Easily one of my favorite fantasy books, ever! Don't bother reading reviews if you do not have this go buy it, NOW! ( )

Quite simply the best book I've ever read, and I don't say that lightly. I love long books, normally the longer the better. I can honestly say this is the first book of this length that I felt never lagged in any section or seemed to have even an unecessary word. This book is absolutely enthralling and beatifully done. I'm amazed that this is Rothfuss's first novel. The only thing that may be better than this book is the next one. Now my main problem is waiting for it to come out! ( )

I found this fattie (736 pages) while clicking through the fantasy listings on Amazon. It came attached with gushing praise from many sources. Set in a medieval-like world (de rigeuer for fantasy), it's the story of Kvothe, a man who began his life in a troupe of traveling minstrels and actors and then later enters a university devoted to the study of magic. Kvothe relates his tale in three days to the Chronicler (so this is only a third of the story.) Rothfuss' story is engaging and detailed but the pacing is slow and the action is minimal. That said, I'll be reading the next installment when it becomes available. My wife's reading this now -- she had little options at the time -- and so far she finds it to be rather "dark." ( )

There are lots of books were the protagonist is ultra-human. Whether it be Heinlein's Uber Mensch or Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes", the classical Achilles, or a Manga vampire-like creature, literature (good and bad) is full of them. What really separates the Good books and Bad books that have such people is whether the protagonist pulls a solution out of his rear end, or whether we've been methodically led to each achievement, ready and primed for him/her to do their 'stuff'.

Kvothe's story, in Rothfuss' "Name of the Wind", falls into the latter category. Kvothe is a character that can do many things well, but none of them can come as a surprise or as unbelievable if you've been paying the least bit of attention to the story. Rothfuss brilliantly prepares the reader to understand how each feat was achieved. And honestly, it's been a long while since I have read a book that was so well conceived and derived. It is simply brilliantly micro-managed.

Now, some of you might be looking at the book size and thing 'egads' that's a lot of words. Let me tell you that the book is a quick read. I mean, I'm as slow as molasses when it comes to words per minute, and I finished it in a few days.

The story is told as a memoir, but the book doesn't start at that point. It starts in it's own 'present' and then for it's own reasons goes into the flashback. When I first read the 'present' chapter I was somewhat discouraged, and thought that in all likelihood, what I had in my hands was an average sort of book. But that was not the case. So if you find yourself in a similar frame of mind, do continue on.

Talking Points:::
Excellent World Building
Very Good Writing
Excellent Plotting
Interesting characters
One of THE Best Books I've read this year

Be forewarned that the book does not cover Kvothe's entire life. I have written the publisher, but they had no clue as to when-where-how a sequel would appear. They referred me to the author's own webpage. So I, and a very large number of other people, await a new work more than eagerly.

Pam T~ ( )

In this story you actually get two stories for one. There is a current time period and the story time period. In some books this blending is at times hard to keep separate. However, in this book it is very distinctly divided and there is no confusion as to what time period you are reading in.

The story starts off with an Inn Keeper, named Kote, tending his customers and maintaining his Inn. Kote is listening to all the talk at his inn for something... Some information as to how the world is doing, see there is a war currently being fought. Then a man named Chronicler comes in looking for Kvothe. Chronicler recognizes Kvothe as the Inn Keeper, and requests him to tell his life story so he can record it.

Kvothe comes up with some guidlines for the recording of his lifes history and Chronicler reluctantly agrees to them. As the story starts Kvothe takes you all the way back to when he was a happy, go lucky child with his family and troupe, and how he meet and was intreged by an Arcanist. Kvothe learned many things from this Arcanist, Ben, along with touching on Sympathy, or as we may call magic. Kvothe was very interested in the sympathy and after watching Ben call upon the wind Kvothe wanted to learn the name of the Wind in the worst way possible. With the many things Ben taught Kvothe, Ben learned that Kvothe was an exceptionally brilliant child. Ben told Kvothe and his parents of the University, the place for learning all there is to learn to be a guilded Arcanist.

