[Book review] The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

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The vast majority of fantasy epics focus on heroic deeds, feats of derring-do, and mind-numbingly powerful magic.  What would you make of a story that, in many ways, does the exact opposite?  That’s just what happens in Patrick Rothfuss’s The Wise Man’s Fear, the story of the legend behind one extraordinary man.

Kvothe, known as the Kingkiller, is in the second day of telling his story to Chronicler.  He spins his tale in between patrons visiting the inn that he owns under the guise of a simple bartender named Kote.  Monsters are roaming the land, and the king’s tax collectors bleed the people dry.  The village is uneasy and looking for a way through their difficulties, but what can they do to hold back the night?

Kvothe’s story as told to Chronicler continues, following him through some of his University time and his departure for Vintas.  Encounters with rapacious nobles, deadly bandits and quarrelsome companions take up much of Kvothe’s second day of storytelling.  But when he finds himself in thrall to one of the Fae, he must use all his magic and cunning to win back his life and freedom.

Rothfuss’s trilogy is nothing less than epic.  He explores the implications of Kvothe’s most minute actions and shows how they reverberate through his life in unexpected ways.  Readers will see Kvothe as he works through his Naming classes, interacts with moneylenders and teachers, and pursues the love of his life.  His later adventures in the courts of Vintas, in the forest of Eld and in Felurian’s realm certainly contain some epic events, but on the whole they accentuate Kvothe’s ability to get along in life with nothing more than his cunning and his luck.

What I like most about the Kingkiller Chronicles is the author’s incredible turn of phrase.  The novel is full of passages that stick in your mind, ones that make you think, and ones that delicately point out life’s little truths.  This isn’t like Terry Pratchett’s way of presenting observations with his usual sly humor; instead, Rothfuss presents his witticisms with a small smile and a somber nod of the head.  It’s a gentle way of getting the attention of his readers, but it’s no less insightful.  I wish that I’d kept a running log of all the passages that touched me or made me think.  For example, there’s the passage about the three things that a wise man fears (the obvious inspiration for the title): “A storm at sea, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

Oddly enough, I’d have to say that Kvothe’s character growth is best seen in a comparison between the “historical” character and the “present day” character.  Each section covers so small a span of time that there’s not a lot of room for character growth, but if you compare the young Kvothe to the older Kvothe, you can trace the ways in which he’s changed—and the ways in which he hasn’t.  It’s not the usual way to show character progression, but it makes for a fascinating study.

Even the minor characters in this novel are interesting.  My favorite is Bast, Kvothe’s mysterious apprentice in the present-day sections.  There’s something compelling about him, something that hints at unanswered questions and delicious secrets.  But there’s also an edge of danger to him, hints that he’s more than he appears to be.  Another favorite is Elodin, Kvothe’s teacher in the art of Naming.  His cryptic mannerisms and unusual teaching methods will keep readers enthralled and wondering what will pop out of his mouth next.

I do have to wonder if Rothfuss has gotten a little too enamored with his idea to tell the mundane details that inspired a legend.  In one section, he has Kvothe mention an ill-fated ship voyage which led to him being drowned, beaten and saved ten times by his own lute case, but he doesn’t go into any details.  He chooses instead to move on to his decision to pawn his lute for money.  It seemed a little gratuitous to throw out those details with absolutely no follow-up.  I don’t think the fact that Kvothe has an exaggerated reputation should preclude his actually doing a few of things that he’s rumored to have done.

But that’s really a small quibble.  If you let yourself simply go with the flow of the story, there’s much to love.  Rothfuss’s writing adds to the allure of the unique characters and complex situations.  There’s literally no other novel like this out there.  This beefy novel comes in at nearly one thousand pages, but I can’t imagine even one of those pages not being part of the finished tale.  If you somehow missed out on The Name of the Wind, I recommend taking some time to catch up and then going on to The Wise Man’s Fear.  I will confidently predict that you won’t be disappointed.

This book was borrowed from the Yolo County Public Library, Davis branch.