Discussion: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfu (spoilers)
 

So, what did you all think?

I am still reading it so will be skipping this thread until I am done with it.

I'm not a fan of SciFi in general. So when this book came up as a book club choice I went into it kicking and screaming. I finished it in a weekend! Absolutely couldn't put it down! I bought the second one within minutes of it becoming available. Not quite as great, but still thoroughly enjoyable. Now just keeping my fingers crossed that he doesn't take another few years to finish the series.

I am also abstaining from the thread, for now. I enjoyed the first chapter so much that I immediately went looking for the 2nd book, but it was out of my price range. So this has been placed on my TBR until such time I can get the 2nd and possibly the 3rd.

I am busy at work at the moment. I enjoyed the book, but I am not 'head over heels' about it. Here is what I wrote on GoodReads after I finished it, since I don't have time now to post new thoughts:


I had fun reading this book. The author does a very good job at keeping the reader's attention, with the right plot twists and surprises lurking around the corner. Yet, there are some elements of the book I disliked.

For example - the way the plot keeps coming back to the main character's lack of money. He's poor. He can't afford school. I get it. The first time. Really, I appreciate the way the author tries to build a 'realistic' fantasy world. But if I wanted to think about tuition problems, I would not be reading a fantasy book...

Or his petty conflicts with another student. Just doesn't seem to sit well with the rest of the book. The main character is presented as hard-driven, very motivated - but then he keeps returning to petty squabbles with his a fellow schoolmate...

On the other side, I found the main character to be well developed, 'three-dimensional'. I don't agree with many other commentators who seem to see him as excessively arrogant and unlikable.

Also, as a side note - the epub version of the book I read had multiple spelling and formatting errors and a few word omissions. Clearly not well proofed.

Overall, I liked the story enough so that I have already purchased the next book - and I am looking forward to reading it. But defining Rothfuss 'the next Tolkien', as many have, is preposterous. He is a good writer, the story is intriguing, the world interesting - and somehow original. Yet, this book does not have the epic grandeur of The Lord of the Rings. The more appropriate comparison I have heard is defining this book as "Harry Potter for adults".

I've never managed to make it through Tolkien, despite several attempts, so I can't compare. I read this book in March, and here's a portion of what I wrote:

So I have to agree with you on the Harry Potter for adults :) Or perhaps Wizard of Earthsea (if that book weren't so one-dimensional).

I grew a bit tired of how Kvothe was always trying to find tuition money, but frankly, I spent a great deal of my time as a college student with similar issues, so it resonated with me.

The part that's killing me: where are the scrael?! These nasty little buggers drew me in during the first part of the book, and they haven't (yet) been heard from. I want to know more about the scrael!

After finishing Kingkiller 1, I promptly read Kingkiller 2 and loved it as well. The only negative thing I have to say about book 2 is that there's an extended scene in the fairy world that doesn't fit the flow of the narrative at all, and it draaaaags. But despite the poor pacing in that one area, the second book was also a solid and enjoyable read.

I purchased the second book, but haven't gone around to reading it. Funny thing is, I keep hearing about the (sex-filled?) scene in the fairy world - you are not the only one who thinks it drags, apparently.

And yes, I am curious about the scrael. I think that's the strong point of the story - and it's sadly undeveloped in the first book.

And I am convinced the author had tuition-money problems as well. He clearly has a chip on his shoulder :rolleyes:

To some extent, it seems to me this book had the potential to be truly epic - but it needed a couple more revisions and possibly a serious editor. There are just some edges to be smoothed, the basic ingredients are there - and the writing is not bad, for fantasy standards.

I am glad I read it, will keep reading the series. But I am not enthusiastic.

Try your local library's eBooks and if they do not have #2, request it.

My local library does not have any e-books. I asked less than a month ago. In fact, my county doesn't have e-books.

I can agree with that. I enjoy long-winded fantasy, but there are definite areas in this book that could be streamlined.

Whoa. Whoa whoa whoa whoa. This is no longer the era of Piers Anthony. Take it back! :p

Alachua County Library District
Broward County Library
Jacksonville Public Library
Lee County Library System
LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library System
Manatee
Orange County Library System
Pinellas Public Library Cooperative
Tampa Bay Library Consortium
Winter Park Public Library

Those are all the library systems in Florida that have #2. You can most likely join at least one of them since you do live in Florida.

