Am I the only person who doesn't like Name of the Wind?

[matademonios]

I'm looking for an audio book for a long trip, so I did a search on books for Sanderson fans. Every list puts Name of the Wind as its number one suggestion, but I listened to it and Wise Man's Fear on previous trips and I wasn't impressed. This makes me wonder, am I in a small minority. 

 

The book is well written and I don't have a problem with Rothfuss' writing style. I just don't find Kvoth to be a very likable character. The whole series seems to just be him bragging about how awesome he was at everything while his life was so tough and unfair and then him describing stalking a girl who wasn't interested in him. There is some interesting potential in the hints Rothfuss has given that Kvoth is lying about his past, but I feel like the 80+ hour investment, so far, is too much for the payout of a reveal. This story disappoints me if I'm supposed to relate the the character as portrayed and it frustrates me if I'm supposed to put up with the false character until the real Kvoth is revealed. 

[Modal Seoul he/him]

Does that book even exist?

[Mr. Staccato he/him]

1 hour ago, Captains Domon said:

Does that book even exist?

Er... yes. It does. Exist, I mean. Maybe you just got the thread confused for one of Brandon's books but The Name of the Wind really is a book and is one of the most epic of epic fantasies in current literature.

1 hour ago, matademonios said:

I'm looking for an audio book for a long trip, so I did a search on books for Sanderson fans. Every list puts Name of the Wind as its number one suggestion, but I listened to it and Wise Man's Fear on previous trips and I wasn't impressed. This makes me wonder, am I in a small minority. 

 

The book is well written and I don't have a problem with Rothfuss' writing style. I just don't find Kvoth to be a very likable character. The whole series seems to just be him bragging about how awesome he was at everything while his life was so tough and unfair and then him describing stalking a girl who wasn't interested in him. There is some interesting potential in the hints Rothfuss has given that Kvoth is lying about his past, but I feel like the 80+ hour investment, so far, is too much for the payout of a reveal. This story disappoints me if I'm supposed to relate the the character as portrayed and it frustrates me if I'm supposed to put up with the false character until the real Kvoth is revealed. 

Okay first off I will agree with you that yes Kvoth has not been the most pleasant of narrators I've ever encountered. Yes he has a bit of a defiant streak and yes I will agree that he can be a bit of a blowhard at times. It doesn't help that he's unapologetic and obsessive and, well, he's a stud, okay? He is. But I think that it speaks volumes of Rothfuss' writing style that he can make someone like us dislike him.

I think that was the entire point - Rothfuss was not in the business of writing a likable defence of his characters, instead he gets the tone and the persona just right of a young mage with enough talent and grit to think that he is perfectly justified to be carrying around an ego like that. And if there is one thing I will give credit to Kvoth for, it's that he isn't inherently sorry about stuff - better an honest windbag than an oily snake play-acting at a moral standpoint.

As for the reveal, well we really can't blame the author for the devices he implements in writing a story - it is his choice afterall, but yes I get where you're going. My first time reading Name of the Wind I couldn't stand Kvoth - so instead of disliking him for his misplaced-priority-laden life and his general aura of pride and hubris, I learned to appreciate him for his authenticity and for the way he carried his unapologetic stance on life. Once I got there, the entire bookmgot easier to read.

[Ammanas]

I like it, but not as much as others seem to. Most fans seem to find great enjoyment from the forshadowing and the crafting of sentences. I'm more of a plot guy so I am probably not the target audience. The plot seems to really meander throughout the two books and it has some other flaws, but I'm also a big sucker for great worldbuilding (which this author does well) and it has some other positive attributes that makes it worthwhile for me.

[Ammanas]

Oh and one more thing...if you are looking for a great audiobook try the Dresden Files. Marsters does a amazing job. Also the first three books are enjoyable, but things really start getting good in book 4. The gentleman Bastards audiobooks by Scott Lynch are good, if you dont mind some cursing, as well.

[+Extesian he/him]

It's my favorite story ever (mostly) written but I certainly don't begrudge your lack of interest. For me the pure beauty of the prose and the poetic (or for Kvothe's tastes, musical) quotes capture me like nothing else.

I like an unreliable and dislikable narrator, I think it takes remarkable skill to write a character so talented, so flawed and so arrogant and make you 'like' him, but in the way @Mr. Staccato describes. And just the preway emotion in it. As Rothfuss' partner in Unattended Consequences says, they are books that don't need death and horror to make you sad, he can make you weep over a boy losing his shirt or (more significant spoiler alert)

Spoiler

getting banned from a library.

But oh the beauty of the narrative. The way every word is perfect. The way he can write most of a chapter in rhyme without it being corny or, in my case, without me even realizing in my first two readings.

