Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion
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The Wise Man's Fear
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Rothfuss, Patrick -- The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2) "Buddy Style" Read - Start Date July 16****REVISIT starts July 28, 2018
Final Chapter Breakdown Schedule:
Date Chapter Pages
July 16th 1 - 10 1 - 110
July 17th 11 - 23 111 - 213
July 18th 24 - 37 214 - 315
July 19th 38 - 54 316 - 414
July 20th 55 - 68 415 - 513
July 21st 69 - 82 514 - 613
July 22nd 83 - 97 614 - 714
July 23rd 98 - 111 715 - 810
July 24th 112 - 124 811 - 909
July 25th 125 - 137 910 - 1011
July 26th 138 - Epilogue 1012 - 1007
I'm still flexible on the start date, so if we get other joiners with a preference, let us know. For pace, I read about 80-100 pages a day during my commute.
I need to read this. Been on my shelf way too long and I'm fuzzy on details from The Name of the Wind.
I just picked this up from Audible, so I'll be joining in! :)
I'll be posting questions with this one so this will be a "buddy style" read. This is one of those long books that I think is best read in sections.
Sandy wrote: "I need to read this. Been on my shelf way too long and I'm fuzzy on details from The Name of the Wind."Great. How many pages do you read a day? Is a hundred a day okay?
Vicky wrote: "I just picked this up from Audible, so I'll be joining in! :)"Awesome. How many pages do you read a day? Is a hundred a day okay? I know with an audio book it may be hard to do the chapter breaks, but usually you can tell by the questions where you are.
FYI I promise not to write too many questions. :)
Oh I wish I could join in on this one but I haven't had the chance to read the first book yet even though I've had it waiting on my kindle for ages...I may stalk here in the background still anyway to see whether I need to bump it up my TBR pile.
100 a day is fine with me!
I can do 50-75 per day. I also can help with DQs. Start date works.
Sandy, you may trail behind, but this book is 1100 pages long. Gah! You may want to start a day or two ahead of us. If we read 100 pages a day, we'll be reading from the 16th - 27th. If it goes any beyond that time, than I'll have problems with other BOMs and Buddy reads I've committed to. Plus, I would prefer to go with less days of questions.
No problem. I can keep up. :-)
I can start early if you need help with DQs, too.
Logan wrote: "I can start early if you need help with DQs, too."Yes, I may need help. I'm going to the RWA conference this week and am attempting to start early myself so I don't get behind and can post questions while there. I don't know if I'll get much reading done while there.
Lisarenee wrote: "I'm going to the RWA conference this week and am attempting to start early myself so I don't get behind and c..."JEALOUS!!! Have a great time! I think it's safe to say that with a big book like this we may all fall behind, so no pressure. Enjoy yourself! I'll be starting it tonight.
Have fun, Lisarenee. I'm starting today on my lunch hour.
I read the first section and will start the second later tonight. I'm leaving Wednesday. Trying to get there by 3:00PM for the Newbie Orientation.
Final Chapter Breakdown Schedule:
Date Chapter Pages
July 16th 1 - 10 1 - 110
July 17th 11 - 23 111 - 213
July 18th 24 - 37 214 - 315
July 19th 38 - 54 316 - 414
July 20th 55 - 68 415 - 513
July 21st 69 - 82 514 - 613
July 22nd 83 - 97 614 - 714
July 23rd 98 - 111 715 - 810
July 24th 112 - 124 811 - 909
July 25th 125 - 137 910 - 1011
July 26th 138 - Epilogue 1012 - 1007
Questions and Comments for Chapters 1 - 10 1) So it's been a while since I read the first book of this series, The Name of the Wind, but I felt the author did a good job of subtly giving us the information we needed to get up to speed without feeling he rewrote the first book. It's the day after everything went down in The Name of the Wind. What did you think of all the talk of silence in the prologue? The "sound of a man who is waiting to die." Do you think this is 'The Wise Man's Fear' the title speaks of--that he will die or do you suspect it will be something far more sinister?
2) What does Bast want Kvothe to remember? "You will make him remember. You will." He remembers who he is, but what else does he need to remember?
3) How do you think Kvothe is responsible for the war? With all the talk of Ambrose being in line for the throne, do you think he or his father ended up on it?
