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Significant Digits
A continuation of Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (HPMOR).
It's easy to make big plans and ask big questions, but a lot harder to follow them through. Find out what happens to Harry Potter-Evans-Verres, Hermione, Draco, and everyone else once they grow into their roles as leaders, leave the shelter of Hogwarts, and venture out into a wider world of intrigue, politics, and war. Not official.
It's easy to make big plans and ask big questions, but a lot harder to follow them through. Find out what happens to Harry Potter-Evans-Verres, Hermione, Draco, and everyone else once they grow into their roles as leaders, leave the shelter of Hogwarts, and venture out into a wider world of intrigue, politics, and war. Not official.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
August 14, 2016
very well written but i missed the humor i loved hpmor for. so i am deducting one star.
October 17, 2016
A worthy sequel to Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, with somewhat better writing but just a touch less originality.
April 25, 2017
My rating is more of a 3.5, but I'm rounding off above.
This book takes off a few years after the events concluding Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality and Harry have one goal -- . This book is a sequel that is consistent to the main motives established in HPMOR. The action sequences are so much more intense, and the writing style I felt was significantly better.
But having said that, SD is *completely different* in style from HPMOR. One of the things I loved about HPMOR was that much of the first half of the book was filled with cool and hilarious parallels with the canon. The second half sort of worked towards the plot which was awesome as well and so was the finale. SD on the other hand is more of a geopolitical drama. I was lost at many points in the first 33% of the book because I couldn't keep track of the players, and the different factions, and the slow political strategies that was necessary. I felt the whole reading was very laboured in the first arc (one-third of the book) and seriously even considered dropping it.
The pace picked up in the second arc and much more in arc 3 and I was glad I didn't stop reading it earlier. But then the finale, gah!, that was a ridiculous let-down. I was terribly disappointed with the ending after such an awesome set-up in arc 3.
I enjoyed reading parts of the book, but surely whenever I think about it I'll be reminded of the annoying finale after everything that was set-up. 3.5 stars.
This book takes off a few years after the events concluding Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality and Harry have one goal -- . This book is a sequel that is consistent to the main motives established in HPMOR. The action sequences are so much more intense, and the writing style I felt was significantly better.
But having said that, SD is *completely different* in style from HPMOR. One of the things I loved about HPMOR was that much of the first half of the book was filled with cool and hilarious parallels with the canon. The second half sort of worked towards the plot which was awesome as well and so was the finale. SD on the other hand is more of a geopolitical drama. I was lost at many points in the first 33% of the book because I couldn't keep track of the players, and the different factions, and the slow political strategies that was necessary. I felt the whole reading was very laboured in the first arc (one-third of the book) and seriously even considered dropping it.
The pace picked up in the second arc and much more in arc 3 and I was glad I didn't stop reading it earlier. But then the finale, gah!, that was a ridiculous let-down. I was terribly disappointed with the ending after such an awesome set-up in arc 3.
I enjoyed reading parts of the book, but surely whenever I think about it I'll be reminded of the annoying finale after everything that was set-up. 3.5 stars.
November 30, 2017
I'm not exactly familiar with all the followups to Yudkowsky's Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, but I did enjoy this one. It's a lot of fun to explore how the discoveries made at the end of that story have changed magical Britain (and the world at large), and the characters have changed and matured in believable ways (I particularly enjoyed Moody's insistence on changing into an entirely new form every second day and attempting to "assassinate" Harry to check his security systems).
Spoilers for the end of HPMOR and for this story as well follow.
I didn't think it was entirely believable that Voldemort goes right back to being evil after Harry wiped his memory of everything but the few good memories he had (if nothing else I would hope Harry had figured out a way to get him a therapist through judicious use of Obliviate); nor do I think it makes a lot of sense that he is familiar with the Lethe Touch introduced in this story (basically an upgraded Imperius) as well as its countercharm, but never bothered to use it on anyone. I can certainly justify it with elements from HPMOR but that's not quite the same as being consistent with the character.
End spoilers.
Overall it's an enjoyable story and a way to spend more time in the world of HPMOR, and definitely worth your time.
Spoilers for the end of HPMOR and for this story as well follow.
I didn't think it was entirely believable that Voldemort goes right back to being evil after Harry wiped his memory of everything but the few good memories he had (if nothing else I would hope Harry had figured out a way to get him a therapist through judicious use of Obliviate); nor do I think it makes a lot of sense that he is familiar with the Lethe Touch introduced in this story (basically an upgraded Imperius) as well as its countercharm, but never bothered to use it on anyone. I can certainly justify it with elements from HPMOR but that's not quite the same as being consistent with the character.
