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Kelsey Ford: From the Stacks: J. M. Ledgard's Submergence (0 comment)
Our blog feature, "From the Stacks," features our booksellers’ favorite older books: those fortuitous used finds, underrated masterpieces, and lesser known treasures. Basically: the books that we’re the most passionate about handselling. This week, we’re featuring Kelsey F.’s pick, Submergence by J. M. Ledgard...
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  • Kelsey Ford: Five Book Friday: Year of the Rabbit (0 comment)
  • Kelsey Ford: Powell's Picks Spotlight: Grady Hendrix's 'How to Sell a Haunted House' (0 comment)

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The Name of the Wind

by Patrick Rothfuss
The Name of the Wind

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  • Synopses & Reviews

ISBN13: 9780756405892
ISBN10: 0756405890



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From Powells.com

Essential List

Powell's Essential List

25 Best Sci-fi and Fantasy Books of the 21st Century (So Far)


Staff Pick

The Name of the Wind is the story of Kvothe, who grows up in a nomadic troupe of players, the Edema Ruh, where he learns the fundamentals of magic, music, and the dramatic arts. After years as a penniless orphan in Tarbean, he eventually attends the University, where he narrowly avoids expulsion several times. Kvothe is brilliant, full of panache and daring, but certainly not exempt from suffering or heartbreak. The genius of The Name of the Wind is that the skill of the author elevates it beyond the sum of its highly entertaining parts. Long fantasy novels with magical schools are plentiful, but The Name of the Wind casts a spell that has not diminished with the passage of time. Recommended By Mary Jo S., Powells.com

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

Discover #1 New York Times-bestselling Patrick Rothfuss' epic fantasy series, The Kingkiller Chronicle.

Over 1 Million Copies Sold!

DAY ONE: THE NAME OF THE WIND

My name is Kvothe.

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.

You may have heard of me.


So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature — the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.

Review

“It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing...with true music in the words.” Ursula K. LeGuin, award-winning author of Earthsea

Review

“The characters are real and the magic is true." Robin Hobb, New York Times-bestselling author of Assassin's Apprentice

Review

"An extremely immersive story set in a flawlessly constructed world and told extremely well." Jo Walton, award-winning author of Among Others

Review

"This breathtakingly epic story is heartrending in its intimacy and masterful in its narrative essence." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

Review

"Reminiscent in scope of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series...this masterpiece of storytelling will appeal to lovers of fantasy on a grand scale." Library Journal (Starred Review)

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.

4.8 32

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating 4.8 (32 comments)

`
Jacob Rossman , November 13, 2014
One of the best fantasy // adventure novels that I've read as an adult. Kvothe is a character that plays the underdog, self-deprecating yet immensely talented hero as well as any fictional character written. It's a thousand pages of midnight-oil burning awesomeness. You will be instantly captivated but you need to be prepared to tell your loved ones that you are going on a two month holiday, tucked away in your favorite reading nook while you read book 1 and 2 of this series.

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hakushaku13 , April 10, 2013 (view all comments by hakushaku13)
It's so rarely nowadays to see a really well-written fantasy book. So I was really pleased to find Patrick Rothfuss's "The Name of the Wind". It was a very fascinating reading, really. I heard that the author spent a lot of years to write this book, and those years certainly weren't a waste. The characters, the plot, the whole world of this book is great, interesting and well-balanced. It's that kind of book which you won't be able to stop reading if you'll start.

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bridget flory , January 31, 2013
Really fascinating start to what promises to be a great trilogy. This is a great story with a great human hero. I was much impressed by the writing. Reminiscent of Bujold

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Madeline Whitmarsh , January 30, 2013
Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind made my summer. When I picked it up, it had been a long time since I had found something that held that spark, the one everyone always talks about - the something that creates incredible urgency, that makes you stay up all night, that turns a reader of books into a devourer of books. Rothfuss' vivid characters, complex world, and meticulous attention to detail created that spark for me. I devoured The Name of the Wind in, appropriately, three days. I recommend it to practically everyone I know, and to many people who don't know me, as well. It is well worth it, as is book two: The Wise Man's Fear. I can't wait for the third installment to hit the shelves. For a more comprehensive review, visit me at my blog: http://bit.ly/NlhNOZ

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Corey Schuster , January 05, 2013
Books with a science fiction slant aren't typically books I read. But since a good friend read this book and raved about, I thought I'd give it a shot. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The characters and storyline kept me enthralled all the way through. And once I finished it, I went and picked up the next book in this trilogy (The Wise Man's Fear) and read it in only a couple of sittings. And now I wait, somewhat patiently, for the third installment to come to light.

