this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2023
1 points (100.0% liked)

ReadAtLeastOnce

1 readers
1 users here now

Welcome to ReadAtLeastOnce, a passionate community of book lovers! This is the place where we discuss and recommend those life-changing, thought-provoking, and unputdownable books that we believe everyone should get their hands on at least once. From timeless classics to undiscovered gems, let's explore the world of literature together!

Rules:

  1. Stay On Topic: All posts must be about book recommendations or discussions.

  2. Respect Everyone: Polite and respectful conversation is a must. Remember, everyone has a different taste in books.

  3. No Spam Allowed: Avoid self-promotion, spam, or non-disclosure of affiliation.

  4. Descriptive Titles: Use clear, informative titles for your posts.

  5. Avoid Reposts: Check the community before posting to avoid repeating recommendations.

  6. Spoilers: Use spoiler tags when discussing specific plot points or endings.

Let's create a haven for bibliophiles and share those books that have touched our hearts, expanded our minds, or simply provided us with a wonderful escape!

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

I grew up with the Harry Potter series and loved it as a kid, but I can't pretend it's actually good writing. It's full of all kinds of plot holes, the wizarding universe doesn't make a lot of sense, there's thinly veiled bigotry (particularly prominent in the naming of characters), and Rowling as a person is all sorts of problematic that I can't endorse giving money to.

But Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, or HPMOR for short, is a really unique and fascinating full length fan work for any fan of Harry Potter (and also anyone who read Harry Potter and just didn't get the fuss). Though you don't actually need to have read Harry Potter to enjoy HPMOR, as it mostly reuses characters and settings but is otherwise entirely original.

The premise is simple: what if Harry was actually smart? In fact, not just smart, but a child genius. The wizarding universe as a setting with all its flaws isn't changed, but Harry recognizes those flaws and takes advantage of them. You can think of this book like someone very smart nitpicked over the Harry Potter universe trying to identify everything that doesn't make sense or would be "overpowered". It admittedly does often have "I am very smart" vibes that can sometimes get a little cringeworthy, but it's overall extremely entertaining and a one of a kind work that I wish I could reexperience for the first time.

It's also not just Harry being smart, because that would be boring if it was just him. Voldemort is also recharacterized to be much more competent and intelligent. This sets up interesting conflicts that I won't elaborate on to avoid spoilers, but I can say that the way Voldemort is characterized is brilliant and far better than the actual Harry Potter books.

Overall, it's one of the most entertaining books I've ever read and a fascinating critique of sorts of the original Harry Potter series that many of us grew up with.

no comments (yet)
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
there doesn't seem to be anything here