The Name of the Wind

The Kingkiller Chronicle, Day 1

mass market paperback, 722 pages

English language

Published May 15, 2008 by DAW Books.

ISBN:
978-0-7564-0474-1
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
225538273

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4 stars (105 reviews)

My name is Kvothe.

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.

You may have heard of me.

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature—the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man’s search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.

--back cover

5 editions

A unique approach to fantasy

5 stars

What an interesting take on a fantasy novel. This one's been an my reading list for a while and is touted as one of the best fantasy novels out there, so I had to take a crack at it.

I found it to be a super engaging read and I love the narrative within the narrative approach. I felt like the author did an excellent job of pulling you along without divulging too much (leaving you more curious about what else was going on).

I whooped at the triumphant moments and felt right in the shoes of Kvothe's world in the novel, which to me, is the exact kind of thing that makes a novel stand out.

I believe you can read this as a stand alone (as I know there is controversy around whether or not this series will be finished) and still get great enjoyment (speaking as someone …

Not bad, but not very good either

3 stars

A decent piece of fantasy. It starts out interesting, fun, exciting, but as the story unfolds, the style of narration changes and the main character becomes less and less interesting. It's bizarre too, because as you read, you can tell Rothfuss is a really really good writer. It's just - the second half is a tad boring and awkward.

Perhaps I would have liked it more if I were a decade or two younger. As it stands, it's just OK.

A Book for My 20s, but Maybe Less so for my 40s

4 stars

I'm getting older every year (the scientists can't explain it), and with each year that passes I find myself relating to this title a little bit less. As others have no doubt mentioned in their reviews, I came into this novel back in 2008 and fell in love. The prose, the story, the way it seemed that Rothfuss was hinting at something really special with future volumes, it was all there.

I think a lot of people soured on the series during certain parts of the second novel and that's retroactively affected how they feel about this book. For me, at nearly 40 years old now, I still find the prose to be great. I still find the story interesting, I just don't easily relate to the main character quite like I used to.

Ultimately, I DO recommend this book for people who love fantasy books. I hope to one …

Review of 'The Name of the Wind' on Goodreads

2 stars

As dire as described in all of the 1-star reviews:
terribly written, young-adult fare
big strong alpha-male hero who can do everything,
clumsy clumsy clumsy
all characters are one-dimensional
* all scenes are one-dimensional.

I mean, it's just awful, and when the big strong green-eyed hero switched to recounting the bone-damagingly boring story of his ONE-TRUE-LOVE, then I just couldn't take it any more.

Shame on all those who give this pile of amateur crap 3 stars or more.

Review of 'The Name of the Wind' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I struggled to finish this book. All you need to know about Kvothe, the main character, is that he immediately becomes THE BEST EVER at everything he attempts, for no apparent reason other than storytelling convenience. Sadly, the interesting aspects of this fantasy world that surfaced during the narrative were quickly lost to more yammering from Kvothe, the least-convincing fifteen year old character I've encountered since the TV version of the Archie gang, and a damn sight less interesting magical boarding school student than Harry Potter at his most boring.

Review of 'The Name of the Wind' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This is an excellent book with lots of things going for it: a clever character, gripping plot, intriguing world, and told through a frame story all with a poetic flair to it. Rothfuss has written an epic tale that is both down to Earth and legendary at the same time.

For a more in-depth review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2019/12/book-review-name-of-wind-by-patrick.html

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Subjects

  • Fantasy - General
  • Fiction / Fantasy / General
  • Fiction
  • Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction
  • Fantasy

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