End spoilers.
Overall it's an enjoyable story and a way to spend more time in the world of HPMOR, and definitely worth your time.
September 7, 2021
Massive spoilers ahead.
Thank you, Alexander, for writing a worthwhile continuation of one of my absolute favorite stories ever. I find myself driven to write this, despite knowing you'll probably never read it.
You really thought of some creative ideas in this story in terms of how to expand upon the lore that Eliezer created. You had all the intelligent "randomness" of the original, which I think is what literary critics refer to as verisimilitude. Some specific examples that I thought were extremely cool were, in no particular order, the extrapolated and enigmatic powers of the Mirror of Erised/Noitilov (making a pocket-world where the killing curse is useless, very creative), the idea that Fiendfyre can be countered by using a literal vaccuum, an old spell which engages very directly with neuroscience and has lots of potential in the field of mental health, old magical beings still existing and exerting unseen influence on the world, magically extended spaces being pushed to the very limit and used as biospheres, magic-enhanced space travel, and others that I'm forgetting. Thanks for playing these awesome ideas out past the point where HPMOR was able to take them.
One concept that made me shit my scifi pants was the whole idea of Harry and crew being mind-controlled in such a way that they were completely aware of it. Seeing Harry's full conscious intelligence being turned to the purposes of the villain and against his own non-mind-controlled self was absolutely horrifying and utterly engrossing. Such a cool idea.
I also thought your characterization was done very well. I can tell you're a Hermione fan, because the version we saw of her in this story was basically a Hermione who has already gone through all her character development and had become the fully realized badass she always wanted to be. It was almost a little intimidating how confident this Hermione is. She has literally no insecurities. Normally I would say this is unbelievable, but in this instance I think her magical powers and Harry's support are enough of an excuse to justify her reaching this point, so kudos for giving us the catharsis of showing us the badass Hermione always could've been.
Draco was also well written, if a little underutilized. I wanted to see a little more of Draco's character growth and inner tension at having to fill the role of villain once again, but the parts we did get with him were really good (his moment at the end with the battle speech was a great culmination of character).
I also thought your take on Harry was interesting. This is a much gentler Harry Potter-Evans-Verres than the one in HPMOR. He's clearly filed away some of the edge that made him such a controversial presence back then, and embraced more of his inner Dumbledore. (Of course, that's easier to do in a post-scarcity world.)
I thought your take on Bellatrix was great. The few paragraphs we got in her POV were super interesting with the way she did everything in a sort of rhythm and dance. Way to give her a distinctive presence.
Neville's growth was also cool to see. It would've been nice if him and the twins had a bigger, more plot-relevant presence, like maybe as Harry's personal magical artefact expedition crew or something. Plenty of opportunity for crazy adventures there. I wanted more exploration of his friendship with the twins, especially, since that grouping seems like the fulfillment of something for Neville. His revenge at the end was super epic, even though it was super unrealistic as well. I really don't think Neville should've been able to beat this version of Bellatrix wand-to-wand, even if he was amped up on anger. Would've been cool to see him and the twins team up and take her out using creative magic-muggle strategies. However... the confrontation was epic as hell. So there.
I was a little confused about Voldemort. Why did he seem to have all of his memories back? Did Harry give them back to him at some point? I was under the impression that Harry would basically be nursing an amnesiac omega-level wizard back into personhood, but this just feels like professor Quirrell again. Don't get me wrong, it's a cool concept for Harry to have a trapped Voldemort in his possession, but I'm not sure it lines up with the canon of HPMOR.
And let me just say, by the way, your OC's are great. Reg and Limpel were great, even though they didn't do much later on, and Pip was such a delight to read.
Your exploration of Beings was awesome. I loved the centaur culture that you created, even though it was probably a nightmare for you to write hahaha. Their oblivious philosophizing was hilarious. Your flashback chapter about the Goblins' history of oppression was one of the best in the whole story, and their unique Will-Work transfiguration intrigued me. Their big moment in the final battle was epic, if a little undercooked. I also liked the little scene with the Hags.
Your exploration of the wider wizarding world was very cool. It's very realistic that Harry and crew would be interacting with people from all over the world at this point, and I'm glad you didn't shy away from that. The convergence of cultures was well-handled, at least from my white boy perspective.
