Forum: Story Recommendations

Intelligent or cunning protagonist

Lanya201 🚫
Updated:

I'm looking for an mc that's 'intelligent' and can think before doing things, you know, not like the typical hot blooded guy that makes rash decisions and then mess up everything or the horny guy that only thinks with his dick, don't misunderstand, it's always good to have sex in the story, actually, it'll be awesome if the objective of the mc is to get laid as much as posible, but that at least he can plan and consider what's the best way he can get it.

Like if he's after a hot girl, he designs a plan of how to fuck her or if the mc gains a superpower he doesn't go out and makes something stupid that attracts the attention of the enemy (if there's one).

It doesn't matter the age of the mc 'cause I've read stories with this type of dumb characters that are teenagers, middle age or older, but please please that at least the guy has a little bit of brains.

So yeah, I know this sounds like an imposible thing, but I've got faith that there's one such story out there.

Replies: awnlee jawking JoeBobMack Ernest Bywater awnlee jawking JoeBobMack Nizzgrrl awnlee jawking joyR remarcsd optimizer

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Lanya201

Some of the do-over stories 'show' rather than 'tell' that the protagonist is intelligent.

Grey Wolf's 'Variation on a Theme' stories are a convenient example.

AJ

JoeBobMack 🚫
Updated:

@Lanya201

Yaolan102, you didn't give us much on what stories you've read and liked, but, it turns out some of my favorites seem to meet your criteria. I know I'm missing a bunch, but here are some possibilities:

Argon's In the Navy -- The story of a young officer, Anthony Carter, in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Inspired by the novels by C.S. Forester. First in the Anthony Carter Universe.

Kenn Ghannon's Fairly CAPable -- Calix goes from gang enforcer to badass space navy superagent in training, with a harem.

Lazlo Zalezc's The Future of Miss Powers -- In Chapter 1, the MC is reading a magazine as roll is taken in his first hs class. This response is part of his exchange with the teacher: "I'm sure that we'll get along better if we adopt a policy of mutual respect and toleration. I'll listen to your lectures without correcting what you're saying. You'll let me read without making comments."

Reluctant Sir's Magic 101 -- Smart meets magic.

colt45's Synergy -- magical headhunter with a heart, and brains.

Todd_d172's The Shack Universe -- all of them.

Lazlo Zalezac's Damsels in Distress stories. -- I haven't read many of the stories by other authors in that universe, but Lazlo's are excellent.

Tom Frost's Elevated -- Absolutely, and a super example of leaving the world building in the background, although to the point I SO MUCH wanted sequels to get more hints.

Omachchuck's THE Harem Tales -- set in The Swarm Cycle Universe. I've linked to the first of these. There are five.

In fact, a lot of The Swarm Cycle stories feature smart MCs. Aroslav's Pussy Pirates is another great example, as is Allan Joyal's Building a CAP Based Future and Living a CAP Based Present.

Replies: awnlee jawking Lanya201

awnlee jawking 🚫

@JoeBobMack

In Chapter 1, the MC is reading a magazine as roll is taken in his first hs class. This response is part of his exchange with the teacher: "I'm sure that we'll get along better if we adopt a policy of mutual respect and toleration. I'll listen to your lectures without correcting what you're saying. You'll let me read without making comments."

That's why I'm not a big fan of Lazlo Zalezac. That exchange might be entertaining to readers but IMO it's like feeding them a sugar hit instead of protein: it's not a realistic indication of intelligence.

AJ

Replies: JoeBobMack Ernest Bywater rkimmelerre

JoeBobMack 🚫

@awnlee jawking

No argument, AJ. On one level, I'm tempted to say that "not realistic" is true of every story on my list. On another level, however, "not realistic" can be a valid criticism of a character's behavior if it is beyond the "fantastical" element in the story that requires "suspension of disbelief." In that scene (maybe the whole story), I think Zalezac was going for the fun of the "super-smart person who doesn't tolerate stupidity, even from authorities." And maybe a bit of wish-fulfillment -- I know I had a few teachers I wanted to smack for being stupid; I just didn't have what it took (in brains or brass) to pull it off!

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@awnlee jawking

That exchange might be entertaining to readers but IMO it's like feeding them a sugar hit instead of protein: it's not a realistic indication of intelligence.

I wouldn't say it wasn't realistic, unlikely but not realistic. However, I've had a real life experience with something similar. In 6th Class I got 100% on the first two exams of the year and the teacher accused me of cheating, despite me being the only person in the class to get better than 90%. He made the accusation in front of the whole class, so I responded with a refusal to do any work for him in class until after he apologised in front of the whole class. For the rest of the year I sat in class with a long succession of fiction books in front of me reading. I didn't take any notes but I did listen to what was said in class and I read the various text books in my own time. The low mark I got on any exam during that time was 93%. While I got good marks my parents refused to do anything, and the principal took the same position. The teacher involved was mega pissed, but there was nothing he could do about it.

rkimmelerre 🚫

@awnlee jawking

That exchange might be entertaining to readers but IMO it's like feeding them a sugar hit instead of protein: it's not a realistic indication of intelligence.

