The Name of the Wind: The legendary must-read fantasy masterpiece
Apr 2010 · Hachette UK
4.8star
1.68K reviews
Ebook
672
Pages
About this ebook
The lyrical fantasy masterpiece about stories, legends and how they change the world. The Name of the Wind is an absolute must-read for any fan of fantasy fiction.
'This is a magnificent book' Anne McCaffrey
'I was reminded of Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, and J. R. R. Tolkein, but never felt that Rothfuss was imitating anyone' THE TIMES
'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.
My name is Kvothe.
You may have heard of me'
So begins the tale of Kvothe - currently known as Kote, the unassuming innkeepter - from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, through his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe the notorious magician, the accomplished thief, the masterful musician, the dragon-slayer, the legend-hunter, the lover, the thief and the infamous assassin.
The Name of the Wind is fantasy at its very best, and an astounding must-read coming-of-age adventure.
Readers adore The Name of the Wind:
'The quality of the writing breathes magic into even fairly ordinary scenes, and makes some of the important ones extraordinary' Mark Lawrence
'This is why I love fantasy so much . . . The writing style is smooth, the pacing just right . . . I would easily recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, but also to people who enjoy great stories told wonderfully well' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'For the love of God, if you haven't read this book and love these kinds of high fantasy novels, READ IT!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'The story is fantastic, the writing is amazing, and if you have a heart the main character will capture it' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Patrick Rothfuss is such a talented storyteller and there was never a dull moment throughout the entire book! . . . The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece and Patrick Rothfuss is a freaking genius' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'This story was, simply put, excellent . . . Rothfuss has more than earnt his reputation. I'm so glad this book lived up to the hype . . . A jaw dropping five stars' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'One of the best fantasy books of all time' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A legitimately wonderful story that is written beautifully . . . This should be one of the required reading books for any fan of fantasy' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'This is a magnificent book' Anne McCaffrey
'I was reminded of Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, and J. R. R. Tolkein, but never felt that Rothfuss was imitating anyone' THE TIMES
'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.
My name is Kvothe.
You may have heard of me'
So begins the tale of Kvothe - currently known as Kote, the unassuming innkeepter - from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, through his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe the notorious magician, the accomplished thief, the masterful musician, the dragon-slayer, the legend-hunter, the lover, the thief and the infamous assassin.
The Name of the Wind is fantasy at its very best, and an astounding must-read coming-of-age adventure.
Readers adore The Name of the Wind:
'The quality of the writing breathes magic into even fairly ordinary scenes, and makes some of the important ones extraordinary' Mark Lawrence
'This is why I love fantasy so much . . . The writing style is smooth, the pacing just right . . . I would easily recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, but also to people who enjoy great stories told wonderfully well' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'For the love of God, if you haven't read this book and love these kinds of high fantasy novels, READ IT!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'The story is fantastic, the writing is amazing, and if you have a heart the main character will capture it' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Patrick Rothfuss is such a talented storyteller and there was never a dull moment throughout the entire book! . . . The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece and Patrick Rothfuss is a freaking genius' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'This story was, simply put, excellent . . . Rothfuss has more than earnt his reputation. I'm so glad this book lived up to the hype . . . A jaw dropping five stars' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'One of the best fantasy books of all time' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A legitimately wonderful story that is written beautifully . . . This should be one of the required reading books for any fan of fantasy' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Ratings and reviews
4.8
1.68K reviews
Lauren Peacock
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June 14, 2015
One of my favourite fantasy books of all time. Clever, gripping, entertaining. Made me laugh out loud a few times. I consumed the story addictively in a day and a half. I have kept my first impressions as it was a clear indication of how swept away I was by it. However on re-reading it I have some major problems with the novel and the sequel. The mary sue love interest who has virtually no depth, the perfection with which the protagonist does everything, pacing and plot issues. Still worth reading.
Doğukan Ülgen
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November 3, 2023
I got into it after seeing all the praises and 5 stars both here and in Goodreads. I was utterly and terribly disappointed. Got to the last 100 pages and dropped it, after having realized that this book was sucking away all of my will to read. Sorry Mr. Rothfuss, we were just not for each other.
Edward Krecsik
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December 12, 2019
I do not recommend buying this book. It is an amazing, well written masterpiece. But the simple fact of book 3 not being released after 12 years ruins it all. A story without an ending, a waste of time. It is very sad that one of my favourite books has gone down this way.
4 people found this review helpful
About the author
Patrick Rothfuss is the bestselling author of The Kingkiller Chronicle. His first novel, The Name of the Wind, won the Quill Award and was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. Its sequel, The Wise Man's Fear, debuted at #1 on The New York Times bestseller chart and won the David Gemmell Legend Award. His novels have appeared on NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction/Fantasy Books list and Locus' Best 21st Century Fantasy Novels list. Pat lives in Wisconsin, where he brews mead, builds box forts with his children, and runs Worldbuilders, a book-centered charity that has raised more than six million dollars for Heifer International. He can be found at patrickrothfuss.com and on Twitter at @patrickrothfuss.
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