Title: Shadow Play
Author: Thor Nairda
Rating: M
Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance
Chapters: 26
Words: 201,000 (txt-file)
Updated: August 11, 2007
Published: October 8, 2006
Status: Abandoned
Pairings: Harry/Various girls
Summary: Sixth year fic. Suffering new betrayls is never easy. Harry's life is taken for a ride when he gains a new mentor and becomes a wanted criminal, while Voldemort begins plans involving the ministry and ancient devices. HPVarious throughout, darkish harry.
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1910355/1/
Link (26 chapters as txt): http://onj1.andrelouis.com/hp/Thor Nairda/Shadow Play.txt
Link (first 7 chapters): http://www.ficwad.com/story/30100

It's strange how no one had posted this before, seeing as it's one of the best active HP stories at the moment.

Well, Harry gets possesed by a spirit of some shadow mage who had died 3000 years ago and he becomes a shadow mage himself. The voice in his head trains him to use his new powers AND hit on chicks...

The biggest upside of this story is well written romance. Thor had introduced a lot of OC characters and then made them have normal romantic relationships for once - going out, making out, having sex, BREAKING UP! No soulmates for life crap, no harems or sex-slaves, no cheap angst/fluff, no stupid female POV romance (with neverending romantic statements and dweebs saving themselves for marrage)... NO FUCKING SHIPS! Very refreshing. More authors should write romance like this.

Harry is also a great character - independant, sarcastic & smart, but not overpowered or totally immoral. Dialogs are also excellent, as well as various subplots throughout the story. There are also some great new ideas and concepts about magical talents and powers.

Downside of this story is that it's written kinda chaotically, without some greater plan or purpose. Thor is obviously planning only several chapters in advance, thus it sometimes seems like the plot is going in circles, or totally spiralling out of control. Also, there is overabundance of OC characters, not all of whom are properly developed or activelly used.

But even with this, Shadow Play is truly remarkable and fun-to-read story, one of the best at the moment. I highly recomand it.

NOTE: Some admin should really invite Thor to this site (if you haven't already). The guy seems to have the right kind of attitude for this forum, judging by his stories and author profile.


Checked by Minion, Nov. 26, 2012
The story is no longer available on ff.net but the first chapters can be found on Ficwad, and 26 chapters as text file elsewhere. Thanks to Krishna for the info.

 

What's wrong with him being totally immoral?

 

Immorality is good when purpose if applied, but immorality for immorality’s sake is just a recipe for disaster, and bad plots.

In any case, I’ve been reading this story since the first chapter was posted and I still wait for updates like a lost puppy. The way that Harry acquired his powers and how he changed, developing both powers and personality was very well done; the relationship with the spirit was excellently developed, not to mention absolute fun to read. The approach to relationships, or lack there of, was a relatively new one at the time and very enjoyable to read.

Still, so much has happened to Harry that it does seem like the story is loosing control with no end in sight; the introduction of things for funs sake without any furthering of the plot annoys me from time to time, even if I do enjoy reading them. And it’s taking a lot longer to update then before.

But it’s a good, wickedly entertaining story that will keep you on your toes most of the time, and even cheering Harry on at both his many conquests and when he makes something his problem, kicking the fuck out of anything in his way.

 

Yes, it's like the guy had simply set up the stage and he's now just playing with characters, without any clear plot-progress or bigger picture in sight.

Only recently, when Harry started taking out DE's activly and Voldemort's colegues had arrived, there seems to be any meaningful plot direction in sight.

 

I loved the story it started well at first and like you've all said turned to shit with no real plot meh tis a shame! so off topic Raven when the fuck are you gonna up date? i cant stand the disappointment anymore when i come on and theres no update. :cry:

 

I would say this is what happened to his other story which is no finished...I was like wtf at the end oh well. This one's still very good last I remember. He was one of the earlier H/multi writers and the fact that he did it well meant there was a lot of imitators must of which sucked. Very original at the time. Good plot, good fights, a combination of wit and humor. The tease he had going within his mind was hilarious. I still remember when he introduced Fleur in a nurse's outfit. That was cliche done right and then there's the setup for Ron, which is always cool. Not too hot about getting him another girl right after but...mehe.

Overall, great story. Even if it does start sucking now, the author is definitely one of the jewels.

 

...i think that there may be a method to his insanity...and the vacation was just a phrase of uncreativness...but the city did seem to be very cool....but now that hes back in england i think that the story will pick up again...

 

I've read this story before and I think it is on the top five fic list of Devil Incarnate. I haven't read this story recently so I don't remember all of it but I do remember it's quality. Read it

 

I used to like this story but now I crave for a new plot altogether. I don't know why but the way this story is progressing really doesn't appeal to me much. Thus, I stopped reading this story long back. I tried to start reading again but can't seem to like it....

 

Yes, that part with Jetsons city kinda sucked, but I think it's getting better now, with Orion alive and Harry coming back to England. Actually, there's finally a sense of some meaningful plot dirrection, where Harry and his gang will race Voldie and the other dark lords towards that lost city... Could be interesting.

 

this one is one of the best ones i have read

 

Still one of the most original stories out there although updates are very slow. In his other story "the demon within" (pretty good beginning but then gets the wtf feeling) after the last chapter he said shadow play should be updated soon..

 

i think, i THInk this was the first hp fanfic i ever read. jesus that was a longt time ago. its just been one downward spiral ever since then. good story though, although i dislike the plotwists that involve neville becoming more......... not a pussy. I like his charcater fine, i just have trouble reading about a guy named neville longbottom (which is a wier dlast name in itself) act like either a badass or a pimp... or anything inbetween.

 

Yay he updated and its a pretty good chapter.

 

Story started going downhill when he went to that weird island. It WAS great. Now at best mediocre. And, unfortunately, all its original ideas have been ripped off (i.e. Shadow Powers).

 

It's really getting better lately - plot's slowly regaining structure, what with Harry & Orion finally taking the fight back to DE's and hints of some larger plot starting to show. If he'd just rewrite this story once it's over, remove Orion's "death", remove Jetsons city and tone down the number of OC's, it'd be one of the best HP fanfics ever.