Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
15,968 global ratings
5 star
81%
4 star
11%
3 star
4%
2 star
2%
1 star
2%
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Review this product



Customer images

Customer image
Customer image
Customer image
Customer image
See all customer images
Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Stella B.
2.0 out of 5 stars Overblown
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2018
Verified Purchase
I am a voracious reader and I like this genre of books (read Robin Hobb) - but not particularly this one. I don’t understand all the rave reviews unless they are given because of Martin’s one liner. This story plods along; it is extremely boring at times; and the protagonist is self-absorbed to say the least. I am still not finished with it and have been picking it up off and on for weeks. Normally I would finish a book in two days. I just read the reviews of book two and will pass on it altogether. It just sounds like more of the same with nothing wrapped up. The most interesting sub-plot in this book is the Chandrian but 75% in we know nothing more about them other than the first time they are mentioned. Seriously? There simply isn’t anything in this book to hook me into buying the next one - esp. after reading the reviews. It’s just more wash, rinse, repeat. And it took the author 4 years to write book two since book one? Why consider it if it is more of the same. And it has been 7 years since book two and no mention of book three. I guess my standards are different but I think this book is way overblown in the reviews and there is no assurance there will even be an ending. Don’t waste your time. P.S. I just checked author’s website and he is busy sailing, writing comic books, and admits to over 300 incomplete blogs. No mention of book three so there is no reason to believe there will ever be one. He appears to have shifted to comic books. Again, why bother to start a series when there will never be any closure? Too many good series to waste time on this one.
Read more
Jared Z. Henderson
1.0 out of 5 stars Dreadful
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2018
Verified Purchase
This is one of the worst books I have ever read.

I went into it optimistic: I like fantasy, I’m intrigued by magic systems in books, and I had heard good things. I especially heard good things about Rothfuss’s prose.

The story lacks narrative tension; the breaking up of chapters is inconsistent and distracting; the main character is poorly developed; the prose is obtuse. I truly believe that there is almost nothing of redeeming value in this book.

The story follows Kvothe, a fabulously talented musician, accomplished actor, master magician, and astute fighter. He is also handsome, has a great baritone, and knows how to survive in the woods. He is romantic, fierce, brilliant, and wise. Kvothe is not bad at anything. Kvothe excels at whatever he does. And it is not just that he does well --- he does well quickly, much to amazement of others, and he does well with little effort. There is no real struggle for just about anything. Even tragedy is essentially just a stepping stone to Kvothe's brilliance. When he falls in love, it is not just with a beautiful woman. It is with the most beautiful, most brilliant woman. He is clever to the extreme, and all others can recognize this. As a reader, you start wondering what the point is -- why should I care about this character? Why him? What flaws make him relatable? What does he accomplish, if everything is so easy?

Rothfuss is described as a poet by some reviewers. Maybe this is true, but it is very bad poetry. Adding modifiers doesn't make a sentence beautiful, and not every scene deserves an extended description.

Rothfuss relies on a number of odd plot devices. I counted at least four instances of a character falling, hitting his head, blacking out, and waking up a few hours later to then be filled in about what happened. The world of The Name of the Wind is populated by people with chronic head trauma.
Read more
Mitch
5.0 out of 5 stars BRAVO - Audible narration review
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2017
Verified Purchase
****AUDIBLE NARRATION REVIEW

I do not usually tend to read books such as "The Name Of The Wind". I am more of a historical romance kinda gal. My husband happened to be browsing ebooks and the last thing I knew, this gem was popping up as "based on your shopping history" type thing. I started reading the reviews and debated... for a couple days. I LOVE to read but don't rarely get the chance with young children these days. I decided I was going to buy the book. I then splurged for the audible narration as well!!!

That said, many reviews debate over which narrator they preferred. The version I got was with Nick Podehl. I thought he did a wonderful job with this story. He uses different voices for different characters and is consistent. I enjoyed listening to him narrate Rothfuss' masterpiece.

The story itself took me a little bit to get into... about the first 6-7 chapters. I actually ended up re-reading them to make sure I was following along. This book contains MANY details and characters to follow (worth paying attention to). After I was able to grasp the beginning the rest of the story unfolded beautifully! I already had the second purchased and downloaded (audible narration included) before I was finished.

