7 ms·

I just finished this and as a big fan of Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality I enjoyed this a lot as well. Anyone with an analytical/rational mindset w

I just finished this and as a big fan of Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality I enjoyed this a lot as well. Anyone with an analytical/rational mindset will probably love both, even if you're normally not into fiction. Don't expect to be able to discuss it with anyone that hasn't read it - or something like it - though.

werzum 5y ago
Hey, I am a big fan of HPMOR too, and can absolutely feel your pain of not being able to discuss the book with anyone. Do you have more books that went in a similar direction? I started reading the Eternal Golden Braid after, which was really good but dense, and for some light fantasy The Name of the Wind was an overall impressive book.
- Otter-man 5y ago
  The two books I usually recommend for HPMOR fans are Worm (https://parahumans.wordpress.com/ https://parahumans.wordpress.com/) and The Mother Of Learning (https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21220/mother-of-learning https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21220/mother-of-learning) Both considered to be a part of "rational fiction" sub-genre the same as HPMoR.
- jack_pp 5y ago
  HPMOR is my all time favorite book, I've read it multiple times and I am still in awe of it. From the same genre I liked stuff from Alexander Wales, mainly The Metropolitan Man [1], The Dark Wizard of Donkerk [2] and, to a lesser extent, Worth the Candle which was just finished. While not really intended as rational fiction, Threadbare was a nice read too if you enjoy litRPG. [1] https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10360716/1/The-Metropolitan-Man https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10360716/1/The-Metropolitan-Man [2] https://alexanderwales.com/the-dark-wizard-of-donkerk-chapter-1/ https://alexanderwales.com/the-dark-wizard-of-donkerk-chapte...
- brian_cloutier 5y ago
  Significant Digits is a quite good sequel (by a different author): http://www.anarchyishyperbole.com/p/significant-digits.html http://www.anarchyishyperbole.com/p/significant-digits.html The Martian and, recently, Project Hail Mary, are written in a completely different style but manage to hit many of the same buttons.
- lalaithion 5y ago
  Greg Egan and Sam Hughes/qntm are both excellent science fiction authors which I have found other HPMOR fans like. https://www.gregegan.net/ https://www.gregegan.net/ https://qntm.org/fiction https://qntm.org/fiction
willvarfar 5y ago
I’ve recently discovered fan fiction and am feeding like a pig at a trough! Sadly Hpmor didn’t click with me though. I liked the science but found the characters themselves undeveloped. Acting rationally is great and all, but with rational people have feelings too and that felt completely missing. I just couldn’t get far into the story sadly.
- pugio 5y ago
  I encourage you to keep at it a bit more. Lots of folks are put off by the initial "more rational than thou" style of the main character, but what's not immediately apparent is that the book is partially a critique of this kind of thinking What's more, since this is a well written story, there are good reasons why the character is so off-putting (to some) at the start. It is definitely NOT a case of the author espousing some limited view of elite rationalists as unemotional arrogant know-it-alls. All the main characters do reveal rich emotional lives as the story progresses. It's well worth the read. (I've read every book discussed in this thread, and HPMoR is my definite favorite.)
nix23 5y ago
Check out "The Name of the Wind" :)
- meowface 5y ago
  The full title is actually "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality": http://www.hpmor.com http://www.hpmor.com
  - tk75x 5y ago
    You are wrong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Wind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Wind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Methods_of_Rationality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Methods_o...
    - meowface 5y ago
      Sorry for the confusion; the parent comment was different when I replied to it. It initially started with a quote like: >as a big fan of Harry Potter So I was under the impression they may've believed the post was talking about the regular Harry Potter series and recommending something based on Harry Potter rather than HPMOR.
qznc 5y ago
Reddit to the rescue: r/rational Their wiki also suggests lots of other books and authors. https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/wiki/ https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/wiki/
- masklinn 5y ago
  Oh wow I knew "there is no antimemetics division" was an outgrowth of SCP, TIL that it's quite literally an SCP serial. Also I'm already following way too many serials, that's inconvenient.

werzum 5y ago

Hey, I am a big fan of HPMOR too, and can absolutely feel your pain of not being able to discuss the book with anyone. Do you have more books that went in a similar direction? I started reading the Eternal Golden Braid after, which was really good but dense, and for some light fantasy The Name of the Wind was an overall impressive book.

Otter-man 5y ago
The two books I usually recommend for HPMOR fans are Worm (https://parahumans.wordpress.com/ https://parahumans.wordpress.com/) and The Mother Of Learning (https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21220/mother-of-learning https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21220/mother-of-learning) Both considered to be a part of "rational fiction" sub-genre the same as HPMoR.
jack_pp 5y ago
HPMOR is my all time favorite book, I've read it multiple times and I am still in awe of it. From the same genre I liked stuff from Alexander Wales, mainly The Metropolitan Man [1], The Dark Wizard of Donkerk [2] and, to a lesser extent, Worth the Candle which was just finished. While not really intended as rational fiction, Threadbare was a nice read too if you enjoy litRPG. [1] https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10360716/1/The-Metropolitan-Man https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10360716/1/The-Metropolitan-Man [2] https://alexanderwales.com/the-dark-wizard-of-donkerk-chapter-1/ https://alexanderwales.com/the-dark-wizard-of-donkerk-chapte...
brian_cloutier 5y ago
Significant Digits is a quite good sequel (by a different author): http://www.anarchyishyperbole.com/p/significant-digits.html http://www.anarchyishyperbole.com/p/significant-digits.html The Martian and, recently, Project Hail Mary, are written in a completely different style but manage to hit many of the same buttons.
lalaithion 5y ago
Greg Egan and Sam Hughes/qntm are both excellent science fiction authors which I have found other HPMOR fans like. https://www.gregegan.net/ https://www.gregegan.net/ https://qntm.org/fiction https://qntm.org/fiction

willvarfar 5y ago

I’ve recently discovered fan fiction and am feeding like a pig at a trough! Sadly Hpmor didn’t click with me though. I liked the science but found the characters themselves undeveloped. Acting rationally is great and all, but with rational people have feelings too and that felt completely missing. I just couldn’t get far into the story sadly.

pugio 5y ago
I encourage you to keep at it a bit more. Lots of folks are put off by the initial "more rational than thou" style of the main character, but what's not immediately apparent is that the book is partially a critique of this kind of thinking What's more, since this is a well written story, there are good reasons why the character is so off-putting (to some) at the start. It is definitely NOT a case of the author espousing some limited view of elite rationalists as unemotional arrogant know-it-alls. All the main characters do reveal rich emotional lives as the story progresses. It's well worth the read. (I've read every book discussed in this thread, and HPMoR is my definite favorite.)

nix23 5y ago

Check out "The Name of the Wind" :)

meowface 5y ago
The full title is actually "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality": http://www.hpmor.com http://www.hpmor.com
- tk75x 5y ago
  You are wrong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Wind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Wind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Methods_of_Rationality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Methods_o...
  - meowface 5y ago
    Sorry for the confusion; the parent comment was different when I replied to it. It initially started with a quote like: >as a big fan of Harry Potter So I was under the impression they may've believed the post was talking about the regular Harry Potter series and recommending something based on Harry Potter rather than HPMOR.

qznc 5y ago

Reddit to the rescue: r/rational Their wiki also suggests lots of other books and authors. https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/wiki/ https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/wiki/

masklinn 5y ago
Oh wow I knew "there is no antimemetics division" was an outgrowth of SCP, TIL that it's quite literally an SCP serial. Also I'm already following way too many serials, that's inconvenient.