in so deeply that I just cannot get out of the fascinating world that its author, Eliezer Yudkowsky, has created.
If you have always felt that Rowling’s characters, and vision of Hogwarts and magical Britain were lacking then you weren’t the only one. They always felt absurd to me as well, lacking coherence and sense in a world that exhibited elitism towards ordinary human beings and looked down at science. The ignorance they displayed is appalling. Yudkowsky addresses these issues with his fantastic fan fiction that offers a whole new take on this universe.
The world remains the same, but with some major differences. Petunia, finally showing some sense, has married a professor at Oxford after she took a ‘beauty’ potion from her sister. Together they raise Harry Potter with love and affection, instilling in him an undying love for rationality and scientific inquiry. Harry is a child prodigy who is acerbic and downright pedantic at times, but brilliant nonetheless. He is a combination of the qualities of Artemis Fowl and Yagami Light (Death Note), displaying intelligence and wit simply unheard of in an eleven year old boy. He is joined by Hermione, who is instantly marked as his rival and romantic interest, and Draco, who is charming and a smart social manipulator. Ron and Hagrid are blissfully absent since they do not have anything to offer in Yudkowsky’s vision of magical Britain; both characters become part of the scenery and do not play any essential roles.
The storyline involves a lot of political maneuvering, social manipulation, being extremely clever, and copious amounts of rationalism. It results in an extremely funny story where Snape gets taken down a notch, Dumbledore is shown to be an clumsy strategist, and McGonagall remains forever flustered by everything that happens around her. Oh, and Harry is a Ravenclaw.
It is a fun and easy read that gets complicated at times. This is due to the fact that Yudkowsky writes about advanced topics such as Bayes’s Theorem, cognitive bias, and artificial intelligence, among many things. The simple but academic writing style makes these topics clear and accessible. The plot is intriguing and the author somehow manages to fit ‘rational’ ideas into every other chapter while still remaining captivating. The story is highly didactic, aimed at teaching you the abovementioned concepts, among other things, while at the same time pokes fun at the goofier bits of the original series. Yudkowsky is also adept at generating tension that drives the story forward.
That is not to say that the writing isn’t without its flaws. Yudkowsky dumps a lot of information on the reader at times, which slows the story down to glacial speeds. The info dumps are especially pronounced at the beginning, but diminish as the story picks up. This also means that external characterization is relatively sparse. However, their internal thought processes are laid out by the author, offering us insight into what makes them tick. In fact, it works better than you might think, though it’s not for all types of readers. Although the final work is concise and well-presented, it still lacks the polish that published works have. That can be fixed in the hands of a capable editor though, who can organize and trim it down to a more enjoyable read than it already is.
“Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality” is still an ongoing project that has 77 chapters as of today (January 18, 2012). It took me about eleven days to absorb it all. It has reintroduced me to rational thinking and changed my outlook towards the world. This ‘book’ simply cannot be recommended enough if you want to have a terrific time while broadening your horizon by learning about science, philosophy and rationality.
July 31, 2014
If you are a geek, you will most likely enjoy this book far more than the actual Harry Potter series. This is especially true if you're a fan of smart characters who don't make stupid decisions that leave you screaming at the author (I always get this unbelieving look in my eyes when, in the first movie, Harry keeps leaving his invisibility cloak on the ground in random places.)
Also, this is the book that sparked my interest in science and rationality. So there's that, too.
I've always considered The Hitchhiker's Guide to be my favorite fictional book, but this gives it a pretty good run for its money.
Also, this is the book that sparked my interest in science and rationality. So there's that, too.
I've always considered The Hitchhiker's Guide to be my favorite fictional book, but this gives it a pretty good run for its money.
November 12, 2012
I wanted to like this fanfic. As a mathematician and an atheist I should have liked this fanfic.
I didn't. The writing is poor (even for fanfic) and the characterisation worse. The author has turned Harry Potter into the most unsympathetic and unlikeable child I can possibly imagine - which I would guess from his bio is also a blatant Mary-Sue.
Should have been called Harry Potter, the Snotty Little Git.
I didn't. The writing is poor (even for fanfic) and the characterisation worse. The author has turned Harry Potter into the most unsympathetic and unlikeable child I can possibly imagine - which I would guess from his bio is also a blatant Mary-Sue.
Should have been called Harry Potter, the Snotty Little Git.
October 2, 2016
Imagine if Ender Wiggen were put in Harry Potter's place, and the cunning of other characters upgraded in a similar way. Yudkowsky is a gifted writer, and he plays off the tropes of fanfiction and the idiosyncrasies of the world of Hogwarts in a way that transcends the genre. The books is at times laugh out loud funny, touching, inspiring, and always very smart. Writing fanfiction in order to get more people to read your blog about obscure logical fallacies!? You'd have to be a genius to actually succeed at that. He is, and he does.
It's an unfinished serial novel, and it suffers a little from being not quite a final draft. There's a single evil comment by Draco that I would edit out in chapter 7, and the bit with the Patronus descends into preachy/political interjection. But it's hard to find fault when that's the stated purpose of the work in the first place. Really, you should give this a try.
It's an unfinished serial novel, and it suffers a little from being not quite a final draft. There's a single evil comment by Draco that I would edit out in chapter 7, and the bit with the Patronus descends into preachy/political interjection. But it's hard to find fault when that's the stated purpose of the work in the first place. Really, you should give this a try.
January 10, 2019
Update 2: I must seem to be fixated on Yudkowsky, but the fact is several of my good friends are quite his champions and won't let me forget how much I disliked his writings... The other day I took the time to read the previously skipped "omake" sections and want to comment on that, especially on the Council of Elrond one. It makes some points of my dislike blindingly clear.