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Bluefastakan , November 04, 2012 (view all comments by Bluefastakan)
Fantastic. Utterly fantastic. This is the beginning of an epic trilogy the likes of which I haven't seen since the Lord of the Rings. It is a sad tale at heart, but with many moments of brevity that keep it from being an outright tragedy. An interesting 'magic' system, and an incredibly rich mythology give the book a fantastic setting.

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Samantha Hunsley , August 04, 2012 (view all comments by Samantha Hunsley)
One of my favorites. I love the story within a story, and the writing is exquisite.

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K Kulish , August 04, 2012 (view all comments by K Kulish)
Patrick Rothfuss has written a book you do not want to end. A brilliant frame story that recounts a life, as its teller wishes it to be told. The world, the characters, the situations may be labeled fantasyesque given the touch of magic involved, but they all combine in a page-turning story that engages from start to finish. As the title implies, this is only volume one, and volume two is equally engaging. Until the third arrives, they are both worth reading and reading. Mr. Rothfuss knows how to craft a fine tale.

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Alexandra Farrell , January 19, 2012
This is one of the best books I have ever read, and certainly the best recent science fiction/fantasy. It is an amazing story, with a fully developed world - and superb writing. Definitely a winner!

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mollnoll , January 19, 2012 (view all comments by mollnoll)
Wonderfully written, with imagination, invention and narrative wound together into a compelling story.

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smgnu , January 15, 2012
Every detail is so intricately written that it almost passes as truth.

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iliketoread , January 15, 2012
Great read. Hard to put down. An adult Harry Potter. 2nd book not as good. Hoping the 3rd will be as good as this 1st one

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charjoseph , January 02, 2012
This is an excellent book; lots of fun to read.

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Ix , January 01, 2012
Both book one and book two utterly sucked me in. I resented anything that distracted me from reading until these were finished. May the year 2012 speed in the publishing of book three!

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skunk cabbage , January 01, 2012
It's been a long time since I was filled with childlike glee reading a book. I woke up in the morning reading The Name of the Wind and fell asleep reading The Name of the Wind. Thank god there was a sequel. Somehow I will find the patience to wait until the third is published.

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Tyra , January 01, 2012
Feels like a timeless story of fantasy, honor and love. But it's not a retelling of a hundred similar works. Fresh and genuine characters, it's my favorite book of 2011.

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PurpleBike , September 30, 2011
I was looking for Game of Thrones and saw a Powell's staff recommendation for The Name of the Wind, so I bought it instead. The recommendation was spot on - this book is great! Well-written and engaging, this book is a cross between the best parts of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Great recommendation from Powell's...the Name of the Wind is even better than Game of Thrones!

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the.end.of , September 20, 2011
On the scale of 1 to 5 I'd probably give between 3.5-4. Recommend by a friend who doesn't normally like fantasy / sci-fi so I was intrigued. It's also been a while since I've read what I consider to be very good fantasy and this took me a few chapters to really get into it. At 600+ pages there IS tremendous character development and Rothfuss does well with keeping the secondary and tertiary characters enough on your radar so that you remind yourself not to forget about them as they may have more prominent roles in the sequels. There are many chapters that read quickly, the pace is overall very good and his ideas are plentiful. Still, personally, I was almost satisfied with the ending to the point that I had no real urgency to start the 2nd book right away. This could also be that, again, at so many pages, so many characters and subplots, it might be necessary to leave ample space to fully digest the 1st book. Definitely a worthy read and satisfyingly addicting at times, but I couldn't say that it ranks among my favorites among the fantasy epics (though, many of those I read in my adolescence so maybe they didn't age well). Not fully knowing how good current fantasy epics are, this could, though rank highly among them. On the other hand, having not been significantly interested in fully exploring the fantasy genre for years, this definitely ranks as a good book and above average.