Kvothe is not sure if he wants to leave the life style he currently has to go to the University, though it does sound wonderful to him. However, as you know in books there is sometimes not a choice, life leads the way for you. There are many unfortunate things that happen to Kvothe here as he is growing up and he losses his way for a few years. But, when Kvothe comes out of the state of shock he had been in for three years he makes the decision to go to the University. Kvothe is one of the youngest and poorest kids to sit for the admissions of the University. Kvothe is accepted in with a tuition he needs to figure out how to pay.

Kvothe has many trials and tribulations he needs to over come and surpass to keep going throughout the book. You are probably asking, what sets this book apart from others or makes it special. Aside from the troubles Kvothe gets into and the unique resolutions, the writing style holds you attention. You are left wondering what analogy Patrick is going to use next. Or what discriptive words he will rhythmically link together to make the perfect visual, sound, touch or taste. The descriptions of all the senses are so detailed you can visualize with ease what is being told. The story itself has a rise and fall like poems or music do. There is a flow to the way of the story that you just follow along very smoothly.

You get to hear what happens from Kvothe then you get to hear the stories that are spread and told by the other students and towns people. It is funny to hear the legendary stories and compare them to what really happened, amazing how a story can get changed around depending on what people thought they saw then mix in their believes.

Do I recommend this book? Whole heartedly! You may think the story is just the simple story of another poor boy, but I have to say this story is anything but simple. The uniqueness of the problem solving used, along with the descriptive writing should be shared with all. ( )

Le pongo tres estrellitas porque me ha gustado mucho... pero en realidad no debería puntuarlo hasta acabar el resto de la serie.
Mas detalles y diario de lectura (en catalán) en http://hevist.tumblr.com/tagged/nameo... ( )

This book is a work of art. I don't think I could use any better words to describe it. It is a work of art that surpasses most modern fantasy novels to date. I put this next to The Lord of the Rings--all though the writing is quite different. The character himself, Kvothe, is someone who I believe not many people can relate to, and I would think--if he were alive and in our world--that he would have a lot of trouble relating to others. A complex, intelligent, and strong novel, this book is one of my favourites. ( )

This is a fantastic fantasy book. Hard to believe that it is the author's first. The characters are fascinating and the world building is tremendous. Read this book! ! ! ! ( )

This is a good book, if a little long in getting started. I like a hero that can laugh at himself. There are some maddening grammatical errors that DAW should have caught that make me despair for the future of the English language. Aside from that, it's a pretty good read. ( )

Very easily one of my favorite books. Patrick Rothfuss is an amazing first-time author, and I am so wound up about his sequel. This book was so good that I found myself pressing the "refresh" button on my internet browser while on Patrick's blog page, hoping for news on the sequel. Can't wait! ( )

I cannot believe that this book is a debut from Patrick Rothfuss. I don't normally read pure fantasy, I generally like a little more romance, a little more fantastical beasts (Vampires, Were's, Paranormal) but something about this book drew me in before I even read it. I found the description at Goodreads and was intrigued, so I went out and bought it.
I am not sure where to even start. I was definitely impressed with the quality of writing. I was most definitely impressed with the world that Patrick created.
It was a fantasy novel, that didn't feel like fantasy. The characters were so well realized, the magic so well rooted and described, the action was terrific, the sorrow was real. The pace was excellent.
You feel everything Kvothe feels, see everything he sees, are there right along with him on his many journeys, triumphs, challenges and horrors.
You learn along side him, weep along with him and cheer with the Eloidin Crowd for him.
The journey is dark, but the story is heroic.
I look forward to the second installment, I can't seem to find a date of release yet. I hope it is soon ( )

Loved it! ( )

Rothfuss's competent prose paired with a thoughtful and self-aware narrative make for a worthwhile read. He dances around the cliche's of the genre, and successfully subverts several. The University -- which is the major setting of the novel -- is far more convincing than the majority of its higher-education counterparts, placing realistic demands of time, money, and maturity from the brilliant but impetuous Kvothe. While Kvothe himself is not a particularly original hero, he's written in an understated and convincing manner that doesn't over-glorify him.