Briefly, Yudkowsky obviously conflates conventional morality/"goodness" with weakness - both of character and of reason - which makes it unsurprising that the only really rational people in his writings are the villains. This is why Dumbledore is made out to be a bumbling fool; Gandalf is the same in Yudkowsky's perception. The only rational outlook belongs to Sauron, and for some strange reason is transmitted to whoever is wearing the Ruling Ring. So after having explained to us that all the ways and means discussed in the original Tolkien canon are no good, Yudkowsky then has the gall to stop his narrative at the place where the alternative is put forward. How clever!
His villains have no trouble understanding the good people, because they're so rational, and are capable of calculating all the possible outcomes and providing for them in his plans. And here's the other point: I don't know about all those supernatural people (Sauron and Gandalf are that, after all), but as to real humans, we don't have the calculating capacity to predict all outcomes and need something to simplify the overwhelming complexity of life, reducing it to something we can deal with. Even taking no notice of the social convention with its underlying reasons of preservation of society as a whole, morality is useful as one such heuristic: it puts some paths completely out of consideration, letting us concentrate on a fewer number which we may be capable of assessing. So if you want to make better calculations, morality is to the good! But of course, other heuristics devised by clever Yudkowsky heroes will be better, won't they? Just you wait and see... some other time.
------------------------------------------------------
Update: I'm forced to rate this down after reading http://danluu.com/su3su2u1/hpmor/ (I do hope he doesn't mind my sharing the link), as it turns out that Yudkowsky was actually rather sloppy with his science, many of his claims are unsupported by research and/or incorrectly applied to the situation. Which is a total deal breaker.
------------------------------------------------------
Quite fun, but lots of wishful thinking by the author.
I never thought I'd say this, but Rowling is way more realistic! True, she made lots of irrational mistakes, some of which are taken up in this fic (such as the purchasing power of a Galleon, stupidity of Quidditch rules, and rules of magic - Rowling just never bothered to make up a consistent set, the only thing she could do was to write "they took a lot of complicated notes on Transfiguration"). And people in Rowling's books do not act logically. But they are acting like people! And that's where this fic stumbles hugely, even more than in style of writing (I mean, in not having any).
The author of this book thinks that quite a lot of people are intelligent, and everyone who is not is a nonentity; he thinks that people want to be intelligent and make the very best effort to be intelligent all the time, not just sometimes. That's not true. People don't want to be intelligent, they want to be comfortable. Selfish in a way, but they are being people.
All the above is the more true for kids and teenagers. The best part of Rowling's talent is understanding children and recreating them faithfully. Clever or silly, obedient or obnoxious, trying to be grown-up even - they are all true to life. You won't find any of that here.
And, yeah, lots of people've already commented on this: this version of Harry is totally intellectually Mary Sue.
Briefly, Yudkowsky obviously conflates conventional morality/"goodness" with weakness - both of character and of reason - which makes it unsurprising that the only really rational people in his writings are the villains. This is why Dumbledore is made out to be a bumbling fool; Gandalf is the same in Yudkowsky's perception. The only rational outlook belongs to Sauron, and for some strange reason is transmitted to whoever is wearing the Ruling Ring. So after having explained to us that all the ways and means discussed in the original Tolkien canon are no good, Yudkowsky then has the gall to stop his narrative at the place where the alternative is put forward. How clever!
His villains have no trouble understanding the good people, because they're so rational, and are capable of calculating all the possible outcomes and providing for them in his plans. And here's the other point: I don't know about all those supernatural people (Sauron and Gandalf are that, after all), but as to real humans, we don't have the calculating capacity to predict all outcomes and need something to simplify the overwhelming complexity of life, reducing it to something we can deal with. Even taking no notice of the social convention with its underlying reasons of preservation of society as a whole, morality is useful as one such heuristic: it puts some paths completely out of consideration, letting us concentrate on a fewer number which we may be capable of assessing. So if you want to make better calculations, morality is to the good! But of course, other heuristics devised by clever Yudkowsky heroes will be better, won't they? Just you wait and see... some other time.
------------------------------------------------------
Update: I'm forced to rate this down after reading http://danluu.com/su3su2u1/hpmor/ (I do hope he doesn't mind my sharing the link), as it turns out that Yudkowsky was actually rather sloppy with his science, many of his claims are unsupported by research and/or incorrectly applied to the situation. Which is a total deal breaker.
------------------------------------------------------
Quite fun, but lots of wishful thinking by the author.
I never thought I'd say this, but Rowling is way more realistic! True, she made lots of irrational mistakes, some of which are taken up in this fic (such as the purchasing power of a Galleon, stupidity of Quidditch rules, and rules of magic - Rowling just never bothered to make up a consistent set, the only thing she could do was to write "they took a lot of complicated notes on Transfiguration"). And people in Rowling's books do not act logically. But they are acting like people! And that's where this fic stumbles hugely, even more than in style of writing (I mean, in not having any).
The author of this book thinks that quite a lot of people are intelligent, and everyone who is not is a nonentity; he thinks that people want to be intelligent and make the very best effort to be intelligent all the time, not just sometimes. That's not true. People don't want to be intelligent, they want to be comfortable. Selfish in a way, but they are being people.
All the above is the more true for kids and teenagers. The best part of Rowling's talent is understanding children and recreating them faithfully. Clever or silly, obedient or obnoxious, trying to be grown-up even - they are all true to life. You won't find any of that here.
And, yeah, lots of people've already commented on this: this version of Harry is totally intellectually Mary Sue.
August 14, 2015
Wonderful alternate Harry Potter timeline story. In many aspects I prefer it to the "real" Harry Potter books. It is kind of like hard sci-fi, but in Harry Potter universe. It starts strong, then drags a bit for a while, but then it ends very strong. Very enjoyable read overall!
February 26, 2021
Give it time... Maybe the next chapter will be better... I'll try the next day... Still I just want a peak, maybe the next chapter is better... Then, I give up...