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coral.genzoli , January 14, 2011
This was the best book I read last year, I'm a big scifi and fantasy fan, stumbled upon this when first released and fell in love. The story telling is paced well, the book is not just plot driven but also has incredible characters that are described in detail. Loved it, can't wait for the second to come out.

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seabill1 , January 06, 2011
Though it was not printed in 2010, this WAS the best book I read this last year. Extraordinary story-telling, featuring a hero whose epic tale is told in flashback; this, interspersed with the story of the adult who is obviously going to have another major tale told going forward in an expected sequel. The tale is quite lyrical in the opening sections where we're introduced to the child Kvothe whose parents lead a troupe of traveling players. There is a sad section where Kvothe becomes a feral child. There is a section that is both full of wonder and action, and adventure, and danger, as the teenage Kvothe enters a school for magicians. The genre for the book is Fantasy...but the brilliance of the writing means that any lover of fiction will enjoy reading this book. The elder Kvothe has a very retrospective tone of voice; the student's tale is told with more verve. There is precision in tone sometimes, and far reaching generalities at others, as Rothfuss builds layers of this world.

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bnannar , January 06, 2011
Calling all Tolkien fans! If you love thought provoking, well written, epic stories...this is the book you've been searching for! Get lost in another world for awhile.

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James Walsh , January 03, 2011
While high fantasy is not everyone's cup of tea and may not be the kind of literature that wins major prizes, Patrick Rothfuss's debut The Name of the Wind is still the best book I read in 2010. As a professor I don't have as much free time to read for entertainment as I would like, so I have a very low tolerance for poorly written stuff. Rothfuss has created characters that I want to know who inhabit a very complex and well-constructed world that's not quite familiar. He's done it in wonderful prose that nearly sings, and is never cluttered with the often-used device of exhausting detail. You know what I mean, three paragraphs describing the clothing, hairstyles and the content of the "groaning board, heaped with savory viands" that clutters so many thick fantasy novels these days. Perhaps the best feature of this engrossing tale is that he doesn't explain everything seven times each chapter and allows his reader to wonder and ponder and puzzle over so much, including the somehow unpredictable nuances of plot as the story unfolds. I have only one regret: I was loaned the book and did not pay for it, thus depriving this fine writer his due. I will likely buy my own copy to re-read in the future and thereby in part rectify my lapse. I will also be awaiting the promised sequel more eagerly than almost any I have previously. Martin, Erikson et al have real competition here.

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SRKorman , January 01, 2011
The Name of the Wind is one of the most amazing, creative and original books I have ever read. It is a classic swords and horses type fantasy that manages to contain all of the best components of the genre without straying into cliche. His characters are solidly written and original, and so well-fleshed out you'd think they lived right around the corner. Patrick Rothfuss is a writer extraordinaire, and I was truly disappointed when I turned the last page of this book. I can't wait for the story to continue.

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DeAnn , January 01, 2011 (view all comments by DeAnn)
Several years back a book came out called "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, that blew me away, with its blend of glorious prose, excellent storytelling and mysteriously zippy plot. At the time, I felt there would never be another book written by a male author with quite that same zing and combination of things I enjoy. Then I happened upon "The Name of the Wind" quite by accident. The title, being so similar to Zafon's novel, intrigued me, and the blurb about it being an epic tale told by a god-like being had me hooked, so I grabbed the hefty tome and steeled myself for what could be a disappointment. What a relief to discover that Patrick Rothfuss is a marvelous craftsman who has created a deliciously engrossing tale that sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the final page. Kvothe is a fascinating protagonist, a young boy who grows up with traveling bards and players, is orphaned and still manages to get admitted to wizarding school by dint of magical talent and hubris in equal measure. It is evident right from the first page that Rothfuss knows his myths and legends, fairy tales and classic adventures well enough to draw on that tradition for the life of Kvothe, which is told by the magician himself to a humble scribe who finds the great man in a tavern, working as an inn keeper. If you're an adult fan of Harry Potter's adventures, someone who grew up on the great classic myths and legends, or just a person who enjoys good, classic storytelling, this book is for you. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series, due out in March.

