The Name of the Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicle: Book 1 (Paperback)

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• This item: The Name of the Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicle: Book 1 by Patrick Rothfuss

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Review
New fantasy authors are usually overhyped, and it's rare to find one who writes with such assurance and narrative skill right from the start. I was reminded of Ursula LeGuin, George R. R. Martin, and J. R. R. Tolkien, but never felt that Rothfuss was imitating anyone. Like the writers he clearly admires, he's an old-fashioned storyteller working with traditional elements, but his voice is his own. I haven't been so gripped by a new fantasy series in years. It's certain to become a classic." (Lisa Tuttle THE TIMES )

"This is another of those impressive fantasy debuts in which Gollancz seems to be specialising at present." (Roz Kaveney TIME OUT )

"Pacy, witty and entertaining, "The Name of the Wind" is a rattling read. Rothtfuss's debut shows exactly how good heroic fantasy can be when it concentrates on the virtues of a good tale, well told." (Saxon Bullock SFX )

"One of the most genuinely satisfying fantasy epics to hit the shelves in a long time. A thoroughly entertaining yarn and one likely to hurl [Rothfuss] straight into the upper tier of fantasy authors." (Ryan Jansen DEATHRAY )

"I defy anyone who has read it to contradict me when I state that it is the David Copperfield of fantasy. It seems that this magical, effervescent story is just warming up, slowly tipping the scale towards ever-darker secrets. But then, how lucky for us. For like Mr. Copperfield, Kvothe is a narrative force to be reckoned with, and a character readers will long to follow, no matter how perilous the path." (STRANGE HORIZONS )

"The Name of the Wind is a solid and ambitious effort." (FANTASY HOTLIST )

"The Name of the Wind is so well-written that you will reach page 662 wishing this weren't the first of an unfinished trilogy. It is written with far greater skill than the usual massive fantasy tome." (READING THE LEAVES )

"It will likely stand as the start of one of the bright careers in fantasy fiction. Suffice it to say, the book is very good and has all the elements of greatness - characters with which the reader can empathize, a fascinating backdrop where these characters live, and the key ingredient: leaving the reader wanting for more." (SFFWORLD.COM )

"It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing not only with the accuracy of language that is essential to fantasy-making, but with true music in the words as well. Wherever Pat Rothfuss goes with the big story that begins with The Name of the Wind, he'll carry us with him as a good singer carries us through a song.'" (Ursula Le Guin )

"This is a first novel and one sure to cause a stir the high quality of its writing and the striking freshness of the imagination." (Mat Coward MORNING STAR )

Product Description
'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' So begins the tale of Kvothe - currently known as Kote, the unassuming innkeepter - from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, through his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe the notorious magician, the accomplished thief, the masterful musician, the dragon-slayer, the legend-hunter, the lover, the thief and the infamous assassin. The Name of the Wind is fantasy at its very best, and an astounding must-read title.

