Terdwilicker posted a comment on Saturday 7th February 2009 12:23pm

I think the problem with this story is The Culture is a logical setting which relies on logic to resolve situations but Rowling's HP series is NOT logical and instead uses Deus Ex Machina to resolve most problems, even the ones detected logically. While that's fine for children's stories, it doesn't work for a crossover, thus you are stuck. A lot of authors run smack into this problem too. It is a shame as the image of Culture Minds and Drones figuring out the wizarding world appealled. Oh well.

Andrius posted a comment on Friday 6th February 2009 7:13pm

Here's a thought: Dumbledore can just read her mind, can't he? And she cannot detect nor fight Legilimency. All Culture's secrets would get out :)

Dave Harris posted a comment on Tuesday 27th January 2009 5:18pm

Just reading "The Player of Games" and laughed out loud once I realised where you'd picked Harry's reaction to the guards outside Gringotts from.

Andrius posted a comment on Sunday 25th January 2009 8:47am

Wow! Very original setting, love it!

Peter Volk posted a comment on Sunday 11th January 2009 12:27am

This is a fantastic fusion of two universes, and I am enjoying it very much. The benevolent manipulation by the Culture Minds for the percieved greater good of the Culture strikes me as very reminiscent of Dumbledore's attitude in many fics I have read. It might be worth underlining the similarity at some point in future.

They also, like Dumbledore, are assuming that the precautions they have put in place around Harry are more than adequate to protect him from any concievable threat. This is despite the fact they are operating in what they recognise as an Out of Context environment where magic can invalidate all their assumptions and expectations. At some point, they may suffer a nasty and expensive shock.

Both the Wizarding World and the Culture have massive egos and superiority complexes. It would be interesting to see both deflated.

Peter

Katherine posted a comment on Sunday 11th January 2009 12:22am

I hope you update soon. And all those books Sma bought is there a way to download the info into Harry's head just like when he learned Earths languages?

Beonid posted a comment on Saturday 10th January 2009 1:04am

As brilliant as usual, Ruskbyte.

Did you realise that you pulled part of this chapter almost word-for-word out of The Player of Games? I'm talking about the armed flunkies part...

Here's an excerpt from The Player of Games:

'What are they standing there for?' Gurgeh whispered to the drone in Eächic, low enough so that Pequil couldn't hear. 'Show,' the machine said. Gurgeh thought about this. 'Show?' 'Yes; to show that the Emperor is rich and important enough to have hundreds of flunkeys standing around doing nothing.' 'Doesn't everybody know that already?' The drone didn't answer for a moment. Then it sighed. 'You haven't really cracked the psychology of wealth and power yet, have you, Jernau Gurgeh?'

A bit disappointing, but still a very good read.

Mesterio posted a comment on Friday 9th January 2009 6:04pm

This story so far rates up with every other AU fic involving alien or otherwordly interaction with Harry that i've ever read. Not to mention its funny as hell. CANT WAIT FOR NEXT CHAP!

DizzyG posted a comment on Friday 12th December 2008 5:18pm

Is this going to be updated at any point in the near future? I'm missing my fix.

Three points I consider worthy of comment:
I absolutely loved the crack about the goblin guards. Many bonus points for this.
Did the Sufficiently Advanced Technology rename itself after this story started. It certainly seems like a Mind's sense of humour.
Finally, why did nobody in Dumbledore's office note Sma using her full name in the letter?

Zooxle posted a comment on Wednesday 3rd December 2008 11:58pm

Yes yes i know everybody says this fic is the best thing since ADSL, and i agree with all of them. I actually went out and looked for books by Iain M Banks because the Minds are absolutely fascinating. (Reminds me of Isaac Asimov's MultiVAC computer which evolved to encompass several galaxies) Meat Fucker, hilarious. And that kiss was brilliant as well. I can not even imagine what will happen next or how the story will continue, so surprises all round. This is probably my favorite story on FFA.net along with Jeconais' Perfect Sytherins- Tales from the first year. Hope the next update happens soon.
Avid reader, Zooxle

knightsbridge posted a comment on Sunday 19th October 2008 1:56am

I'm truly not dim, but it took me a couple of chapters to get into the swing of this story. Now, I'm hooked. Where EVER did you come up with banes of the "ships" for lack of a better word? Oddly enough, my Da' who is a retired Marine seems to 'get it' right off. I seem to remember and author being a Dolphin, or a surmariner, and wondered if that was you?
I love the byplay between the hat and Dumbledork. Thanks for the great story.

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Tuesday 14th October 2008 5:52pm

Good chapter.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Monday 13th October 2008 9:34pm

Good chapter.

unny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Monday 13th October 2008 8:58pm

Good chapter.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Monday 13th October 2008 8:18pm

Good chapter.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Monday 13th October 2008 7:44pm

Good chapter.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Monday 13th October 2008 6:35pm

Good chapter.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Sunday 12th October 2008 9:35pm

Very good start.

gunny

MrRobertsIII posted a comment on Wednesday 8th October 2008 12:31pm

What a strange cross-over! I've never read IM Banks' work, but I'll be sure to start.

Thanks.

J.D. Nicholai posted a comment on Tuesday 7th October 2008 9:49pm

Always a pleasure to see a new chapter of this. I'm looking forward to some of the reprecussions of what the Sorting Hat apparently blurted out.