Title: Harry Potter and the Guardian Wand
Author: sikeus
Rating: T
Genre: Adventure
DLP Category: General Fics
Pairing: [None]
Published: 05-Feb-11
Updated: 27-Sep-11
Status: Complete
Word Count: 195,120

Links: FFN; Random Googlefu TXT Archive

Summary:
Dumbledore's dead. On the train ride home, cars are at a standstill, the electricity is out, fires burn unchecked from Scotland to London, and chaos reigns in muggle Britain. Somehow Harry has to survive this new world while destroying Voldemort.


A complete, very long apocalyptic story which centers around the Wizarding World's dependence on the state of the Muggle world. While the writing style isn't anything spectacular, the unavoidable technical mistakes are few and far in between. It's interesting to note that the author has successfully managed to capture that teenage "moodswing" which JKR has implemented in the later works. Save for the Prologue, it almost feels like a continuation of HBP, at least up to chapter 11.

Tentative 4/5

 

Why is your score tentative if the story is complete and (I presume) you've already read it?

It sounds interesting, and I'd take a look at it if I didn't have so much shit to do.

 

Because they haven't finished it. They've clearly read up to chapter 11.

 

The premise is something that's been heavily discussed, but not many fics of. Potentially, it could be seriously amazing, but I'm still on the first chapter and my suspension of disbelief is already wavering.

 

My impression was that the background hadn't really been thought out and the plot appeared to be quite aimless with the focus more on the day to day details than some real plan. Furthermore it has a weird AU feeling and is a bit too bland. At least I never got any impression of suspense.

I wouldn't give this more than a 2 but that may be enough for some people which want to read something which feels different.

 

It gets a lot better in later chapters. It has a weak beginning. I was particularly frustrated with Mr. Granger 'I'm a Survivalist'. I feel like smacking those morons around in real life whenever I meet them. Amazingly I have the same impulse with this story only worse since its like he is bragging. Points for realism there.

Nothing amazing but since it is somewhat original and entertained me the whole way through I am giving it a 4/5.

 

So it gets better? I'm up to chapter 16 and Hermione seems particularly irritating so far and Harry a little dumb. Maybe that's not the case but it's the impression I'm getting.

 

I read the first few chapters... They were slow, also it seemed as if all the magical population had no resources at all. You'd think the pure bloods and the richer families would have their house elves farm some of there land so that they wouldn't be eating muggle food.

It's at a 2/5 for me.

 

Read it all. Didn't really enjoy or regret.

It wasn't standout in any way, even though it had the premise to maybe be so. A post-nuclear-apocalypse world could have been really awesome, but it just all fell flat.

2/5

EDIT

It felt like a slightly better Starship Hedwig. A potentially great idea, kind of ruined and messed about too much to be awesome, but not completely terrible.

 

Mnnn, I agree with Thaumologist to an extent. Read it all but I didn't really enjoy it...

The greatest crime of this story is that it had the potential via its premise to be a really good story, and thus I kept waiting for it to become good but unfortunately it never occurred. I mean how did the author allow a post-nuclear apocalyptic world fall flat?

I'll also agree with Thaumologist that the story reminded me a lot of Starship Hedwig, though in my opinion, Starship Hedwig was a bit more exciting in my opinion than this.

2.5/5 for a good starting premise, decent writing, but horribly boring and falling entirely short of its potential.

 

I read this story as it was being published on FFN. The update pace was great even though the chapters were short.



On the negative side, it's got cute Goblin kids in it and Ollivander is a tree hopper. The start was interesting. Struggled to finish reading it.



2.5/5 for good writing.

 

I'm into dystopian/postapocalyptic stories so I decided to give this a shot & I'm disappointed. 2 stars & I'm being generous.

Some things of note:

Spoiler

1. Super!Ollivander!
2. No good guys died. If it's dystopian, a good guy has to die.
3. Little conflict & an extremely predictable plot. The story's punches are telegraphed well in advance with the exception of Ollivander's & Petunia's introductions.
4. Dumbledore lives.
5. Petunia is actually done pretty well. She's the most interesting character of the bunch with her special skill. I almost wish I could read more about her.

 

I tried to keep reading, despite all the little assaults on my willing suspension of disbelief. In spite of the wizard-power-checks that Rowling added in later–IMO to make the camping stuff dramatic–the scenario never really struck me as credible. Gamp's laws? Sauce was pouring out of Molly's wand in CoS (why does that sound dirty?)... but they can still duplicate food and refill drink...

Yes, if the muggle world went to hell, wizards would certainly suffer. That said, they have large preserves of land and a tremendous ability to control muggles and the environment; their way of life needn't change in the slightest, except maybe in terms of food by taking over farms and running all necessary equipment magically–they have almost no limitations on the use of their power now, since muggles are fractured and have no media, etc. I entirely reject the premise that wizards grow absolutely no food, in spite of the presence of magical food with intrinsically magical ingredients and a preponderance of magical slaves.

If anything, I see an apocalyptic scenario as envisioned in Incorruptible: The Dementor's Stigma, where wizards were doing reasonably well in spite of zombies... As has been said, a potentially awesome premise has been squandered:

"We're all about to die of starvation!... Want an orange? No problem, our resident quasi-immortal demi-dryad will pop over to Florida and pick up a tree! We'll never grow enough food! Oh, wait I remembered that I can make a greenhouse with space expansion, warming charms, light, etc. I need a new wand! Well, luckily I just happen to have one equal to or greater than the Deathstick!" :facepalm

2/5 because I read far enough that rating it 1/5 would make my self esteem go soft.