The novel weaves together two separate times, and the connection between the frame story and main narrative has yet to be indicated by the end of the book. The novel also does not stand well on its own; however, one can take this as reason to look forward to the sequels. ( )

I was disappointed. It's easily 200 pages too long and not nearly enough happens. I did like some of the magic aspects that were introduced and felt that they should have played a larger role. Also, I liked the first half much better than the second half. Still, there is something intriguing going on here and I'll most likely give the second book a look. I just hope the author can actually tell a story that goes somewhere! So I give this one two stars for execution and one-half star for potential, but if the second book isn't better, I'll be taking a half star away from this one. ( )

It is so hard for me to find a fantasy novel that I like. This was not one of them. I will have to start reading the one star reviews on amazon in order to decide if a fantasy novel is worth reading. This one was so boring, I could not finish it. George RR Martin's Song of Fire and Ice, Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice series (but not her other books), Acacia, and the Lies of Locke Lamora were good. So far, that is my list of fantasy books worth reading. I am trying to decide if Neverwhere is worth trying, but the one star reviews are compellingly against it. ( )

Kvothe, legendary hero, tells his story to a chronicler. He recounts his life as players' child to homeless waif to university student. The first installment in a trilogy, Rothfuss leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the next segment. The story is compelling and original, at least as far as possible within its genre. Not groundbreaking, but wholly entertaining. ( )

Excellent and inventive fantasy fare. ( )

Excellent! This book incorporates magic, mystery, suspense, romance, brilliant character development wrapped around a compelling story, and prose that jumps from the page. In short, it is everything a novel should be. This book stays with you. I can't wait to read the sequels! ( )

LOOK FOR BOOK #2 ( )

I admit I'm hooked on classic fantasy novels. And this is one of the best I've read lately! The story's hero is called Kvothe and has already been called a 'Harry Potter for adults', which is not totally beside the point... The first part combines a growing up story with classic fantasy elements, but what impresses most deeply is the thoughtful way the topic of magic is addressed in this novel. A really very good read indeed. ( )

The novel begins in the third-person POV, introducing us the the one major player who will remain with us on our journey through the Four Corners of the World. His name is Kvothe, and as the blurb on the back of the UK edition says, you may have heard of him. :-) Read the rest of my review here: http://davebrendon.wordpress.com/2008... ( )

If one were to describe a book as a “Harry Potter for adults” or a “darker, grittier version of Harry Potter”, it may be enough to make readers cringe and avoid it like the plague. Let’s see…. A gifted boy who is suddenly orphaned and subsequently finds himself studying in a university that teaches magic (or sympathy, as it is called in the book). Sound familiar? A tad unoriginal? True, maybe. In fact, this book is a throwback story similar to the times when stories of orphan boy-magicians became redundant and tiring. But then, Patrick Rothfuss, on his debut work, has succeeded in placing his own touch on the story and transports the reader into a tale of legends, heroics, demons, gods, and most of all, magic and music. (more) ( )

As far as whether this novel is "worth the hype" or the "best" fantasy novel of any time span, I've never bothered listening to the hype and I've never had the thought cross my mind that a book was the best one of its kind since X. As a story, this one's well-done for readers who have the patience and/or desire to wade through, say, the Wheel of Time series. The novel's not as predictable as some of its speedier-moving, shorter ilk, and the character- and world-building make it worth spending time in the book. This was written for an audience that enjoys depth, and one that is willing to have patience to see what happens in the end.