Want to give it 1⭐️but the too long pages of the book seems to be an effort, so I just added a star. No more, nothing less...
Want to give it 1⭐️but the too long pages of the book seems to be an effort, so I just added a star. No more, nothing less...
September 29, 2020
This is an enormous fan fic version of the first book in the Harry Potter series, rewritten portraying Harry as a hyperrationalist.
Not worth five stars as a work of fiction per se, but fascinating enough to get bumped up to amazing because of several other factors:
• Folks with mildly compulsive rationalist and/or scientific leanings often have trouble with the nonsensical goings-on of magical worlds. Occasionally Yudkowsky nails this so well that I was laughing convulsively. The author sometimes over-indulged in this, and very often got too preachy about aspects of the world that aren’t perfect, which is probably the biggest flaw here as a work of fiction. Sadly, folks that already know what the fundamental attribution error is, or disdain television news because they understand the availability cascade, and can discussKahnemann’s Stanovich’s System 1 and System 2 at length — well, the choir can get tired of the preaching. And the folks that don’t already know that stuff are unlikely to suddenly find the lectures worthwhile, because they really interfere with the flow of the novel. If you enjoyed Rowling’s original series, and have at least a passing familiarity with some of that nonsense I just listed, you should take a gander at this.
• Dark, dark, dark. Rowling’s book is targeted at young adults — or younger, actually. Yudkowsky’s Harry thinks Ron Weasley is too dumb to waste time from day one, so we quickly learn that Harry doesn’t tolerate fools. The author seriously engages the question of whether Rowling’s bad guys actually have sensible grievances, but are perhaps simply more realistic about moral complexity, as Harry sometimes (but not always) is. Thus, Draco Malfoy becomes a very major character. One of my biggest peeves with most fantasy is the characters go through life-threatening situations yet seldom suffer. Yes, Rowling killed some secondary characters, and kinda killed one major character, but too little too late, really. “What part of suicide mission didn’t you understand?” is a line I keep hoping to hear, and I’m happy to say Yudkowsky seems inclined to address that — although you might not enjoy some of the consequences.
• Startlingly good characterizations. Harry becomes in many ways a more complex and layered persona than in the original, and Yudkowsky’s Draco is far, far more interesting than one would expect. The adults benefit a little from examining their reactions to the more nuanced Harry, but suffer by being confronted by a child with the mind and experiences that no child could reasonably have attained. The exaggeration of Harry’s abilities actually illuminates a trope that is too common: by privileging a character with knowledge and skills far beyond what a reasonable person could anticipate, those others can too easily be portrayed as idiots. But this is itself unreasonable — expecting children to be merely children is rational for humans, with their limited cognitive capacity. Stanovich’s subconscious System 1 thinking is an evolutionary adaptation that lets us think more efficiently, albeit at the expense of accuracy. Anyone constantly trying to use System 2 ratiocination to overcome the cognitive traps evolution which has planted in our brains will suffer persistent ego depletion, and won’t be able to function.
• There are some plot developments here that are much more intriguing that what I remember from the canonical series. Probably the best is the long-term project that Harry convinces Draco to address with respect to House Slytherin, which swaps out Rawling’s simplistic social world and puts in a much more nuanced and realistic one.
This is like an insightful cover version of a great song (like William Shatner’s punked up version of Pulp’s “Common People”); it adds something new without detracting from the original. If you are interested in seeing how the Harry Potter series can be subverted, converted, diverted and perverted into something delightfully new, assuming you hit the target audience criteria, then check it out.
Oh — this isn’t in print or published; it is effectively an on-line ebook. Aim your ebook reader or web browser at http://hpmor.com
Oh, and it has nothing at all to do with this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbdvo...
Not worth five stars as a work of fiction per se, but fascinating enough to get bumped up to amazing because of several other factors:
• Folks with mildly compulsive rationalist and/or scientific leanings often have trouble with the nonsensical goings-on of magical worlds. Occasionally Yudkowsky nails this so well that I was laughing convulsively. The author sometimes over-indulged in this, and very often got too preachy about aspects of the world that aren’t perfect, which is probably the biggest flaw here as a work of fiction. Sadly, folks that already know what the fundamental attribution error is, or disdain television news because they understand the availability cascade, and can discuss
• Dark, dark, dark. Rowling’s book is targeted at young adults — or younger, actually. Yudkowsky’s Harry thinks Ron Weasley is too dumb to waste time from day one, so we quickly learn that Harry doesn’t tolerate fools. The author seriously engages the question of whether Rowling’s bad guys actually have sensible grievances, but are perhaps simply more realistic about moral complexity, as Harry sometimes (but not always) is. Thus, Draco Malfoy becomes a very major character. One of my biggest peeves with most fantasy is the characters go through life-threatening situations yet seldom suffer. Yes, Rowling killed some secondary characters, and kinda killed one major character, but too little too late, really. “What part of suicide mission didn’t you understand?” is a line I keep hoping to hear, and I’m happy to say Yudkowsky seems inclined to address that — although you might not enjoy some of the consequences.
• Startlingly good characterizations. Harry becomes in many ways a more complex and layered persona than in the original, and Yudkowsky’s Draco is far, far more interesting than one would expect. The adults benefit a little from examining their reactions to the more nuanced Harry, but suffer by being confronted by a child with the mind and experiences that no child could reasonably have attained. The exaggeration of Harry’s abilities actually illuminates a trope that is too common: by privileging a character with knowledge and skills far beyond what a reasonable person could anticipate, those others can too easily be portrayed as idiots. But this is itself unreasonable — expecting children to be merely children is rational for humans, with their limited cognitive capacity. Stanovich’s subconscious System 1 thinking is an evolutionary adaptation that lets us think more efficiently, albeit at the expense of accuracy. Anyone constantly trying to use System 2 ratiocination to overcome the cognitive traps evolution which has planted in our brains will suffer persistent ego depletion, and won’t be able to function.