[Mr. Staccato he/him]

@Extesian As an avid reader myself, the part about 

Spoiler

the library

really, really got to me. That was a cruel trick and likable or not I couldn't blame the master overseeing it to end up getting royally pissed off but it just felt so much like a lowblow. And yes, as an aspiring writer as well Rothfuss' prose is less story and more poem but it never, ever gets too purple or detailed AF - which is just. So. Beautiful.

I mean if you didn't like Kvothe, Rothfuss' way of writing was in itself an incentive to read - he had a way to make cobblestoned streets and hidden alcoves in churches and high up balconies like raven nests sound SO GORGEOUS. I mean, Brandon is awesome but Patrick Rothfuss is a tablet of raw, undiluted opiates for an epic fantasy geek like me.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Mr. Staccato

[A Budgie she/her]

I didn't think the book was bad, but I didn't appreciate some of it and I'm not crazy for it. I thought the entire Felurian thing was...yeah, no thanks...I didn't particularly want to see that...but that's just a personal thing. I did think the book rambled a bit, and Kvote was a bit stuck up, but I enjoyed most of the book.

[Oversleep]

5 hours ago, Ammanas said:

The plot seems to really meander throughout the two books and it has some other flaws

Well, before Kvothe starts telling his tale he does give a warning that stories rarely go straight way from beginning to the end. It's one of the basic premises of Kingkiller Chronicle - to reconstruct the story itself.

[matademonios]

On 3/11/2017 at 10:18 PM, Ammanas said:

Oh and one more thing...if you are looking for a great audiobook try the Dresden Files. Marsters does a amazing job. Also the first three books are enjoyable, but things really start getting good in book 4. The gentleman Bastards audiobooks by Scott Lynch are good, if you dont mind some cursing, as well.

Thanks, it's one of my favorite series and I can't wait for Peace Talks.  It feels like that one is a long time coming.  I'm looking at Aeronaut's Windlass or Furies of Calderon for this trip.

On 3/11/2017 at 10:13 PM, Ammanas said:

I like it, but not as much as others seem to. Most fans seem to find great enjoyment from the forshadowing and the crafting of sentences. I'm more of a plot guy so I am probably not the target audience. The plot seems to really meander throughout the two books and it has some other flaws, but I'm also a big sucker for great worldbuilding (which this author does well) and it has some other positive attributes that makes it worthwhile for me.

Maybe this is part of my complaint too.  The world is beautiful and intricately detailed, but not much happens besides Kvothe complaining.  I like books that keep me awake while driving at two in the morning.  While listening, I kept thinking, "OK, each book is supposed to be a day's worth of story telling and in three days we're supposed to get the story of how he became the King Killer.  Each book is 40 hours long (much longer than a single day) and by the end of the second he is still a teen and they haven't even introduced a king.  It feels like Rothfuss has written himself into a corner; he either has to extend his series beyond three books, or he has to rush through a bunch of events (change in style)."

On 3/12/2017 at 4:50 AM, A Budgie said:

I didn't think the book was bad, but I didn't appreciate some of it and I'm not crazy for it. I thought the entire Felurian thing was...yeah, no thanks...I didn't particularly want to see that...but that's just a personal thing. I did think the book rambled a bit, and Kvote was a bit stuck up, but I enjoyed most of the book.

Yeah, from that point on I started questioning if it was worth continuing.  I'm curious enough that I might pick up a library copy when the next book comes out, but similar personal issues make me wonder if I should.

[Ammanas]

@matademonios I really like Aeronaughts Windlass as a book, but the narrator, based on the 3 minute sample I heard, is not my style and seems like a odd choice. I'm the rare Butcher fan that doesn't like the Furies series, but hopefully you will. Yes, Peace Talks is a long time coming I started listening to the series soon after Skin Game came out and have gone through all 15 books one time and am on Cold Days for my second time through the entire series. My personal favorite book is Dead Beat, because how can you top a scene where Dresden is riding through the streets of Chicago on a necromatic giant T-rex?

[Modal Seoul he/him]

I think The Wheel of Time trumps all the books you guys have mentioned.

[Ammanas]

12 hours ago, Captains Domon said:

I think The Wheel of Time trumps all the books you guys have mentioned.

You are certainty entitled to your opinion. It has several positive things going for it.

[Who Sharded?]

I'm with you.  I understand the appeal, but what boggles my mind is that so many people love it.  It doesn't seem like a mass appeal book to me.  So padded and slow, with little to no tension.  And the sequel is worse.

I understand the whole "unreliable narrator" thing.  But I still can't stand spending an entire book with a fake humble person.

[Kaymyth she/her]

17 hours ago, Captains Domon said:

I think The Wheel of Time trumps all the books you guys have mentioned.

