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Complete Boy Who Lived by Megii of Mesteri OusStranger - K+

Discussion in 'The Alternates' started by T3t, Jun 14, 2011.

  1. T3t

    T3t Purple Beast of DLP ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Title: Boy Who Lived
    Author: Megii of Mesteri OusStranger
    Rating: K+
    Genre: Family/Drama
    DLP Category: Time Travel
    Pairing: Harry/Merope
    Chapters: 6
    Words: 28,745
    Updated: March 11, 2011
    Published: February 4, 2011

    Status: Complete
    Summary: Not even the birth of her son could compel Merope to continue living after her husband's abandonment, but the green-eyed stranger sitting by her deathbed, cradling her squalling babe, proves to be an unexpected savior. Time Travel. Rare Pair: HarryxMerope
    Link: FFN

    By the same author who wrote The Crown of Mètis. A family-centered piece, so perhaps not DLP's usual fare, but this is a very good exploration of the Harry-Tom father and son dynamic that usually gets fucked up by shitty writers. Merope is done fairly well for what is almost an OC in canon. I can't say much else without spoilers, but the fic is fairly short and should be read.


    Checked by Minion, January 11, 2013
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 11, 2013
  2. Jjf88

    Jjf88 Auror

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    I'm gonna try this, although I get the feeling I'll not believe it because Merope is a hideous creature from the deep who is inbred.
     
  3. T3t

    T3t Purple Beast of DLP ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    The Harry/Merope relationship is not the main focus of the story, nor does the author pretend Merope is particularly good looking.
     
  4. Jormungandr

    Jormungandr Prisoner

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    I liked this; the writing was solid, characterizations were great, although I do wish that Harry's history had been explored more.

    Tom's characterization was especially good.

    4/5.
     
  5. TheWiseTomato

    TheWiseTomato Prestigious Tomato ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Interesting. Strictly a family romance, but still a good read. While it could have been expanded, it succeeds in what it set out to do.

    The lines where they were talking about Tom's killing of the Riddle's not affecting his Head Boy position because they were out of school seemed a bit...strange. I mean, so long as you do your killing outside school hours it's ok, right?
     
  6. T3t

    T3t Purple Beast of DLP ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Yeah, their reaction to that was pretty much the only part that bugged me in the story.
     
  7. Catman

    Catman DA Member

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    Yeah that part was strange, the best way I could take it was a parent simply trying to console there son without telling him killing his family was acceptable behavior.

    I especially enjoyed that they had Tom struggle with quote on quote normal behavior/feelings. I read one Harry adopts Tom story way back in the day, and it was sickening because of how pussified the author made Tom (also in that story Tom was adopted at 8 or so, he had spent quite some time in the orphanage). Having Tom deal with these feelings regardless of his upbringing did justice to his character, as it was in canon. Deciding that mass murderers weren't just the product of their environment was a nice change of pace.
     
  8. Qilin

    Qilin Fourth Year

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    I liked this one as well. Odd scene aside, I enjoyed the side details, like the fact that Harry wasn't able to tell them about future events.

    I liked the fact that this story ended without detailing future events; because it leaves me wondering if Tom will be able to keep his relationships. It seems like it would be a much harder path without giving up and turning into Voldemort or something like that.
     
  9. Myst

    Myst Headmaster

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    Not bad at all. This fic certainly succeeds in what it was created to do. A nice little family drama. Tom's characterization was great!

    4/5
     
  10. Zeitgeist

    Zeitgeist High Inquisitor

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    Hm, the writing was good and the characterisations contextually made sense, but I felt like something was... lacking. Perhaps I'm just used to reading longer fics, but Boy Who Lived seemed a little short. Megii could have explored a few more things, such as the Merope/Tom dynamic more. I was also expecting some Albus/Tom conversations. Does Dumbledore still have his suspicions about Tom in this universe?

    Moreover, what happens to Tom after graduation? Will he maintain his "circle" of future-DE friends? I recognise that Megii said that the story was meant to be a family-oriented fic about Harry's influence on Tom, but there were a few more stories that could have been told, I think.

    Another chapter or so to tie more loose ends might have been nice.

