Paperback
English language
Published Aug. 8, 2008 by Gollancz.
'I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me'
--back cover
I really like Kvothe's story and look forward to reading the next book. The usage of different timelines in the context of retelling in the book's present time was especially effective storytelling.
Onestamente non mi aspettavo molto dopo i primi capitoli, le premesse (che non spoilero) parevano un po' banali e scontate, in realtà la storia è un crescendo continuo, emozionante e commuovente a tratti. Ho trovato interessantissime anche le diserzioni dell'autore sul worldbuilding in chiusura del libro, cosa che non può che mettere in luce il lavoro di impalcatura che sta dietro alla storia, talmente ben fatto che non ti accorgi della sua esistenza finché qualcuno non te lo fa notare. Parto subito con il secondo, ben sapendo che purtroppo il terzo libro della trilogia è disperso da anni.
Well written, funny sometimes, like someone telling a story at a fireplace. Felt cozy to me.
Contains a few not-so-constructive patterns (like "I need to make my heart of stone to control emotions"), but for me it was Ok, definitely better than in "Consider Phlebas".
Not going to rate this. I read 20 pages and couldn't stand to go further.
Bit scatterbrained and doesn't resolve all of its plot threads (book one and all that) but rollicking good fun. I'm not surprised to see Card comment on the back; it's got a lot of Ender's Shadow. You could even call it high fantasy Ender's Shadow, except it's a much better story with structural tricks, a fleshed out magical world that doesn't devolve into ratfic, a few three dimensional characters where it counts, and a sense of humor that makes the tragic bits all the more impactful.
Really interesting world that serves as the backdrop to the standard "I'm a child prodigy and I know best" main character. Huge lack of female characters. Am left wanting to know more about the world, less about the main character. Will not get the next book due to the 3rd not being out and not looking like it will be out for some time (if ever).
Tämä olikin vetävämpi lukea kuin osasin odottaa. Toisaalta en myöskään osannut odottaa sitä, ettei tämä ollut missään suhteessa itsenäinen, kokonaisen tarinankaaren sisältävä kirja. Jopa trilogian avausosaksi tarina jäi häiritsevän kesken.
What a fantastic book. I kept wanting to read wherever I was to learn more about Kvothe’s life. Easy to read and even though there’s not a lot of action or excitement, it still feels very exciting in a different way.
Cannot wait to get started with the second book in this series!
Og der fikk jeg også lest denne. Jeg gikk til den med høye forventninger, men de ble bare delvis innfridd. Det er lett å engasjere i seg i verden og historien, men jeg klarte ikke helt å få sansen for hovedpersonen/fortelleren Kvothe. Unge Kvothe (som man stort sett følger) er selvgod og arrogant, og i tillegg er han best i alt mulig. Bøker om unge menn på eventyr er vel ofte slik. En rammefortelling med den eldre Kvothe som forteller om sin fortid, gjør at boka har et hakket mer reflektert forhold til disse klisjeene. Men ikke et særlig stort hakk, for den eldre Kvothe forteller en nøye regissert versjon av sin egen historie, og den bærer nå preg av de samme (litt irriterende) personlighetstrekka. Jaja.
Men det er jo noe med disse historiene om supertalentene som møter og overvinner motstand, jeg leser engasjert videre selv om jeg irriterer meg. …
Og der fikk jeg også lest denne. Jeg gikk til den med høye forventninger, men de ble bare delvis innfridd. Det er lett å engasjere i seg i verden og historien, men jeg klarte ikke helt å få sansen for hovedpersonen/fortelleren Kvothe. Unge Kvothe (som man stort sett følger) er selvgod og arrogant, og i tillegg er han best i alt mulig. Bøker om unge menn på eventyr er vel ofte slik. En rammefortelling med den eldre Kvothe som forteller om sin fortid, gjør at boka har et hakket mer reflektert forhold til disse klisjeene. Men ikke et særlig stort hakk, for den eldre Kvothe forteller en nøye regissert versjon av sin egen historie, og den bærer nå preg av de samme (litt irriterende) personlighetstrekka. Jaja.
Men det er jo noe med disse historiene om supertalentene som møter og overvinner motstand, jeg leser engasjert videre selv om jeg irriterer meg. Og jeg ser frem til å lese andre bok i serien, når enn det blir.
Interesting, but at times frustrating.
I like the writing style, as it is quite heterogenous. It goes from straightforward recounting of events all the way to prosaic, and back; it jumps between perspectives and between „reality“ and myth.
It‘s also a masterpiece in world building. Rothfuss built one of the most interesting and believable fantasy worlds I have seen.
That way, the book never gets too boring even when there is no progress in the main plot - which happens a lot.
My main gripe with the book is just that - I got quite frustrated and impatient at times when there doesn’t seem to be any forward motion for a while. However, the reader is then regularly rewarded by intricately recounted events featuring new aspects of the well designed world.
My secondary gripe is the total absence of strong female characters; women only seem to exist as partners or …
Interesting, but at times frustrating.
I like the writing style, as it is quite heterogenous. It goes from straightforward recounting of events all the way to prosaic, and back; it jumps between perspectives and between „reality“ and myth.
It‘s also a masterpiece in world building. Rothfuss built one of the most interesting and believable fantasy worlds I have seen.
That way, the book never gets too boring even when there is no progress in the main plot - which happens a lot.
