The Kingkiller Chronicle - Patrick Rothfuss

The Kingkiller Chronicle - Patrick Rothfuss

Book 1 - The Name of the Wind

Book 2 - The Wise Man’s Fear

Book 3 – The Doors of Stone (Yet to be released)

Plot – The plot multilayered and complex. There is a primary story, which takes place in the past, and a secondary story, which takes place in the present. After finishing the second book you begin to get the sense that the “secondary” story, or present, is going to become the primary story. I can’t wait until that happens because it’s going to be exciting. Although it’s a fun read, it’s long and at times. I found myself getting a little bored with how slow some parts developed. The lengthy plot does develop the characters well, but I’d prefer it to be more streamlined.

Characters – Kvothe is one of the most well developed interesting characters I’ve ever read about. He’s ingeniously clever, a quick study, and amazingly talented. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be like. Denna, also known as many other names, is the main love interest. She is musically talented, willful, spontaneous, wily and a wanderer. She makes a great character that many females might admire. Bast is Kvothe’s student and assistant in the present storyline. He’s involved enough in the novels for the reader to learn his personality and to discover that he has an agenda. It seems like he cares greatly for Kvothe and admires his past deeds, but he has a plan of his own.

Romance – Romance is a major theme in the novel. It doesn’t take up a huge percentage of it, but it is paramount to the story. At times, I liked how the romance was developing and at other times, I was less interested in it. I’m hoping that the romance in the third novel sparks my interest again, but I’m worried that things will be tragic.

Creativity –The “Magic” system in this series is both original and clever. The system is comprised of two unique types of power that are based on similar principles— in short, dominance over matter and energy. Like in most fantasy novels, some characters are more powerful than others. The main character, Kvothe has an aptitude for magic, like he does for many other things. The novels are also rich with detailed history, interesting fairy-tales, and well-written songs.

Writing Style –the writing style is strong. It’s not flowery, but it describes scenes well and moves the plot along excellently. The dialogue is stellar. Kvothe shows that he’s clever with his words countless times. I never felt bogged down with the writing. 

Overall - I strongly recommend the novel for anyone who likes fantasy with an amazing primary character. Also, if you are a musician or an actor it will probably be even more interesting. As a former traveling musician, Kvothe is an amazing lute player and is excellent at acting. I wish the romance worked better for me, but some people might like it more. The storyline is amazing, and I have a feeling that the third novel is going to be great as well. I’m excited for its release and can’t wait to learn what happens to Kvothe.

Rating: Five Stars (so far)

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