One thing I was a little disappointed about was the lack of timey-wimey shenanigans. I don't know, I just thought those were really cool to follow in HPMOR. Not everyone wants to wade through that though.
The biggest weakness of this story was honestly the length. It should've been twice as long. And I can't really fault you for that, as I assume you have some kind of life outside of churning out free continuations of Harry Potter AU fanfics (fanfic squared?). It's a testament to your ideas that the biggest weakness of your story was not getting to explore them enough. I wanted to know more about the Mirror, about the Resurrection Stone. I wanted to explore the friendship dynamic of Harry, Hermione, and Draco. I wanted a better understanding of Mad-Eye, his motivations, and his intelligence. I wanted more exploration of Limpel Tinnegar's motivations and her relationship with Reg Hig. I wanted more of Harry's interactions with the Centaurs. I wanted a meatier subplot with the Goblin revolution. I wanted more buildup for Merlin as a villain, with a bigger payoff at the end and a reveal of his motivations. I thought Perenelle needed more time to develop into something other than just a henchman of Merlin (it honestly would've been cool to see a flashback to her confrontation with Voldemort at the end of HPMOR). I thought Hermione's Returned were pretty tragically underdeveloped, especially Nikitas, who was set up very well and then pretty much forgotten. I wanted more exploration of Lucius' return, maybe a chapter of his thoughts on this new world he's returned to. I wanted more unpacking of the crazy ideas at the end, of magic being some sort of universal computer command system invented by aliens.
But alas, I'm just a man who comes up with ideas and not much else. So thank you for actually sitting down and thinking of this and writing it and doing a damn good job on it and making me happy for a while. The finale of this was extremely engaging and well-written, considering the rushed buildup to it. You're obviously an extremely talented writer who needs and deserves to be paid for their work. I can't wait to see what you do down the line.
Thank you, Alexander, for writing a worthwhile continuation of one of my absolute favorite stories ever. I find myself driven to write this, despite knowing you'll probably never read it.
You really thought of some creative ideas in this story in terms of how to expand upon the lore that Eliezer created. You had all the intelligent "randomness" of the original, which I think is what literary critics refer to as verisimilitude. Some specific examples that I thought were extremely cool were, in no particular order, the extrapolated and enigmatic powers of the Mirror of Erised/Noitilov (making a pocket-world where the killing curse is useless, very creative), the idea that Fiendfyre can be countered by using a literal vaccuum, an old spell which engages very directly with neuroscience and has lots of potential in the field of mental health, old magical beings still existing and exerting unseen influence on the world, magically extended spaces being pushed to the very limit and used as biospheres, magic-enhanced space travel, and others that I'm forgetting. Thanks for playing these awesome ideas out past the point where HPMOR was able to take them.
One concept that made me shit my scifi pants was the whole idea of Harry and crew being mind-controlled in such a way that they were completely aware of it. Seeing Harry's full conscious intelligence being turned to the purposes of the villain and against his own non-mind-controlled self was absolutely horrifying and utterly engrossing. Such a cool idea.
I also thought your characterization was done very well. I can tell you're a Hermione fan, because the version we saw of her in this story was basically a Hermione who has already gone through all her character development and had become the fully realized badass she always wanted to be. It was almost a little intimidating how confident this Hermione is. She has literally no insecurities. Normally I would say this is unbelievable, but in this instance I think her magical powers and Harry's support are enough of an excuse to justify her reaching this point, so kudos for giving us the catharsis of showing us the badass Hermione always could've been.
Draco was also well written, if a little underutilized. I wanted to see a little more of Draco's character growth and inner tension at having to fill the role of villain once again, but the parts we did get with him were really good (his moment at the end with the battle speech was a great culmination of character).
I also thought your take on Harry was interesting. This is a much gentler Harry Potter-Evans-Verres than the one in HPMOR. He's clearly filed away some of the edge that made him such a controversial presence back then, and embraced more of his inner Dumbledore. (Of course, that's easier to do in a post-scarcity world.)
I thought your take on Bellatrix was great. The few paragraphs we got in her POV were super interesting with the way she did everything in a sort of rhythm and dance. Way to give her a distinctive presence.