4) Kvothe's drug induced state was rather amusing. It reminded me of the Jim Carey movie 'Liar, Liar'. Can you imagine being given that drug? Did you suspect the woman had put something in his drink? Did you like how Simmon handled it? I wonder how Kvothe will face Fela the next time he sees her? I kept giggling. "Fela, you are gorgeous. I would give you all the money in my purse if I could just look at you naked for two minutes. I'd give you everything I own. Except my lute." lol I was surprised she didn't leave or slap him.
5)I think two woman will lead to Kvothe's downfall--Denna and Devi. Any other predictions or is anyone in agreement with me? What do you think Devi would do if she got into the Archive?
Thanks for posting DQs! I hope to finish section 1 tonight!
I adjusted the schedule.
Questions and Comments for Chapters 1 - 10 1) So it's been a while since I read the first book of this series, The Name of the Wind, but I felt the author did a good job of subtly giving us the information we needed to get up to speed without feeling he rewrote the first book. It's the day after everything went down in The Name of the Wind. What did you think of all the talk of silence in the prologue? The "sound of a man who is waiting to die." Do you think this is 'The Wise Man's Fear' the title speaks of--that he will die or do you suspect it will be something far more sinister?
I also appreciated the subtle hints. I did end up pulling up the Wikipedia summary for a better refresher, but mostly I was able to pick up where we left off from his hints in this book. This feels like wearing a favorite sweater and I love being back in this world.
I remember the prologue being very similar in the first book. I want to go back and re-read it! The fear could definitely be silence or death.
2) What does Bast want Kvothe to remember? "You will make him remember. You will." He remembers who he is, but what else does he need to remember?
I'm thinking he needs to remember being a hero so he can stop the war he started.
3) How do you think Kvothe is responsible for the war? With all the talk of Ambrose being in line for the throne, do you think he or his father ended up on it?
That would certainly make things interesting, eh? I keep womdering when we'll move on from the university. I don't mind because it's so interesting, but we have spent a looong time on this era of his life and I feel like we have so much more to learn!
4) Kvothe's drug induced state was rather amusing. It reminded me of the Jim Carey movie 'Liar, Liar'. Can you imagine being given that drug? Did you suspect the woman had put something in his drink? Did you like how Simmon handled it? I wonder how Kvothe will face Fela the next time he sees her? I kept giggling. "Fela, you are gorgeous. I would give you all the money in my purse if I could just look at you naked for two minutes. I'd give you everything I own. Except my lute." lol I was surprised she didn't leave or slap him.
I thought that was super funny. Love the Liar Liar comparison! I wa also curious why Fela seemed to know why he wouldn't ravish her. Do you think she knows he loves someone else?
5)I think two woman will lead to Kvothe's downfall--Denna and Devi. Any other predictions or is anyone in agreement with me? What do you think Devi would do if she got into the Archive?
I was a little shocked that Kvothe didn't take the 40 talents! I want to like Devi so I hope she doesn't turn out to ruin his life or set the Archives on fire or anything. These women will certainly cause some trouble for Kvothe though, I agree.
Questions and Comments for Chapters 1 - 10 1) So it's been a while since I read the first book of this series, The Name of the Wind, but I felt the author did a good job of subtly giving us the information we needed to get up to speed without feeling he rewrote the first book. It's the day after everything went down in The Name of the Wind. What did you think of all the talk of silence in the prologue? The "sound of a man who is waiting to die." Do you think this is 'The Wise Man's Fear' the title speaks of--that he will die or do you suspect it will be something far more sinister?
It's been almost a year since I read the first book. Had a hard time remembering things. So Kote/Kvothe is hiding out because he's in grave danger, right?
Best and Chronicler know his real identity.
I thought the Wise Man is Kvothe and I really hope he doesn't die.
2) What does Bast want Kvothe to remember? "You will make him remember. You will." He remembers who he is, but what else does he need to remember?
This confused me, but the conclusion I finally came to is that Best means he wants Kote/Kvothe to stop hiding out and to use his powers to overcome/destroy whatever it is he's hiding from.
How do you think Kvothe is responsible for the war? With all the talk of Ambrose being in line for the throne, do you think he or his father ended up on it? Honestly, I have no idea at this point and I can't recall anything in book 1 that would have given a clue.
4.Kvothe's drug induced state was rather amusing. It reminded me of the Jim Carey movie 'Liar, Liar'. Can you imagine being given that drug? Did you suspect the woman had put something in his drink? Did you like how Simmon handled it? I wonder how Kvothe will face Fela the next time he sees her? I kept giggling. "Fela, you are gorgeous. I would give you all the money in my purse if I could just look at you naked for two minutes. I'd give you everything I own. Except my lute." lol I was surprised she didn't leave or slap him.