• There are some plot developments here that are much more intriguing that what I remember from the canonical series. Probably the best is the long-term project that Harry convinces Draco to address with respect to House Slytherin, which swaps out Rawling’s simplistic social world and puts in a much more nuanced and realistic one.
This is like an insightful cover version of a great song (like William Shatner’s punked up version of Pulp’s “Common People”); it adds something new without detracting from the original. If you are interested in seeing how the Harry Potter series can be subverted, converted, diverted and perverted into something delightfully new, assuming you hit the target audience criteria, then check it out.
Oh — this isn’t in print or published; it is effectively an on-line ebook. Aim your ebook reader or web browser at http://hpmor.com
Oh, and it has nothing at all to do with this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbdvo...
September 17, 2016
HPMOR (as it's known to fans) is the perfect book for nerds: funny, clever, rife with allusions to other great nerdly works, and yet seriously capable of teaching something real. In this case, the real value-add are principles of reasoning that can lead to better decisions by genuinely emotional, non-Spockian humans in real life.
Shockingly, this story also has a plot. It runs roughly parallel with the HP canon, but the relationships are different and the entire arc of the Potter stories seems destined to be compressed into alter-Harry's first year. Harry and Hermione are both Ravenclaws who work together to seek the principles by which magic actually works -- a scientific research program into the unscientific that not accidentally resembles the origins of science in the first place. Harry cultivates a friendship with Draco Malfoy, avoids the unreliable Dumbledore, and adopts the harshly cynical but coldly sane, non-stuttering, sense-of-doom-inspiring Professor Quirrel as his mentor. Worried about becoming bad? Yes, but a secret dark side can be so convenient.... The sensibility here is very much "Ender's Game" on steroids.
The alternate Harry in this alternate Potterverse stand on their own for the first dozen chapters. But you really won't get the jokes if you haven't read the original Potter books or at least seen the movies. This fanfiction is the reason I read the original Potter stories. With those behind me, I love this story even more.
Shockingly, this story also has a plot. It runs roughly parallel with the HP canon, but the relationships are different and the entire arc of the Potter stories seems destined to be compressed into alter-Harry's first year. Harry and Hermione are both Ravenclaws who work together to seek the principles by which magic actually works -- a scientific research program into the unscientific that not accidentally resembles the origins of science in the first place. Harry cultivates a friendship with Draco Malfoy, avoids the unreliable Dumbledore, and adopts the harshly cynical but coldly sane, non-stuttering, sense-of-doom-inspiring Professor Quirrel as his mentor. Worried about becoming bad? Yes, but a secret dark side can be so convenient.... The sensibility here is very much "Ender's Game" on steroids.
The alternate Harry in this alternate Potterverse stand on their own for the first dozen chapters. But you really won't get the jokes if you haven't read the original Potter books or at least seen the movies. This fanfiction is the reason I read the original Potter stories. With those behind me, I love this story even more.
March 20, 2012
Alright, my first complaint is that it should warn readers that it contains sensitive issues. I almost choked on the chocolate I've been eating when I read Draco's nonchalant threat of rape. I mean, hello? Isn't he still eleven? And okay, maybe there are lots of open-minded eleven-year-olds in the world but saying that to an almost complete stranger is too much! Harry was very close to being bad here; it made me wonder what that idiot Petunia had been teaching him. He is rude to his elders, which I can probably ignore, but the way he can be cruel is... argh. Maybe Voldie has the right idea in wanting to kill him. This Harry can die many times over. Poor Neville. He'll end up being a snivelling (sorry Snape) coward. Then again maybe not. I didn't finish this since I got fed up by the time Harry was forcing Dumbledore into making Snape nice. I can understand this particular manipulation; still, I didn't want to stick around for more. I had such high hopes. The beginning was spectacular. Draco and Harry's first meeting was LOL.
I would've rated this one but I did find it amusing at the beginning.
I would've rated this one but I did find it amusing at the beginning.
May 31, 2012
Although I think it's rather well-written for a fanfic (not quite good enough for a novel), Harry was too Mary Sue-ish. The main example of this is when 11 year old Harry creates a human Patronus that literally kills Dementors.
There is also a bit too much Dumbledore and Ron bashing for my tastes, plus Harry is extremely condescending.
There is also a bit too much Dumbledore and Ron bashing for my tastes, plus Harry is extremely condescending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2018
Eliezer has completely turned the story around with a fabulous mixture of real science and JKRverse. The book is peppered with real life use of rationality , Bayesian Logic and psychology. It’s quite a learning experience, especially if you look up the bits you don’t understand.
June 24, 2013
Many of my friends love this book, but after giving it through ~chapter 10 I was incredibly relieved to put it down. It's truly dreadful. Every character is horrible and unpleasant. The "rationality" is mostly Harry being a smug and cruel jackass. I found no humor, and little insight.
August 28, 2019
Забудьте усе, що ви до цього знали про фанфікшн (якщо щось взагалі знали). І якщо ви відчували коли-небудь потребу поговорити про Поттеріану з дорослими і по-дорослому, зробити крок вперед і за край цієї історії - то вам сюди. Не знаю, чи вдалося фільмам про Фантастичнних звірів повернути вас до улюбленого з дитиства світу. Мені бракує у них... правдоподібності чи що? Я їм не до кінця вірю.
Ризикнути і повірити твору "Гаррі Поттер і Методи раціонального мислення" (далі МРМ) - варто, на мою скромну думку. Наповненість цієї історії смислами, барвистість і насиченість ГП-світу вражає. Увага до деталей - зашкалює. Іронічність інтерпретації цих деталей змітає байдужість під нуль.