Neville's growth was also cool to see. It would've been nice if him and the twins had a bigger, more plot-relevant presence, like maybe as Harry's personal magical artefact expedition crew or something. Plenty of opportunity for crazy adventures there. I wanted more exploration of his friendship with the twins, especially, since that grouping seems like the fulfillment of something for Neville. His revenge at the end was super epic, even though it was super unrealistic as well. I really don't think Neville should've been able to beat this version of Bellatrix wand-to-wand, even if he was amped up on anger. Would've been cool to see him and the twins team up and take her out using creative magic-muggle strategies. However... the confrontation was epic as hell. So there.
I was a little confused about Voldemort. Why did he seem to have all of his memories back? Did Harry give them back to him at some point? I was under the impression that Harry would basically be nursing an amnesiac omega-level wizard back into personhood, but this just feels like professor Quirrell again. Don't get me wrong, it's a cool concept for Harry to have a trapped Voldemort in his possession, but I'm not sure it lines up with the canon of HPMOR.
And let me just say, by the way, your OC's are great. Reg and Limpel were great, even though they didn't do much later on, and Pip was such a delight to read.
Your exploration of Beings was awesome. I loved the centaur culture that you created, even though it was probably a nightmare for you to write hahaha. Their oblivious philosophizing was hilarious. Your flashback chapter about the Goblins' history of oppression was one of the best in the whole story, and their unique Will-Work transfiguration intrigued me. Their big moment in the final battle was epic, if a little undercooked. I also liked the little scene with the Hags.
Your exploration of the wider wizarding world was very cool. It's very realistic that Harry and crew would be interacting with people from all over the world at this point, and I'm glad you didn't shy away from that. The convergence of cultures was well-handled, at least from my white boy perspective.
One thing I was a little disappointed about was the lack of timey-wimey shenanigans. I don't know, I just thought those were really cool to follow in HPMOR. Not everyone wants to wade through that though.
The biggest weakness of this story was honestly the length. It should've been twice as long. And I can't really fault you for that, as I assume you have some kind of life outside of churning out free continuations of Harry Potter AU fanfics (fanfic squared?). It's a testament to your ideas that the biggest weakness of your story was not getting to explore them enough. I wanted to know more about the Mirror, about the Resurrection Stone. I wanted to explore the friendship dynamic of Harry, Hermione, and Draco. I wanted a better understanding of Mad-Eye, his motivations, and his intelligence. I wanted more exploration of Limpel Tinnegar's motivations and her relationship with Reg Hig. I wanted more of Harry's interactions with the Centaurs. I wanted a meatier subplot with the Goblin revolution. I wanted more buildup for Merlin as a villain, with a bigger payoff at the end and a reveal of his motivations. I thought Perenelle needed more time to develop into something other than just a henchman of Merlin (it honestly would've been cool to see a flashback to her confrontation with Voldemort at the end of HPMOR). I thought Hermione's Returned were pretty tragically underdeveloped, especially Nikitas, who was set up very well and then pretty much forgotten. I wanted more exploration of Lucius' return, maybe a chapter of his thoughts on this new world he's returned to. I wanted more unpacking of the crazy ideas at the end, of magic being some sort of universal computer command system invented by aliens.
But alas, I'm just a man who comes up with ideas and not much else. So thank you for actually sitting down and thinking of this and writing it and doing a damn good job on it and making me happy for a while. The finale of this was extremely engaging and well-written, considering the rushed buildup to it. You're obviously an extremely talented writer who needs and deserves to be paid for their work. I can't wait to see what you do down the line.
March 24, 2021
A good attempt at a followup to HPMOR, but it didn't really capture the spirit. The story is at its best when it's showing all the innovative ideas Harry and co. had to use magic to accomplish amazing things. The problem is that the author seems to not want anyone to know what is actually happening. The entire story is written in this coy way where characters will discuss a spell, an event, or a person, and will never actually say what it is. Then later in the story it will be referenced, but again in the coy way which never actually just comes out and says what's happening. I think it's meant to create suspense or give the reader the opportunity to make connections, but it just came off to me as annoying.
There is also the issue that it's just not very much fun. HPMOR was a fun story. Harry, as an 11-year-old, went around using magic to intimidate bullies, play pranks, go on adventures, and generally have a good time (in addition to the more serious parts). This story features an older Harry and Hermoine who behave responsibly and generally don't have any fun at all. It's especially sad that Hermoine doesn't have much fun, because she's basically a superhero. The only ones having fun are the Weasley twins and Neville, but their story is disconnected enough from the main plot that it's mostly just a brief aside.