How kind of you to look all of that up.

We can not sign up for a library card out of county; you must be a resident of the county. Some library systems, like Osceola, will sell you a library card (Theirs is a $25.00 annual fee), but the card holder would still have to go there in person. Other counties will only allow non-resident students to get a library card.

The Alachua County Library will let any Floridian have a card for free, but the catch is that you do have to show up in person to get it. I don't know how close you are to Gainesville.

I was lucky, I got a card from Alachua before they adopted a geographic restriction and I've got more than two years to go before I'll be verified. It's a pretty good library, so depending on where you are, it might be worth a road trip. Once you get the card, it'll be good for three years.

Hmmm, well I'd have to find an add'l reason for going as I'm a good 5 hours from there, unfortunately, but that is great to know. Thank you very much for the info.

Um... How can you go to a library in person to download eBooks? That's not possible. They don't allow it. But yes, the $25 fee is worth it to get access to free eBooks.

I assume Nyssa meant she'd have to go to the library to get the card, so it has to be a nearby county. Unlike Alachua, unfortunately. But yes, it's worth $25 for a card, so long as it doesn't involve a tankful or more of gas as well.

I think you are correct and I just misread.

Right. I would have to apply for and pick up the card in person. Osceola is closer, but still approx. 3 hours away.

It's still worth it (IMHO) even thought it's 3 hours away.

Ha, this was the book club selection this month? I coincidentally started listening to the audio book last week, but I'm just using it as a bedtime story, which can mean less than 20 minutes per day actually listening. I'm only up to the point just after he brings back the Chronicler after the spider-beast bonfire. So far it's...less than compelling, which is kind of what I look for in a bedtime story :D

The emphasis on stories and nursery rhymes seems a little forced, and in general the world just isn't filling out for me--all the characters seem more like 'types' than people, and the places and culture seem just barely sketched in.

I've just recently started reading this because I had to wait for it at the library and only recently got it. But I am up to the point where the story is about to begin. The story told to the Chronicler. This is supposedly where it starts to get good.

You have a way to go to get to the point where I currently am, which to me is where is starts to get moving and get "good". I think I'm about 1/2 way through the book.

BOb

I plan on spending a good amount of time this weekend reading. So I hope to be at least 300 pages into it by the weekend's end.

Oh I agree with every word you said above :) I think that scene in the fairy world was a bit unnecessary.

The scraels was featured only, as many other details: Bash, for example. His identity was never clear, at least in Wise Man's Fear.

And the 3rd book is so-so to me. I'll read it... but not very enthusiastically :chinscratch:

I was going to avoid this one, as though I still read some sci-fi, I am not a fantasy fan, but now you have given me food for thought...:chinscratch:

He writes well , the story is good but book one and two would have made an excellent single book.of about 800 pages.

While I like Rothfuss' writing, there's just way too many words in the first two books in this series. Plus, I don't like being beat over the head with the concept that Kvothe may not be "speaking the plain truth." Rothfuss is too wrapped up in trying to sucker everyone into falling in love with the narrator's stories so that he can shock everyone later with the revelation that Kvothe has been a big, fat, liar from the get go. Will he ever kill a king? (Kingkiller chronicles) or will it just turn out to be more exaggerated "spin" from an unreliable narrator?

He's not clever enough by half to keep me on the hook for three books.

EDIT: Oops, sorry... i just realized it's probably considered bad form to comment on the book when you don't normally participate in the book club. Nobody likes a cherry-picker. :o

Don't be silly! You are free to participate at any time. This isn't a "closed" club...many people come and go at will. We usually get a lot more voting participation than discussion participation, so comments are appreciated.

Thank you. :)

I loved, adored, and gobbled down the opening chapters of this book whole. I don't think I have ever seen a more perfectly crafted opening.

The rest of the book was a good read, but it left me with a 'downer' feeling that I didn't quite like. Also, I agree with DiapDealer that the wordage was a bit too much for the story.

I've got about 50 pages left of the book; I hope to finish it tonight. I'm enjoying it quite a bit, but I do find that it has dragged a bit in places. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, however.

I do find Kvothe a bit arrogant, but not annoyingly so.

