The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle) [Paperback]

 

 

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This book really surprised me. Entirely gripping, well written and original. Mixes the world of fairy tales with modern day fantasy. It's a love story, a coming of age tale, and an epic novel. The end leaves the reader with many questions left unanswered, and that in part is the power of this book. As you read, you are always seeking to know more, to understand who Kvote is and how he has come to be in the role of simple pub landlord. Everytime you get more information, further questions arise as the author skillfully teases and pulls the reader along a rollercoaster of a journey.

Looking back at the book, there actually weren't any adventures I'd describe as epic (they are surely to come in the sequels), yet it felt as though they were epic. This is becuase the author doesn't overplay his hand - scenes that some authors might rush through as they are too ordinary for a fantasy novel, Patrick Rothus takes much more seriously, giving the scenes realism. Simple street fights feel real and significant; there are painful realities of not having money or food and living on the street. Everything feels real and important, and the book is that much more readable and believable for it.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. The only downside is that once you've read it, you'll want to read the sequel which is not due out for at least another year.

Every now and then I hear on the grapevine about a new superstar of fantasy. Someone the critics rave about and say they are the next Tolkien, the next Gemmell, the next George RR Martin. This instantly makes me nervous. So I stayed away for while. I should not have waited. In my opinion, the hype is true and he is going to be a giant of the genre.

This is his first book and I am not going to say it is perfect in every single way, because that would be untrue. But it is one hell of a damn good debut and is miles better than some who have been at it a lot longer. Over the years Rothfuss will grow and improve, and as a relatively young man in his mid 30s, I hope he has many decades of writing ahead of him. By the time he is George RR Martin's age, I expect him to have produced some of the most unforgettable fantasy books seen in the last 30 years.

As it stands, The Name of the Wind is one of the most memorable fantasy books I've read in several years. There are some rough edges and it took me a little while to get into the story as it was slow at first. Also, at first glance it bears all the familiar hallmarks of a fantasy story that would normally send me running for the hills as if pursued by an angry mob. The book chronicles part of the life of the main character, Kvothe, and it focuses on his early and teenage years as a young boy growing into a man and going out to challenge the world. Without spoiling it the main character has suffered a tragedy and seeks to better understand who or what was responsible and why it happened.

In Rothfuss' novel, which is told in first person by an adult Kvothe to a scribe known as the Chronicler, I see glimpses of an epic story and epic character. Kvothe comes from humble beginnings and even by the end of the first book he is not a master wizard, warrior, or a great leader of men inspiring people to greatness. But, you get the impression that one day he will be one or all of these things. There are also no familiar archetypes in this book, no labels for people such as warrior or wizard, everything is fresh and there are only people just going about their lives. I get the impression that the older Kvothe is a true Renaissance man, someone who has delved into many areas, learned many secrets and has become a master of many arts, both scientific and magical. His name is known throughout the many lands that are hinted at, but we don't really know too much about what his reputation is or what he achieved. Which makes sense, as the bulk of the story in the first book retells events in his life as a young boy, and as such he hasn't saved nations from a demon plague or killed conquering armies with a quiver of his eyebrow.

As a boy Kvothe is talented, not just a good musician and storyteller, which he learned from his parents who are performing artists, but by today's standards he would be called a prodigy or gifted. His parents recognise his thirst for knowledge and growing intellect and try their best to meet his expectations, whilst also keeping him firmly grounded. Without giving away too many spoilers, the story moves to a very harsh period in Kvothe's life where he is living rough in the city of Tarbean. One of Rothfuss' talents is his ability to create characters that are unique and interesting, but he also has the knack of describing the situations so vividly, and also without heavy detail or florid prose, that you really care about his characters. You can almost feel the cold pavement under Kvothe's bare feet and we see the darker side of a city, the street urchins and poverty, small crimes and small minds just trying to exist. These aren't tiny events that will eventually create an avalanche that changes the course of a nation, it's just daily life in a thronging city. Rothfuss doesn't shy away from difficult situations and Kvothe doesn't always come away without a scratch or emerge the victor, because after all he's just a boy.

Later in the story Kvothe manages to enrol at the university and he finally starts to come back to life after being on the streets. His vast intellect is challenged, he delves into new mysteries and Sympathy, a unique system of magic that has some very scientific principles underlying it. Now at this point it might sound too much like a certain boy wizard's story, but again rest assured this is not the case. There is not one `big bad' for Kvothe to vanquish each year at the university, but his constants are abject poverty, difficult relationships with friends, and his attempt to find out who is responsible for the most tragic event in his life.