The best part was the worldbuilding. The story sketched out a plausible idea of what a post-HPMOR world would look like, and had lots of creative and wonderful ideas about things that would be going on. There was also some interesting intrigue and a truly fearsome enemy. Sadly, the story itself was just not that engaging.
There is also the issue that it's just not very much fun. HPMOR was a fun story. Harry, as an 11-year-old, went around using magic to intimidate bullies, play pranks, go on adventures, and generally have a good time (in addition to the more serious parts). This story features an older Harry and Hermoine who behave responsibly and generally don't have any fun at all. It's especially sad that Hermoine doesn't have much fun, because she's basically a superhero. The only ones having fun are the Weasley twins and Neville, but their story is disconnected enough from the main plot that it's mostly just a brief aside.
The best part was the worldbuilding. The story sketched out a plausible idea of what a post-HPMOR world would look like, and had lots of creative and wonderful ideas about things that would be going on. There was also some interesting intrigue and a truly fearsome enemy. Sadly, the story itself was just not that engaging.
March 13, 2021
A slow-paced sequel to HPMOR that tries to capture the lightning-in-a-bottle style of the original author and succeeds, for the most part. There's layers and layers of plans, counter-plans, traps and preparations in a plot that glacially thaws until showing the fiery inferno at its heart in a hellish finale that manages to wrap up a lot of loose ends while leaving others dangling open, for the reader to resolve however they see fit.
All in all, scratched an HPMOR itch I had going for some time, for which I'm grateful enough. And seeing these grown up, alternate versions of the trio (Harry, Hermione and Draco!) was amazing in its own right.
All in all, scratched an HPMOR itch I had going for some time, for which I'm grateful enough. And seeing these grown up, alternate versions of the trio (Harry, Hermione and Draco!) was amazing in its own right.
July 29, 2020
Almost as good as HPMOR itself. Totally worth it.
September 1, 2024
This was so good I am at loss how to describe it. So imagine this: Harry Potter world that ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE.
No "ah yes, there is magic, but it's mainly for making things float", but actual hard, political, powerful, scary and impressive magic. And magicians who think what the hell are they doing. Magic as science.
This has to be not only one of the best HP fanfictions, but one of the best fiction books overall. It has layers and layers of mysteries, moving story elements, almost every story character has it's own agenda, and there are twists at almost every episode. Twists that make sense too.
I'm kinda sad that this book, probabbly, won't ever be printed (because it's a bit obscure and fanfiction), because it should get it's recognition.
I reccomend this for every fiction reader, especially if you have read HP and HPMOR before.
No "ah yes, there is magic, but it's mainly for making things float", but actual hard, political, powerful, scary and impressive magic. And magicians who think what the hell are they doing. Magic as science.
This has to be not only one of the best HP fanfictions, but one of the best fiction books overall. It has layers and layers of mysteries, moving story elements, almost every story character has it's own agenda, and there are twists at almost every episode. Twists that make sense too.
I'm kinda sad that this book, probabbly, won't ever be printed (because it's a bit obscure and fanfiction), because it should get it's recognition.
I reccomend this for every fiction reader, especially if you have read HP and HPMOR before.
January 15, 2019
סוג של המשך של הארי פוטר והשיטה הרציונלית.
לא מאוד אהבתי את הכתיבה, ולא מאוד התחברתי לחלק מהעלילה והחלק של הרציאונל כאן הוא יחסית קטן אבל עדיין היו בספר הזה מספיק הברקות נהדרות כדי להצדיק את הקריאה שלו
לא מאוד אהבתי את הכתיבה, ולא מאוד התחברתי לחלק מהעלילה והחלק של הרציאונל כאן הוא יחסית קטן אבל עדיין היו בספר הזה מספיק הברקות נהדרות כדי להצדיק את הקריאה שלו
October 23, 2023
Splendid. Only criticism I have is around some subtle objectification of women - an omnipresent issue with male internet writers - but it wasn't bad enough to distract me from how wonderful the rest of the book is.
August 23, 2021
overall enjoyable!
this had a slow start and was way too indulgent in places but the last straw was rly when the author fully quoted the n word with no self awareness
this had a slow start and was way too indulgent in places but the last straw was rly when the author fully quoted the n word with no self awareness
June 12, 2021
A fanfic of a fanfic. Not as brilliant as HPMOR but still very entertaining and impressively well written.
