Saturday, November 18, 2017

Review: The Name of the Wind

Title: The Name of the Wind
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Publisher: Penguin DAW
Release Date: March 27, 2007

Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.

The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature.

A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.




I have heard nothing but amazing things about this series. Silly me, I decided to start an epic fantasy series when the author hasn't released the final book yet. You'd think after ASoIaF I'd have learned my lesson yet. Guess I just have a penchant for punishment.

Starting in a very small town where everyone knows everyone and has for their entire lives, we have a slight mystery. A man is attacked by a spider-like creature, called a scrael. The townsfolk think it's a demon, but the newest man in town (the innkeeper) knows better. He goes hunting for them later that night and runs into a scribe who recognizes him as Kvothe, the Kingkiller. The series follows Kvothe as he narrates the story of his life to the scribe.

The world is fascinating, and it begs for more and more stories. We learn about the gods and the myths of different cultures. We learn about folk tales and legends. And in the midst of the truly spectacular worldbuilding is the story of a boy who has suffered more than anyone should and has learned not only to survive, but to thrive.

There is not much I can say about this book, because it's really just amazing. It's witty and funny, but it's also sad. I'm already almost done with the second book, so I cannot wait for the third book to finally be released.

Overall
Amazing. If you're a fan of adult fantasy, you should read this.


5 stars

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