I rather enjoy shocking all of my fellow JordanCon goers whenever I tell them I haven't read Wheel of Time.  I have some very weird ideas of what constitutes fun. 

[Andy92]

I still have to get around to the second book in the series. But I think The Name of The Wind portrayed Kvothe's character as a guy who's pretty emotionally messed up regarding his past. Yeah, he's macho at times when telling the story, but his assistant is worried sick about him losing his identity. He tells the Chronicler how Kvothe now sees himself as an inn-keeper instead of the man he used to be. Kvothe even seems to fail at using Sympathy against the guy who goes crazy at the inn during the last interlude of the book.

I personally think Kvothe is one of the more interesting characters I've read about. I can see how his infatuation with Denna can be extreme, but I'm pretty sure he's like 15-16 years old throughout most of the first book. He's like a love crazed teenager more than a creepy old stalker imo. If you can say you never had your heart broken due to infatuation as a teenager...then you're probably lying about your teenage years lol. 

[karsen]

I read the first book when it came out and enjoyed it, then listened to it on audiobook so I could then listen to the 2nd. But it was painful to get through a 2nd time and by the time the audiobook was done I had no desire to start the next book. I listened to an hour or two and ended up returning it to Audible (the only book I've ever done that to). I was pretty disappointed by the experience since I was looking forward to it. I guess I thought I enjoyed the first one more than I actually did.

[PallonianFire he/him]

On 3/14/2017 at 1:36 PM, Kaymyth said:

I rather enjoy shocking all of my fellow JordanCon goers whenever I tell them I haven't read Wheel of Time.  I have some very weird ideas of what constitutes fun. 

Who are you IRL (if you don't mind my asking)? Always interested in meeting fellow Sharders, and I'll be at JordanCon every year for the foreseeable future!

 

As for Rothfuss, he's most certainly a talented writer. One of the best of the current crop of fantasy writers, as far as prose goes. I genuinely enjoy digging into his stuff and figuring out where he's dropping hints to the story within the story within the story...but yes, his main characters are generally grating and obnoxious. WMF was a big step down from TNotW, and I thought he was uncharacteristically heavy-handed with the Adem. We'll see how The Doors of Stone is when it comes out—if he ever gets off Twitch and writes the damnation thing. 

[Kaymyth she/her]

2 hours ago, PallonianFire said:

Who are you IRL (if you don't mind my asking)? Always interested in meeting fellow Sharders, and I'll be at JordanCon every year for the foreseeable future!

Heh. We met last year, actually. I'm trying to remember the exact circumstances - was it you and your girlfriend with Ted on the MARTA line that I randomly ran into?

[PallonianFire he/him]

Holy crap, you're right! I totally forgot about that lol. Though I can't say I'm surprised that I've forgotten things from my first con, especially the train ride in before it even started... :/

[Kaymyth she/her]

11 hours ago, PallonianFire said:

Holy crap, you're right! I totally forgot about that lol. Though I can't say I'm surprised that I've forgotten things from my first con, especially the train ride in before it even started... :/

Well, now you remember! And I am an introvert and am in a constant war against being socially awkward, so feel free to approach me and chat if you like. I'd say you can find me by watching for the redhead (my hair is much shorter now than it was last year), but I'm going to be costuming heavily and Saturday and Sunday will involve wigs.

[PallonianFire he/him]

13 hours ago, Kaymyth said:

Well, now you remember! And I am an introvert and am in a constant war against being socially awkward, so feel free to approach me and chat if you like. I'd say you can find me by watching for the redhead (my hair is much shorter now than it was last year), but I'm going to be costuming heavily and Saturday and Sunday will involve wigs.

I'll keep an eye out! I'll probably be bouncing around the Writer's track and World of the Wheel (I'm on a panel on Sunday). 

[Kaymyth she/her]

On 3/29/2017 at 1:15 AM, PallonianFire said:

I'll keep an eye out! I'll probably be bouncing around the Writer's track and World of the Wheel (I'm on a panel on Sunday). 

I've no doubt I'll slip in and out of the writer's track. I should be easy to spot, though. Mistcloak one day, Zelda: Warrior Princess another, and Victorian Twilight Sparkle on the third.

[Tristan]

I'm SO glad someone else has this opinion of Name of the Wind. I enjoyed reading it overall, but I was not nearly as impressed with it as most other people were. It seemed to me that the author was living out a fantasy through Kvothe, so the believability was definitely suspended for me. I had never heard the unreliable narrator theory before, but that just kind of makes it worse to me, like when you watch a movie and find out it was all a dream, etc.

[Darkness Ascendant he/him]

I just loved the prose, and the wit.