Що це взагалі таке - "ГП і МРМ"? Елієзер Юдковські, американський дослідник в області штучного інтелекту /а не просто якийсь жевжик з вулиці/, створив на основі історії про Хлопчика-що-вижив власну історію, наповнивши її дорослими персонажами, їхні вчинки - достовірною мотивацією, розвиток дії - новою логікою та смислами, опираючись на наукові концепції з різних областей знань. На виході ми отримуємо ніби знову перший рік навчання Гаррі у Гоґвортсі, але наповнений стількома неймовірними речами, що за сюжетом і персонажами слідкуєш з шаленими цікавістю та нетерпінням (нечасте відчуття для дорослого читача, чи не так? ;)
/Сюжетну арку, пов'язану з Азкабаном (близько 10-ти доволі об'ємних розділів) - ви зрозумієте, коли доберетеся до цього місця - я читала вночі, наступного дня прийшла на роботу абсолютним зомбі, але зупинитися було просто не сила/.
Чому "Методи раціонального мислення"? Концепція історії, її ідея - максимально раціональне використання людиною свого внутрішнього ресурсу. І це страшенно потужна сила.
Чому "Гаррі Поттер"? Бо на історії про Хлопчика-що-вижив виросло не одне покоління людей. Особисто я читала першу книгу в свої 11, а сьому - коли мені було 17 (якщо ви розумієте, про що я). Оперувати образами і смислами, які проникли у пам'ять та свідомість людей на етапі їх становлення - це в біса хитрий план, достойний слизеринця і ґрифіндорця водночас. Адже вони набагато потужніші, ніж усе, що ми заново споживаємо у дорослому віці.
Я не знаю, чи вдалося мені пояснити, чому "ГП і МРМ" варто читати. Взагалі-то усі ці думки прийшли мені в голову уже пізніше, після третього й фінального прочитання, якщо бути точним (перші два рази я дочитувала до місця, до якого на той час існував переклад з англійської). Але коли я верталася до цієї історії знову і знову, усього цього в моїй голові не було. А було просто "ВАУ". Дайте ще. Два. І побільше.
Ризикнути і повірити твору "Гаррі Поттер і Методи раціонального мислення" (далі МРМ) - варто, на мою скромну думку. Наповненість цієї історії смислами, барвистість і насиченість ГП-світу вражає. Увага до деталей - зашкалює. Іронічність інтерпретації цих деталей змітає байдужість під нуль.
Що це взагалі таке - "ГП і МРМ"? Елієзер Юдковські, американський дослідник в області штучного інтелекту /а не просто якийсь жевжик з вулиці/, створив на основі історії про Хлопчика-що-вижив власну історію, наповнивши її дорослими персонажами, їхні вчинки - достовірною мотивацією, розвиток дії - новою логікою та смислами, опираючись на наукові концепції з різних областей знань. На виході ми отримуємо ніби знову перший рік навчання Гаррі у Гоґвортсі, але наповнений стількома неймовірними речами, що за сюжетом і персонажами слідкуєш з шаленими цікавістю та нетерпінням (нечасте відчуття для дорослого читача, чи не так? ;)
/Сюжетну арку, пов'язану з Азкабаном (близько 10-ти доволі об'ємних розділів) - ви зрозумієте, коли доберетеся до цього місця - я читала вночі, наступного дня прийшла на роботу абсолютним зомбі, але зупинитися було просто не сила/.
Чому "Методи раціонального мислення"? Концепція історії, її ідея - максимально раціональне використання людиною свого внутрішнього ресурсу. І це страшенно потужна сила.
Чому "Гаррі Поттер"? Бо на історії про Хлопчика-що-вижив виросло не одне покоління людей. Особисто я читала першу книгу в свої 11, а сьому - коли мені було 17 (якщо ви розумієте, про що я). Оперувати образами і смислами, які проникли у пам'ять та свідомість людей на етапі їх становлення - це в біса хитрий план, достойний слизеринця і ґрифіндорця водночас. Адже вони набагато потужніші, ніж усе, що ми заново споживаємо у дорослому віці.
Я не знаю, чи вдалося мені пояснити, чому "ГП і МРМ" варто читати. Взагалі-то усі ці думки прийшли мені в голову уже пізніше, після третього й фінального прочитання, якщо бути точним (перші два рази я дочитувала до місця, до якого на той час існував переклад з англійської). Але коли я верталася до цієї історії знову і знову, усього цього в моїй голові не було. А було просто "ВАУ". Дайте ще. Два. І побільше.
July 21, 2012
Harry Potter + science + philosophy = slightly mind boggling + very entertaining
All of the above is true.
However, whether or not I have truly read this fan fiction is a different question. In one sense, I have read it. In another, I have not. The reason for my discontinuity can easily be explained. I have read all of this work that exists up to this point in time. However, this book is far from complete.
In any case, though, I will accept that I have "read" this book because I can't be "currently-reading" something that is not available to be read by any members of the public.
On a different note (or, well, tone...)
I love this, I really do. When I read this fan fiction I can accomplish two of my favorite things at the same time: reading Harry Potter and learning.
In addition, if I hear anyone say that fan fiction is horrible garbage written by uneducated idiots (not that I've heard this exact phrasing before or even expect to in the future), I'll tell them to read this one. I'm sure it would be amusing to see their expressions once they actually try to read it. For one thing, it takes a ton of brain power to actually understand everything that goes on. In addition, this is definitely not a typical Harry Potter fan fiction. I would just love to see the amazement/bewilderment on their faces. Now that I really think of it, I imagine their expression would mirror one of Ron Weasley's/ Rupert Grint's faces in the Harry Potter movies. (I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about.)
All of the above is true.
However, whether or not I have truly read this fan fiction is a different question. In one sense, I have read it. In another, I have not. The reason for my discontinuity can easily be explained. I have read all of this work that exists up to this point in time. However, this book is far from complete.
