Scan barcode
geekynerfherder's review against another edition
5.0
I've been hearing how good 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss was, so it was time to dive in.
The praise is very deserving!
An innkeeper, the legendary wizard Kvothe, tells his life story to the Chronicler, a respected, um, chronicler of stories, over the span of three days, of which 'The Name of the Wind' is day one. Starting with his childhood growing up as part of a travelling troupe, until a life changing incident turns everything upside down, to his days struggling to survive to finally enrolling at the University. All the ups and downs of a very storied life!
It's a character driven book, with the story told from Kvothe's point of view, interspersed with interludes told in the third person back in the Inn. These breaks in the main narrative don't slow down the story so much, but add another layer to the whole story.
Throughout the book we meet some compelling characters, Bast, Simmone, Wilem and Denna to name a few, in a complex and immersive fantasy world of magic and legends that is all woven together in an engaging prose that is lyrical, and at times, poetic.
The audiobook, narrated by Rupert Degas, is wonderful as well. Degas' performance levitates the book to a whole other level, bringing the characters and world to life in such a way, you would want to listen to the story all over again.
It's very rare I give a full 5* to anything, but 'The Name of the Wind' is very deserving and heartily recommended for those that like the works of Brandon Sanderson or George RR Martin.
The praise is very deserving!
An innkeeper, the legendary wizard Kvothe, tells his life story to the Chronicler, a respected, um, chronicler of stories, over the span of three days, of which 'The Name of the Wind' is day one. Starting with his childhood growing up as part of a travelling troupe, until a life changing incident turns everything upside down, to his days struggling to survive to finally enrolling at the University. All the ups and downs of a very storied life!
It's a character driven book, with the story told from Kvothe's point of view, interspersed with interludes told in the third person back in the Inn. These breaks in the main narrative don't slow down the story so much, but add another layer to the whole story.
Throughout the book we meet some compelling characters, Bast, Simmone, Wilem and Denna to name a few, in a complex and immersive fantasy world of magic and legends that is all woven together in an engaging prose that is lyrical, and at times, poetic.
The audiobook, narrated by Rupert Degas, is wonderful as well. Degas' performance levitates the book to a whole other level, bringing the characters and world to life in such a way, you would want to listen to the story all over again.
It's very rare I give a full 5* to anything, but 'The Name of the Wind' is very deserving and heartily recommended for those that like the works of Brandon Sanderson or George RR Martin.
laurabeth9's review against another edition
5.0
I'm so glad a college friend convinced me to pick this book up. I must say that I wasn't so convinced at the beginning but once Kvothe began telling his childhood story, I was hooked. If you are reading this, don't stop until Chronicler is recording his adventure. It is so worth it. There is such a vivid imagination in play from the author and the reader. From the fantasy to the music to times, so much is alive. I am ready to start Rothfuss's second installment and can't wait until he has written many, many more.
fromotterspace's review against another edition
3.0
Two comparisons come to mind now that I finished the book. The Name of the Wind is like watching a 3 hour sports movie that ends with preseason. There just wasn't really a climax. After nearly 700 pages, I felt I deserved better than his showdown with an overgrown lizard.
The second thing this book made me think of is an MMO video game like Warcraft or Everquest. It's a fascinating world where the character hops around from quest giver to quest giver completing minor tasks for rewards. Sure there is a main story but the player never really cares about it, they just want to see more cool stuff and have their character be as bad ass as possible.
The Name of the Wind has excellent world building and a pretty cool magic system. The main character is a pretentious douchebag. I also have no interest in a character who is pretty much flawless. He's good at everything. What fun is that? Especially since the most prominent villain in the book is basically Lucius Malfoy.
Very few of the characters beyond Kvothe actually have personality. They are just there to either hate him or fawn over how cool he is. The story rambles and loses focus and introduce characters only to forget about them later.
After typing out my thoughts on the matter, maybe I should change this from a 3 to a 2... I dunno. The setting is tantalizing enough I will probably read the next one
The second thing this book made me think of is an MMO video game like Warcraft or Everquest. It's a fascinating world where the character hops around from quest giver to quest giver completing minor tasks for rewards. Sure there is a main story but the player never really cares about it, they just want to see more cool stuff and have their character be as bad ass as possible.
The Name of the Wind has excellent world building and a pretty cool magic system. The main character is a pretentious douchebag. I also have no interest in a character who is pretty much flawless. He's good at everything. What fun is that? Especially since the most prominent villain in the book is basically Lucius Malfoy.
Very few of the characters beyond Kvothe actually have personality. They are just there to either hate him or fawn over how cool he is. The story rambles and loses focus and introduce characters only to forget about them later.
