The Wise Man's Fear

Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 2

By: Patrick Rothfuss

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 42 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

Day two: the wise man’s fear

“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me.

So begins a tale told from his own point of view - a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man’s Fear, Day Two of The Kingkiller Chronicle, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.

Not just another day: listen to more in the Kingkiller Chronicles.

©2011 by Patrick Rothfuss. (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Narrator Nick Podehl arrives at the end of this long audiobook, the second in the Kingkiller series, as engaged and fresh as he was at the start.... Podehl adeptly presents the broad cast of characters - from moneylenders and courtesans to kings. One of the most fascinating portrayals by Podehl begins with a young mercenary from the Adem who says little. And when he does speak, he has a flat voice, mostly devoid of expression. Podehl builds on this when Kvothe returns with him to study among the Adem, where the mercenary develops a recognizable pattern of speech reflecting many of the culture's characteristics." ( AudioFile)

“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)

Not as good as the first book.

I doubt that I would recommend this book to a friend. I felt that this book was just too long compared to what happens.

Some of the sub-stories become quite boring, and way too long to be interesting. Still like the way he builds up Kvothe to be the living legend, and I like that Kvothe is a good heart but not too fine for a lie or two.

The story about Denna becomes outright stupid in this book. It takes up valuable space, and I found myself thinking "How stupid is he allowed to be?". If you hear it you will know what I am talking about. Those parts could have been done shorter, and used to build up some of the other interesting persons in the book.

The way the story is done with interludes works very well. Suddenly you are pulled back, and something happens in the "now" that either showes Kvothe has changed, has become weaker etc. I find that he has become too weak in the present, and that annoyes me. I do not know if it is because I feel that it is not fair, or if I find it too much that he is first a powerful wizard, sword fighting boy, and now a useless inn-keeper who cannot fend for himself.

It will be a series I follow to the end. I want to know what becomes of Kvothe, and if he finds that which he hunts (which I will not reveal what is), and to me that is the biggest strength of the book. You want to know because you are curious, and that to me means that the book is good - even though I have used much of the space here to write about the flaws.

The narration was just perfect. Nick Podehl does a very good job. Does not overdo the voices, catches the moments, and describes feelings, thoughts etc. perfectly.

best series in existence

there is simply no way that anyone could rate this book less than five stars.

Beautiful and poetic

I finished the story in 4 days. this is a series every fan of fantasy should read.

Really enjoyed it, moreso than the first...

...however, this is still somewhat of a strange read. The whole book is basically the 2nd day of a recounting of the main character's life. Personally, I don't think it really needed to be told in this fashion; however, there is obviously something bigger going on that may or may not be revealed in the next actual book in the series if it is ever realized. I enjoyed it more than the first because I knew what to expect. I actually wanted more when I was done -- which is tribute to the wonderful world Patrick weaved and Nick brought to life.

I love this series

This is my favorite series of books ever and Nick did a great job bringing them to life.

phenomenal!

love this book, I hate it when I had to turn it off and look forward to my drive to work just to hear more. Looking forward to the next one.

Awesome story! A little ambling toward the end.

The Wise Man's Fear is a great romp through Rothfuss' very interesting world. It gives you some of everything you could want from a fantasy tale: Drama, romance, quests, cunning, seediness, grudges and feuds, courage, mystery, violence, character growth, meta-stories and catchy dialogue.

In fact, the dialogue is one of my favorite parts, as it addresses issues relevant to my modern sensibilities without a feeling of " this again?" or being a black and white morality tale.

My one complaint is that it wanders too much. A few times the story felt like it was a new novel following the same lead character on wholly other adventure. They were each interesting, but sometimes the waiting took away from the power of wrapping up the first story while it was still fresh and its details seemed very important.

Nick Podehl is a fantastic narrator! His voices are convincing and evocative. I could listen to him for hours on end... And did!

Overall, I had a great time listening to it, and look forward to the rest of Kvolth's story!

New favorite author! Ranks above Tolkien to me.

What did you love best about The Wise Man's Fear?

Mr. Rothfuss. Patrick. Pat. I am going to need the rest of this series as soon as possible. This is a master class in world building and story telling. How is it possible you don't have more books to your credit? The story is immersive and emotional and at 70-something hours still too very short.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Almost all of the characters are great and get enough time for you to feel like you know each one. Devi is very interesting, but this is one of the few books where the main character is actually the one you care for the most. Also, strangely enough I found a particular tree to very intriguing.

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

The narrator is great and his portrayal of Tempi really stands out.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Peter Jackson brings to life a new story in an old world. Follow along for an adventure of magic, danger, love, and redemption as one boy takes on ancient forces of evil. Rated R.

Any additional comments?

I had no expectations going into this series. I was trying to find something to fill the void in my life while I wait for Jim Butcher's new book and I noticed he did events with Rothfuss. I gave it a try and it ended up being the best high fantasy series I have read. Seriously, I need the rest of this Mr. Rothfuss!

Best. Book. Ever.

Nick Podehl does a phenomenal job narrating this first person fantasy story, of the life of the young protagonist, Kvothe. This second part in a yet incomplete trilogy chronicles his vivacious, curious life - from his departure from the University, on to his adventures over a continent. Rothfuss' storycraft is engrossing, and his characters well thought out. The thoughtful plot, though linear, has subtle intrigues, the lampooning of authority figures, defense of the innocent, and the growing pains of an awkward youth assuming the mantle of the hero/antihero of his time.Rothfuss' world is enthralling, and he is a masterful writer whose ability to capture the imagination and hearts of his readers is unparalleled.

Addicted

Amazing book!!! The king killer chronicals are absolutely fantastic. The narrator did a great job too.

Only annoying thing is that Patrick Rothfuss has not released the final book yet!!