In any case, though, I will accept that I have "read" this book because I can't be "currently-reading" something that is not available to be read by any members of the public.
On a different note (or, well, tone...)
I love this, I really do. When I read this fan fiction I can accomplish two of my favorite things at the same time: reading Harry Potter and learning.
In addition, if I hear anyone say that fan fiction is horrible garbage written by uneducated idiots (not that I've heard this exact phrasing before or even expect to in the future), I'll tell them to read this one. I'm sure it would be amusing to see their expressions once they actually try to read it. For one thing, it takes a ton of brain power to actually understand everything that goes on. In addition, this is definitely not a typical Harry Potter fan fiction. I would just love to see the amazement/bewilderment on their faces. Now that I really think of it, I imagine their expression would mirror one of Ron Weasley's/ Rupert Grint's faces in the Harry Potter movies. (I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about.)
December 16, 2013
Simply Brilliant. Arguably one of the best books I have read so far. Definitely better than the original Harry Potter itself. It's not meant to be a spoof, but an espousal of the author's philosophy of rationality. This book is so realistic, even though it's based on magic. It makes you reflect on life. Above all, it keeps you guessing till the very end because the author refuses to categorize characters in the book as being good or evil. And the best part is, the book is free to download from hpmor.com and is still being written (the author releases a new chapter each month)!
March 26, 2014
I will keep this review brief and to the point. First off, all the negative reviews come from people who are either too stupid to understand it or are too in love with the Potterverse to accept something better. Keep that in mind.
Written with a magical version of Ender Wiggin, Harry Potter is a child genius who is skilled in the ways of science and (Yudkowsky's brand of) rationality. Naturally, Eliezer toys with all the loopholes of Rowling's original works, and adds far more depth to the characters and plot. It's hard to explain or summarize, not being a genius myself, but I can tell you that it is worth every second of reading. If you need to kill an hour, or if you want to lose yourself in a world of sense and reason, then this is the story for you.
WARNINGS: The story rips the original books apart with how simple and childish the plots and characters were. If you are a true disciple of the original series, you won't like this, because you won't want to admit how much better it is. Also, infodumps. Lots of them. But they will make you smarter, so grit your teeth and trudge through. Lots of plot twists and bizarre turns, but Eliezer has a plan for how everything will turn out, so don't worry about loose ends.
HPMoR is a crossroads. Choose the right path, and you become a smarter, more logical person. Choose the wrong path, and you will remain unenlightened. Which path to take depends on who you are. Depending on the outcome, I will know whether or not you are a member of the Bayesian Conspiracy.
Alright, my praise is done. Time to get back to reading... I forgot to mention - this story never ends.
Written with a magical version of Ender Wiggin, Harry Potter is a child genius who is skilled in the ways of science and (Yudkowsky's brand of) rationality. Naturally, Eliezer toys with all the loopholes of Rowling's original works, and adds far more depth to the characters and plot. It's hard to explain or summarize, not being a genius myself, but I can tell you that it is worth every second of reading. If you need to kill an hour, or if you want to lose yourself in a world of sense and reason, then this is the story for you.
WARNINGS: The story rips the original books apart with how simple and childish the plots and characters were. If you are a true disciple of the original series, you won't like this, because you won't want to admit how much better it is. Also, infodumps. Lots of them. But they will make you smarter, so grit your teeth and trudge through. Lots of plot twists and bizarre turns, but Eliezer has a plan for how everything will turn out, so don't worry about loose ends.
HPMoR is a crossroads. Choose the right path, and you become a smarter, more logical person. Choose the wrong path, and you will remain unenlightened. Which path to take depends on who you are. Depending on the outcome, I will know whether or not you are a member of the Bayesian Conspiracy.
Alright, my praise is done. Time to get back to reading... I forgot to mention - this story never ends.
September 4, 2013
Okay, so this gets tricky.
The first, say, ten-fifteen chapters were AMAZING. I was cracking up (I snorted my soda at pretty much the same times Harry hacked up his Comed-Tea) at the many absolutely hysterical moments that come up when Harry is a complete brilliant jerk with negligible people skills (he has them in theory- probably because he read about them- and he can manipulate, but otherwise...).
Then, by about chapter 15 (maybe not til chapter 20) I just started getting bored. The writing was getting repetitive, Harry's character turned into an unrealistic combo of jerk and saint, and he just seemed, in general, like an author insert. Don't get me wrong- I'm up to chapter 30 and still reading. But it's lost a LOT.
Honestly, at least two of those stars are for the absolutely PRICELESS moments (Comed-Tea, especially with Draco; "I had a pet rock. It died."; 99% of the Harry-McGonagall scenes in the beginning). The problem is that the number of them seems to be inversely related to the chapter number, which means that it's just getting heavier and dryer.
This review doesn't look like it matches with a 4 star rating, but it does, in this weird mental calculation in my head. I think it's worth a shot- pretty much any sci-fi geek will at least get a mild kick out of the first couple of chapters. It will take a die-hard rationalist who doesn't mind being lectured by Harry Sues to keep going and completely enjoy it.
The first, say, ten-fifteen chapters were AMAZING. I was cracking up (I snorted my soda at pretty much the same times Harry hacked up his Comed-Tea) at the many absolutely hysterical moments that come up when Harry is a complete brilliant jerk with negligible people skills (he has them in theory- probably because he read about them- and he can manipulate, but otherwise...).
Then, by about chapter 15 (maybe not til chapter 20) I just started getting bored. The writing was getting repetitive, Harry's character turned into an unrealistic combo of jerk and saint, and he just seemed, in general, like an author insert. Don't get me wrong- I'm up to chapter 30 and still reading. But it's lost a LOT.