After typing out my thoughts on the matter, maybe I should change this from a 3 to a 2... I dunno. The setting is tantalizing enough I will probably read the next one
librarygoddess2's review against another edition
5.0
Poetic, eloquent, amazing! Reading this book was like listening to music.
ericfomley1's review against another edition
5.0
Everywhere Kvothe goes rumor, mystery, and stories follow. It is natural that chroniclers would search for such a man, being the seekers of the greatest tales, and at the beginning of the book a famous chronicler finally tracks down the famed Kvothe by accident. Under certain conditions, the chronicler is granted the opportunity to record Kvothe’s story. The true tale will be given over three days. The Name of the Wind is day one. The first day is a story that’s something of a foundation that I assume lays the groundwork for a grander sequel. This isn’t in any way saying that The Name of the Wind was not a driven and wonderfully thought out plot, it just means that the first book is a sort of coming of age story that deals a lot with setting up who Kvothe is and how he came to be the man people say he is in the chronicler’s time. The plot is filled with tragedy, setbacks, and all manner of emotions good and bad. The twists and turns of this book are elaborate and the shape of the story has been thought out in such a way that I have never before experienced in a book. The story, simply put, was amazing. I found myself identifying closely with Kvothe as he went through all the ups and downs and I at several times audibly shouted as things didn’t go his way or unexpectedly blew up in his face. It was truly a wonderful tale and I am so very eager to see what all this groundwork sets up in the sequel.
The characters in The Name of the Wind all have their place and each has a distinctly unique voice and meaning to Kvothe. His closest friends, Simmon and Wilem are the strong pillars through Kvothe’s trouble. The tantalizing woman named Deena shows up whenever you least expect and is the mysterious sort of woman all young boys dream of. The bully Ambrose is a Lordling constantly finding ways to see Kvothe fail. The Chanderin are an elusive and menacing specie that I can’t help but wonder at their role later in the story. All in all the secondary characters in the novel are amazing and compliment Kvothe well in many different ways. Kvothe himself is proud, yet has a soft spot for others. He is intelligent, get still has much to learn in terms of women and his place in the world. He is driven, yet still falls prey to distraction easily. Through the whole story all I wanted was for him to succeed. success does not come easy for Kvothe, and never in the way that I expect. As I watched him develop through the story I was amazed at how far he’d come and how the many different things in his life could affect him in the ways that they did. This was some master character work. I thoroughly enjoyed every second I spent with these characters.
The writing of The Name of the Wind borders on straight poetry. Each word is crafted carefully and the sentences come together beautifully. The story Rothfuss has to tell is already a beautiful story and he compliments it with some of the best first person writing I have ever read. The book is around 700 pages and I picked it up in the evening and immediately went back to it until I had finished it the next morning. It is a wonderfully imagined novel that seeds just the right amount of emotion in with the forward motion of the story. This is a masterpiece in terms of literature and the writing reflects an author that certainly has a handle on a literary tool bag I wish I owned. If you haven’t yet experienced Rothfuss’ writing you may think I am prone to exaggeration. To that I say you should experience it for yourself.
The Name of the Wind is one of the longest fantasy novels I’ve read this year but in terms of story and writing it is one of the best. I only spent the better part of a day reading this novel but I feel as though I have journeyed and traveled with Kvothe through all of his hardships. This book has struck a certain chord with me that I cannot dismiss. I am super impressed by this novel and am eager to read the sequel A Wise Man’s Fear. I will post my thoughts of this sequel once I have finished. But in the meantime, if you have not yet read The Name of the Wind please do yourself a favor.
Rating: 10/10
The characters in The Name of the Wind all have their place and each has a distinctly unique voice and meaning to Kvothe. His closest friends, Simmon and Wilem are the strong pillars through Kvothe’s trouble. The tantalizing woman named Deena shows up whenever you least expect and is the mysterious sort of woman all young boys dream of. The bully Ambrose is a Lordling constantly finding ways to see Kvothe fail. The Chanderin are an elusive and menacing specie that I can’t help but wonder at their role later in the story. All in all the secondary characters in the novel are amazing and compliment Kvothe well in many different ways. Kvothe himself is proud, yet has a soft spot for others. He is intelligent, get still has much to learn in terms of women and his place in the world. He is driven, yet still falls prey to distraction easily. Through the whole story all I wanted was for him to succeed. success does not come easy for Kvothe, and never in the way that I expect. As I watched him develop through the story I was amazed at how far he’d come and how the many different things in his life could affect him in the ways that they did. This was some master character work. I thoroughly enjoyed every second I spent with these characters.
The writing of The Name of the Wind borders on straight poetry. Each word is crafted carefully and the sentences come together beautifully. The story Rothfuss has to tell is already a beautiful story and he compliments it with some of the best first person writing I have ever read. The book is around 700 pages and I picked it up in the evening and immediately went back to it until I had finished it the next morning. It is a wonderfully imagined novel that seeds just the right amount of emotion in with the forward motion of the story. This is a masterpiece in terms of literature and the writing reflects an author that certainly has a handle on a literary tool bag I wish I owned. If you haven’t yet experienced Rothfuss’ writing you may think I am prone to exaggeration. To that I say you should experience it for yourself.