I agree, that was an entertaining scene.I think the woman must have passed along the drug. She was wearing gloves, and we learn that the substance is passed through the skin, so she must have put it on the mug?
I hope Fela realizes/learns that he wasn't in his right mind.
5)I think two woman will lead to Kvothe's downfall--Denna and Devi. Any other predictions or is anyone in agreement with me? What do you think Devi would do if she got into the Archive?
I have no idea why Devi wants in the archives. Perhaps she wants to learn the trick so she can sell that information herself? Or perhaps she wants to steal something that she can sell. She seems very motivated by money. I just hope he can repay the loan. Who knows what that lady would do!
Sorry for being so late with this. I will try to post tomorrows to, but I haven't finished reading it yet. Can someone post on Friday and Saturday?Questions and Comments for Chapters 11 – 23
6) Were you surprised that Elodin tried to communicate with Auri? Do you think the way that Kvothe was with her made him thing he didn’t truly know the real Kvothe? I think things would have been easier for him if he hadn’t had to fend for himself on the street in his earlier days. I feel it really scarred him and started his short fuse of a temper.
7) “I’ll let you cut off his thumbs.” What did you make of Elodin’s remark to Lorren? It did get Kvothe access to the Archives, but that is a rather extreme. I loved Kvothe’s reaction.
8) Do you suspect the girl saying Kvothe tried to sell her a charm is the same girl who gave him the plum drug? I thought with her crying it had to be her. What does Ambrose have on the poor girl.
9) What do you think of Elodin’s naming class? Is there a purpose to the madness? Is this a "wash on, wash off" Mr. Miyagi (Karate Kid) type of teaching style?
10) Were you surprised at the lengths Kvothe went to get Denna’s ring back? What did you think of the scary attacks Ambrose is setting in motion? How did he get the blood?
11) Any ideas of who Auri is? In the last book I thought she might be the girl who went missing from the school, but now I wonder.
@Lisarenee - I can. I'm already done with tomorrow's section and plan to stay a day ahead as backup. :)Questions and Comments for Chapters 11 – 23
6) Were you surprised that Elodin tried to communicate with Auri? Do you think the way that Kvothe was with her made him thing he didn’t truly know the real Kvothe? I think things would have been easier for him if he hadn’t had to fend for himself on the street in his earlier days. I feel it really scarred him and started his short fuse of a temper.
I do think it changed Elodin's opinion of Kvothe. I think there is something significant to Kvothe naming her. I like how this story builds upon itself like a real history, with Kvothe's experiences lending themselves to new ones in important ways, like growing up on the streets gives him a kinship with Auri.
7) “I’ll let you cut off his thumbs.” What did you make of Elodin’s remark to Lorren? It did get Kvothe access to the Archives, but that is a rather extreme. I loved Kvothe’s reaction.
This book seems much funnier than I remember the last one being. I am loving the witty banter!
8) Do you suspect the girl saying Kvothe tried to sell her a charm is the same girl who gave him the plum drug? I thought with her crying it had to be her. What does Ambrose have on the poor girl.
Me too! That was my thought, and it irked me that it didn't occur to Kvothe. Seriously?!
9) What do you think of Elodin’s naming class? Is there a purpose to the madness? Is this a "wash on, wash off" Mr. Miyagi (Karate Kid) type of teaching style?
I do think there is a method to his madness.
10) Were you surprised at the lengths Kvothe went to get Denna’s ring back? What did you think of the scary attacks Ambrose is setting in motion? How did he get the blood?
I have to admit that I don't feel much of a spark with Kvothe and Denna. She gives me the friend vibe too strongly, so I'm a bit curious how far this infatuation will go. I do love that this book is heavier on the magic!
11) Any ideas of who Auri is? In the last book I thought she might be the girl who went missing from the school, but now I wonder.
Not sure yet. I don't even remember the missing girl. XD
Questions and Comments for Chapters 11 – 236) Were you surprised that Elodin tried to communicate with Auri? Do you think the way that Kvothe was with her made him thing he didn’t truly know the real Kvothe? I think things would have been easier for him if he hadn’t had to fend for himself on the street in his earlier days. I feel it really scarred him and started his short fuse of a temper.
