Apologies if this has been requested before, I had a quick search of the forum and couldn't see anything but could well have missed it.

I've got a friend who is keen to read some Harry Potter fanfiction, having adored the books but never sampled any of the extra-canon delights available.

I am looking for recommendations for the best introductory work to the fandom.

My initial thought was Mira Mirth's "On the way to greatness", for the following reasons:

-canon compliant (they will know all the characters/locations/etc)

-close to canon plot (normally can be a negative but I think is most likely to hook a newbie)

-good standard of writing (obvious)

-USP (Unique Selling Point, it's clear straight away what the story is doing, it's a single deviation, with butterflies)

Obviously there are negatives; it's rather long for a first go, it's unfinished etc.

What I'd love from you all is alternative recommendations, how best would you tease people into the fandom?

 

A Black Comedy.

 

I was reading this again earlier and found it held a decent standard so... Backwards with Purpose by deadwoodpecker.

-decent drama
-much darker initial outcome while staying true to canon pairings
-original method of time travel to make right what once went wrong
-retelling school years with changes rather than skipping as some redo-fics do
-Decent characterizations for the settings, gets better around second year

The Lie I've Lived by jbern

Been a while since I've cracked Lie open, but opens around end of third year IIRC and begins stirring things up with Harry having inherited James' memories the night his parents died.

-fair to very competent Harry
-extended Triwizard Tournament
-builds on canon rivalries, adds non-canon rivalries for sake of drama however
-The, ah, antics with Fleur may be against the taste of your friend
-plot is fairly good for its time and holds up okay despite the cliches IMO.

 

I've never read Backwards with Purpose, when you say the writing picks up in second year is this quite far into the fic or relatively soon? I feel a good first impression is the way to go.

I am tempted by TLIL, thanks for reminding me. I think it's possibly a good thing to give them a story that is just one year (in keeping with the books) and it being for a newbie the cliches won't be a problem!

 

First chapter is the prologue to catch us up on what happened, why the world is so awful after the war, and then getting the time travel over and done with. By the end of the sixth chapter first year is through(just checked the fic).

I've only re-read up to chapter 4 this morning but things go off the rails insofar as the traveler's plans in second year if I'm remembering correctly, so that's why I say that it picks up there. It's mostly smooth sailing to where I'm at in year 1.

I'd agree with that reasoning, so yeah, probably go with that one.

 

Strangers at Drakehaugh (sp?) by Northumbrian is a fairly good choice for a new reader as well. Filling in the blanks after canon and told from the POV of their muggle neighbor, it's a fun, well-written piece that showcases the other function that fanfiction serves.

 

It's difficult to tell you what you should recommend for your friend if we don't know what your friend likes to read. Personally, I can't stand too much humor or parody in my reading, so Black Comedy would be a no.

I agree with your reasoning that offering him a completed fic first would probably be for the best. We can look at some good one shot or short fic that might leave a strong impression.

Cauterize by Lady Altair - A short but powerful piece about loss and sacrifice, and happens to be canon compliant.

Uncle Harry by R-Dude - A one shot of Harry and his wife (Daphne) visiting his cousin Dudley. While not canon compliant, it's a fairly light read.

The Duellist by Johnny Farar - Another one shot that's well written and explore the point of divergence of Harry taking an interesting in duelling in first year. I think I can safely say that many of us who read this fic are still looking for longer fic focused on this aspect.

Timely Errors by Worfe - This one diverges from canon quite a bit, but I always like to recommend it. It's light and yet has this dark undertone to it all through the story. Harry ends up in his parents' time and he has to cope with the reality that is his father and Sirius.

Across the Universe by Mira Mirth - Another powerful one shot. Harry gets transported to another universe following a suicide attempt after the war. How does he react to being confronted with his parents and the Boy-Who-Lived, Neville.

The Unforgiving Minute by Voice of Nephilim - Not canon compliant, but one hell of a read if you like time travel and action packed stories.

Concentric Wavelengths by Voice of Nephilim - Another time travel fic, this time centered on the DoM battle and it certainly deserves its tag of Horror.

Hope those suggestions help. With that many choices arrayed before you, I'm sure your friend can find something palatable to his taste!

 

Thanks for these, I was thinking of Cauterize as a great little snippet. I'm actually not sure of her reading preferences outside HP, probably worth checking!

 

I almost always recommend A Black Comedy as a first story. It's not a heavy read, and comedy bits help get someone accustomed. On the other hand, the story is sort of in a class of its own, which can be a let down when someone realizes that there are not that many stories of that caliber. Timely Errors is also a good choice, and its one of the stories that has held up the best.

If you're looking for something epic and complete, I'd recommend the Death Gate trilogy (starts with Ring of Gold). It was one of the first fics I read, and I reread it recently and it still holds up remarkably well. Also, since they're new, they probably don't hate Ginny yet so there's a lot of fics in that underworld.

 

A truly unique story that I really love is The Phoenix and the Serpent. It's an alternate year 5 with a take on the Flamels I've never seen before or since, and fantastic characterization and writing. Unfortunately it will never be completed, but it's still a lot of great words before the drop off.

 

Evil Be Thou My Good

A bloody, bloody cherry popping.

But ABC is good too

My personal introduction to fanfic were some unmemorable pieces in Polish when I was a scrub (well, more of a scrub than I am today) and couldn't English good. Then I read Circular Reasoning, beginning my going on a decade love-affair with it.

 

I think we all have those awesome fanfic that we just can't enough of. Mine was Timely Errors, I've read and reread that story so many times by now.