Title: The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle #1)
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Rating: 
Publisher: DAW
Format: Hardcover
Review:
There have already been thousands of reviews of The Name of the Wind and I am not sure how much new I have to add to the discussion, so I will be brief.
The novel tells of a struggling inn keeper named Kvothe who recounts his life to a scribe, known as The Chronicler. It is a coming-of-age story of a orphaned boy who dreams of entering the university to be educated in the ways of magic. The Name of the Wind is filled with fantasy, adventure, death, and even a bit of clumsy love, written with a poetic prose that makes each page a delight to read.
Probably the biggest criticism of the novel is that Kvothe is an unlikable character. He is conceited and recognizes himself as more than brilliant. This pride does not come without consequence and Kvothe often finds his way into trouble because of his over-confidence. His abilities have left him with enemies within the university, giving his primary fault true consequences. Kvothe rarely dwells on his self-aggrandizing, instead fully focused on the task at hand.
While the plot is not entirely unique (Harry Potter instantly comes to mind and other novels before that), The Name of the Wind is a true joy to read. It is very traditional in the form of epic fantasy, but sets itself apart with the superb writing and compelling world that Rothfuss has formed.
Redhead
/ February 15, 2013I loved this book (and the next one in the series, The Wise Man’s Fear) so very, very much. The mythology and the worldbuilding is beyond amazing. I read that a lot of people didn’t much care for Kvothe, but he never really bothered me, I never found him to be unlikeable. sure, immature, cocky and obnoxious, but not unlikeable. It also seemed that everytime he got too cocky, he’d end up falling on his face about something or being humiliated.