| Title: | The Wise Man's Fear: The Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 2 | |
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| Author: | Patrick Rothfuss | |
| Publisher | Brilliance Audio | |
| Publication Date: | March 2011 | |
| Publisher's Description | "My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I have burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during the day. I have talked to God's, loved women and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me." So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature - the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend. |
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| My rating: | **** | |
The second day of Kvothe’s story is more interesting than the first! For one thing, we now have some understanding of who he is, so his recitation of his life means more. For another thing, more happens. The events that comprise the myth of Kvothe began in the first novel, and here we see more of what made Kvothe a legend in his own time. We also get the first inkling of how it was for Kvothe to be confronted with his reputation whilst going about his daily life.
We also get more of a juxtaposition between the younger, powerful Kvothe and present-day Kvothe, who seems greatly altered and reduced. The mystery of how he went from being the person in the stories to being the person telling the stories is a tantalizing one. His relationship with Bast is also rounded out here. Bast is an interesting character in his own right, and I am looking forward to hearing how he became Kvothe’s student.
One thing that bothered me is that Mr. Podehl’s narration wasn’t consistent. He pronounced names such as Fela and Devi differently in this book than he did in the first, but then alternated between the two pronunciations of Fela throughout The Wise Man’s Fear. This was initially confusing, but then just annoying.
Although the audio version of this book was 42 hours long, I listened to it in the span of several days, because it was just that interesting. I completely understand how Mr. Rothfuss isn’t churning these books out every year, due to their length and awesomeness, but I am eagerly anticipating the third book in this series.
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