This book is LONG! I not ONCE lost interest. At places I (almost) teared up, I got angry and I actually laughed out loud... many times! I am truly pleased with this purchase and look forward to reading more from Patrick! Well done and thank you for the greatest story I've read in years! BRAVO P. Rothfuss!
Read more

See all reviews

Top reviews from other countries

M. Duncan
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read, needs an edit
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2018
Verified Purchase
Good Points:
- Well written, mainly.
- Fascinating magic system, and interesting world building
- bits set in university, with the education of a wizard are great. there are a lot of similarities with Harry Potter, which many will point out, but there are enough differences to keep it a very different book
- Lots of mystery: the author cleverly sets up a lot of mysteries, which keeps the pages turning. There is plenty of suspense and it is an engaging read.

Bad bits
- This book needs a good edit. Many incidents or story sections are repetitive - how many times will the character not have enough money for tuition and have to go and find money? How many times will he meet his lady love and just have a chat with her (more later)
- Framing story: the whole story is recounted in a pub by the main character in the first person. I don't think this framing adds much to the narrative, and just makes it longer and more difficult to get into.
- Poorly drawn characters: although NOTW is well written in general, many characters seem sketchy. Willem and Simmon are good examples. The masters in the university are better drawn. The physical descriptions are usually poor, or non-existent, and few characters have strong enough traits to be memorable.
- The love interest: creating a love interest and then putting off the characters getting together is a staple of most fictional genres. I don't think it has ever been spun out like this, and with such an unlikeable love interest. There are several identical chapters where the character looks for the boring, self-centred, but (yawn) incredibly beautiful Denna, finds her, they have a great chat, but once again, nothing happens. This quickly becomes boring, and I wish she would get killed off so we didn't have to read this.

Overall, I would recommend fans of Harry Potter, or fantasy genre to read the book. I think the sequel, which I am currently reading, compounds many of the weaknesses of the first book, so I may not make it until the third book.
Read more
SarzWix
5.0 out of 5 stars Gets better with every re-read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2016
Verified Purchase
I've just completed my 7th or 8th re-read, I've lost count now, but still managed to spot things I missed before. Truly a work of genius in so many different ways; it is not only a brilliant, epic fantasy, it also questions the nature of stories and story-telling, human nature, political and social hierarchies, and many other things.
Read more
Mark
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read. I`m an instant Patrick Rothruss fan after ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2018
Verified Purchase
Fantastic read. I`m an instant Patrick Rothruss fan after reading this book. There are so many twists and turns, and emotional ups and downs, that I was a wreck by the time I reached the last page. But couldnt wait to pick up the next one. This is, as described by the main character, a tragic story. But unlike so many other books, it is not filled with page after page of misery. There are genuine moments of happiness and joy, but equally, there are heartbreaking moments, and through it all, I felt absolutely invested in the characters I was introduced to. Its mostly written from the perspective of the main character recounting his life to a scribe, so you will find yourself often wondering what is real, and what is tainted by the perspective of the person recounting his life.
Read more
Liz L
2.0 out of 5 stars meandering and over-written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
I started out thinking this was going to be OK, but it didn't take long before we were dragged into the life story of one character--without having a clue why we needed to know it! I gave up the book at 25% because there was no evidence that we would ever get back to the story line. Nothing but highly embellished chronology, with never a sign of why we needed to know! I rarely if ever want my money back on a book, but this is one.
Read more
A. Cresswell
4.0 out of 5 stars Too slow for me unfortunately.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
I took this on holiday and it took a lot to get me into this book. I eventually finished it after 2 weeks and that's a long time for me. I wasn't sure what I was expecting as this is a story about a barkeep who it transpires is something else altogether and the barkeep sits down to tell his life's story to a scribe.
So you have 2 main threads ... what's going on with the barkeep and the village he is in "The present" and then the story of how he ended up where he is "His past". Frustratingly the story in both present and past is slow ... it just doesn't move with pace and there's not enough happening over what is a fairly large book. When you finally get to the end you realise you're probably less than a quarter of the way through the Barkeep's life. The writing is good and the idea's are good but it's just too damn slow and I didn't want to run off and buy the next instalment because of this. It's not like one of Feists page turners. Shame because like I said the writing is good and so are the idea's.
Read more

See all reviews