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The Name of the Wind

The Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1

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The Name of the Wind

By: Patrick Rothfuss
Narrated by: Rupert Degas
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About this listen

 'I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I 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 day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

My name is Kvothe.
You may have heard of me'

So begins the tale of Kvothe - currently known as Kote, the unassuming innkeepter - from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, through his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe the notorious magician, the accomplished thief, the masterful musician, the dragon-slayer, the legend-hunter, the lover, the thief and the infamous assassin.

The Name of the Wind is fantasy at its very best, and an astounding must-read title.©2007 Patrick Rothfuss Coming of Age Dragons & Mythical Creatures Epic Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Royalty Magic Users

Critic reviews

The best epic fantasy I read last year...He's bloody good, this Rothfuss guy (George R R Martin)
Patrick Rothfuss' debut is set in an unnamed but fully realised fantasy world, and his characters are detailed and convincing.
Patrick Rothfuss has real talent, and his tale of Kvothe is deep and intricate and wondrous (Terry Brooks)
This is a magnificent book (Anne McCaffrey)
The Name of the Wind has everything: magic and mysteries and ancient evil, but it's also humorous and terrifying and completely believable (Tad Williams)
As absorbing on a second reading as it is on the first, this is the type of assured, rich first novel most writers can only dream of producing
It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing ... with true music in the words (Ursula K Le Guin)
The characters are real and the magic is true (robin Hobb, New York Times-bestselling author of Assassin’s Apprentice)
Masterful ... There is a beauty to Pat's writing that defies description (Brandon Sanderson, New York Times-bestselling author of Mistborn)
[Makes] you think he's inventing the genre, instead of reinventing it (Lev Grossman, New York Times-bestselling author of The Magicians)
Hail Patrick Rothfuss! A new giant is striding the land (Robert J. Sawyer, award-winning author of Wake)
I was reminded of Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, and J. R. R. Tolkein, but never felt that Rothfuss was imitating anyone
This fast-moving, vivid, and unpretentious debut roots its coming-of-age fantasy in convincing mythology
This breathtakingly epic story is heartrending in its intimacy and masterful in its narrative essence
Reminiscent in scope of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series ... this masterpiece of storytelling will appeal to lovers of fantasy on a grand scale
Shelve The Name of the Wind beside The Lord of the Rings...and look forward to the day when it's mentioned in the same breath, perhaps as first among equals
All stars
Most relevant
One of the best listens I have downloaded on audible. The story is a real page-turner and thoroughly enjoyable throughout.

If you have enjoyed this book I also recommend “The Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch which is almost as good!

One of the best...

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Beautifully crafted book for a debut novel.
In many ways it moves along quite gently. You know it is going to develope into an epic, but this is the way into the story. It works very well as an audiobook because of an excellent narrator. A series to look forward to.

Excellent fantasy debut

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100% agreed with the other high ratings here. Patrick Rothfuss really does manage to transport you into another world, Kvothe's world. It is a story that is utterly engrossing and very moving. I found whilst listening to this audio version if I closed my eyes I really did feel like I was that other person in the room.

The narration by Rupert Degas is absolutely brilliant, his voice really does carry the story to another level. This is a great audio book and if you like these fantasy stories you'll do no wrong in getting these books. Personally, I like many others [I'm sure] cannot wait for Patrick Rothfuss to release the third instalment of Kvothe's story.

Absolutely stunning.

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What made the experience of listening to The Name of the Wind (Part One) the most enjoyable?

The Name of the Wind is not a radical departure from your usual fantasy novel. Magic, demons, revenge, etc but in every way it manages to excel. Even when it conforms to the usual tropes it does so in a clever and entertaining manner. An excellent story with a compelling lead character

The reading performance by Rupert Degas is easily one of the best I've ever heard on any audiobook and takes this recording to a different level. Superb vocal characterisations and delivery at every step. You have to get this version.

Excellent story and superb reading

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What made the experience of listening to The Name of the Wind (Part One) the most enjoyable?

The narrator is absolutely first class imbibing every character with a clarity which makes the story a pleasure to sit through

Who was your favorite character and why?

Kvothe the main protagonist is a brilliantly imagined smart arse who no matter how clever he is, or moral he tries to be never seems to be able to catch a break. Sort of an exceptional everyman who is easy to relate to, especially if you've ever been a teenage boy.

Which character – as performed by Rupert Degas – was your favourite?

Abenethi, the heroes first mentor is brought to life with such warmth, albeit briefly, that you cant help but feel his influence leaking through to the very end of the story.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, if I could afford to sit down for 26 hours straight I would have happily listened to the whole thing! I found myself counting down the hours before I could listen to more.

Any additional comments?

First class narration, brilliant writing with some lovely turns of phrase and complex, interesting characters really bring this story to life. A true pleasure to listen to.

A lovely surprise

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