My main gripe with the book is just that - I got quite frustrated and impatient at times when there doesn’t seem to be any forward motion for a while. However, the reader is then regularly rewarded by intricately recounted events featuring new aspects of the well designed world.
My secondary gripe is the total absence of strong female characters; women only seem to exist as partners or love interests of men.
This novel was a bit better than my 3 star rating but not good enough for 4 stars. Oh well. It is fairly 'typical' of the genre in its theme, characters and content. There is nothing very notable that would justify its hefty weight and publication as a fantasy behemoth; and I do mean behemoth. At nearly 900 pages, reading this novel is akin to slogging through a James Michener novel. I found it peculiar that a fair number of pages at the end were devoted to selling the remainder of the series. I'm not certain I'm up for more.
Amazing book. Interesting characters, cool magic, and an excellent, unique way of telling a story.
In-Genre Rating: 7
Global Rating: 6
Reading Fun: 6.5
While I certainly see why this generated the hype it generated, it still has a lot of the typical shortcomings of YA fantasy. Or maybe that is the point, to be an archetype of that genre. It does that well certainly: There is a lot of unexpected facets and positively crazy ideas. Sadly, there are also quite a few paper thin characters or scenes where people fall out of there character in the name of humor or tension. The worldbuilding cannot handle too much thinking about it, and literary fanciness is a bit intrusive at times.Apart from a few exceptions, it will however captivate you and thus remain a worthy read of the genre.
This book isn’t bad. It also isn’t very good (pace Rothfuss fans). I came away from it feeling ambivalent: I didn’t hate it! I even liked some parts! But I also don’t care if I ever read the sequel or if the third book in the series is ever actually published. But I might read them?
It’s all very confusing.
Part of the problem is the blatant cribbing from Harry Potter. Fantasy writers are notorious and obvious borrowers: Jordan borrowed from Tolkien; Terry Brooks borrowed from Tolkien; Islington borrowed from both Tolkien and Jordan. It’s not unheard of. But to write a book in 2007 about a boy who discovers he is “special” and who is packed of to wizard school is...I mean....come on now.
(I say this as someone who has never and probably won’t ever read the Potter books.)
(I fully admit that a second part of …
This book isn’t bad. It also isn’t very good (pace Rothfuss fans). I came away from it feeling ambivalent: I didn’t hate it! I even liked some parts! But I also don’t care if I ever read the sequel or if the third book in the series is ever actually published. But I might read them?
It’s all very confusing.
Part of the problem is the blatant cribbing from Harry Potter. Fantasy writers are notorious and obvious borrowers: Jordan borrowed from Tolkien; Terry Brooks borrowed from Tolkien; Islington borrowed from both Tolkien and Jordan. It’s not unheard of. But to write a book in 2007 about a boy who discovers he is “special” and who is packed of to wizard school is...I mean....come on now.
(I say this as someone who has never and probably won’t ever read the Potter books.)
(I fully admit that a second part of the problem might be me: I went into this not realizing it was YA, which isn’t really my bag.)
Nevertheless, Rothfuss has an amazingly rabid fan base (check out the more than 3000 reviews—mostly 5 star—for Doors of Stone, the third volume in this series that, as of 2019, has gone unfinished and unpublished for nearly a decade) and you might be one of them, so don’t just take my word for it.
OK, so, really enjoyed this book; a detailed, imaginative fantasy framed as the autobiography of a hero as told by himself to a chronicler who has sought him out. This book covers his childhood - early happy days, difficult struggle period, and eventual entry into the Academy to study alchemy/magic and try to learn more about the enemies who attacked his parents' caravan when he was young. The magic system seems detailed and well-thought out, the world is deep and absorbing, and the hero is likeable - although portrayed as rather close to perfect, it is after all the hero himself telling the story, so this is at least understandable. In the sweeping scope and attention to detail, this book reminded me of some of the best of Guy Gavriel Kay.
That said ... I hate cliffhangers, and generally avoid reading books in a series until I know the last …
OK, so, really enjoyed this book; a detailed, imaginative fantasy framed as the autobiography of a hero as told by himself to a chronicler who has sought him out. This book covers his childhood - early happy days, difficult struggle period, and eventual entry into the Academy to study alchemy/magic and try to learn more about the enemies who attacked his parents' caravan when he was young. The magic system seems detailed and well-thought out, the world is deep and absorbing, and the hero is likeable - although portrayed as rather close to perfect, it is after all the hero himself telling the story, so this is at least understandable. In the sweeping scope and attention to detail, this book reminded me of some of the best of Guy Gavriel Kay.
That said ... I hate cliffhangers, and generally avoid reading books in a series until I know the last one has been published. I made an exception for this book, but am now rather annoyed, since it definitely ends in a cliffhanger and the series is far from finished. Although the next book is also published, it's been 7 years and the third book still isn't out yet. Soooo.... debating whether to just stop here and wait for him to finish, or pick up the second book. I don't mind continuing series when the authors end each book satisfactorily (see: Vorkosigan saga by Bujold) but I do mind when you're left with completely unfinished business and a partial story (I'm looking at you, David Eddings). So, if you're reading this review before the series has been concluded, take this under advisement and make up your own mind depending on your preferences. But, if the series has been completed by the time you read this, I highly recommend this book and enjoyed the writing very much.