I Really enjoyed this book, I am really bad with any kind of analysis or review so that's about all I can say. I will read the next in the series when it comes out

Not my genre of book so I did not read this one. No sense getting started on a series that I will never continue with. :shrug:

Still here is a link to an approximately one hour interview with Patrick Rothfuss if anyone is interested. http://www.wpr.org/rueckert/

I went into this book not particularly enthused, but still curious about a book I knew absolutely nothing about, aside from the fact that it was "fantasy" and the short blurb in the vote thread. I prefer going into books knowing as little as possible so that they can reveal themselves to me at their own pace, so I didn't bother learning anything more about it before reading.

The book started very slowly. I rolled my eyes a few times here and there at the writing. I didn't know where this was taking me, but I was imagining it was leading to mostly a lot of fighting and swords and black iron-hating demons and grand magic and this red-haired guy who is extremely arrogant doing everything perfectly.

But I pressed through.

In my mind, the book doesn't really start until Kvothe's troupe all die. The rest before that is like a very extended and slow prologue. I was finally pulled in during that scene though, finding it and his subsequent time in the woods very dreamlike in description. My imagination was finally intrigued.

Once he got to Tarbean, I realised I was wrong about this book. Yes, Kvothe is definitely arrogant at times, but this is not a book about a perfect hero. Far from it. He makes stupid mistakes sometimes. He doesn't do the noble thing sometimes. He lies, often. And I saw this book wasn't going to be some generic fantasy fighting epic but a gritty, "realistic" account of this kid's very hard (and very exceptional) life so far. Rothfuss did a great job making him human despite his exceptional abilities, and that made me really start to care for him as I read.

Once he got to the university, I was hooked. I loved the story. My favourite part of the entire book was the mini-arc from him deciding to try to go the university to the climax of him getting himself admitted. I was completely captivated reading that section and my heart leapt for joy for him when the masters finally voted him in.

The clincher of loving this book for me was the sense of humour in the story. I don't read much intense fantasy like this but I expected it to be ultra-serious and sombre. Instead Kvothe was often witty and self-deprecating and the mood of the story often took a light-hearted turn. I still groaned at some of the more forced witticisms, especially between him and Denna, but overall I found the humour in the book to be very endearing.

One other point I wanted to touch on was the unpredictability of it all. I loved it. Rothfuss is great at weaving little mysteries and hints all over in a complex way, but by the time that it's time to reveal something, you've already forgotten about the hint he'd left and so it seems a total surprise.

The writing is not perfect and though this ends up being a very good story, I feel like if he'd taken a little more time fine-tuning some parts then it could've been truly masterful. But that's quibbling. I really enjoyed it. I came in to this series only for the one book-club selection but now I'm happily staying for the whole shebang.

The second is out. The third is not yet.

I read the second when it came out, actually read them both 3 or 4 months ago. I had no idea this was up for the book club. I thought the book club books were only public domain books. It was good though, one of those rare books I just can't put down.

Just finished reading it a couple of days ago and loved it.

I really got transferred into the world of Kvothe, just like it happened while reading "The Sheepfarmer's Daughter" by Elizabeth Moon. However, I enjoyed "The Name of the Wind" even more, since it does not contain all those battle scenes and descriptions of army life, but rather plays in a civilian world I can relate to better.

And now I am on the Library waiting list for Book # 2 :)

I'm still reading it. I've heard good things about it. I like the style of the writing and it's pretty suspenseful so far. I'll post more when I finish it.

I've just started reading the next book in the series. Very interesting so far.

I have 130 pages to go.

It did slow down at the bit when Kvothe found out about the wedding but picked back up after he got to the place the wedding massacre happened.

Overall, I loved them both (2 so far, right?). Though it feels a bit too many secrets and old legends and relatively lacking in answers. Even if we are given a (partial) explanation, it opens next layer of secrets/legends/clues.

When I think about that book, I remember scenes with music (with HUGE enjoyment) and then bits of everything else...and by the time next installment comes out, I've forgotten all those little clues and encounters.

I've been listening to the audiobook (I'm on Wise Man's Fear now) while working on a painting. The leisurely, drawn-out pace seems to fit well, as the painting is taking a very long time. I feel like I can't really say anything about it as a whole until the story is actually finished, but I'm enjoying the listen. (Haven't got to the fairy sex part yet!)

I notice that Rothfuss consistently uses "lay" instead of "laid." Like "he lay his hand on my arm." And he even says "lying his clothes across the back of the chair." It's very odd. I hear people using "lay" when it should be "lie" all the time, but this is the other way around.