Discover #1 New York Times-bestselling Patrick Rothfuss’ epic fantasy series, The Kingkiller Chronicle. “I just love the world of Patrick Rothfuss.” —Lin-Manuel Miranda • “He’s bloody good, this Rothfuss guy.” —George R. R. Martin • “Rothfuss has real talent.” —Terry Brooks OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD! DAY ONE: THE NAME OF THE WIND My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping … WIND
My name is Kvothe.
I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
You may have heard of me.
So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature—the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man’s search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.
Praise for The Kingkiller Chronicle:
“The best epic fantasy I read last year…. He’s bloody good, this Rothfuss guy.”
—George R. R. Martin, New York Times-bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire
“Rothfuss has real talent, and his tale of Kvothe is deep and intricate and wondrous.”
—Terry Brooks, New York Times-bestselling author of Shannara
“It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing…with true music in the words.”
—Ursula K. Le Guin, award-winning author of Earthsea
“The characters are real and the magic is true.”
—Robin Hobb, New York Times-bestselling author of Assassin’s Apprentice
“Masterful…. There is a beauty to Pat’s writing that defies description.”
—Brandon Sanderson, New York Times-bestselling author of Mistborn
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Probably my favorite book I have read this year. While probably categorized as young adult fantasy, I think anyone could read this and enjoy it. The author is truly a gifted storyteller. While there are no big battle scenes and not a bunch of cliffhanger storylines to pull you through the book, the story itself is so well written and the main characters so well developed that you really won’t care. I can’t believe it has taken me this long to find this book, although maybe that is a good thing since I hear that the author has been sitting on the final book of the series for 8 years and ignoring his many fans. (Game of Thrones fans – you are not alone.)
The beginning is odd but overall this is one of my top ten fantasy series’ of all time
Quite simply one of my all time best reads
The only problem is he may never write the final book of the trilogy. We all just keep waiting.
Great story by a great writer with a great imagination.
This is such an original book. It took me three tries over 2 years to get past the first three chapters or so, it’s slow to start. But once you get over that opening, you cannot put it down. The world is captivating and unique, the concept of “magic” is unlike anything I’ve read in other books and it’s all explained so well. I cannot sing praise enough, it’s worth reading the first two books of this series even if the third never comes out.
Everything positive I could’ve said about this novel has already been said, so I’m left with just two words to say: READ IT!
Loved, Loved, Loved this series — Fantastic world building and complex characters made for a compelling read!
Excellent story, extremely well told. Enjoyed this one as much as anything I’ve read in quite a while. Strong characters, excellent world building, imaginative plot, occasional twists, and bits of subtle humor. Very difficult to put down.
My favorite book of any genre.
Great start to a new series. Rothfuss blends tried and true ideas in a unique way and creates a fun, intelligent, and while complex, well-explained magic system.
Great series just too long between books
Out of the many fantasy books I’ve read this one feels so anchored in the real world, yet so very different.
I know I’m in the minority here but I just didn’t Love this book as much as most people.
The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear are quite frankly two of the best fantasy novels ever. Probably the best of our generation. Maybe, if Patrick Rothfuss ever actually finishes the series, the series will be one of the greatest fantasy series ever written. It’s a big if… he’s made no bones about taking his time on this.
This isn’t a short book, but it’s an action adventure romance coming of age fantasy with music and magic and family and loss and mage school. It sounds like too much, I know. But it’s simply not. It all works beautifully. It’s beautifully written, and can be read as a simple action adventure book, or you can take your time to read the nuance, the surprisingly subtle (at times) foreshadowing, the word-play that you wouldn’t even notice if you hadn’t read the book a second time, especially if you’ve also read the second book, and the novella (The Slow Regard of Silent Things).
If you love fantasy novels, this simply should be in your library.
A Must-Read Fantasy
The Name of the Wind belongs in everyone’s list of top ten fantasy books to read in a lifetime.
It begins like many fantasy stories with a setting in a small, rural village during a late medieval time. Readers are introduced to a friendly, unassuming innkeeper. One of the residents soon stumbles into the inn after being attacked by monsters on the outskirts of the town. Sound familiar?
Stick with it because the plot soon becomes interesting. A scribe arrives at the inn, seeking a person known as Kvothe, a legend in that part of the world, now in hiding. It turns out to be the innkeeper. The scribe wants to tell his story. Kvothe agrees, and the scribe puts it down on paper as the innkeeper tells it. The Name of the Wind becomes a story within a story as we follow the adventures of a young Kvothe during his years traveling from town to town with his parents and a troupe of actors until tragedy strikes. He later enters a magical University where he longs to learn the name of the wind, a form of magic that is taught there.
The story is full of action, and I never tired of it. The main characters are well-developed, although I often had trouble placing a few of the minor characters. The book inspired me enough to begin reading book two in the series, A Wise Man’s Fear.
Read it; you won’t be disappointed.
This is one of my favorite series and I love the world and characters that the author has gifted us with!
Perhaps even better than Robert Jordan! Worthy read!
Awesome book. The only problem is the author is extremely slow at bringing out the sequel.
There’s an incredible amount of love that went into the writing of The Name of the Wind. You can feel it on every page. The world is fleshed out and vivid, the characters are interesting. It did take me a fair bit to get into the book, but if you’re patient, and just let the words flow around you, you’ll get drawn in. A classic of the genre.