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The Name of the Wind Thread


wuzzup3003

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This is a new book out for those of you who don't know. I pre-ordered it from Amazon and got it the day after it came out. I finished the book and I absolutely loved it. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good book to read. It has some humor, magic, and a lot of great characterization.

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I've been tempted to start a new topic on this for a while. I really enjoyed this quite a bit - it was an unexpected joy for me to read (full review). I look forward to seeing where this goes.

So things can be found in this post, I'll sum up some links of potential interest:

Pat and Rob's interview with Rothfuss

My interview with Rothfuss (at FBS)

Podcast of Rothfuss discussing The Name of the Wind and writing

Official Website

This one has received a lot of buzz (and I've right in the middle of it all). It has a huge first run from Daw and they ordered a second printing the day it was released. I'm very curious to here thoughts of people as they read. IMO, it is better than The Lies of Locke Lamora, though I understand how LoLL has a greater appeal.

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I havent read LoLL so I really can't compare the two.

I loved the characterization in the book. As a reader I fell in love with the character Kvothe and I love his development as the story moves on. I also love the intrigue in which the girl brings to the story and her surprises.

This is another series where I cannot wait until the next volume comes out.

As you mentioned in your review, it does not have a great ending, but it did not affect me too much. It could have had a more thrilling ending, but it was amazing as it is.

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I finished it last night, and really enjoyed it - particularly the character of Kvothe, and even the magic system started to draw my pleasure (it's almost kind of scientific in a way, particularly the whole use of

SPOILER: Name of the Wind
sympathy.
The humor was also pretty good at times; not as good as in LoLL, but still funny.

On the downside, I kind of thought the whole little section with

SPOILER: Name of the Wind
Kvothe, Denna, and the Draccus
near the end felt a little dragged out. It wasn't a bad idea, but it was, in my opinion, just too long.

I didn't think the ending was that bad; in fact, it was kind of interesting in that it revealed

SPOILER: Name of the Wind
ulterior motives on the part of Bast. It also reflected on the mental nature of the magic system in the Nameverse. Remember how, near the beginning, Ben's training to use even sympathy was based around making part of yourself belief in something contrary to what appears to be real? It would appear that Kvothe the innkeeper is failing that test, and starting to actually see himself as an innkeeper- explaining why his use of sympathy against the possessed mercenary fell.
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I'm 200 pages into it and one of the things that I've noticed about Rothfuss' writing style is that he remembered that when having a character tell things in flashback to actually have it read as if someone were telling it. There was no need to spend oodles and oodles of pages trying to describe an imagined word and it was nice to see that (so far at least) Rothfuss only reveals the setting as it becomes necessary for the stories that are unfolding in this novel. That is an important thing with me - his story is what is most important, not the backdrop. If the remaining 450 pages hold up to this one, then this shall truly have been an enjoyable epic fantasy tale, an increasingly rarity for me these days.

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I might as well offer my two cents, as I was the first reviewer to be given a copy of this one! ;)

For my money, The Name of the Wind is a very good debut, though it's not as good as Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora and Hal Duncan's Vellum. I would put it somewhere Brian Ruckley's Winterbirth and Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself. Most would agree that he's in good company!

Having spoken with Matt (Pat's agent and -- since yesterday -- mine as well!), everyone involved is a bit anxious to see what fans will think about it. So far, the buzz has been quite positive, but now the readers will have their say. :)

I dare you guys to read it in public, with the gay cover jacket still on! :P

Patrick

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I almost would take you up on that, but I'll be finished with it tomorrow...probably before the residents wake up at 8 AM ;)

But I'm finishing a re-read of a Borges collection, El libro de los seres imaginarios (The Book of Imaginary Beings), tonight and then I'll get around to it.

However, I also have some AFD stuff to write for wotmania. If what I have planned works, a particular regular here might be receiving some extra traffic to his blog...and maybe I'll think of something to include for you as well, Pat! ;)

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However, I also have some AFD stuff to write for wotmania. If what I have planned works, a particular regular here might be receiving some extra traffic to his blog...and maybe I'll think of something to include for you as well, Pat! ;)

Always happy to be involved! :D

Patrick

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Trust me, this post (which I may or may not make just after midnight my time (or in 55 minutes) or at the latest around 6 AM CDT) will probably get a few chuckles, some groans, and a few people pissed off at me. But your bit, which shall have the honor of being the last, will undoubtedly make you laugh when you see the title :D

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Thanks to all the positive reviews, I tried to get it the day it came out, but none of the bookstores had it. So I ordered it off Amazon, and of course when it came on Friday I got the scantily-clad person cover (I hate scantily-clad people on covers). Anyway, just finished it this morning.

Other than the cover, I liked the book. I have very little to add. Like DF said, the first-person narration really feels like someone telling a story. I felt like the lectures Kvothe got from his teachers kind of hit you over the head with the world, but otherwise the backdrop was pretty subtle.

