Patrick Rothfuss The Kingkiller Chronicle Positivity Fan Thread

[3rdI]

The What Do You Like About Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicle Thread

The purpose of this thread is to create a place for members to discuss what aspects of the trilogy they ENJOY. Debate and critical review are certainly welcome but please remember to keep the tone civil.

If you do not enjoy The Kingkiller Chronicle and would like to express that feel free to post in any of the other Rothfuss threads listed below.

Wise Mans Fear March 1st
Why is the Name of the Wind so popular?
The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
What do we think of Kvothe?
The Name of the Wind - does it get better as it goes along?
July 2008 BOTM: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

 

[newfiesailor]

I saw this thread and had no doubt who started it.

LOL

 

[aelitis]

looking forward to it...does the ebook version release on the same date?

 

[3rdI]

Just using the forum guidelines to my advantage

Hey Martin has a sub-forum. Rothfuss fans should have a place where they can geek out over The Kingkiller Chronicle without having to deal with Borges references and negativity.

 

[newfiesailor]

Just using the forum guidelines to my advantage

Hey Martin has a sub-forum. Rothfuss fans should have a place where they can geek out over The Kingkiller Chronicle without having to deal with Borges references and negativity.

Work the magic, bro.

 

[Rob B]

Is Mr. Rothfuss paying you 3dI? Seems there's generally a lot of positivity going around the forums about Pat's novels.

 

[3rdI]

No sir just spreading the good word

 

[KatG]

The forum guidelines do not protect authors' work from criticism, but instead the author from personal criticism. That's why we have to often shut Martin conversations down -- it's not the criticism of Game of Thrones that's the problem; we have a lot of it. It's when people try to savage Martin or savage each other with personal attacks and conduct a flame war.

Rothfuss doesn't really cause flame wars here, and in the future, 3rdI, you cannot go after and personally attack someone who doesn't like the series, as you did in the other Rothfuss thread. Civility works both ways. Nor can you restrict who gets to participate in the thread conversation to just "fans." The Positivity Cover Art Thread, for example, does not restrict who can participate in it, but the thread topic is art that you like.

So the thread topic here can be what do you like about Rothfuss's book(s). And everybody does have to keep it civil.

 

[chokipokilo]

big fan of the first book, not a big fan of waiting 20 years for the series to be finished. At least there's plenty of Borges I can read while I wait.

 

[3rdI]

The forum guidelines do not protect authors' work from criticism, but instead the author from personal criticism. That's why we have to often shut Martin conversations down -- it's not the criticism of Game of Thrones that's the problem; we have a lot of it. It's when people try to savage Martin or savage each other with personal attacks and conduct a flame war.

I didn't attack I said it they were derailing the thread. Rob ALREADY addressed that.

Rothfuss doesn't really cause flame wars here, and in the future, 3rdI, you cannot go after and personally attack someone who doesn't like the series, as you did in the other Rothfuss thread. Civility works both ways. Nor can you restrict who gets to participate in the thread conversation to just "fans." The Positivity Cover Art Thread, for example, does not restrict who can participate in it, but the thread topic is art that you like.

Nonsense. Many threads are restricted in one way or another. Rob was here earlier and said nothing negative about the thread.

So the thread topic here can be what do you like about Rothfuss's book(s). And everybody does have to keep it civil.

Even coming in here and doing this causes a stir. Everything was quite fine. I have been screwed by these guidelines on more than one occasion. The one time I use your guidelines to my favor AND another staff member posts in the thread and says nothing now all the sudden there is a problem? Amazing. Fine then I will play your game.

Moving back on topic....

Aelitis - The ebook comes out the same day.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Wise-Mans-Fear/Patrick-Rothfuss/e/9781101486405/?itm=18

 

[KatG]

Not a problem, just a friendly warning, 3rdI.

 

[3rdI]

Not a problem, just a friendly warning, 3rdI.

Yup thanks.

 

[Pub]

I just finished reading this on the basis of what i heard on the forum.
First off he is a talented writer there is no doubt. At first i found it hard to get into As everyone was talking it up and it didnt seem that good or anything groundbreaking.
Storytelling is an art and he is very good at it.

Have to Say though i thought the plot was rather weak. The ending was terrible Its more like the end of a chapter than a book.

Overall i though the book was good not a masterpiece by any means but it had me hooked i couldnt put it down which tells me i enjoyed the book.

You want to know what the best part is?
I didnt have to wait 4 years for the next which i'm glad (considering from what i read he said he had written the the whole before it was published).

I thought Kvothe is a well developed character everyone else seems rather weak. He should have nailed that chick he saved even though he loves the other. I think thats my biggest frustration is the relationship between him and Denna (or whatever she's calling herself )

Being such a talented musician i reckon he originally wrote "To be with you" (Mr Big) That Song is him all over

 

[krm0915]

I agree with almost everything Pub said, though I really wasn't even overly fond of Kvothe as a character. Actually, Bast to me is shaping up as the best character, I think. But Rothfuss has a unique voice, and the literary quality of his writing is superb. Plus, I don't think I've come across another author who can make so many vivid, varied analogies.

He should have nailed that chick he saved even though he loves the other.

Absolutely. She wants his * so bad, too.

 

[ginshun]

I havent read it yet, but "the name of the wind" is on my short list. I also just found out that Patrick lives like 40 miles from me. I am going to go buy it just to support the hometown boy.

 

[Johnny B]

I just went to the local B@N and they did not have this book. I was on lunch break from work so I didn't have time to ask. WTF?

