Paperback Perils: The Wise Man’s Fear

Title: The Wise Man’s Fear

Author: Patrick Rothfuss

Publication Date: 2011

Publishing House: Daw Books, INC.

It has been a while since I posted about this series but I have finished book two of the Kingkiller Chronicle. And now I wait impatiently for Rothfuss to release the final book in the series. The fact that the third book has not been released is the cause of my delay in finishing book two: I didn’t want the story that I had access to to be over yet. Despite this I couldn’t stop reading once I started.

Book one, The Name of the Wind, is the story of a boy. During the first day of his telling of his story to the Chronicler, Kvothe recounts his childhood, the events that lead to him making his way to the University and his first year there. Despite his hardships and triumphs he is still in many ways a child.

Book two, A Wise Man’s Fear, has the boy become a man. I know, kind of corny phrasing. It is not a true coming of age story, more of just a natural progression.  Much of the story is a continuation of book one or it is at the start of the text but young Kvothe soon goes off to see the world. He is no longer learning out of books. The world is his teacher. He learns languages; some of these languages are spoken, one is a gesture language and is read like facial expressions. He is taught to fight both in hand to hand and with a sword. On his journeys he sees and chases after one of the immortal fea. A creature of great beauty and knowledge. What she taught him, you will have to read to find out.   

When Kvothe gets back to the University his legend has grown but he has become more world wise. He is happy and full of life. He has friends and no longer has to worry about money. In juxtaposition to the happy young Kvothe of the past is the adult Kvothe telling his tale. He is showing to be less than a shadow of his former self. When it is finally published book three will tells how the happy young man became the shadow of the himself that is in hiding and waiting to die.

If you haven’t already I highly suggest this fantasy series. It is full of adventure, mystery, and magic but there are also human elements: friendship, understanding, anger, and growth.

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