Fascinating read. Uneven at points, but laugh-out-loud funny and thought-provoking at others. It reminds me of my supposition that once upon a time in the development process of Harry Potter, JK Rowling must have intended Hermione to be in Ravenclaw, and Ron in Hufflepuff, but tossed that aside in order to have them all on the same "team" in the bewildering and arbitrary "house cup" contests.
In a similar vein, here's an amusing short audio skit, welcoming new students to Hufflepuff.
Back to the story: It also skewers Quidditch nicely; that game is poorly-enough designed that I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to play a multi-player video game based on it. (No, it'd only be first-person, with you, the hero, as the guy who chases the Golden Snitch, of course, because that's the only role worth taking!)
However, I think the most interesting aspect, for me, was the attempt to flesh out and even "reform" Draco (to a limited extent), without turning him into the worst example of a Draco in leather pants. Of course, I don't know where this is going, so perhaps it's premature of me to make such a declaration. I guess I just would have preferred it if the original stories had a little more depth.
I'm having a hard time buying all the main characters dealing with all of this at 11 years old, however. It's very, very "Ender's Game." (In fact, there are even a couple of subtle and deliberate "Ender's Game" references.)
Got a transcript of the Hufflepuff audio skit? };)
And I definitely agree, it's very Ender's Game. If Harry Potter is a brilliant scientist, and capable of (to an extent) manipulating people through his understanding of basic needs and psychology, though his empathy needs a lot of work, then his companions have to be equally clever and driven, especially if they are put up against him instead of being his accomplices as he outwits others. (or fails to do so)
Addenda, I'd never heard of 'Draco in leather pants' but of the 'redeeming the villain' stereotypes of HP fanfics, I'd pick out the fixation on redeeming Snape as more numerous than redeeming Draco.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-10-20 03:41 am (UTC)In a similar vein, here's an amusing short audio skit, welcoming new students to Hufflepuff.
Back to the story: It also skewers Quidditch nicely; that game is poorly-enough designed that I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to play a multi-player video game based on it. (No, it'd only be first-person, with you, the hero, as the guy who chases the Golden Snitch, of course, because that's the only role worth taking!)
However, I think the most interesting aspect, for me, was the attempt to flesh out and even "reform" Draco (to a limited extent), without turning him into the worst example of a Draco in leather pants. Of course, I don't know where this is going, so perhaps it's premature of me to make such a declaration. I guess I just would have preferred it if the original stories had a little more depth.
I'm having a hard time buying all the main characters dealing with all of this at 11 years old, however. It's very, very "Ender's Game." (In fact, there are even a couple of subtle and deliberate "Ender's Game" references.)
no subject
Date: 2010-10-20 04:18 am (UTC)And I definitely agree, it's very Ender's Game. If Harry Potter is a brilliant scientist, and capable of (to an extent) manipulating people through his understanding of basic needs and psychology, though his empathy needs a lot of work, then his companions have to be equally clever and driven, especially if they are put up against him instead of being his accomplices as he outwits others. (or fails to do so)
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Date: 2010-10-20 04:19 am (UTC)