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52 Reviews 5 star:  (35) 4 star:  (10) 3 star:  (4) 2 star:  (3) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.5 out of 5 stars (52 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   27 of 29 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic debut, 27 Jul 2007 By  Greg Sheaf "nephster" (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: The Name of the Wind (the Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One) (Hardcover) I was luckily enough to be given this as a proof copy by a friend... I'm very glad she did so. I've read a fair amount of fantasy, most of which is not exactly well-written. However, this is a great piece of work - I can only hope the rest of the trilogy lives up to it. The previous reviewer has already encapsulated the plot so no need for me to do so :) Briefly, I had the same warm glow of having read something worthwhile that I got when I first read Robin Hobb (which this is similar to, but in a good rather than plagaristic way), George R.R. Martin, and Lois McMaster Bujold, as opposed to say Eddings (who I think tells a good story, but in a style that makes me want to gnaw my arm off!). Highly recommended. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   17 of 19 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars An absorbing Odyssey, 16 Sep 2007 By  Mr. A. Day "Junglebunney" (Cornwall) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: The Name of the Wind (the Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One) (Hardcover) If a story, when it is read, encapsulates it in your mind visualising every detail, if it can draw you in to feel its emotion, if it steals a tear from you at the end of a love song replicating the characters in the scene, it can only be a powerful novel. "The Name of the Wind", set in an unnamed world where everything has a name and a meaning, draws its strength from an intelligent and humourous penned narration of a journey of yearning, fortitude, honesty of a life so young yet so mature of age. The main character, "Kvoth" to present one of his names, is the teller of this rich tale to a scribe from his inn where is the innkeeper. He tells from the days of his learning within his family environment, through his feral existence, stealing to survive, in the big town when he is left orphaned, to the determination of becoming an Arcanist at the University ensuring any obstacles are distinguished in his path. Along this path his determination to find information on those who were responsible for destroying his family almost destroys himself and his yearning. The driving force accompanying his determination is his musicianship. An accomplished lute player, song writer and entertainer, he enthralled his audience and used this mastery to his advantage. For me I felt the novel was the foundation of an epic tale that that presently leaves you slightly lost as to what is the full representation of the story. We are unaware of how Kvoth becomes an innkeeper, how Bast becomes in his employ or who Bast is. We certainly do not want to say how the tale will conclude. That aside I found it compelling, witty, at the right pace and an inventive novel that has left me yearning for the next instalment He has just won his category in the Quill Awards for best Sci-fi book. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   43 of 50 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Good debut!, 3 April 2007 By  Patrick St-Denis (Laval, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: The Name of the Wind (the Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One) (Hardcover) In a nutshell, The Name of the Wind recounts the tale of Kvothe, a young man destined to become the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen. It begins with Kvothe's childhood years, first as a member of a traveling troupe of musicians and artists, and then as a street urchin forced to fend for himself in a violent environment. Later, the story shifts to his adolescence, at a time when he is admitted to the University, renowned school of magic. Reading along, I found the structure of the story a little odd. The better part of the novel is comprised of Kvothe's back story, with only a few scenes occurring in "real time." Having never encountered something like it, I discussed it with Betsy Wollheim. She did shine some light on the matter, and it turns out that Rothfuss' first trilogy will focus on the main character's past, with occasional tantalizing hints of things to come. A second trilogy will then recount Kvothe's "present" tale. The Name of the Wind is told in a first person narrative. Hence, other than those "real time" segments told in the third person, most of the book is told from Kvothe's perspective. Those who have a problem with single-POV narratives similar to that of Robin Hobb's The Farseer and The Tawny Man trilogies, consider yourselves warned. The main danger in using the first person narrative is that the entire story rests on the shoulder of a single character. If you like Kvothe, terrific. If you don't, that's where it gets tricky. I had no problem with that facet of the novel, but I'm acutely aware that some readers don't care much for the first person perspective. The worldbuilding doesn't play a big role in this debut. And yet, Rothfuss hints at a much vaster depth, hopefully to be explored in future sequels. The author has an eye for details, and the story does come alive as you turn the pages. The magic system appears to be well thought of and interesting, and I'm eager to learn more about it. The Name of the Wind is a character-driven book. As a first person narrative, it can't be anything but that. The supporting cast is composed of a relatively small number of characters, which is rather rare for a book of this size. I'm looking forward to learning more about them in the upcoming installments. The novel suffers from only one flaw -- a flaw shared by various Daw books: it's too long. I feel that Rothfuss' attention to details slows the pace in several portions of the book. I feel that some scenes could have been truncated and others excised without the readers missing out on any major plotlines. In my opinion, this would quicken the rhythm and improve the overall quality of the book. Unlike some debuts that are not easily accessible -- Hal Duncan's Vellum and Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon come to mind -- I'm persuaded that The Name of the Wind can appeal to both neophytes and long-time fans of the genre. As such, it's similar to both Brandon Sanderson's Elantris and Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself in that regard. It's also a throwback work, which brought fantasy novels likes Raymond E. Feist's Magician and David Eddings' Pawn of the Prophecy to mind. Although a bit overlong, The Name of the Wind is a solid and ambitious effort. Two years ago I would have claimed that it could well be the debut of the year. But Hal Duncan and Scott Lynch have forced us to look at debuts in a different way. Still, Patrick Rothfuss wrote an auspicious debut, and I'm curious to discover the rest of Kvothe's tale. Check out my blog: www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 52 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking, funny, heartbreaking, wonderful, imaginative, enchanting The Name of the Wind is one of those books. You know, the book that gets hype, gets great reviews and is generally loved by those that read it. Read more Published 17 days ago by Mark Chitty 5.0 out of 5 stars Name of the Wind The plot has been covered in other reviews but I wanted to encourage others to enjoy this wonderful book. All I can say is buy it, read it and enjoy it. Read more Published 21 days ago by Neil 4.0 out of 5 stars Like Christmas come early. I won't tell you the story because I'm sure someone else has done that for you already and I won't pretend that this book doesn't take stamina, because it's huge and big on the... Read more Published 1 month ago by J. colbourne 5.0 out of 5 stars Unusually very 'not bad at all' I enjoyed this book more than any fantasy book I've read in a very long time. It will sit happily next to Ursula Le Guin, Gene Wolfe and Fritz Leiber. Read more Published 1 month ago by Colin Howarth 5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed, witty, vibrant and so many other things Right. Lets get on with this. After reading the fantastic reviews this book received, I decided to check it out myself. Oh boy, am i not dissapointed. Read more Published 1 month ago by A. V. Tran 5.0 out of 5 stars Escaping from a genre Can I suggest that instead of making fantasy comparisons - and frankly, as a more than 50 years fantasy reader who bought the Lord of the Rings volume by volume as it was... Read more Published 1 month ago by Kat Gardener 5.0 out of 5 stars Great story. reat story, full of magic, a bit teenager but I coudn't put it down for days!! Published 2 months ago by Nene 5.0 out of 5 stars The Name of the Wind One word: Amazing. Finally, a character to rival Robin Hobb's Fitz. Yes, Kvothe really IS that great. Buy this book people, I promise you won't regret it. Published 3 months ago by Lady Vi 5.0 out of 5 stars Inspired Simply put this book is inspired, I can't wait for the next chapter in Knothe's journey, Patrick Rothfuss has produced a world that feels as detailed and intricate as J.R. Read more Published 4 months ago by C. Carter 5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome debut This is the first book in the new Kingkiller Chronicle, and is an amazing fantasy debut from author Patrick Rothfuss. Read more Published 5 months ago by J. Cronin Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 52 customer reviews...

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