The Name of the Wind

Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1

By: Patrick Rothfuss

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 27 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

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

“I just love the world of Patrick Rothfuss.” (Lin-Manuel Miranda)

“He’s bloody good, this Rothfuss guy.” (George R. R. Martin)

“Rothfuss has real talent.” (Terry Brooks)

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.

Praise for The Kingkiller Chronicle:

“The best epic fantasy I read last year.... He’s bloody good, this Rothfuss guy.” (George R. R. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire)

“Rothfuss has real talent, and his tale of Kvothe is deep and intricate and wondrous.” (Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of Shannara)

"It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing...with true music in the words." (Ursula K. Le Guin, award-winning author of Earthsea)

"The characters are real and the magic is true.” (Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author of Assassin’s Apprentice)

"Masterful.... There is a beauty to Pat's writing that defies description." (Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of Mistborn)

©2007 by Patrick Rothfuss. (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“The originality of Rothfuss's outstanding debut fantasy, the first of a trilogy, lies less in its unnamed imaginary world than in its precise execution…As absorbing on a second reading as it is on the first, this is the type of assured, rich first novel most writers can only dream of producing. The fantasy world has a new star.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“Fantasy readers-a notoriously discerning group-tend to dole out praise judiciously, which makes the reception of The Name of the Wind, the first volume in Patrick Rothfuss's The Kingkiller Chronicle, that much more remarkable. Critics are already throwing around comparisons to some of the biggest names in fantasy, including George R. R. Martin, Tad Williams, the recently deceased Robert Jordan, and even Tolkien. (Bookmarks Magazine)

“New fantasy authors are usually overhyped, and it's rare to find one who writes with such assurance and narrative skill right from the start. I was reminded of Ursula LeGuin, George R. R. Martin, and J. R. R. Tolkien, but never felt that Rothfuss was imitating anyone. Like the writers he clearly admires, he's an old-fashioned storyteller working with traditional elements, but his voice is his own. I haven't been so gripped by a new fantasy series in years. It's certain to become a classic." (Lisa Tuttle, The Times)

An Olde English tale without an Olde English accen

Good story but the narrator sounds like he is from Ohio. Good job but it was distractimg.

A Good Fantasy Novel, Filled with Magic

I had this book on my Audbile.Com Wishlist for a while. I continually read good things about it, including a positive review in Entertainment Weekly. Finally, a student of mine recommended it to me, so I decided to buy the book and give it a read. I guess it's true that word-of-mouth recommendations are the best form of advertising! I was not disappointed.

This book follows a familiar story-within-a-story format. We are initially introduced to a character named Kote who saves a chronicler (actually THE chronicler) from spider-like creatures called Scrael. This causes the chronicler to recognize Kote as the legendary hero Kvothe, and the chronicler very much wants to write the story of Kvothe's life. This is where the story within the story begins.

Although the author periodically returns to the chronicler, who is writing the story of Kvothe's life while having it dictated to him by Kvothe himself, the vast majority of the book is the story of Kvothe's life. Without giving away too much of the story, it's safe to say that Kvothe didn't have a great time in his youth, yet he managed to improve his situation and attend the university where he studied various forms of magic and was involved in numerous adventures.

While I have nothing against the story-within-a-story format, I could have done without it. The only flaw I have with this book is that it takes far too long to get moving to the interesting part of the story. If it had simply started with Kvothe's life story, I would have been happy with that. Of course, the setup to the story will also lead to the subsequent books in this series, so I might appreciate it more later.

In my opinion, the parts of the story at the university were probably the best in the book. The author does a great job of describing the characters that Kvothe meets at the university. The professors and the classes seem very interesting. There were times when I wished that my time at the university had been like Kvothe's! I know that there is a second book in the series, and I can't wait to read it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

Amazing

If you could sum up The Name of the Wind in three words, what would they be?

Perfect immersive storytelling

What other book might you compare The Name of the Wind to and why?

Adult Harry Potter with student loans, murder and music

Which character – as performed by Nick Podehl – was your favorite?

Kvothe. I feel that is relatively simple as he is the main character however, without a solid performance as him this recording would sink like a stone

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, it had me at the first few pages

Any additional comments?

This book will having you cursing Patrick Rothfuss for not finishing book three in no time.

My favorite book since GoT

Loved this book. The narrator was excellent too. The world, story, and characters are beautifully developed.

loved the narration.

the narration was perfect for this book. really set the characters apart!! one of the best!

classic

gets better with each listening. can't wait until the third book is released. too good.

Not perfect, but well worth the read!

It felt a bit... Tween fantasy at certain times, a bit dragged on at others, but overall I loved the book and can't wait to read the second! The narrator was brilliant.

Exciting & Entertaining

Would you listen to The Name of the Wind again? Why?

This series is my first from Rothfuss, and I really love him as an author. He presents a new way to having the main character narrate his own story and this allows for there to be an added storyline and mystery developing in the current time-line for the main character.
Like many books I would read to myself, I cannot "put it down". I am listening to this story constantly, much to the irritation of my husband who wants more of my attention. Nick Podehl is a fantastic reader/actor. His characters and voices, and so many accents, are more than just believable, they are REAL. He is gifted at bringing a character to life and he makes listening to the story very entertaining. Between Rothfuss's writing ability for character development and Podehl's reading skills, I feel totally immersed in this world and these people. I cannot wait to get more books in this series! I certainly hope the next one is coming soon! Rothfuss has created such a rich world, and there is so much potential for this story to really take off in "Jordan" style. I hope the stories just go on & on as rich as the first two!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Name of the Wind?

Oh there are so many, but I love to hear about all the adventures that Kvothe finds himself in the middle of!

What does Nick Podehl bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Aaah, the voices & accents! He reads much as I do, relaxed & not over acted. I began listening to books because I don't ever have the time to read, and I miss the stories. Now I can listen while I am working. Podehl really makes listening as pleasurable as if I were reading to myself.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I have laughed out loud, have been scared for the characters, and have felt such sadness for young Kvothe. Emotion comes easily because of the great writing of the author.

Any additional comments?

Once you begin, you will not put it down! A real "Page Turner"!

Well written and engaging story

I normally wouldn't read a book like this, but I am so glad I got it! The book is well written with well developed characters. There is depth to the The Name of the Wind while enough mystery to keep me listening. As soon as I finished the first book I had to purchase the second one. I feel like there is so much in the first book I am going to have to listen to it again to make sure I got every detail.

Great book, fantastic narrator

Nick Podehl is a narrative genius. His personification of all of the different characters and events, his pacing and cadences, brings this book to life wonderfully. The best audiobook I've heard.