Honestly, at least two of those stars are for the absolutely PRICELESS moments (Comed-Tea, especially with Draco; "I had a pet rock. It died."; 99% of the Harry-McGonagall scenes in the beginning). The problem is that the number of them seems to be inversely related to the chapter number, which means that it's just getting heavier and dryer.
This review doesn't look like it matches with a 4 star rating, but it does, in this weird mental calculation in my head. I think it's worth a shot- pretty much any sci-fi geek will at least get a mild kick out of the first couple of chapters. It will take a die-hard rationalist who doesn't mind being lectured by Harry Sues to keep going and completely enjoy it.
March 2, 2023
At the time of this review the story is 103 chapters, and counting, long (longer than the actual books), and still within the timeframe of the first book. Set to end March 2015.
An alternate world where the role of Harry Potter is played by a somewhat sociopathic Sheldon Cooper. Instead of marrying the repugnant mr. Dursley, Harry's aunt Petunia married a respected physicist resulting in Harry being raised in a loving environment where knowledge is praised and making the most of your life an acceptable goal. Harry approaches the wizarding world armed with the best weapons logic can provide; it's not long before Harry's confusing concepts of science and rationality turn the wizarding world upside down.
This monster of a fanfic is brilliant; in terms of sheer size and detail. The author has taken god knows how long applying scientific principles to the whimsical world of Harry Potter. Harry spends a good deal of time holding his head as the rules of the universe turn against him (apparently, the world does really want you to say 'wingardium leviousa').
Throughout the 85 chapters I've read so far, there have only been a few occasions where I've been pulled out of the story (such as when Harry starts preaching atheism to Dumbledore for an unbearably lengthy time) and only one real example of someone acting out of character (with Goyle pausing to question Quirrel's martial arts skills before attacking).
Now, I'm not sure if this story has improved my rationalizing skills or not, but it is definitely worth reading in it's entirety. It's fun to see how a reasonable person would deal with the inconsistencies in the Potterverse, even if the scientific theories do come across as a little dense in some places. Looking forward to seeing where this story goes from here.
Update to chapter 103:
This is the second time I have read to completion. The ending of the story is scheduled to go live in mid-February, I look forward to reading it.
This story is still epic. It does take a serious dark turn between where I last finished and this point. I can't wait to see how it'll end.
***Reading Challenge 2015: A book with more than 500 pages***
An alternate world where the role of Harry Potter is played by a somewhat sociopathic Sheldon Cooper. Instead of marrying the repugnant mr. Dursley, Harry's aunt Petunia married a respected physicist resulting in Harry being raised in a loving environment where knowledge is praised and making the most of your life an acceptable goal. Harry approaches the wizarding world armed with the best weapons logic can provide; it's not long before Harry's confusing concepts of science and rationality turn the wizarding world upside down.
This monster of a fanfic is brilliant; in terms of sheer size and detail. The author has taken god knows how long applying scientific principles to the whimsical world of Harry Potter. Harry spends a good deal of time holding his head as the rules of the universe turn against him (apparently, the world does really want you to say 'wingardium leviousa').
Throughout the 85 chapters I've read so far, there have only been a few occasions where I've been pulled out of the story (such as when Harry starts preaching atheism to Dumbledore for an unbearably lengthy time) and only one real example of someone acting out of character (with Goyle pausing to question Quirrel's martial arts skills before attacking).
Now, I'm not sure if this story has improved my rationalizing skills or not, but it is definitely worth reading in it's entirety. It's fun to see how a reasonable person would deal with the inconsistencies in the Potterverse, even if the scientific theories do come across as a little dense in some places. Looking forward to seeing where this story goes from here.
Update to chapter 103:
This is the second time I have read to completion. The ending of the story is scheduled to go live in mid-February, I look forward to reading it.
This story is still epic. It does take a serious dark turn between where I last finished and this point. I can't wait to see how it'll end.
***Reading Challenge 2015: A book with more than 500 pages***
May 17, 2016
Я сделала это! 2007 вордовских или 25700 эпабовских страниц. Я уже не помню когда такие марафоны в последний раз делала.
Произведение стоит читать, и стоит не боятся его отнюдь не маленьких размеров. Оно сможет вас удивить. Запутать, насмешить, но да, в конечном итоге очень удивлить.
Стиль написания автора приятный, хоть и пестрит научными словечками, понять некоторые из них поможет разве что гугл.
Персонажи ушли от канона на столько далеко, на сколько это вообще возможно. Семимильными шагами. Но именно поэтому читать было интересно, трудно предугадать последствия чьих-либо действий.
У Гарри Поттера была Харизма. У Драко Малфоя была Харизма. У Невила Лонгботема была, чёрт подери, ХАРИЗМА. У Ро, увы, такого не было. Но и ее первоисточник хорош. Автор данного фанфика уделил внимание очень многим второстепенным персонажам, сделав их необычайно интересными и подающими надежду. Их действия было предугадать легче, но и они вносили приличный вклад в развитие сюжета.
В фанфике много загадок. Если вы любитель подобного - добро пожаловать, все 2007 вордовских страницы ждут когда вы их прочитаете.
О переводе: русский перевод хороший. Он не так давно был выложен до конца, и сейчас проходит вычитку. Переводчики передавали игру слов (автор её явно обожает) как можно точнее, а если не было возможности: оставляли сноску с объяснением в чем была вся соль.
Определённо, когда-нибудь я сяду и перечитаю Методы рационального мышления. Зная чем все закончится, я буду обращать внимание на малейшие детали, выискивая лазейки и подсказки автора.
Итоговая оценка: 10 из 10
Произведение стоит читать, и стоит не боятся его отнюдь не маленьких размеров. Оно сможет вас удивить. Запутать, насмешить, но да, в конечном итоге очень удивлить.
Стиль написания автора приятный, хоть и пестрит научными словечками, понять некоторые из них поможет разве что гугл.