Rothfuss tightly focuses his world building on wherever Kvothe is at that time, but we do occasionally hear news from other places and some secondary characters are from abroad. So there is a trickle effect that fills in some gaps and we get small tastes of other cultures and countries. However, this is not a sprawling fantasy quest story about a band of plucky heroes. It is both a local story about a boy who will become a legend, and also a much bigger story. Perhaps it is also there so that we will be able to better understand why he made certain choices later in life. I also get the impression that in the present, when Kvothe is grown up, the world is in a bit of a mess and there are hints that somehow he is responsible, perhaps indirectly. We just don't know at this point and I won't speculate any further as there is a lot more meat in the book, so I won't spoil it.

The book is a hefty tome, but to be honest when I got to the end I wanted more. His style is not overly descriptive, it's almost straight forward but not nearly so blunt and gritty as say Gemmell or Abercrombie. I was captivated by Rothfuss' writing, his imagination and how he adds in small details, and creates myths, folk songs and nursery rhymes that make his world feel realistic and not just slapped together so he can press on with the adventure. It gives me the impression that a lot of care has been taken to help the reader fully immerse themselves and I was drawn into the story. Despite the length of the book I read it pretty quickly as I was keen to know what happened next. But now that I've finished it, I want to go back and read it again because I'm sure there are clues and hints at the bigger picture I missed the first time.

You know how it is: will I buy this book? Is it a dreary cliche-ridden fantasy-by-numbejrrs (with which the world is already overburdened)?

Well it's not. Buy it now -- you have happy hours of reading pleasure ahead of you.

I did, on the off-chance it might be as good as some reviews led me to believe. And amazingly enough it was.

It's funny, but not the ludicrously anachronistical humour that disfigures some books. It's Scott Lynch sharp and witty. Yep, that good.

It's erudite where it needs to be (though the author wears his erudition lightly). The "rules of sympathy" are presented with satisfying logic and a care for thermodynamics. I like that. What's more, the main character knows the difference between an iamb and an anpaest. I like that too.

The characters are people whose company I enjoyed, and who I miss now I've finished the book. (Oh and I've got a mild crush on three of the female leads.) I could go on and spout stuff about three-dimensional personifications, but I think that tells you what you really need to know.

The book isn't too long, as some have suggested. Ok, that may be a subjective judgement, but "too long" to me means "did I start checking how many pages I still had to read somewhere after chapter three, or (as with The Name of the Wind) was I disappointed when I realised it was the final chapter".

More than enough reasons to buy it already, I think. But, now and again (especially some of the lyre-playing scenes) Rothfuss shades into myth. And that is so rare that it's least appearance is to be treasured.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Totally engrossing
I loved this book. A great story, very well told. I was engaged pretty much right from the beginning and read it quickly. Read more

Published 10 days ago by Jack Murphy

5.0 out of 5 stars Kvothe is an enigma
This one had me losing sleep, skipping work, and left me generally useless until I'd managed to reach the final page, at which point I was pulling my hair out trying to get hold... Read more

Published 11 days ago by ditz68

3.0 out of 5 stars Not good on reflection
I enjoyed reading this book, with the exception of one part that nearly made me give up (which I will get to later), however upon reflection and the decision to read book 2 or... Read more

Published 25 days ago by grier78

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellect debut
i found this to be a remarkable debut and throughly enjoyed the book , taking only 2 days to read it ! Read more

Published 1 month ago by trance

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid debut novel.
Whilst I don't share much of the cynicism of others concerning new fantasy novels, I am ever cautious of the clichés and recurring plots that seem present in many of them... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Pete Ward

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely outstanding
The Name of the Wind had me interested right from the first page, but when The Chronicler shows up and Kvothe starts telling his tale, that's when I was completely taken in, Mr... Read more

Published 1 month ago by FantasyNibbles

5.0 out of 5 stars harry potter with balls
Harry potter with balls , hairy ones at that. Harry slept in a cupboard under the stairs, Kvote sleeps in the streets. Read more

Published 2 months ago by stargazer

5.0 out of 5 stars superb
a wonderful surprise. believable characters you can grow to like and understand, a well stitched story with interesting twists. Read more

Published 2 months ago by digi-mech

1.0 out of 5 stars disappointing
I'm really supprised at the positivity of the majority of these reviews. I found the book really difficult; while the characters initially seemed interesting they quickly became... Read more

Published 2 months ago by Tanis

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book -definitely worth a read!
What an excellent book - I found the book took a while to settle but then it was off! Well worth reading if you like fantasy fiction that you can get your teeth into with a well... Read more

Published 2 months ago by Em

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