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Abandoned Searching For Disaster by Shadow Rebirth- T

Discussion in 'Humor' started by Lorelei of the Sea, Aug 19, 2008.

  1. Lorelei of the Sea

    Lorelei of the Sea Unspeakable

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2005
    Messages:
    753
    Location:
    Southern California
    Title: Searching For Disaster
    Author: Shadow Rebirth
    Rating: T/PG-13
    Genre: Adventure/Humor
    DLP Category: Either General or Humor
    Pairing: None
    Chapters: 10
    Words: 40,849
    Updated: June 10, 2009
    Published: July 12, 2008
    Status: Abandoned

    Summary: Owls, cauldrons, and pointed hats? Harry Potter was not amused. And he still wasn't entirely sure that his human trafficking theory had been wrong. Warning! Features a very cynical Harry. AU, no pairings.
    Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4390285/1/Searching_for_Disaster

    Pretty funny fic, featuring a slightly more realistic Wizarding World and a Harry with actual preservation instincts. 3.5/5


    Checked by Minion, February 6, 2013
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 6, 2013
  2. Lincos

    Lincos Professor DLP Supporter

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    Location:
    Liverpool, UK
    The first chapter started off well, but it just got boring. 1/5
     
  3. Synchro

    Synchro High Inquisitor DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2008
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    554
    Location:
    Texas
    Better than many others I've read. The author's aim seems to be to get all the plot holes and poorly explained happenings in the series out through the cynicism of Harry. I'll be keeping an eye out for updates on this. 3.5/5.
     
  4. BioPlague

    BioPlague The Senate DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2006
    Messages:
    2,598
    Location:
    United States
    Lovin' the imaginary 3.5s guys. I can't find the dropdown for 3.5 however. Someone help me out?

    I liked this story. A lot, actually, so I gave it a 5/5. Only because it's the only tolerable story in a month.
     
  5. della_couer

    della_couer Second Year

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2008
    Messages:
    66
    Location:
    Michigan
    Meh, read through two chapters but couldn't continue as it seems the author has confused cynicism for whining. If you want a more cynical bent monologue check out Nullifier by Aedalena, that is an excellently done case of first person cynicism.

    Harry's theory of human trafficking was perhaps the best and only amusing thing I found. (although the dead pet thing wasn't bad) And call me a snob but once he ended up in Hufflepuff I found myself loosing interest.

    It isn't badly written, but as I say two chapters of Harry whining (whinging for you Brits.) is about all I can take. 2/5
     
  6. Pyromaniac

    Pyromaniac Third Year

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2008
    Messages:
    95
    Location:
    Washington State/California
    Eh, not half bad. Certainly better than most of the cynical!Harry drivel that abounds in fandom.

    4/5

    EDIT:
    Don't forget: he ended up in Hufflepuff because it was the least horrid fit for him.
     
  7. The DarIm

    The DarIm Groundskeeper

    Joined:
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    Location:
    In dreams.
    I thought it was pretty amusing...in a kill-your-time sort of way. I give it a 3/5...might increase to 4/5 if the author gets a beta. By the third chapter, the number of mistakes were really getting on my nerves.
     
  8. Orm Embar

    Orm Embar Auror

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2008
    Messages:
    605
    Location:
    On the shores of Selidor
    I can see how Harry's whining might irritate some of you, but, to me, it was just plain lulzy. The story gives what might be a more natural reaction to a giant bearded man showing up at your door, telling you you're a wizard, and offering to take you away. I'll give this a 4/5.
     
  9. kalantha

    kalantha Sixth Year

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2008
    Messages:
    172
    I found this pretty amusing, but highly unrealistic. Yes, J.K. Rowling's stories are unrealistic and this author is trying to correct all of the inconsistences, but an eleven year old is not going to notice all of these. Cynical Harry is interesting, but not likely to occur like this in real life. What eleven year old doesn't want any friends and analyzes everything that is happening in his life in such a manner? For that reason I give this story a 3/5 because it doesn't deserve to be deleted, even if it makes no logical sense.
     
  10. JoJo23

    JoJo23 Unspeakable

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2008
    Messages:
    702
    Some bits of this story are gold and I love the aloof!Harry, but sometimes it just seems to be a canon hating piece and I cant help but feel that Harry's views are the authors. 3/5
     
  11. Dark Minion

    Dark Minion Bright Henchman DLP Supporter Retired Staff

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2006
    Messages:
    2,231
    I have this in my favorites for quite some time, and I think it was posted somewhere in here.

    The author seems to concentrate on canon plotholes but doesn't care for his own. The Dursleys hate Harry, nevertheless he has pets, just to include the plotelement which later kills Hedwig. He doesn't need to attend Potions as there is no rule forcing him to attend classes (I assume the author just was lazy and didn't want to describe further Harry vs. Snape dialogues). Malfoy is described as as dumb as Crabbe and Goyle which is just unbelievable. And so on.

