• The Wise Man's Fear

  • Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 2
  • By: Patrick Rothfuss
  • Narrated by: Nick Podehl
  • Length: 42 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (83,231 ratings)

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The Wise Man's Fear  By  cover art

The Wise Man's Fear

By: Patrick Rothfuss
Narrated by: Nick Podehl
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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)

Featured Article: 55+ Quotes About Fear—of the Unknown, Change, Love, and More


Looking for a little confidence boost? These quotes about fear from some of literature’s greatest writers can help bolster your bravado. In moments of fear, it’s natural to turn to others—from loved ones to professional counsel—for comfort, encouragement, and advice. But sometimes, it’s most helpful to hear what people you’ve never met have written on the topic. These quotes offer a comprehensive, reassuring portrait of fear and ways to conquer it.

What listeners say about The Wise Man's Fear

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Loved It

This book is more depressing than the first one and there is a lot nore sexual content in this one. It is not incredibly descriptive but you know whats going on. Main character goes from innocent arcanist to sex god warrior. If you can swallow that then this book still has tons of adventure and intrigue. There are a ton of mysterious left unsolved and more than just hinted at. The third book is not finished yet either, early 2019. So just expect the dramatic change and expect to wait a while for the third book entering into #2

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing continuation of The Name of the Wind

Patrick Rothfuss continues his wonderfully amazing world building and story telling ability. He pulls you right back into the story and it is full speed ahead. Never a dull moment and you always learn more about the characters even on your 5th read through!

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Wonderful.

This book and the name of the wind are both wonderful. I read them years ago and bought the audio books to see if they were as good as I remembered. They were better than I remembered.

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About the same as the first book

Slow moving but detailed. Very intricate. Author will require >3 books total to finish the series.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A great second book.

The third can not come fast enough. (the 7 words to make a reader love you)

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A must for fantasy enthusiasts

The narrator is awesome, the quality is great, and the story is an instant classic.

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The best book

By far my favorite book to listen too. I can't wait for the next one to come out.

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By far the best audiobook I've heard

the narrator Nick Podehl is absolutely incredible and really helps bring the story to life, and the story itself is a masterpiece!

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Good story but a little tedious at times

The book was good and I would recommend it with only some reserve. Some parts of it are a bit tedious...the war between Kvothe and his arch rival and his relationship with Denna. The second half of the book was better when he left the university for awhile. The writing is well done and the narrator did an excellent job but I did find myself just getting bored sometimes and wishing it would be over. I gave it 4 stars because I did want to know what would happen next.

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best fantasy book I've read in the last 10 years

fantastic story and my new favorite narrator.
lovely story telling. can not wait to read the next volume

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