It was surprising, and interesting to know that Elodin has known about Auri for quite a long time. It seems like Elodin and Kvothe are both protective of Auri and concerned about her well-being. Kvothe definitely bears the scars of his traumatic youth.
7) “I’ll let you cut off his thumbs.” What did you make of Elodin’s remark to Lorren? It did get Kvothe access to the Archives, but that is a rather extreme. I loved Kvothe’s reaction.
It is extreme, and I wouldn't put it past Lorren to make good on it. In fact, I'll be surprised if Kvothe doesn't get into trouble with this.
8) Do you suspect the girl saying Kvothe tried to sell her a charm is the same girl who gave him the plum drug? I thought with her crying it had to be her. What does Ambrose have on the poor girl.
Not sure. This is very mysterious. I wonder if Ambrose is paying handsomely for her trouble.
9) What do you think of Elodin’s naming class? Is there a purpose to the madness? Is this a "wash on, wash off" Mr. Miyagi (Karate Kid) type of teaching style?
I'm sure there is a purpose. Kvothe had promised to keep an open mind and play along, but his impatience is definitely showing through. He needs to allow himself to be taught, instead of thinking he knows everything.
10) Were you surprised at the lengths Kvothe went to get Denna’s ring back? What did you think of the scary attacks Ambrose is setting in motion? How did he get the blood?
It seemed simple enough to get the ring back, but I didn't consider that Ambrose would have booby-trapped the rooom. Did he get the blood from the tiles where Kvothe fell?
11) Any ideas of who Auri is? In the last book I thought she might be the girl who went missing from the school, but now I wonder.
I don't remember a missing girl either. I have no clue who Auri is. It would be interesting if she ended up having some kind of ties to Kvothe's family.
I'm a bit behind, but I'm going to get some reading done tonight and tomorrow!I came across an article on a potential Name of the Wind TV show. Looks like Fox optioned the rights to the show, but they also have a history of buying rights to books and passing after the pilot episode. It'll be interesting to see what, if anything, comes out of it. :)
It also led me to a Reread/Summary of the first two books that is extremely detailed. I think I'm going to read through the articles for The Name of the Wind as a refresher before I start reading, there are so many little details that it's hard to keep track of everything that happened in the first one! http://www.tor.com/features/series/pa...
Lisarenee is off at RWA, and I don't want to step on her toes, but I assume she's busy enjoying herself so I'm going to go ahead and throw in some questions for Thursday's sections as well as Friday's. If we need a catch up day, just let me know!Questions for Chapters 24-37
12. We really get to see sympathy in action during Kvothe's battle with Devi. Did you think Devi had his blood? Did you like seeing two arcanists go head to head?
13. Denna gave Kvothe an incredible gift. Do you think she's trying to tell him something?
14. The friends banding together against Ambrose and to help Kvothe reminds me of Harry Potter, with Fela as Hermione and Sim as Ron. Are you glad we see more interactions among his classmates?
15. We have our mystery girl! Did you remember Nina? Where do you see the story going with the Chandrian and Amyr?
Questions for Chapters 38-5416. The mysterious Puppet is revealed! Who is he and why do they let him live down there? He seems to be very clever. Will we see him again?
17. Gibea's experiments sounded horrific. What do you think of Kvothe's justification that in the long run the experiments saved more lives?
18. Kvothe's invention saves his money woes just in the nick of time. This is something of a pattern. The constant struggle for funds adds some tension, but when he always ends up with enough it loses some of the tension as well. What do you think of Kvothe's money struggles propelling the story?
19. Both the trial and shipwreck/journey are skipped over. What did you think of this choice?
20. Kvothe has traveled a long way for a patron. What are your first impressions of Maer?
Questions for Chapters 24-3712. We really get to see sympathy in action during Kvothe's battle with Devi. Did you think Devi had his blood? Did you like seeing two arcanists go head to head?
This was one of the most exciting scenes so far. I was surprised that Devi was able to beat Kvothe. I know she has his blood, but I didn't believe she sold it or used it to commit malfeasance.
13. Denna gave Kvothe an incredible gift. Do you think she's trying to tell him something?
OH, my poor Kvothe thinking his lute was missing!!
Yes, she must care for him deeply to give a gift that is so valuable.
14. The friends banding together against Ambrose and to help Kvothe reminds me of Harry Potter, with Fela as Hermione and Sim as Ron. Are you glad we see more interactions among his classmates?