    3.5-4/5
     
  11. Kurufinwe

    Kurufinwe Groundskeeper

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    Pretty good fic, but overall not library worth. The scene with Tom killing Riddle's was a little off in my opinion. It can be said that parents will always see the best in their children and love them anyway. Maybe if it was a bit longer, it would be better ?
    4/5
     
  12. TheWiseTomato

    TheWiseTomato Prestigious Tomato ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    If it wasn't library worth, why the 4/5...?
     
  13. Kurufinwe

    Kurufinwe Groundskeeper

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    For me it's from 4.5/5...
     
  14. Richard

    Richard Supreme Mugwump

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    Loved the story, even if it was a little too short. But a great story anyway. I haven't seen a good Harry/Merope pairing before, this is the first. Awesome.
     
  15. Reuben

    Reuben Squib

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    A decent little story, if a bit short. I felt that the author could have done more with the deaths of the Riddles, but aside from that it seemed to be a solid enough story. I'd like to see a sequel from the author, with Tom struggling to function as an adult while dealing with his issues.

    4/5
     
  16. Socialist

    Socialist Professor

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    An interesting little piece. 3.75/5, since it felt somewhat.. dry.

    Also, taken out of context:

    So wrong, in so many levels
     
  17. Euro

    Euro Sixth Year DLP Supporter

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    Well, it was a really nice read, relaxing even. Definitely original and despite mentioned concerns of illogic;

    Tom killing his muggle father and grandparents and Harry just waving it off and hoping for the best. It seemed to me like it was justifying multiple murders of muggles and a muggleborn, just to teach Tom that killing is bad. The Greater Good and all.

    it is 4/5 for me.

    I really liked the lack of details about Harry's arrival and throughout the story, it was refreshing and played more on the imagination like the author intended. On the other hand, the last chapter was poorer for it and the ending was too rushed.
     
  18. NoxedSalvation

    NoxedSalvation Temporarily Banhammered

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    I don't know how this story got all these good reviews here on DLP, in my eyes it has too many flaws to be considered library worthy. To be frank, there is a shit load of logical errors, stupid plot devices and butchered characterizations in this fic. Take a look at the most glaring ones:

    1) The Harry/Merope ship sets sail much too easy, the reader doesn't get to see much of the damage done to her psyche by her family and the disaster with TR sr, instead you get this sugary teen romance with blushing, tears and endless dating cliches.

    2) This Harry is even whimpier than the canon character- instead of using the stupidity of the DoM (they let him run around freely) to escape, he submits to be their guinea pig. That's not only pathetic, but totally incoherent.

    3) The incompetence manifested in the way they bring Tom up is ridiculous- they don't tell him about his biological father, they don't inform him about blood prejudice, they live like hermits instead of integrating into the magical community.

    4) Why would Harry just sit on his ass while his son has woken the Basilisk and admitted it to his face?:facepalm In chapter 5 the story takes a bad turn into "lala"- land.

    5) The whole "Yeah, you killed a whole family, including your biological father, here is a slap on your wrist, now go on and become headboy!" part is just icing on the cake of utter absurdity this fic has become in its second half.

    6) I'm not a "nurture over nature" proponent, but the way Tom's psychopathic disposition (inability to feel empathy/love) seems to trump everything a pair of loving parents could offer him, only to be cast aside for the Minerva love affair and the happy end is not only grating, but casts doubt on the cognitive abilities of the author.

    I give this a very reluctant 2/5 for competent technical writing and an interesting, if poorly executed, premise.
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2011
  19. Starwind

    Starwind Headmaster

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    I agree with the above about Harry being too leniant, and while Tom seems a little different than in canon, the whole raised by a loving family dynamic hasn't really been explored- but then the author seems to like Voldemort so I think that's why that is- anyways, the writing is good quality, but some of the things just don't make any sense.

    3/5.
     
  20. Roma

    Roma Fourth Year

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    Yeah it's the fact that the author really dosen't commit to anything. Either Tom is a psychopath who would end up as a Voldemortesque person regardless of upbringing, or being raised by loving parents would completely change who he ultimately becomes. The whole sociopath/psychopath debate is based off of the nature/nurture argument, so if the author was going for the idea that Tom was born this way a different upbringing won't really change anything, his goals and tactics might change, but he will still end up being Voldemort.
     
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