But the wait won't be as interminable as some people seem to think, IMO. From the naming conventions of the series, it should require a shorter wait of its readers than the Wheel of Time has (and hey, it may even *actually finish* before WOT...). The author gives readers a fairly obvious tip-off that this is the first of (at least) three novels that are meant to be read as one large story (and which will thus leave threads hanging at their ends) — by subtitling the book "The Kingkiller Chronicle, Day One" and by having the teller of the story say near the beginning of the book that the complete story will take three days. The fact that the story is literally being told aloud by one of the characters is enough reason that the story isn't wrapped up into neat little packages. If you don't like the meandering fireside method of storytelling, this book may make you as impatient as it's made some readers. Myself, I'm willing to be patient for a writer who doesn't telegraph every plot twist fifty pages before it happens.

Although the author's inspirations are detectable in some places and the result can be a little two-dimensional, that's my only beef with this novel. Aside from that, the author has obviously put a great deal of thought and effort into constructing a believable and complex world, populated with equally believable (if not always as visibly complex) characters. I saw that at least one other reviewer found the "child prodigy" main character unbelievable despite having a predisposition toward that sort of characters, but I'm the opposite: I tend to hate child prodigy characters, but I like this one. My hatred of child prodigies tends to come from their simply *being* perfect, but Rothfuss actually gives reasons for why his character is so good at what he does — whether it's because he was educated that way or because he's just smart. I've known people who would have been this character if transplanted into Rothfuss's world — or they would have been even smarter — and I think the character's remarkable intelligence is tempered very realistically with luck, from good runs to very bad runs.

The shape of the novel — one of the characters telling his life's story — seems a little contrived at the beginning, but the author is well aware of it, even if it doesn't show immediately. The plot will please those who are interested in the "growth of the hero from a young man" genre of epic fantasy, and there's plenty of magic, intrigue, rivalry, and poetic drama. There's even a touch of romance and a thread of sly humor throughout. While I wasn't sure whether I would really like these characters or this author's writing at the beginning of the book, by the end I was satisfied enough with both to miss the characters and the narrative. [Previously, this review said that the next book in the series is coming out soon, but it's been pointed out that the release date is currently waffling ... Alas. Anyway, I look forward to reading the next one and will patiently wait for a good product. I'd rather wait than have a badly-edited tangle.] My advice for prospective readers: Try it and see. ( )

I got through maybe 1/3 of this. It was extremely dull. I can't help wondering if it was proof-read at all, what with phrases like "I felt a stab of feeling." The protagonist just waffles on and on very self-indulgently, and what he does say is often phrased badly. I think that at least Rothfuss needed a much braver editor. I found it to be undisciplined, boring windbagging.

A lot of reviewers have commented that for a debut novel this is a truly remarkable read. One can echo that, but one must note a few things also.

The story is unfinished and can not stand by itself. It ends with far too many unanswered questions and the answers to those questions, two years later when I read the tale, are still not supplied. This discourtesy ranks up there with George Martin's oversized ego, made larger by a first time writer. Chutzpah is probably what the writer would like to think it is.

So we look into character building, the story, world building and see what we find. The world is very carefully constructed, much like a pick up sticks game. Every stick carefully placed and as you lift it you are in wonder that it has fit so well.

The magic of the world builds on itself, but as we struggle with it, there are questions that arise and perhaps this is where the rest of the work is delayed. How can we have the evil that the hero wishes to defeat be but a nursery rhyme that those best tasked with facing it, dismiss it as a nursery rhyme. An evil such as this would not leave the knowledge of history.

How can the teachers of our hero be so blind that it is our hero who shows them that young people are petty. Did the author not see Goodbye Mr. Chips. Can you live in a world that want's to showcase such an educational venue and be unaware of the place.

Our heroine can be only thought of as too fine, too perfect, and how likely is that with the evil that only our hero can see. And the answers are not forthcoming. We have the start of the story, in a book that runs to over 700 pages. Whole tales have been told in half that, and here we have just the beginning? Poor showing.

Now will we ever find solace in the end of the tale. One hopes. Until that arrives, better to leave this untouched. Once we have the whole laid before us, we will know if the journey was worth it, or if this author has too much promise and nothing to hold up would could be a house of cards. ( )