Book Review - The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

Book Review: The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

 

 

One of the things I look for is great world-building. Whatever the genre, it’s important, but none more so (nor more enjoyable) than in fantasy.

 

Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind delivers a comprehensive, fully-built world that seems believable and sufficiently tactile. The magic, as it’s revealed, shows a thoughtful balance of alchemy, willpower, resources and study, so that it resembles the ‘real world’ arc of discovery. While much of this world relies on a familiar, vaguely English 18th century backdrop, the fantastical elements of magic, beasts, and powerful figures are hugely enjoyable.

 

The story follows Kvothe, delivered mostly in first person, as a boy and as a teen, encountering indifference, friendship, love and power structures; some of the struggles are predictable, others delightfully surprising. Readers should be aware that, at 722 pages, this novel only gets his story partly told––and as much as I enjoyed it, the length of the next book in the series gives me pause. I do enjoy a good, weighty tome, but needs must wonder aloud if every line needed to be inked to deliver this story.

 

The writing, in my opinion, is first rate. Once you accept the pace of the book, it’s all quite enjoyable, flows well, is sufficiently detailed, emotionally explicit, and with action throughout. I had a small issue with the editing, noting a few easy misses; and considering the length, a looseness with descriptive text; but that’s nothing to deter the fantasy reader.

 

A great book in the fantasy genre – read it!


Eliot


 

Title: The Name of the Wind

Author: Patrick Rothfuss

Published by: Daw Books Inc.

Copyright 2007

ISBN: 978-0-7564-0474-1

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