The Name of the Wind

by Patrick Rothfuss

I'd heard about this book for quite some time before I actually checked it out from the library and I am almost sorry that it took me so long to read it. I wish I would have read this book when it came out but now I don't have to wait for the sequel, so I'm not complaining too loudly. This is one of the books that I will purchase so I can reread it as many times as I want.

This is a fantasy story that takes the best elements from all of the best stories and makes them fresh. The story follows Kvothe who is first introduced as a bartender going by the name of Kote. There is something exciting about him and his mysteriousness but you can tell something is just a little off as well. When a collector of stories shows up asking after the legendary Kvothe the tavern owner decides to tell him what he wants to know. Kvothe's story is filled with adventure. He goes from living with a traveling troupe, to scavenging on the streets, to being the top student at the University. His character is loveable and relateable and you can't help but cheer with his successes and laugh at his antics. There are times that I didn't agree with what he was doing but since the story is told from the perspective of his adult self it was pleasing to see that the character knew what remorse was and understood consequences.

Even halfway into the novel I knew that this was going to be one of my new favorite novels. It read quickly yet there are some deep thoughts throughout. The characters are human with desires but I was pleased at the clean behaviors and language. I highly recommend this book to anyone who love fantasy and wants a fresh take. The size of it may dissuade people but all seven hundred pages kept me entertained and though it didn't have a lot of action sequences the story was gripping and I wanted to know what was going to happen.