That's funny b/c I read some reviews that were critical of TNOTW for being a Harry Potter ripoff. That said, yes, I agree that the story was more interesting/entertaining with the friends working together. I really liked when Devi joined in, too.
15. We have our mystery girl! Did you remember Nina? Where do you see the story going with the Chandrian and Amyr?
I did not remember Nina one iota. I hope he gets more clues about the Chandrian so he can move on and complete the quest.
@Sandy 12. I agree! I thought that was one of my favorite scenes so far. Devi is so cool.
13. I admit that his lute is a constant source of anxiety for me. I'm always worried something will happen to it - probably because it was destroyed in the last book! The image of him breaking down in tears after realizing Denna had his lute was such a great chapter end, too.
14. I didn't realize that! But it definitely shines through - probably just because it's young kids doing magic at a special school though. And yes, I was happy when Devi came as well. More Devi please!
15. I didn't remember her either, though I hardly ever remember book details when I'm done reading them. I was so curious to see if anyone would say "Yes, duh, Nina was a key part of the story." :) Glad that was not the case!
For SaturdayQuestions for Chapters 55-68:
Ch. 55-68
21. What does the Maer want with Kvothe?
22. I love the court intrigue aspect of life in Vintas. Do you like Bredon? Do you trust him?
23. We've seen another locked and lockless (Lackless?) door in the Archives. Is it a coincidence?
24. Poor birdies! Kvothe had to go to some extreme lengths to prove Caudicus' treachery. Was it an even trade given the favor he earned?
25. Kvothe is constantly surrounded by complicated women. Any guesses as to how he knows Meluan? Or who Denna's patron is?
Questions and Comments for Chapters 1 - 10
1) What did you think of all the talk of silence in the prologue? The "sound of a man who is waiting to die." Do you think this is 'The Wise Man's Fear' the title speaks of--that he will die or do you suspect it will be something far more sinister?
I didn't really appreciate the silence in the last book, but now that I'm thinking on it, I find it interesting that he stresses the silence. The Kvothe we know thrives on music. In Chapter Six he says: "If you want to know of love, look to a trouper’s hands as he makes his music." And in the midst of the plum drug, he says he would give Fela everything except his lute to see her naked for two minutes. Why is his life now so silent?
I'm not sure about the Wise Man's Fear.
2) What does Bast want Kvothe to remember? "You will make him remember. You will." He remembers who he is, but what else does he need to remember?
I'm starting to think that Kvothe needs to remember his "name." In Chapter 12 Elodin says: "our names shape us, and we shape our names in turn." Kvothe is now Kote, missing the v and h. Has he shaped his name into something else? This could explain the "missing" part of him in regards to music. Maybe he doesn't remember how to name so he can't entirely get his true self back?
Rothfuss is really particular about what name Kvothe is going by when - Kvothe in his storytelling, Kote as the inkeeper and sometimes he's rather nameless as "the inkeeper." At the end of the frame story the last four paragraphs refer to him, respectively, as The Inkeeper, Kvothe, The Inkeeper, and Kvothe. It's interesting how he's starting to flash between his different personas.
I'm really curious about Bast. He's so kind with Kvothe but so mean with Chronicler - it makes me wonder if he has some sort of ulterior motive in all of this.
3) How do you think Kvothe is responsible for the war? With all the talk of Ambrose being in line for the throne, do you think he or his father ended up on it?
I didn't even think about Ambrose! We know he has the nickname of Kingkiller, I always just assumed whatever King he killed started the war. In terms of Ambrose those, one of the "legends" Aaron refers to is that Kvothe's sword was named Kaysera, the poet killer. Weren't there several references about Ambrose's (bad) poetry in Name of the Wind?
Kvothe also mentions to Aaron that if he knew the real story behind how the war started, he wouldn't be so keen to line up for the army. It's plausible that he inadvertently started the war attempting to do something clever, we know that several of the more popular legends of Kvothe (especially Kvothe the Bloodless) were him being clever and not trying to do anything necessarily legendary.
4) Kvothe's drug induced state was rather amusing. It reminded me of the Jim Carey movie 'Liar, Liar'. Can you imagine being given that drug? Did you suspect the woman had put something in his drink? Did you like how Simmon handled it? I wonder how Kvothe will face Fela the next time he sees her? I kept giggling. "Fela, you are gorgeous. I would give you all the money in my purse if I could just look at you naked for two minutes. I'd give you everything I own. Except my lute." lol I was surprised she didn't leave or slap him.