It's a realistic indication the sort of thing people who aren't nearly as intelligent as they think they are might say. An actually intelligent person would realize that even if the class is a waste of their time, deliberately antagonizing the teacher makes you an idiot.

Replies: irvmull

irvmull 🚫

@rkimmelerre

It's a realistic indication the sort of thing people who aren't nearly as intelligent as they think they are might say. An actually intelligent person would realize that even if the class is a waste of their time, deliberately antagonizing the teacher makes you an idiot.

You are correct, but why stop there?

Let's make Clark J. Kent just a reporter who can't fly, and Wonder Woman just an old lady who collects cats. Those are much more realistic.

Fiction is enjoyable mostly because it isn't real life.
Real life it pretty much depressing. That's why people read these stories.

Replies: rkimmelerre

rkimmelerre 🚫

@irvmull

Superman and Wonder Woman don't go out of their way to be assholes to people who are just doing their jobs, though. I don't enjoy characters like that, and I don't find that sort of behavior to be an indication of intelligence. So it fails on at least two levels. For me, not necessarily for others, granted.

Lanya201 🚫

@JoeBobMack

Yeah, I forgot to mention that, but I think these are exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks!!

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@Lanya201

I'm looking for an mc that's 'intelligent' and can think before doing things,

Most of my story MCs will fit that description. Try these:

https://storiesonline.net/s/66183/finding-home

https://storiesonline.net/s/16691/boone-the-early-years

https://storiesonline.net/s/11052/odd-man-in-college

Replies: Lanya201

Lanya201 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

I'll give them a try, thanks a lot!!

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Lanya201

A few more suggestions:

Lumpy's 'Destiny Saga'

Charlie Foxtrot's 'A New Past'

G Younger's 'Conclave' (in progress)

AJ

JoeBobMack 🚫

@Lanya201

Oh, and for something in the very fantastical realm, try Deja Vu Ascendancy. How over the top fantastical? The story starts with the MC committing suicide, and ends with him.... Well, I won't give it away, though the author does on his stories page. If you are one of us who sometimes wish books were longer, this one may scratch that itch, too - over a million words.

Replies: AmigaClone

AmigaClone 🚫

@JoeBobMack

If you are one of us who sometimes wish books were longer, this one may scratch that itch, too - over a million words.

Deja Vu Assendency is actually closer to three and a half million words.

Replies: JoeBobMack

JoeBobMack 🚫

@AmigaClone

Yup. My bad. Can't imagine how I managed to get that wrong!

Nizzgrrl 🚫
Updated:

@Lanya201

If you have a few days to read, try two of the best on SOL -- rlfj and Jay Cantrell. They have created some great characters who definitely know how to think.

https://storiesonline.net/a/rlfj

A Fresh Start

https://storiesonline.net/s/68384/a-fresh-start

The Grim Reaper, the first of a series about Grim

https://storiesonline.net/s/11339/the-grim-reaper-romantic-story

https://storiesonline.net/a/Jay_Cantrell

Daze in the Valley

https://storiesonline.net/s/65463/daze-in-the-valley

Cantrell's 2 story Brock Miller series

https://storiesonline.net/series/1278/brock-miller

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Lanya201

Let's make Clark J. Kent just a reporter who can't fly, and Wonder Woman just an old lady who collects cats.

I'm not an expert but I wasn't aware of either of them being described as a genius. Superman and Wonder Woman pretty much did what it said on the tin.

AJ

joyR 🚫

@Lanya201

It doesn't matter the age of the mc 'cause I've read stories with this type of dumb characters that are teenagers, middle age or older, but please please that at least the guy has a little bit of brains.

Have you considered that your search results are limited because you only look for guys?

:)

Replies: samuelmichaels

samuelmichaels 🚫

@joyR

Have you considered that your search results are limited because you only look for guys?

Yes, jballs has a couple of stories about B.J.Jones. The protagonist is pretty clever (as well as tough).

But for cunning, you can't beat Blackadder.

remarcsd 🚫

@Lanya201

Hammingbyrd7's Preacher Man

Alan Joyals 3 Swarm Cycle stories re Ishtar

optimizer 🚫

@Lanya201

I've got a couple not-stupid protagonists. The one from "Downsides and Upsides" and "Fairy Chess" here:

https://storiesonline.net/universe/695/newer-universe

And the protagonist of "Inescapable" (though he doesn't stay a guy, exactly):

https://storiesonline.net/s/18310/inescapable-part-1-of-2

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Forum: Story Recommendations

Intelligent or cunning protagonist

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