    There are a few - or even several similar fics on ff.net, and most become repetitive after some time. Once the character and his special characteristics are defined, similar or the same scenes are reappearing again and again. Just one funny idea isn't enough to write such a parody. A lack of variation and phantasy kills it soon.

    Here the idea is Harry's cynical point of view regarding the plotholes, and that's certainly not enough to base a long story on it.

    With most of these fics the author eventually got bored himself or realised he ran out of ideas, so the updates became more and more irregular, and finally the author stopped writing. I expect this story will be abandoned either with the conclusion of year one or somewhere during the second schoolyear.

    Overall: Lunakatrina's "So Sue Me" was better - until she introduced the Cult of Ravenclaw. Compared with that I rate this 3.5/5
     
  12. Memory King

    Memory King Order Member DLP Supporter

    Joined:
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    833
    Location:
    Iceland
    I posted this in the almost recommended thread a while back, knowing that one chapter wasn't enough to judge a story on. And you may wish to read the latest chapter on FicWad.

    I feel this deserves a solid 4/5. The problems mentioned above keep it from reaching full marks, but it has a lot of potential still.
     
  13. azrael

    azrael Professor

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
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    Location:
    Texas
    I like this so far, and give it 4/5 for what is currently posted. However, I think it highly likely that very soon the author will realize his premise is getting old, he has no more material, and that he needs a plot outside of canon-bashing. At that point the fic will either be abandoned or the overall quality will go way downhill.

    EDIT: Posted this before reading chapter 6. It appears that this point has been reached already, and that we will be seeing where this story goes soon.
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2008
  14. Dirk Diggory

    Dirk Diggory Seventh Year

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2008
    Messages:
    249
    Sometimes DLP is quite repetitive, with people just repeating the same tired criticisms.

    A complaint on here that adequate respect is not being paid to Malfoy's intelligence... well, that's novel.
     
  15. Kensington

    Kensington Denarii Host DLP Supporter

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    I tried. I got through 3 chapters and discovered that I simply did not care. It may be more of a personal thing where I am simply sick of reading about 11 year old Harry.

    To me Harry was more smug than cynical in what I read. It simply did not make for a pleasant read for me.

    2/5 for me.
     
  16. Illution

    Illution Seventh Year

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2008
    Messages:
    246
    Location:
    Behind You!
    It started off interesting, but got a bit repetitive later on. This piece of work reads a lot more like a crack fic and have a lot of unique ideas. I found the 10 year harry a bit too knowledgeable but no one likes reading about a whiny kid. Over all, I still enjoyed read it. 3.5/5 for me.
     
  17. knothead

    knothead Groundskeeper

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2007
    Messages:
    362
    Cynical first-year Harry has been done before; yet, the story is entertaining. The writer is doing a good enough job of keeping me interested.

    I think it's too early to vote at the moment. That being said, if the story's quality remains the same, and I'm still interested in the story as it continues, I'll be voting 4 stars.
     
  18. Goddessa39

    Goddessa39 DA Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2006
    Messages:
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    Location:
    My Mind, Earth
    Well, I like it so far. And it really bugs me how Harry just accepts things in every single piece of fanfiction. I mean, I love Hagrid. But he isn't exactly the most agile cat stuck in the tree if you know what I mean. I like that Harry can snap out at people. And if Mcgonagall was there, then why didn't she stay around and look after him.

    To quote Harry, "Lunatics, the lot of them."

    There were some things I liked about it, like Harry pissing off all the teachers and sticking to himself. Even though he is confident in his self he isn't really a superman or anything. What I didn't like was how no one questioned why harry was such a bastard. He's no psychoTom or anything, but be sure that he is a little bastard to the teachers' faces.

    It sort of remind me of that one fic where Mcgonagall goes to get Harry, gets pissed off and he convinces her he is a little sweetheart and then she sends him to a cousin who is a psychologist or something. In a good way. 4/5 because its trying and doesn't seem to be too annoying.
     
  19. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    High Score:
    9,373
    You're thinking of So Sue Me by Lunakatrina, which is probably the best cynical!Harry fic I've ever read, not that there is an overwhelming abundance of it. This brought a chuckle out of me, though not so much in the later chapters, but it's good enough to warrant a 4/5 if I ignore the spelling/grammar errors.

    So 3-4/5, depending one whether you want a light read or a real humour fic.
     
  20. Dark Minion

    Dark Minion Bright Henchman DLP Supporter Retired Staff

    Joined:
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    Messages:
    2,231
    Eh - chapter six just killed it. With brute force the author bent his plotline to reach the canon climax and that just doesn't work.

    Now I'd say 3/5.