Haha, I was extremely surprised to see the author of that fic. I stumbled across a story by him a couple of months ago about quidditch (Making History or something?), read it and left him a review. I ended up talking with him in PM's for a while, because I thought the story had potential if he worked on a few areas. I thought he'd stopped writing, but it looks like he just rewrote the story.

I'm going to read it now and see if he took my advice, but from what I read in his previous story it should be pretty decent.

Edit: I'm only up to chapter two, and I'm already a bit dissapointed. I'll continue reading, but... At least he seems to have cut out some of the weaker parts of his first story.

 

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7352166/1/Protection_From_Nargles

Harry/Luna romance fic, starting 5th year. It's pretty good, probably good enough to get into the library when compared to the rest of the romance fics in there. Spelling and grammar is flawless.

It's fluffy, lighthearted, and it doesn't take itself too seriously, which is all nice when it comes to these kind of fics. There's no overly contrived drama either (unlike that one Harry/Tonks fic) which adds to it's readability. This story expands upon a lot of canon elements and builds the story around them nicely I think, without having to resort to poorly thought out imaginary creatures and the like.

The story's not perfect. While I think the Harry/Luna interactions are quite good, most of the scenes involving Ron and Hermione are subpar, especially chapter 5. She's too perspective and makes too big of a deal out of such things, such as Harry smiling, as if he's not allowed to be happy without her permission, but those scenes are very minimal to the story as a whole.

Overall, I'd give the story a 4/5. There's not many good romance stories at all, so when you take that into account, the story could be rated higher I think. If other people agree with me, then I'll post it in review eventually, if not, oh well.

 

I vaguely remember reading this and iirc it was okay. Actually it's pretty much perfect for this thread. Not great, but I don't regret wasting my time with it.

 

The Needs of the One
Harry/Hermione
Rated: T
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7062528/21/The_Needs_of_the_One
Summary: Twelve years after the war and Hermione is still waiting for her happily ever after to begin as she cares for a mentally tortured Harry. She has a plan to save him but must choose between the needs of the many or the one. Timetravel with a twist. AU. H/Hr


Interesting premise. The author starts out with a Harry that is horribly afflicted with PTSD, his magic making him a danger to himself and others. The writing is great, but is marred in later chapters by a "soul bond" that "marries them in the eyes of the law at the age of 14". :facepalm Luckily, this isn't truly touched on often, though in later chapters the author expands on their ability to speak mentally and require a certain physical proximity.

That said, the story is somewhat fun to read, nothing I'd add to the library, but I would give it a 2.5/5 --

Warning: not for those who will throw their computer at some of the worse ffnet cliches getting mixed in. Soul bond indeed.

 

This was a very entertaining read- great characterization of Luna, many scenes that made me chuckle and a lot of enjoyable fluff. Thanks for the rec, I think this is actually library worthy.

4/5

 

Correspondence Uninterrupted

meh.

3/5

 

Now with a sequel.

 

Latest chapter he gets his own philosophers stone..... Slowly going downhill in my opinion.

 

NO YOU SPOILED IT. But yeah, I'd give this story about a 2/5. And I'd only go that high because the author seems to have a decent grasp of the English language.

 

Still doing better than deprived though, partial veela bond crap... And not gonna spoil the latest chapter but it fails.

 

Yes, at first I was really disappointed in that. Luckily the author realized he was treading the path of super!harry, and made it so that having a philosophers stone really didn't do anything without DECADES if not CENTURIES of study. Seems interesting, and I'll keep reading... but 3/5.

 

Not really, he only said Harry had to find out on his own. Me thinks a deus ex is lurking on the conner, as soon as Harry needs it to defeat someone.

 

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6382581/1/

Social services removes Harry from his relatives and notifies Sirius Black. Walburga receives the letter and adopts Harry. This is a moderately interesting and well written piece of fanfiction. Unfortunately the update rate is horrible.

 

Six paragraphs in and I am already terrified.

This could be innocent, who knows, but I am getting some seriously bad vibes.

 

A couple of red flags for me:
* Needlessly keeping the Dursley's in the story.
* Some "blood change" ritual.
* Changing Harry's name, probably one of my bigger pet peeves.
* And every character is unlikable. Seriously, they all suck.
Add all of that to the fact that it took the author nearly 2 years to write less than 30k and this story has nothing going for it.

 

It's also really poorly written.

 

Luckily it seems that the Dursley's are no longer in the story -- though I could see them entering in again after Hogwarts, Dumbledore being who he is. The name change on Harry Potter was done intelligently, with adequate reasoning behind it -- both the bigoted, unthinking hatred of all things Potter and the need to hide the Potter child from the magical world. The blood change ritual seemed like a quick deus ex machina to get over the fact that Harry is a half-blood, something that Walburga would never accept.

As for likability, Mrs. Black is obnoxious, unthinking and two dimensional. However I will be interested in how the change will turn around with Sirius home.

I would rate it higher, but with such a slow update pace.... 3/5

 

This story is shit. 2/5 at best, although I'm leaning towards 1/5. It's poorly written and the chapters have no sense of continuity. The plot doesn't make sense and the motivations of the characters are one-dimensional.

 

Any of you guys have opinions on Harry Potter and the Price of Being Noble?

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5403795/1/Harry_Potter_and_the_Price_of_Being_Noble

It looked like a solid Harry/Fleur fic from a distance with a long length, but at one point Hermione gets heavily involved in their romance. Writing is functional.

 

I do believe that it has been extensively discussed on the forums, somewhere?