I can't even imagine, what a crazy drug. I'm sure the woman had something to do with it, but I'm not sure what. I adored Sim here, I thought he handled it quite well all things considered.
5)I think two woman will lead to Kvothe's downfall--Denna and Devi. Any other predictions or is anyone in agreement with me? What do you think Devi would do if she got into the Archive?
I really don't like Denna. She's constantly using the nobility to get ahead, what makes Kvothe think she's not also using him? It also bothers me that she just up and disappears without a word all the time. It seems Kvothe has to walk on egg shells around her to stay in her good graces, it's definitely not a healthy relationship whatever it is they have.
I don't know about Devi. She seems nice enough on the outside, but she's definitely got some sort of mean streak going that I would not want to cross. She definitely means business. I too was shocked that he didn't take to 40 talents, that would have been a good 4 terms of tuition! She definitely wants something in the archives in a bad way, it'll be interesting to see what happens with that.
Questions and Comments for Chapters 11 – 23
6) Were you surprised that Elodin tried to communicate with Auri? Do you think the way that Kvothe was with her made him thing he didn’t truly know the real Kvothe?
I don't think I really was surprised, but mostly because I'm not surprised when Elodin does anything odd or unexpected, haha.
I think it was Auri's naming that tipped Elodin towards teaching Kvothe, he named her based on a word he thought was Siaru, but it wasn't. Is it from another language or is it from his 'sleeping mind'?
7) “I’ll let you cut off his thumbs.” What did you make of Elodin’s remark to Lorren? It did get Kvothe access to the Archives, but that is a rather extreme. I loved Kvothe’s reaction.
I loved this scene, especially in the audiobook. The narrator's voice for Lorren is so bored and matter of fact compared to Elodin's craziness. I think it was rather extreme, but I also see where he was coming from when he asks Kvothe is he plans to break the rules again.
8) Do you suspect the girl saying Kvothe tried to sell her a charm is the same girl who gave him the plum drug? I thought with her crying it had to be her. What does Ambrose have on the poor girl.
For sure. I think Kvothe kind of thought the same thing as well, I was surprised he didn't tell Master Kilvin. Since he always seems to be on Kvothe's side I think he would have believed that Ambrose was behind it.
9) What do you think of Elodin’s naming class? Is there a purpose to the madness? Is this a "wash on, wash off" Mr. Miyagi (Karate Kid) type of teaching style?
I think there's definitely a method to his madness. At the beginning of Chapter 15 Kvothe mentions that the class of 7 is now down to 6, I wonder if Elodin is trying to weed out the ones who really want to learn naming from those that think it would be cool to learn.
Also, the scene with Elodin chasing around the milkweed pod had me literally laughing out loud. Elodin is definitely an odd bird.
I'll come back for 10 and 11, I finished up on Chapter 15 last night.
Logan, thank you for posting DQs. Three cupcakes posted for Electric Lime.
Questions for Chapters 38-5416. The mysterious Puppet is revealed! Who is he and why do they let him live down there? He seems to be very clever. Will we see him again?
Good questions, and why is he allowed to burn candles? I can see why Kvothe was so anxious about that. I hope he turns up again. Would be a waste if he didn't.
17. Gibea's experiments sounded horrific. What do you think of Kvothe's justification that in the long run the experiments saved more lives?
Sounds like Kvothe needs a lesson in Ethics.
18. Kvothe's invention saves his money woes just in the nick of time. This is something of a pattern. The constant struggle for funds adds some tension, but when he always ends up with enough it loses some of the tension as well. What do you think of Kvothe's money struggles propelling the story?
I do always think he'll always get the money he needs somehow. For example, after the shipwreck and perilous trip to Vintas, he's flat broke but, as usual, comes up with a way to get funds. I was wondering how he managed to hang onto the lute. Seems to me robbers would really want that.
19. Both the trial and shipwreck/journey are skipped over. What did you think of this choice?
I am actually relieved. Let's get on with it, shall we?
20. Kvothe has traveled a long way for a patron. What are your first impressions of Maer?
I'm a little wary of what he wants Kvothe to do for him. I'm thinking it will be dangerous and illegal.
@Sandy - 18. I had the same thought. When he mentioned he still had his lute I went "Whaaa?"
19. So true! That made me laugh.
Continued Questions and Comments for Chapters 11 – 23
10) Were you surprised at the lengths Kvothe went to get Denna’s ring back? What did you think of the scary attacks Ambrose is setting in motion? How did he get the blood?
