Sheersho Zaman
“Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.” ~ The Name of the Wind
“The Name of the Wind” is the first installment in the fantasy trilogy “The Kingkiller Chronicles” by Patrick Rothfuss published first back in 2007. The story centers around Kvothe (pronounced like “Quothe”), who is a rather gifted individual, and his exploits in the world to reach hero (or anti-hero) status. The story is told in two different time-lines, one taking place in the present, told in third person through a narrator and the other, taking place in the past, narrated by Kvothe himself.
In the present timeline, it shows Kvothe as a bartender living in some secluded town where no one knows his true identity. In that time, the name Kvothe is known both far and wide both as a hero and as a villain. Bards sing songs of him and people come up with all sorts of ridiculous tall tales about him to tell over a drink. The reason Kvothe chooses to remain anonymous remains a mystery throughout and it is through some extraordinary circumstances that Kvothe begins narrating the tales of his past.
In the past timeline, one can learn of Kvothe’s past and upbringing. His childhood with his travelling performer parents and his hard up bringing after moving on from that are all the subjects of this tale. Throughout the stories of his past, the back-story of many of the aforementioned “tall-tales” are revealed as well along with a deep look in to the person that is Kvothe.
Overall, “The Name of the Wind” lays solid foundation to the brilliant world of the Kingkiller Chronicles set up by Patrick Rothfuss. The fluidity of the writing and the character of Kvothe overall make this an amazing read. If one is looking for a good modern fantasy book, then “The Name of the Wind” is a definite recommendation.