Персонажи ушли от канона на столько далеко, на сколько это вообще возможно. Семимильными шагами. Но именно поэтому читать было интересно, трудно предугадать последствия чьих-либо действий.
У Гарри Поттера была Харизма. У Драко Малфоя была Харизма. У Невила Лонгботема была, чёрт подери, ХАРИЗМА. У Ро, увы, такого не было. Но и ее первоисточник хорош. Автор данного фанфика уделил внимание очень многим второстепенным персонажам, сделав их необычайно интересными и подающими надежду. Их действия было предугадать легче, но и они вносили приличный вклад в развитие сюжета.
В фанфике много загадок. Если вы любитель подобного - добро пожаловать, все 2007 вордовских страницы ждут когда вы их прочитаете.
О переводе: русский перевод хороший. Он не так давно был выложен до конца, и сейчас проходит вычитку. Переводчики передавали игру слов (автор её явно обожает) как можно точнее, а если не было возможности: оставляли сноску с объяснением в чем была вся соль.
Определённо, когда-нибудь я сяду и перечитаю Методы рационального мышления. Зная чем все закончится, я буду обращать внимание на малейшие детали, выискивая лазейки и подсказки автора.
Итоговая оценка: 10 из 10
February 24, 2019
Це просто офігезна книга, must read. Її радили багато моїх авторитетів і я таки прочитав. Книга створена з серії фанфіків американського вченого Елізера Юдковського і розповідає альтернативну історію Гаррі Поттера з альтернативного всесвіту. В ній Гаррі - дитина-вундеркінд котрий виріс в люблячій сім'ї. Його прийомний батько - вчений, і сам Гаррі мріє про кар'єру вченого. Але тут приходе лист до Гоґвортсу і все йде не за планом. Хлопець вирішує піти вчитись магії, щоб потім дослідити її механізми роботи і використовувати її на благо всього людства.
Сюжет дуже захоплюючий. В цій історії Гаррі попадає в Когтевран і “дружить“ з Драко і все виглядає дуже логічно, як так і мало було бути в оригінналі =) Він розповідає чарівникам, що магли вже досліджують космос і літали на Місяць. І ті, ясна річ, йому не вірять) Цікаво дивитись на світ Магічої Британії Джоан Роулінг очима раціоналіста, при умові - що магія в цьому світі логічна, хоч і порушує закони фізики. Ти починаєш розуміти, що багато речей там не мають сенсу. Як золотий сніч. Правила квіддіча нелогічні, так як ловець піймавши сніч повністю перекреслює роботу всієї команди. Було б логічно відмінити сніч, або відокремити його в окрему гру.
Цікаво спостерігати як Гаррі схрещує маглівську науку з магією і таким чином робить неймовірні речі. Екшину досить багато і я декілька разів був в легкому шоці від сюжетних поворотів. Ну і ясне діло - феєрична кінцівка) Хотілось би розповісти більше - але я ненавиджу спойлери і хочу, щоб ви відчули ті ж самі емоції як я)
Сам автор радить прочитати спочатку перші десять глав, і якщо книга не зайде - кинути і не читати далі. Бо час - це найцінніше що в нас є. Книга, як на мене, досить велика і читати її ви будете довго. Але я не жалію ні єдиної хвилини витраченої на неї.
Давно не відчував такого задоволення від читання. Я більше не зможу читати оригінальні історії Гаррі Поттера або дивитись фільми. Тепер вони будуть для мене дуже банальними і наївними. Як сказала одна розумна людина: “Не важливо, що ти прочитав. Важливо що в тобі змінилось після прочитання”. Я точно можу сказати, що я ще більше полюбив науку і повірив в її силу. Став більш раціонально мислити, шукати логіку в подіях і думати про те - кому ці події вигідні. Став ретельніше аналізувати свої думки, шукати їх коріння і шукати наукове підтвердження стереотипів вбитих з дитинства.
Сюжет дуже захоплюючий. В цій історії Гаррі попадає в Когтевран і “дружить“ з Драко і все виглядає дуже логічно, як так і мало було бути в оригінналі =) Він розповідає чарівникам, що магли вже досліджують космос і літали на Місяць. І ті, ясна річ, йому не вірять) Цікаво дивитись на світ Магічої Британії Джоан Роулінг очима раціоналіста, при умові - що магія в цьому світі логічна, хоч і порушує закони фізики. Ти починаєш розуміти, що багато речей там не мають сенсу. Як золотий сніч. Правила квіддіча нелогічні, так як ловець піймавши сніч повністю перекреслює роботу всієї команди. Було б логічно відмінити сніч, або відокремити його в окрему гру.
Цікаво спостерігати як Гаррі схрещує маглівську науку з магією і таким чином робить неймовірні речі. Екшину досить багато і я декілька разів був в легкому шоці від сюжетних поворотів. Ну і ясне діло - феєрична кінцівка) Хотілось би розповісти більше - але я ненавиджу спойлери і хочу, щоб ви відчули ті ж самі емоції як я)
Сам автор радить прочитати спочатку перші десять глав, і якщо книга не зайде - кинути і не читати далі. Бо час - це найцінніше що в нас є. Книга, як на мене, досить велика і читати її ви будете довго. Але я не жалію ні єдиної хвилини витраченої на неї.
Давно не відчував такого задоволення від читання. Я більше не зможу читати оригінальні історії Гаррі Поттера або дивитись фільми. Тепер вони будуть для мене дуже банальними і наївними. Як сказала одна розумна людина: “Не важливо, що ти прочитав. Важливо що в тобі змінилось після прочитання”. Я точно можу сказати, що я ще більше полюбив науку і повірив в її силу. Став більш раціонально мислити, шукати логіку в подіях і думати про те - кому ці події вигідні. Став ретельніше аналізувати свої думки, шукати їх коріння і шукати наукове підтвердження стереотипів вбитих з дитинства.
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