April 5, 2023
I love this book so much. The way he builds on the lore of HPMOR, while simultaneously playing with language in a way that I continue to find impressive and quotable.
I re-read this more frequently than HPMOR.
I re-read this more frequently than HPMOR.
October 15, 2018
The first continuation fan-fiction I've ever read. So first I'll say that I loved Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality in spite of its flaws -- pedantic, way too long -- and in spite of subsequently learning about the real-life smugness and dubious politics of the author, which I learned about only after finishing it. But what can I say? I've read it twice, and parts of it more than that, and it's just a really compelling story. On subsequent read-throughs I've skipped over long sections. That was harder to do when I was going along with the serialized updates, but I didn't resent it at the time. Even the boring tangents are enjoyably well-written and clever.
I liked Significant Digits even more than HPMOR. It's less pedantic, for one thing, presumably because the author doesn't have such a specific axe to grind. It's tighter and the characters develop from their HPMOR roots in ways that work. It's not entirely free of clunk: Hermione's always recalling quotations from different authors, after which we are told parenthetically, "Book by author, page XXX, her brain automatically supplied". But in the end it's a well-plotted thriller with good characters and especially in the final arc I had a hard time putting it down.
I liked Significant Digits even more than HPMOR. It's less pedantic, for one thing, presumably because the author doesn't have such a specific axe to grind. It's tighter and the characters develop from their HPMOR roots in ways that work. It's not entirely free of clunk: Hermione's always recalling quotations from different authors, after which we are told parenthetically, "Book by author, page XXX, her brain automatically supplied". But in the end it's a well-plotted thriller with good characters and especially in the final arc I had a hard time putting it down.
April 7, 2019
Great succession to my favorite book, even though it didn't cast the same effect.
Excellent world building, dragging on at some points and has
I enjoyed it although I doubt I would reread it as I have with Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. Nevertheless, finishing it left me that longing of well-written stories like I had lost an old friend.
If you enjoyed the universe of Methods of rationality and want more, read this. If you enjoyed the science and humor of Methods more than the story, then maybe skip unless you have some time to spear for a vibrant story. I was looking for more of the latter and will probably go to From AI to Zombies next, but this did not disappoint.
Excellent world building, dragging on at some points and has
I enjoyed it although I doubt I would reread it as I have with Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. Nevertheless, finishing it left me that longing of well-written stories like I had lost an old friend.
If you enjoyed the universe of Methods of rationality and want more, read this. If you enjoyed the science and humor of Methods more than the story, then maybe skip unless you have some time to spear for a vibrant story. I was looking for more of the latter and will probably go to From AI to Zombies next, but this did not disappoint.
January 9, 2019
The book gets 3.5 stars because I don't think it came even close to the quality of HPMOR in terms of the depth of the characters, the use of rationality and science, and the existence of clever plots. There were some clever plots for sure, but not close to the quality of HPMOR. I also expected to see some more of Harry, Hermione, and Draco's personal lives- perhaps their romantic sides, but that was missing and hence disappointing. Despite that, I thought the battles were well-written and well-thought of. I love how badass Hermione has become, and I love the relationship between Harry and Draco and her. It was nice to all three of them grown and matured into their roles. It's a good try but I'm not sure I would have read it if I had known what the book would contain. I don't understand how EY could choose this as an official sequel to HPMOR. I'm confident EY would've written a better sequel if he had chosen to.
May 1, 2019
Setting presentation, design and originality (how cool is the setting?): 2
Setting verisimillitude and detail (how much sense does the setting make?): 4
Plot design, presentation and originality (How well-crafted was the plot, in the dramaturgic sense?): 3
Plot and character verisimillitude (How much sense did the plot and motivations make? Did events follow from motivations?): 4
Characterization and character development: 2
Character sympatheticness: 2
Prose: 1
Page turner factor: 3
Mind blown factor: 3
Final (weighted) score: 2.8
Setting verisimillitude and detail (how much sense does the setting make?): 4
Plot design, presentation and originality (How well-crafted was the plot, in the dramaturgic sense?): 3
Plot and character verisimillitude (How much sense did the plot and motivations make? Did events follow from motivations?): 4
Characterization and character development: 2
Character sympatheticness: 2
Prose: 1
Page turner factor: 3
Mind blown factor: 3
Final (weighted) score: 2.8
January 6, 2021
A continuation to HPMOR.
