In this entry, I am writing about The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I want to give it the best of recommendations.
It's an epic fantasy. It's told in first person. The main character is Kvothe. His is the heartening story of one man's struggle to make his name in the world.
Here is the blurb:
This is the riveting first-person narrative of Kvothe, a young man who grows to be one of the most notorious magicians his world has ever seen. From his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that transports readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
And my favorite review:
Here is the blurb:
This is the riveting first-person narrative of Kvothe, a young man who grows to be one of the most notorious magicians his world has ever seen. From his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that transports readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
And my favorite review:
"Hail Patrick Rothfuss! A new giant is striding the land. THE NAME OF THE WIND is an astonishing novel that just happens to be the writer's first. The bestsellers' lists and the award ballots are beckoning toward Rothfuss, and readers will be clamoring for more of the riveting life story of Kvothe. Bravo, I say! Bravo!"
-Robert J. Sawyer,
Hugo Award-winning author of ROLLBACK
I can't recommend this book enough. Here are some of the reasons why:
- The writing is excellent. It is eminently readable.
- It is a very fun and entertaining book. It's a joy to read.
- The chapters feel episodic. That is to say, self-contained. So the pacing is excellent. There is always something happening.
- The characterization is sharp and pleasantly ambiguous. At times, it is as evanescent as the characters themselves.
- Kvothe is especially multi-faceted, dynamic, and interesting to read about. Like a main character should be.
The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 1) is the first of a trilogy. The Wise Man's Fear (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 2) is set for release on March 1, 2011.
