Name of the Wind

The patrons of the Waystone Inn aren't entirely comfortable with their new innkeeper, but it's still the best place to catch up on news. Unfortunately, none of that news is good. Times are bad and getting worse. Some villagers even whisper about monsters in the night. Soon enough, the whispers are proven right. A demonic spider attacks a traveling bard and Kote, the innkeeper, saves him, revealing just a little too much power and knowledge in the process. Now Chronicler, the bard, is suspicious. Is it possible that this worn and weary innkeeper is really Kvothe the Bloodless, Kvothe the Kingkiller, Kvothe the Arcane, a legendary mage and musician?

When his suspicions are confirmed, Chronicler demands Kvothe's true story (for posterity, naturally). Kvothe reluctantly agrees. A child of the Edema Ruh, accomplished traveling perfomers, Kvothe knows how to weave a tale and he intends to make a thorough job of this one. He tells the bard that it will take three days to tell his story- this first novel is the first day. Readers quickly learn that Kvothe's father secretly studied tales about the Chandrians, evil demons whose origins are lost in legend. Kvothe believes that his father's discoveries led to the massacre of his tribe. Before he can seek out more information about the Chandrians, young Kvothe, now orphaned, must survive in the world alone, sometimes living like a hermit in the wilds and sometimes begging in the city streets. Eventually, he makes a place for himself at the University, the center of arcane lore, and begins his quest in earnest.

Rothfuss uses a third person perspective for the present timeline and a first person narrative for Kvothe's memories. Flashbacks and narrative changes usually make for a very difficult novel, but in this case, they help move everything along. The reader gets to see the hero through the eyes of other characters, but also experiences his story intimately. Young Kvothe, witty and often reckless, is charming even when arrogant or insecure. The older Kvothe is wiser and more powerful, but consumed by doubts and regrets that are still foreign to his younger self. Readers can easily connect with both, but will eagerly await more revelations about his transformation from young braggart to hesitant hero. The world is rich in detail and complexity, but doesn't overload the reader with too much information or too many names. Both lush and concise, The Name of the Wind is an engrossing start to the Kingkiller Chronicle. The second novel, The Wise Man's Fear, is due out in Spring of 2009. I'll be looking for it!