It's good. It's different, of course, but still tries to remain as close as possible to the core principles of the other book. It's lesser in it, though, almost inevitably. But it makes up in whatever parts of it are original, and not a copy.
In the end, it's a different story, a different ride. More similar to a normal epic fantasy perhaps, if it were written by a rationalist. Still, a good book.
PS: do not expect a copy story of HPMOR. This is a much different take of the same core precepts.
It's good. It's different, of course, but still tries to remain as close as possible to the core principles of the other book. It's lesser in it, though, almost inevitably. But it makes up in whatever parts of it are original, and not a copy.
In the end, it's a different story, a different ride. More similar to a normal epic fantasy perhaps, if it were written by a rationalist. Still, a good book.
PS: do not expect a copy story of HPMOR. This is a much different take of the same core precepts.
June 15, 2017
Eliezer Yudkowski said this is the best continuation fic to "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality" and I agree with him.
Interesting look at the Rowling's wizarding world, but, in difference with HPMOR, with a large scale of new entities - wizards from other countries, description of historical events and huge detalisation of the whole fictional universe.
Its also worth mentioning, that, unlike HPMOR, there are much fewer references to Bayes Theorem, cognitive biases and etc.
Interesting look at the Rowling's wizarding world, but, in difference with HPMOR, with a large scale of new entities - wizards from other countries, description of historical events and huge detalisation of the whole fictional universe.
Its also worth mentioning, that, unlike HPMOR, there are much fewer references to Bayes Theorem, cognitive biases and etc.
April 22, 2018
A brilliant continuation of Methods of Rationality! Significant Digits gallops from being a rational fanfic to a science (and magic) fiction project. The author manages to maintain pace in every timeline almost throughout. I found it fascinating that a universe of which magic was already a familiar part, manages to also contain almost mythological arcs, beyond what would be considered 'normal magic'. Highly recommend following this up with Orders of Magnitude!
November 8, 2020
Read it after getting the recommendation from two friends, seeing that Yudkowsky approves of it (though apparently not literally as "the best HPMOR continuation") and lusting for some non-non-fiction. I was really impressed by the love and care the author put into this, I got a lot of nail-biting and satisfied need for closure out of it.
April 22, 2019
DNF. It was OK, but I got to the murder plot line and it was clear the plot was getting bigger rather than smaller and I realized I wasn't willing to commit to that much reading.
I don't think the protagonists characters really match with HPMoR, and they were less entertaining than the "originals".
I don't think the protagonists characters really match with HPMoR, and they were less entertaining than the "originals".
October 31, 2020
First fanfic of a fanfic I've ever read. This was a sequel to HPMOR, and I thought it did a good job of both wrapping up the plot and character threads of that book, as well as expanding the scope to pertain to the whole magical world, not just Britain. This book could have definitely benefited from being significantly longer, as I felt like the ending came out of nowhere and was rushed.
July 29, 2021
Wow, it's actually better than HPMOR as an actual story, in terms of technics. Though HPMOR is still more “fun.” I was rly skeptical given the premise and the big leap ahead. But the payoff was worth it.
(-1 star: Why did you have to quote a passage from Huckleberry Finn with a literal racial slur in it? I do not understand.)
(-1 star: Why did you have to quote a passage from Huckleberry Finn with a literal racial slur in it? I do not understand.)
May 23, 2019
If you liked the Methods, you will probably like this book, too.
It's a imaginative continuation that has the blessing of Big Yud for good reasons. The ending might also give you the closure you seek, if the Methods left you wanting.
It's a imaginative continuation that has the blessing of Big Yud for good reasons. The ending might also give you the closure you seek, if the Methods left you wanting.
June 9, 2020
Gave up after 136 pages. The central mystery/plot was engaging, but it took too long to get anywhere. The author isn't incompetent, but the book lacked the wit, charm, brilliance, heart, didactic value, and purpose that made HPMOR one of my all-time favorites.
October 16, 2020
Well-written continuation of HPMOR that made for a satisfying binge-read with its thoughtful world-building. Minor quibble with the climax and ending not making much sense, but overall it's a strong spiritual successor to HPMOR and scratches the itch of lack of epilogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2017
I enjoyed this more than the original HPMOR tbh. Almost lost interest at the ending, as, similarly to HPMOR, the story weakens as it progresses.
November 24, 2017
Solid follow up fanfic.
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