Where it stands out, or at least justifies its position as one of the most popular fantasy novels in the past decade, is in the execution. Yes, with the exception of a few creative flourishes, the book traces a familiar arc. Demonstrating exceptional intelligence and knowledge of sympathy, Kvothe is admitted to the University, where he spends the remainder of the book having adventures and misadventures, and trying to gain access to the archives. For years Kvothe survives by the skin of his teeth, hitchhiking, begging, stealing, though he eventually determines to go to the University, to utilize its massive archives to research the Chandrian. Then the Chandrian murder the entire troupe, leaving only Kvothe alive.

Eventually the arcanist leaves, and soon after the Kvothe’s father begins work on a ballad involving the mysterious Chandrian-mythical superhuman superevil beings, probably just fables. When the troupe takes on an arcanist, young Kvothe is mentored by him in Sympathy-a kind of magic based on intense concentration and mental gymnastics. An exceptionally talented, fast-learning child lives a comfortable life as a player in his father’s troupe of traveling performers. I guess that’s because it is, in its broad strokes. To describe the plot generally would paint this novel as clichéd. The Name of the Wind is the first book in Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles, and it describes the early life of the first-person narrator and alleged Kingkiller, Kvothe. This was originally going to be just part of a “What I’ve Been Reading” post, but it turns out I have a lot to say about this book, so now it’s just its own review post.

Rothfuss name of the wind