Could you explain the low rating?

I just posted to you comment, as you typed! :)

We must have ESP or something.

I agree! I wished I could give it negative 12!

I don't understand why you don't like it?

Stuart, I had a long and vitriolic list of reasons why I hated it, but it took up a lot of space. I'd gladly message you if you are really that interested.

Oh it's fine thank you for offering though!

It always amazes me how one person can love a book while another hates it. I think this is an absolutely AWESOME book. Loved it! I am sorry you didn't like it.

Dorsi wrote: "It always amazes me how one person can love a book while another hates it. I think this is an absolutely AWESOME book. Loved it! I am sorry you didn't like it."

If everyone liked the same things, the world would be pretty boring.

Awesome comment, Tennant. My original review was pretty virulent, and I hear Mr. Rothfuss is a really nice guy, so I replaced it with a more concise summation. You seem to be saying that anyone who disagrees with your "good book" assessment is not entitled to their opinion.

Please see the above comments from fellow fans for great examples of how to disagree in a more constructive and polite fashion.

Sarah, I wish I could see your list! I read this book based on all of the positive reviews, and it was so dreadful that now whenever I am reminded that it exists I get angry all over again about the time I wasted on it.

Elizabeth, i completely agree. I also hated this book!

this is not a review, just my opinion, so i can write it any way i want to. thank u very much.

and i think that the main "character" is poorly written (can you say "Mary sue"?), and the part in the academy is boring and way too long.

Oh, Tennant, what logic could anyone use on you that would sway you from your unquestioning adoration of this book? Really? Why don't you just go mind your own business and stop insulting people in this thread, hm? Your rudeness is starting to really irritate me. Thanks!

Tennant wrote: "You also gave Lies of Locke Lamora a 1 star review... I bet it's because you can't handle the swearing. IF I were you I wouldn't touch Joe Abercrombie, because the new and innovative fantasy books..."

Hey, I know just laughing in my original comment is sort of rude and I'm sorry. You seem like a smart guy, and genuinely interested in edgy fantasy - I know I get defensive about my favorite authors, so I'm over you being rude about it. Instead, I'm going to recommend some seriously innovative stuff for you - take it or leave it, but I think you'd like some of these:

Gene Wolfe (especially Shadow & Claw), Ted Chiang, M. John Harrison, Jeff Noon, Jeff Vandermeer, China Mieville, Robin Hobb, Harlan Ellison, Neal Stephenson, Graham Joyce. All these guys - some new, some classic - write beautiful, complicated, innovative, edgy fantasy. Check some of it out and see what you think.

Any people want to chime in with more recommendations?

Sarah wrote: "Stuart, I had a long and vitriolic list of reasons why I hated it, but it took up a lot of space. ..."

That's the route I went, Sarah, long and vitriolic. It was the right thing for me. But I rather enjoyed your much more succinct review, also.

Some dude made a GR account for, apparently, the sole purpose of posting extremely crass and unnecessarily rude attacks on my review. It was so bad the GR police decided to delete it even though I hadn't.

Ian wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Stuart, I had a long and vitriolic list of reasons why I hated it, but it took up a lot of space. ..."

That's the route I went, Sarah, long and vitriolic. It was the right thing fo..."

There were, at one time, a number of amazingly rude comments in this thread - all now deleted. I guess it's nice for Rothfuss that he has such devoted fans.

And, Ian, I just tried to message you with my original review, but you don't accept messages. If you're interested, it appeared on my old bookstore blog here: http://fantasticplanetbooks.blogspot....

I would be embarrassed if I were an author whose fans went around trashing dissenting opinions in such rude and vehement comments.

The things you don't like about this crappy book are pretty much the same as the things I don't like. Did you also notice, though, the oddly homoerotic relationship between Kvothe and his goat-man tag-along friend?

I think my account is set to accept messages from friends only. Want should I friend you?

Ian wrote: "I would be embarrassed if I were an author whose fans went around trashing dissenting opinions in such rude and vehement comments.

The things you don't like about this crappy book are pretty much ..."

I didn't notice, but I REALLY enjoyed you pointing it out. I almost wanted to pick it back up for that.

And yes, please!

Sarah, I'm glad you provided a link to your original review, because it perfectly describes most of my own problems with the book (not that I got as far as you--I gave up a few hundred interminable pages in).

Glad you posted the link - I enjoyed and agree very much with your review.

I also would have given it negative stars if possible.

Elizabeth wrote: "Sarah, I wish I could see your list! I read this book based on all of the positive reviews, and it was so dreadful that now whenever I am reminded that it exists I get angry all over again about t..."

This is exactly how I feel about it as well. Thank you.

Yeah but compare it to twilight and it deserves 100 stars.

Ashley, that is actually a very interesting comment.there is a review of the second book which compares Twilight and Name of the Wind, as being both Mary Sueish fantasies and about gender double standards when judging those type of books. (and I agree, I thought both Twilight and NotW were really quite bad but compulsively readable).

Hirondelle wrote: "Ashley, that is actually a very interesting comment.there is a review of the second book which compares Twilight and Name of the Wind, as being both Mary Sueish fantasies and about gender double st..."

Ashley wrote: "Yeah but compare it to twilight and it deserves 100 stars."

I'm really enjoying these comments. Great food for thought!

Oh, and going totally geek, that is the (off site) review, which is full of total spoilers for book 2, but which makes that point really well about double standards when judging MarySueish fiction according to gender, using precisely twilight and this Rothfuss series

http://ferretbrain.com/articles/artic...

Thanks for the link to your actual review, why didn't you put it on goodreads? Didn't want to get spammed?

And Hirondelle, someone once told me the same thing about Harry Potter, but people ignore it because he's a guy.

Stardrag wrote: "Thanks for the link to your actual review, why didn't you put it on goodreads? Didn't want to get spammed?

And Hirondelle, someone once told me the same thing about Harry Potter, but people ignore..."

Actually, I took it down because some friends of mine met him at a con and told me that he was so sweet and humble and supportive of newer writers that I just felt funny leaving up such a spiteful review.
Even though I still deeply resent the time I wasted wading through that book.

I'm replying to this so later, but that sort of makes sense, yeah, I can see that. I tried to download a sample of the book...only about ten pages. What kind of sample is that?

Stardrag wrote: "I'm replying to this so later, but that sort of makes sense, yeah, I can see that. I tried to download a sample of the book...only about ten pages. What kind of sample is that?"

Well, a lot of agents only accept 5-page samples before deciding whether or not a book is worth publishing, so I guess 10 is generous!

Miriam wrote: "Stardrag wrote: "I'm replying to this so later, but that sort of makes sense, yeah, I can see that. I tried to download a sample of the book...only about ten pages. What kind of sample is that?"

W..."

When you look at it like that, sure. But other books no where near as long have even longer samples. So it just struck me as a little weird.

They really only get five pages? Wow.

That's true, I've read free samples that were nearly half the book! I think that makes sense; I mean, if you liked it enough to read half a book you're probably willing to pay to finish it, right? I've given up on books in under ten pages, but I try to at least finish the first chapter... 10 pages is more like a reading-in-the-store-to-decide-to-buy-or-not amount, I think.

Miriam wrote: "That's true, I've read free samples that were nearly half the book! I think that makes sense; I mean, if you liked it enough to read half a book you're probably willing to pay to finish it, right? ..."

I definitely would buy it then. But I guess I'll have to ninja my way into a book store, grab a copy and "wander" about while reading it to myself.