 

[N.S. Barrett]

I just went to the local B@N and they did not have this book. I was on lunch break from work so I didn't have time to ask. WTF?

The book outsold publisher's expectations. Which is a toned-down way of saying, "This book is making everyone's wildest dreams come true."

But seriously, maybe you fanboi's can answer me these questions three.... err two.

1) WMF promises more progress in the life of Kvothe, with details as personal as his discovery of sex. However, there's little promise that we're going to come to the forecasted king-killing of the Kingkiller, and every reason to believe that this event will be cast as a metafictional commentary, boiling down to a lot less than the people of the book's world believed.

The question is, at what point does a story stop being fantasy? This sort of world conflict, like King-killing, is token of a lot of fantasy. It's deemphasized here. And a lot of things that are included seem to turn the series into a real human interest story, much different than anything we've seen in the genre to date. This particular sort of "young boy finds himself in the world" seems to resemble what we'd find in literary fiiction (the snobby kind, even). Suppose someone who liked, say Dragonlance, picks up WMF because he's interested in more. What do you guys believe he would think? Do the trappings of setting carry the day? Or is there a lot more traditional fantasy in this than I'm picking up on?

And a corrolary, does anyone care? How much stock should we put in classifications in the first place?

2) Rothfuss has stated that he intends his story to be a commentary on fiction itself, specifically the way stories tend to get inflated. Snakes on a plane, it isn't, but the author has at least made the claim that he intends to make light of a lot of fantasy.

First, are you guys picking up on it? Has the author succeeded in touching issues like the nature of fiction and story?

Second, what does that do for you? Knowing that the author is the omniscient force in the story, did it enhance your enjoyment of the book? Does the fact that there are two sides of the story give the character Kvoth more realism?

Fire away.

 

[3rdI]

The book outsold publisher's expectations. Which is a toned-down way of saying, "This book is making everyone's wildest dreams come true."

But seriously, maybe you fanboi's can answer me these questions three.... err two.

1) WMF promises more progress in the life of Kvothe, with details as personal as his discovery of sex. However, there's little promise that we're going to come to the forecasted king-killing of the Kingkiller, and every reason to believe that this event will be cast as a metafictional commentary, boiling down to a lot less than the people of the book's world believed.

The question is, at what point does a story stop being fantasy? This sort of world conflict, like King-killing, is token of a lot of fantasy. It's deemphasized here. And a lot of things that are included seem to turn the series into a real human interest story, much different than anything we've seen in the genre to date. This particular sort of "young boy finds himself in the world" seems to resemble what we'd find in literary fiiction (the snobby kind, even). Suppose someone who liked, say Dragonlance, picks up WMF because he's interested in more. What do you guys believe he would think? Do the trappings of setting carry the day? Or is there a lot more traditional fantasy in this than I'm picking up on?

And a corrolary, does anyone care? How much stock should we put in classifications in the first place?

2) Rothfuss has stated that he intends his story to be a commentary on fiction itself, specifically the way stories tend to get inflated. Snakes on a plane, it isn't, but the author has at least made the claim that he intends to make light of a lot of fantasy.

First, are you guys picking up on it? Has the author succeeded in touching issues like the nature of fiction and story?

Second, what does that do for you? Knowing that the author is the omniscient force in the story, did it enhance your enjoyment of the book? Does the fact that there are two sides of the story give the character Kvoth more realism?

Fire away.

First off never call me a fanboi again. Let's make that very clear. I have had your back on a number of posts I expect better than fanboi from you of all people.

There is a significant amount of satire in the book. And by no means is this a typical farm boy saves the world story. The character is as flawed is he is powerful. NOTW is unlike any work of fantasy I have ever read in both tone and concept. Rothfuss has said himself at its core "it is a story about how stories grow". I highly recommend you watch this interview. It is short but poignant.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0756404738/ref=s9_al_bw_ir02?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-4&pf_rd_r=0FXXMXT04N0HK93TN1AR&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1289615722&pf_rd_i=283155

 

[KatG]

On #2, 3rdI was actually the one who alerted me to the fact that Rothfuss was trying to be more satirical than I had previously thought, actually. However, it's not entirely necessary to get all the satire to enjoy the story.

On #1, a lot of D&D tie-in fantasy isn't epic war but instead quest stories, quite a few of which are young person in the world stories. So someone coming from there is unlikely to be confused if the story does not branch out into massive war scenes. However, it seems unlikely that there will not be some massive war scenes in the two last books of the trilogy.

Moderator Hat: Yeah, no fanboi comments, please, though I don't think he meant it to be malicious, 3rdI, and 3rdI, less angry responses in future if you could, please. Also, for anyone joining in on the conversation, remember that the thread topic is about positive aspects of the books.

 

[molybdenum]

I think this book for me pointed out a major fact that cliched does not necessarily mean unoriginal, and you can use a lot of old tropes and still tell a good story. The book kind of proves that you can still have a rags to riches idea in your fantasy, or a boy who excels in nearly everything he does, and still be able to write a good book.

In fact, even though this book isn't one of my all-time favorites, or good enough that are future books make my "get-in-hardcover" list (and that list is very short, it only has two series on it at the moment and one is ending shortly), I'd say the book changed how I look at fantasy. If a book is well liked and well reviewed, I'm not going to stray away from it whether it has elves, zombies, vampires, a farmboy saving the world, an evil dark lord, an apocalypse, whatever. A good book can be good no matter what kind of old used tropes are inside of it. That's what I really appreciate Rothfuss showing me.