That's the reason I didn't give it an honest chance. Nice to hear that was a misconception!
The other problem I have with it is the length. It seems as if its ideas could've been expressed a lot more succinctly. Is this another misconception? Or perhaps one isn't supposed to read it for the ideas themselves, but rather for the lit-wrapping? If so, is it of any interest for a non-HP reader?
I could not care less about the moral, ethics or ideas. I just like reading it as some kind of alternate Harry version with some tangents that appeal to the science nerd or socially inept geek side of me.
There are many moments where full knowledge of the Harry Potter books (at least the first 3) seems important. Also I don't think you would have much fun if you do not know how the characters normally are.
It seems really long. I am not even one third through it yet.
To be honest, I often noticed myself skip over the parts where some scientific method or things like that are explained/discussed. It is written well enough that so far I could pick up the gist just by reading lightly as I always do (scanning the pages rather than reading word by word (I wish I could do that sometimes)).
I believe the idea was to package the ideas in an approachable (and perhaps potentially more viral) format. The ideas are more succinctly expressed at http://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Sequences, but I can't see your average Harry Potter fan stumbling into those and sticking around.
The early chapters were much more ham fisted about the ideas from Less Wrong, almost Ayn Randian in their clunkiness. Eliezer has raised his game a lot over the course of the story.
The other problem I have with it is the length. It seems as if its ideas could've been expressed a lot more succinctly. Is this another misconception? Or perhaps one isn't supposed to read it for the ideas themselves, but rather for the lit-wrapping? If so, is it of any interest for a non-HP reader?