SPOILER: The Name of the Wind
Reading about the Draccus felt drawn out to me, too. At the same time, I saw that there were only a hundred or so pages left and I wanted to hear more. That's probably a good sign.

The interludes were amusing, especially when you have random people talking about Kvothe's deeds. And you saw some effects of Kvothe's age, though mainly in his personal relationships. I'm interested in seeing where it all went to hell and why he's in that tavern. All in all, a decent coming of age story, and I'm glad I don't have to wait too long for the next book.

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Well, I just posted my review of the novel. Some quick thoughts: Kvothe, the main character is a very engaging protagonist, and the first-person view does him justice. On the other hand, world-building and secondary characters are sacrificied in favor of Kvothe, though I really like the magic system that the author comes up with. Also, the writing is very straightforward, but elegant and witty. Of course, I have a lot more to say with the full review, which you can check out HERE. In short, I really liked it though I wouldn't say it's one of the best debuts ever.

Also, I should have an interview with Patrick soon. I tried my hardest to ask him questions that Neth Space or Pat&Rob didn't ask, so I think it'll be interesting...

Much love & respect.

Robert

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There is an interesting podcast on the penguin website that can be found here:

http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDis...6404079,00.html

Rothfuss provides insight into how he went about writing the novel, as well as the background to one of the characters in particular. After having read a multitude of reviews of The Name of the Wind and interviews with the author, I am definitely going to set time aside soon to start what sounds like a captivating trilogy.

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I'm about 150 pages into this one and loving it so far. However, I do have one question: I was wondering if anyone could tell me how old Kvothe is supposed to be (in the novel's present day, where he is the innkeeper)? This question is driving me a little nuts as I'm still trying to form a clear mental picture of Kvothe and all I can find are a lot of ambiguous quotes about him being young for an innkeeper or seeming either old or young relative to his age. The closest quote I've found to giving us an actual age is:

SPOILER: Minor age quote

"As he turned the bottles in his long, graceful hands the familiar motion eased a few tired lines from his face, making him seem younger, certainly not yet thirty. Not even near thirty. Young for an innkeeper. Young for a man with so many tired lines remaining on his face."

Does anybody have a better quote or care to interpret exactly what this one is saying? I can't quite decide if this one is saying he is 30 or so (since it made him "seem" younger than thirty) or if it's saying he's much younger than thirty (i.e. he looks his actual age, "not even near thirty", when he forgets his burdens). I'm leaning towards him being much younger than thirty, but it is just ambiguous enough to bother me.

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I'm about 150 pages into this one and loving it so far. However, I do have one question: I was wondering if anyone could tell me how old Kvothe is supposed to be (in the novel's present day, where he is the innkeeper)? This question is driving me a little nuts as I'm still trying to form a clear mental picture of Kvothe and all I can find are a lot of ambiguous quotes about him being young for an innkeeper or seeming either old or young relative to his age. The closest quote I've found to giving us an actual age is:

SPOILER: Minor age quote

"As he turned the bottles in his long, graceful hands the familiar motion eased a few tired lines from his face, making him seem younger, certainly not yet thirty. Not even near thirty. Young for an innkeeper. Young for a man with so many tired lines remaining on his face."

Does anybody have a better quote or care to interpret exactly what this one is saying? I can't quite decide if this one is saying he is 30 or so (since it made him "seem" younger than thirty) or if it's saying he's much younger than thirty (i.e. he looks his actual age, "not even near thirty", when he forgets his burdens). I'm leaning towards him being much younger than thirty, but it is just ambiguous enough to bother me.

I am pretty sure he is an old man who somehow could change his looks so that he looks younger than he actually is. I would say he is closer to 50-60.

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I am pretty sure he is an old man who somehow could change his looks so that he looks younger than he actually is. I would say he is closer to 50-60.

Hmm...I guess I'm not quite far enough along to have picked up on that (either that or reading at 2 AM caused my comprehension to suffer :thumbsdown: ), although it did seem like something odd was going on with all of the descriptions of his age/appearance. That seems quite old, given that the author is supposedly going to give us books with Kvothe as the protagonist that occur after this point in time. But I guess to have done everything he's done already he'd have to be quite old. Thanks for your help.

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The most disturbing thing about this novel so far: "Patrick Rothfuss gives a fabulous debut, standing on the main stage of the fantsy genre and needing no warm up act. Jordan and Goodkind must be looking nervously over their shoulders." Kevin J. Anderson on the back cover.

Now, Jordan's a giant in the industry (no matter how he may or may not get criticized these days), but Goodkind? I'm 25 pages into the book and it's superior to anything TG's ever written. He shouldn't be looking over his shoulder, he should be shading his eyes strainging to see Rothfuss in the distance.

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