Review: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind
By Patrick Rothfuss; read by Nick Podehl
Audible Download – 28 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Published: 2009
Themes: / epic fantasy / magic school / frame narrative / biography

The Name of the Wind is one of those books I’ve just kept hearing wonderful things about, so when Brilliance Audio finally released an audiobook edition, I lept at the chance to read it. Sadly, my enjoyment of the novel was dampened by hype-induced expectations, but I still came away from the experience eagerly awaiting the two follow-up novels.

The book opens in the Waystone Inn, a small tavern in an insignificant village. Kote the Innkeeper and his apprentice Bast busy themselves with the duties of running an inn, but when the town’s blacksmith is attacked by a demon-like spider it becomes clear to the reader, though not to the townsfolk, that Kote is more than a lowly innkeeper. Sure enough, that very night Kote rescues a traveler on the road who recognizes the flame-haired innkeeper as the legendary Kvothe. The traveler, a scribe dubbed Chronicler, urges Kvothe to relate his true life story. After some hesitation, Kvothe agrees, insisting that he will require three days to tell his tale properly. Pen in hand, Chronicler begins to write out Kvothe’s life.

This establishes The Name of the Wind as a frame narrative, with the bulk of the action taking place not in the present but in Kvothe’s early life. Thenceforth the book reads much like a biography in the modern sense of the word, telling Kvothe’s life story chronologically, from his upbringing in a traveling troupe of performers, to his informal apprenticeship under a magic-practicing arcanist, to his more formal magical education at the University. Kvothe’s young life is rich and varied, full of triumphs and defeats, trials and tribulations, and fascinating characters who cross his path.

The chronological nature of the story comes at the expense of a well-constructed plot. Though Rothfuss attempts to weave a common thread into Kvothe’s early life in the form of the mythical and villainous Chandrian, they flicker in and out of the story like the blue flames that herald their presence. Some of Kvothe’s adventures, like his epic town-trashing battle with a dragon, are fantastic to read, but aside from revealing more about Kvothe’s character they do little to advance the story. Of course, it can be argued that revealing Kvothe’s character, as in any good biography, is the entire purpose of the story, and to that extent The Name of the Wind succeeds. Yet as I’ve argued in other reviews, even the first novel in a trilogy should be able to tie up some loose ends while still promising greater things to come.

The novel takes the reader through the first day of Kvothe’s narration. The Name of the Wind is subtitled “The Kingkiller Chronicles, Day One”, suggesting that the two subsequent novels in the trilogy will comprise the two remaining days of storytelling. Some brief interludes in present time break up the narrative and hint that Kvothe’s past has some strong implications for events in the present day, although it’s still unclear just how that will play out.

The Name of the Wind more than makes up for its minor structural flaws in its strong characters, world-building, and style. Kvothe himself appears to be a hero of Shakespearian proportions, immensely powerful but also flawed and fallable. The cast is rounded out by quirky allies like his teachers Abenthee and Iloden, the enigmatic love interest Denna, and despicable nemeses Hem and Ambrose. Magic lies at the heart of The Name of the Wind, and it’s clear that Rothfuss has put a great deal of thought into developing his magic system, which retains an uneasy unity despite incorporating various disparate magical traditions such as runes, sympathy, and naming. The latter, as the book’s title implies, is of cardinal importance. Finally, the novel’s prose is sweeping and lyrical, as is only fitting since Kvothe is, among many other things, a talented singer and lutenist. This is a book I’d love to own in print, since it’s full of pithy, poignant, quotable epigrams.

Nick Podehl’s narration of the novel is dynamic and powerful. Like Jim Dale in his performance of the Harry Potter novels, Podehl’successfully creates distinctive, memorable accents and verbal idiosyncrasies for many of the characters. It took me a few hours to become accustomed to his narration, but as the novel’s scope widened and more characters emerged on the scene, I found myself trusting Podehl’s characterizations. Thinking back on the story now, it’s hard for me to divorce in my mind the novel’s characters from his vocal portrayal of them.

Fans of traditional fantasy owe it to themselves to pick up The Name of the Wind, either in printed or audio form. While imperfect, it shows immense promise both for the series which it begins and for Patrick Rothfuss as a writer.