Book List
3. The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One) by Patrick Rothfuss
I first noticed this book in a bookstore a few years ago. Somehow, out of the sea of books, it caught my attention. I read the back cover and the reviews printed inside, and I was intrigued by its promise, but daunted by its length (although I've read longer books before). Months later, my friend araken wrote a stellar review of the book in his lj book list. Over the next couple of years, I always noticed this book every time I was in a bookstore, but never bought it. Last year, after I finished reading Tad Williams' Shadowmarch series, I was looking for new authors to try out, and I remembered this book. I added it to my amazon wish list, and received it (along with several other books) as a Hanukkah present.
A San Francisco Chronicle review quoted in the front of the book claims that "fans of...Tad Williams are likely to be impressed and will eagerly await the next chapter." Having read that, I expected great world building and deeply relatable characters to whom I would feel an instant and unbreakable connection. And the book did not disappoint!
This book really tells two stories at once, though they are connected. It begins in the present day, at a small inn. There seems to be more to the innkeeper than meets the eye, and when a traveler enters and reveals himself to be Chronicler (a man whose job it is to record people's stories - clearly this is already a book after my own heart!), we also learn that the innkeeper is actually Kvothe, a hero of many legends throughout the world. He has been hiding out in this role of innkeeper as dark times have fallen upon the world.
Chronicler convinces Kvothe to tell his true story so that it can be recorded forever and not lost among the many legends. After that point, most of the book consists of Kvothe's telling of his story, but occasional short chapters (called "Interludes") come back into the present day story as well.
This being book one of a trilogy (at least it's supposed to be a trilogy, we'll see what actually happens), it essentially covers Kvothe's childhood and adolescence, leaving off as he is progressing through the University. Not surprisingly for a tragic hero, Kvothe's childhood starts off idyllic and quickly become marred by one tragedy after another. I don't want to give away any of the details, in case any of you decide to read the series yourselves, but suffice it to say that the first-person telling of Kvothe's story makes it extremely relatable and often heart-wrenching.
I found out recently that book two is actually coming out TODAY, March 1! I have not yet decided whether I will purchase it myself (so I can continue the story sooner!) or put it on my wish list to hopefully get in December, and read some of the other books I got (also all firsts of various series) in the meantime. We'll see how I feel in a couple of days. At any rate, Kvothe's story has completely drawn me in, and I can't wait to see what happens next! A lot of the reviews I've read laud this series as the next Lord of the Rings - the next great fantasy story. I don't know that it will ever gain the mass popularity of Lord of the Rings, but in terms of the story and the writing, it certainly could end up being just as good quality literature! And I just might have found a new author to follow (having now read pretty much everything of Orson Scott Card and Tad Williams). I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy - it's right up there with the best of OSC and Tad Williams in my humble opinion.
I first noticed this book in a bookstore a few years ago. Somehow, out of the sea of books, it caught my attention. I read the back cover and the reviews printed inside, and I was intrigued by its promise, but daunted by its length (although I've read longer books before). Months later, my friend araken wrote a stellar review of the book in his lj book list. Over the next couple of years, I always noticed this book every time I was in a bookstore, but never bought it. Last year, after I finished reading Tad Williams' Shadowmarch series, I was looking for new authors to try out, and I remembered this book. I added it to my amazon wish list, and received it (along with several other books) as a Hanukkah present.
A San Francisco Chronicle review quoted in the front of the book claims that "fans of...Tad Williams are likely to be impressed and will eagerly await the next chapter." Having read that, I expected great world building and deeply relatable characters to whom I would feel an instant and unbreakable connection. And the book did not disappoint!
This book really tells two stories at once, though they are connected. It begins in the present day, at a small inn. There seems to be more to the innkeeper than meets the eye, and when a traveler enters and reveals himself to be Chronicler (a man whose job it is to record people's stories - clearly this is already a book after my own heart!), we also learn that the innkeeper is actually Kvothe, a hero of many legends throughout the world. He has been hiding out in this role of innkeeper as dark times have fallen upon the world.
Chronicler convinces Kvothe to tell his true story so that it can be recorded forever and not lost among the many legends. After that point, most of the book consists of Kvothe's telling of his story, but occasional short chapters (called "Interludes") come back into the present day story as well.
This being book one of a trilogy (at least it's supposed to be a trilogy, we'll see what actually happens), it essentially covers Kvothe's childhood and adolescence, leaving off as he is progressing through the University. Not surprisingly for a tragic hero, Kvothe's childhood starts off idyllic and quickly become marred by one tragedy after another. I don't want to give away any of the details, in case any of you decide to read the series yourselves, but suffice it to say that the first-person telling of Kvothe's story makes it extremely relatable and often heart-wrenching.
I found out recently that book two is actually coming out TODAY, March 1! I have not yet decided whether I will purchase it myself (so I can continue the story sooner!) or put it on my wish list to hopefully get in December, and read some of the other books I got (also all firsts of various series) in the meantime. We'll see how I feel in a couple of days. At any rate, Kvothe's story has completely drawn me in, and I can't wait to see what happens next! A lot of the reviews I've read laud this series as the next Lord of the Rings - the next great fantasy story. I don't know that it will ever gain the mass popularity of Lord of the Rings, but in terms of the story and the writing, it certainly could end up being just as good quality literature! And I just might have found a new author to follow (having now read pretty much everything of Orson Scott Card and Tad Williams). I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy - it's right up there with the best of OSC and Tad Williams in my humble opinion.