The Name of the Wind is one of the longest fantasy novels I’ve read this year but in terms of story and writing it is one of the best. I only spent the better part of a day reading this novel but I feel as though I have journeyed and traveled with Kvothe through all of his hardships. This book has struck a certain chord with me that I cannot dismiss. I am super impressed by this novel and am eager to read the sequel A Wise Man’s Fear. I will post my thoughts of this sequel once I have finished. But in the meantime, if you have not yet read The Name of the Wind please do yourself a favor.
Rating: 10/10
alexangelas's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
There were parts of this I REALLY liked and then parts that dragged. I loved Auri and I want to know more about her. But Denna…I’m not a fan lol. The parts she was in bother me and dragged the book down in my opinion. I just want her to go away. I am surprised this is rated so high because of the parts that drag (Denna) AND the fact that there’s not enough of Kvothe being taught by Elodin. His time at the school was so great I just wish there was more. The ending with Bast and the Chronicler though was quite interesting and I look forward to seeing how it will play out.
There were parts of this I REALLY liked and then parts that dragged. I loved Auri and I want to know more about her. But Denna…I’m not a fan lol. The parts she was in bother me and dragged the book down in my opinion. I just want her to go away. I am surprised this is rated so high because of the parts that drag (Denna) AND the fact that there’s not enough of Kvothe being taught by Elodin. His time at the school was so great I just wish there was more. The ending with Bast and the Chronicler though was quite interesting and I look forward to seeing how it will play out.
ryanboros's review against another edition
5.0
The Kingkiller Chronicle is the story of Kvothe, a singer, magician, and adventurer of much renown. He is essentially the modern Odysseus of his world and his tales are the stuff of folklore and legend. After removing himself from public life, Kvothe becomes an anonymous innkeeper in an obscure village. He is tracked down by "The Great Debunker," the scribe known as Chronicler who has a knack for finding the truth behind the legend. With some persuading, Chronicler convinces Kvothe to tell his real story over the span of 3 days. The Name of the Wind is the first day of his story. The book is told in two levels, in the present day with Kvothe's third person interactions with Chronicler, his assistant Bast, and the local town folk, as well as in his first person narrative on his life story.
Kvothe is an interesting character. While he's incredibly intelligent, bold, and clever, he definitely makes his share of mistakes, both due to his youth and inexperience in the beginning and his sharp tongue and quick temper. This helps make him a sympathetic character. His penchant to make powerful enemies foreshadows that his story will probably in tragedy. Despite that fact, I don't feel that the story is depressing at all in tone.
What I like best about Kvothe's story is that the reader not only learns the truth about Kvothe, one learns the truth of the mysteries of Kvothe's world as well. Be it fairy tale or country folklore surrounding the Chandrian, the Fae, the Tehlan Church or the Amir, or mysterious idiosyncrasies of cultural groups like the Adem mercenaries and his own Edema Ruh, Kvothe relentless searches for truth behind them all. So its significant when Kvothe comes across a new story during his own narration, because it leads to a deeper truth behind the secrets of his world.
It's not the perfect story. Being a long form fantasy with the initial conceit of Kvothe telling his story in three days, sometimes it feels like Kvothe is spending too much times on certain aspects of the story, like his time at the University. But that's really the only complaint I have so far. The story within a story works very well. Kvothe's adventures are pretty cool and as a reader I root for him to come out of whatever forced him into hiding and resume a heroic role (leading to a story beyond book 3 maybe). I want to solve the mysteries of the story as much as Kvothe does sometimes. It's a great read and I highly recommend it.
Kvothe is an interesting character. While he's incredibly intelligent, bold, and clever, he definitely makes his share of mistakes, both due to his youth and inexperience in the beginning and his sharp tongue and quick temper. This helps make him a sympathetic character. His penchant to make powerful enemies foreshadows that his story will probably in tragedy. Despite that fact, I don't feel that the story is depressing at all in tone.
What I like best about Kvothe's story is that the reader not only learns the truth about Kvothe, one learns the truth of the mysteries of Kvothe's world as well. Be it fairy tale or country folklore surrounding the Chandrian, the Fae, the Tehlan Church or the Amir, or mysterious idiosyncrasies of cultural groups like the Adem mercenaries and his own Edema Ruh, Kvothe relentless searches for truth behind them all. So its significant when Kvothe comes across a new story during his own narration, because it leads to a deeper truth behind the secrets of his world.
It's not the perfect story. Being a long form fantasy with the initial conceit of Kvothe telling his story in three days, sometimes it feels like Kvothe is spending too much times on certain aspects of the story, like his time at the University. But that's really the only complaint I have so far. The story within a story works very well. Kvothe's adventures are pretty cool and as a reader I root for him to come out of whatever forced him into hiding and resume a heroic role (leading to a story beyond book 3 maybe). I want to solve the mysteries of the story as much as Kvothe does sometimes. It's a great read and I highly recommend it.