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spandexalii , January 01, 2011
My favorite new fantasy book. Easy to read, intelligent, fast paced and inventive! And the best part is, there's more coming :)

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peeper_j , January 01, 2011 (view all comments by peeper_j)
This is perhaps the best book I have ever read, not just the best in 2010. This is a coming of age story, a mystery, a fantasy and so much more. Patrick Rothfuss has created a fascinating world for an unforgettable character, Kvothe. It is the first in a trilogy with the second book to be available on March 1, 2011.

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Holly Wielkoszewski , January 01, 2011 (view all comments by Holly Wielkoszewski)
Rothfuss' book is a tremendous addition to the fantasy genre. I read quite a bit in this genre and found NOTW to exceed expectations in so many ways. One of my top 5 books for 2010. And the 2nd book comes out in March 2011!

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Dragonfly , January 01, 2011 (view all comments by Dragonfly)
A beautifully written page-turner set in a fully realized alternate world. On a single day in a country inn, the narrator relates his youth as a poor but gifted scholar struggling to pay for his education and chafing at the restrictions of his society. The story is so engrossing and the prose so lively that the reader is apt to miss the elegant structure of the narrative. The Name of the Wind gives not only the pleasure of a good yarn, but also the satisfaction that comes from contemplating any well-made piece of craftsmanship. This novel is planned as the first of a trilogy. This reviewer, for one, is anxiously awaiting volume 2, due out in Spring 2011.

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Hutif , May 12, 2010 (view all comments by Hutif)
I have never been a fan of fantasy novels. They have a tendency to fall into either a children's fairytale or a Lord of the Rings ripoff, in my experience. I had given up on the genre completely in favor Science Fiction, but Patrick Rothfuss has managed to redeem an entire genre in my eyes with a single novel: The Name of the Wind. Rothfuss frequently avoids the cliches associated with fantasy writing with his story of the young Kvothe and his search to find the name of the wind. The main story here is actually told by a character in the story, creating a frame for the events to unfold in. Rothfuss uses beautifully descriptive language and tells an engaging story I was almost completely unable to put down. As far as I'm concerned, 5 out of 5 is not a high enough rating to do this novel justice.

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Mary Lou G Moore , January 13, 2010 (view all comments by Mary Lou G Moore)
Fantasy quests can get to be too familiar, you got your dragons, your swords, your overlooked child with a great destiny. Rothfuss has smartly taken a clue from Casanova's biography and written about a life, rather than a quest. Wonderful descriptions, telling details, and a complete world. And more to come!

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Jonathan Sargent , January 11, 2010
This was one of the most enjoyable fantasy books I have ever read. It was very well written, engaging right from the start. The author did a good job of building his main character, Kvothe. There were some companion characters that you learned just enough about to make you want to discover their stories in future installments in the series. The author started the book with his setting being present time, and presented the body of the story as a retelling of past experiences by the main character, who detailed his childhood up to about his late teens. This is one of those rare books that, as you turn the last page, leaves you with a smile on your face and a fierce urge to wrap your fingers around the next book in the series to satisfy your itching curiosity about what happens next. A must-read for any fan of the fantasy genre.

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Tracey chambers , January 02, 2010
This book had me hooked from the very first page. I could not put it down.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780756405892
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
04/07/2009
Publisher:
PENGUIN PUTNAM TRADE
Series info:
Kingkiller Chronicles
Pages:
672
Height:
1.30IN
Width:
6.00IN
Thickness:
1.50
Series:
Kingkiller Chronicle 01
Series Number:
1
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
2009
Series Volume:
01
Author:
Patrick Rothfuss
Subject:
Science Fiction and Fantasy-Fantasy

Ships free on qualified orders.
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$19.00
List Price:$20.00
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QtyStore
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1Hawthorne
20Local Warehouse

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