FanFic This needs one good review on TV Tropes
Okay. I can kinda see the point of the other reviewers. When you're the guy who doesn't like something, and that something is the most popular Haruhi fanfic on the web, you can get mad. I won't attack them or their opinions. But I will put forth my own. I think the problem here is that the characters of Haruhi are very complex, and because of that are very difficult to get right. Different aspects of each character are better remembered by each fan, and that will be the aspects that they consider 'canon'. The problem here is that the ones the writer of this fanfic uses and the ones the other reviewers prefer are different.
Now for my thoughts. I love this fic, which is obvious as I'm attempting to turn it into a radio play. I think the writing is great, and to me all the characters are in-character. Is Kyon portrayed as too much of a pushover? Maybe, but he's a HUGE pushover in canon. The moments in which he grows a spine are few and far between. Is Haruhi an exaggerated jerkass, despite this taking place after her character development? I don't think so. Nothing she does in this comes close to her early moments of douchebaggery. She may go a little bit farther then she would post-development, but I can see why. Here we see here at here home, not in public. What about her parents? While I agree that normal parents may have been interesting, I really like how they're written. Yeah, her dad's an EPIC jerk. But I think you may be missing something. The way I see it, he's basically pre-development Haruhi, who uses force to get what he wants, plus very large anger issues. I have friends with anger issues, and it's a problem. I also have friends who easily dismiss other people's thoughts and feelings. It's something they are trying to work on, and to me that's what her dad came across as. He knew he had some serious problems, and tried to find creative outlets so they couldn't get too out-of-control. To me, this is a great fanfic that is very much Original Flavor. But, to their each their own. Sorry you guys didn't like it.
FanFic A bit overrated, but honestly, not that terrible
As someone else who doesn't like schadenfreude, and also a fan of Kyon's character, I found this story overrated and not that enjoyable.
At the same time, the story is consistent, and technically well written. It contains my least-favorite possible interpretations of both Kyon and Haruhi, ever (with him being a hopeless buttmonkey, and Haruhi being a physically violent (and extreme) tsundere, exactly like neither of them are in canon).
I could not stand the OC of Haruhi's father; he really is a complete monster with no redeeming traits.
I also personally feel that these aren't great choices for Haruhi's parents; really, I'd expect her parents to be incredibly boring, and be what prompted Haruhi to want to be 'different', not to have them be so out there that their behaviors justify anything Haruhi does to Kyon (which ... tends to be really mean).
I'll give Jon Bob credit; he at least does intend to portray a romantic relationship, even if he did unintentionally spark off the hugest and worst trend of characterizations (RE: Buttmonkey!Kyon, Uber Tsundere!Haruhi) that currently plague the Haruhi fanfiction community.
You really can't blame the guy for having pale imitators. Ironically, I only discovered this story when fans of it begged me to use his original characters in my own(; that'd end in one of those O Cs being killed, and no one missing him, though, so ... no).
Beyond those flaws? The story is actually okay, and internally consistent. It's not my cup of tea because I don't find the pain of others amusing, and I only like Haruhi when she grows as a character (and kicking Kyon in the head to wake him up after making him sleep on the floor qualifies as the opposite of that, for me). That doesn't mean there aren't some good jokes in there.
Moreover, Jon Bob is one of the few authors that actually bother to put descriptive detail into clothing — it's so unusual in the fandom I found it a bit jarring until I adapted. But, hey! Variety is the spice of life, and who wouldn't appreciate more detail?
As long as you don't feel some need to respect Kyon, or see Haruhi show kindness until the very end, this is more readable than you may be lead to believe! Yeah, over-hyped, but just because it's over-hyped doesn't mean it's not good. Just not perfect.
FanFic Its difficult.
Remember that problem with Haruhi where many fans get hung up in her being a Jerkass, avoiding her character development.
This is Meet The Suzumiyas, but worse.
Haruhi is... terrible. She is selfish, violent, inconsiderate, selfish, rude, selfish and plain abusive. It's worse that the first chapters in the anime. Sure, she had her moments, few and far between, when she is "cute" and "nice", but its like having your spouse beat the living crap out of you everyday and bougth you flowers at the end of the week as an apology.
And Ouki, his father is ten times worse. He beat the living crap out of Kyon, not once but twice (if we don't count the rest of the Training sessions) for incredible petty reason. Mainly because Haruhi lied to him about SOS Brigade was about. Let's recapitulate, a thirty, highly trained adult brutally beated, kicked, punched to the point of leaving his eye bleeding, pulverizing his face and nearly breaking his bones a 17 year old untrained Kid. Before that he tortured, and I mean tortured with deadlocks and pressure points especifically done to casue massive pain for over and hour because Haruhi, once again didn't tell him about Kyon moving (which was Haruhi idea) and wanted to get revenge on kyon... because he is a guy. And after this, he put to work kyon like an slave, screaming at him and sneering at his pains and bruises.
The guy is a psycho with severe anger problems that should be in jail.
Oh but he is a good father, a flawed human and everything is in good fun between real men.
Worse of all, is that many fans said the characterization of Kyon was totally canon. No it wasn't. While he was unmotivated and patient, here he is such a Extreme Doormat that is sickening. In canon he had his limits. Here he is always believing all its his fault, having to constantly apologize to this, this BRUTES and their never ending sadistic games.
Good god, Kyon is the textbook example of a beated wife. I could'nt finish the Fic because it sicked me that this was going to a romantic ending. Seriously, this is just a plain disturbing, pseudo parody of a Romantic Comedy.
Its just plain Horrible work of Romance Fic and put simple, a terrible Fic for all its great work and effort it was put.