'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss (3.0)

I generally enjoyed this book, but was surprised by the 4.5 ave. rating on Goodreads. It is a somewhat typical fantasy novel with magic, demons, and a reluctant hero. The main difference is that it starts with the hero, Kvothe, in adulthood and seemingly in hiding as the owner of a pub in the middle of nowhere. He tells his tale to a Chronicler who has come to his pub. In this telling we learn his story from childhood to partway through his education. The question of what Kvothe really is and how he became it is compelling, though not fully answered in this book. Given that it is the first of a series, the characters are not fully developed, but the main character in particular made troubling choices. The foreshadowing is clumsy and the results of his bad choices seem very obvious. If you consume fantasy novels at a fast pace, this will fit in nicely, but if you are looking for something special and unique, I don’t think this will fit the bill.