I wasn't surprised at the lengths he went to because he's totally infatuated with her, but I do want to grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him. I definitely do not trust her.
I thought for sure they were going to place Kvothe at the scene through blood on the roofing tiles. I'm pretty shocked that Ambrose is attacking Kvothe though, malfeasance is ballsy, even for him.
11) Any ideas of who Auri is? In the last book I thought she might be the girl who went missing from the school, but now I wonder.
I also thought she was the girl who went missing from the school. I think she still could be, but there's definitely more mystery to her than that.
Questions for Chapters 24-37
12. We really get to see sympathy in action during Kvothe's battle with Devi. Did you think Devi had his blood? Did you like seeing two arcanists go head to head?
I was really torn on between Ambrose and Devi on this. Even though Devi is a bit on the shady side, I didn't think she would go that far. She's made it clear that business is business for her and even though she wanted to get into the archives, I don't think malfeasance would have been her preferred method of getting that information out of Kvothe. And if it was, I would have expected her to do something when he turned down her 40 talents instead of waiting.
Definitely loved the scene though, it's definitely one of my top scenes.
13. Denna gave Kvothe an incredible gift. Do you think she's trying to tell him something?
I still don't know about Denna. She definitely gave up a lot to get Kvothe the lute case, but I can't tell if she's trying to show him how much she cares of if she's trying to lure him into a sense of security. I feel like she's either toyed with or used any man that's come into her life to get something and she's clearly interested in magic for some reason which would give her a good reason to get on Kvothe's good side, but I still don't trust her.
14. The friends banding together against Ambrose and to help Kvothe reminds me of Harry Potter, with Fela as Hermione and Sim as Ron. Are you glad we see more interactions among his classmates?
When Fela walked into the room with Volume 9 of the Scrivani I had major Harry Potter deja vu. I do like their increased presence though and it makes me curious about what's going to happen to them. Sim and Wilem are so protective over Kvothe that it's tough to imagine they just let him go.
15. We have our mystery girl! Did you remember Nina? Where do you see the story going with the Chandrian and Amyr?
I did not remember Nina. Although when they started talking about the pot I did vaguely remember her.
I'm not sure what's happening with with Chandrian and Amyr, it's still a bit foggy. The story that Kvothe tells about Faeriniel was interesting though because it was framed at a story about the Amyr: "I closed my eyes and a story with Amyr in it bubbled to the surface. Hardly surprising." but it seemed more about the Edema Ruh than the Amyr.
I'm also starting to wonder if there's more to the true story of the Amyr and the Ciridae than meets the eye. They play the part of the angels against the Chandrian devils, but it creeps me out how bloody their uniform seems to be and that they were pretty much given free reign to do anything - they could kill an innocent man and never be questioned because the Order put all it's faith behind them. Seems awfully easy to to take advantage of!
Logan wrote: "@Sandy - 18. I had the same thought. When he mentioned he still had his lute I went "Whaaa?"
19. So true! That made me laugh."
I'm glad we did get on with it! Next section was really good!
Thank you for posting the questions! I am a day behind. Thought I could catch up last night, but an unexpected trip to Urgent Care last night didn't help. The 6-year-old smashed his finger in a door! :-(Questions for Chapters 55-68:
Ch. 55-68
21. What does the Maer want with Kvothe?
Well, I was sure wrong about this. I thought the Maer wanted to send Kvothe on some dangerous mission, but he just wants him to woo a woman for him. Pretty boring if you ask me. But then, the plot twists kept me really interested in this section.
22. I love the court intrigue aspect of life in Vintas. Do you like Bredon? Do you trust him?
I loved it too. I still don't really understand the ring games...very complicated. I like Bredon on the surfact, but it's really hard to trust anyone. I feel he using Tak to try to teach Kvothe some deeper lesson....just don't know what yet!
23. We've seen another locked and lockless (Lackless?) door in the Archives. Is it a coincidence?
OK, I didn't remember that! But, heck yeah it's probably not coincidence! And where does he know Ms. Lockless from? Who is she?
24. Poor birdies! Kvothe had to go to some extreme lengths to prove Caudicus' treachery. Was it an even trade given the favor he earned?
Sounds like Kvothe can write his own ticket now, so I suppose it's worth it. I thought it was funny when Stape asked why they couldn't have used an annoying dog. I didn't guess Stape was replacing the birds, so at first I thought maybe he was in cahoots with the Arcanist.
25. Kvothe is constantly surrounded by complicated women. Any guesses as to how he knows Meluan? Or who Denna's patron is?
I'm fearing her patron is Ambrose or a friend/relation of his. I really want to know how he knows Meluan. The plot thickens!
@Vicky - I also don't fully trust Denna yet. We'll see. I'm worried she will betray him. @Sandy - I was convinced Stape was a bad guy. It seems like their makeup was a bit swift. And I hope your kid's finger is okay!! Ouch!!
I haven't gotten through today's reading yet, but if I do I can post some more questions.
Sorry for being MIA everyone. Logan thanks for doing questions. I'm a bit behind, but should catch up tomorrow.
I have actually caught up for today and can post Q's. My son's finger will be just fine, thanks!26. Kvothe witnesses an interesting scene between Denna and a young would-be prostitute. I don't remember Denna's backstory, is she a lady of the night too? I honestly don't recall. Maybe she's just an "escort" of sorts? I feel like I'm missing an important detail where she is concerned.
27. Denna sings her song about Lanre. Kvothe's father and everyone he was close too were killed for singing/researching about Lanre, so Kvothe tries to convince her all the details are wrong and she needs to find another subject. They have a huge fight over this. Why can't he tell her the truth? Is he protecting her? Is he under some spell that won't let him speak of it?
28. Alveron sends Kvothe away to find some bandits. Is he really doing this to get him out of the way, or is there really a bandit problem Kvothe can solve?
29. So now we're on the road again with 4 new characters. I felt this slowed the story down a lot after the recent momentum that had been built up. Did anyone else think that?
30. Kvothe demonstrates some of his powers for his new friends. Is this a mistake?
31. Kvothe spends a lot of time with Tempi learning Adem customs and hand-talk. This has to come in handy later, I hope. Any predictions? Thoughts on the detour the story has taken?
26. Kvothe witnesses an interesting scene between Denna and a young would-be prostitute. I don't remember Denna's backstory, is she a lady of the night too? I honestly don't recall. Maybe she's just an "escort" of sorts? I feel like I'm missing an important detail where she is concerned.I think this is the first real look we've had as to what Denna is really doing with all these "suitors." I think she's a high priced escort, though Kvothe seems to not have gotten that (or doesn't want to believe it).
27. Denna sings her song about Lanre. Kvothe's father and everyone he was close too were killed for singing/researching about Lanre, so Kvothe tries to convince her all the details are wrong and she needs to find another subject. They have a huge fight over this. Why can't he tell her the truth? Is he protecting her? Is he under some spell that won't let him speak of it?
I often wonder why Kvothe doesn't confide in his friends or Denna. I think pride is part of it, and maybe also he knows Denna is keeping her own secrets. No one wants to be the open book without it being reciprocated.
28. Alveron sends Kvothe away to find some bandits. Is he really doing this to get him out of the way, or is there really a bandit problem Kvothe can solve?
I think it's both. Or maybe Alveron's hoping he gets killed?
29. So now we're on the road again with 4 new characters. I felt this slowed the story down a lot after the recent momentum that had been built up. Did anyone else think that?
I agree. I'm not sure where this is headed, which is frustrating. I'm worried book 3 will feel packed with too much info because he wasted so much time on these drawn out sections. What is he learning here that warrants us hearing this journey but not the shipwreck, etc.?
30. Kvothe demonstrates some of his powers for his new friends. Is this a mistake?
It certainly got him some needed respect, but we'll see if there are repercussions.
31. Kvothe spends a lot of time with Tempi learning Adem customs and hand-talk. This has to come in handy later, I hope. Any predictions? Thoughts on the detour the story has taken?
That's my best guess as to why we're following this part of his story, but man it sure is boring!
@Logan,31. Yes, let's move on please! I feel like there's an editing problem at this point.
Questions for Chapters 38-54
16. The mysterious Puppet is revealed! Who is he and why do they let him live down there? He seems to be very clever. Will we see him again?
I hope we see him again, he's definitely an interesting character.
In terms of who he is, I suspect he's just one of the many students who cracked under the pressure of University. I say just, not because I don't think he's knowledgeable or important, but because I don't think he's going to turn out to be a long lost something.
17. Gibea's experiments sounded horrific. What do you think of Kvothe's justification that in the long run the experiments saved more lives?
I think Gibea definitely needs some ethics, but I think Kvothe has a point that the experiments did save lives in the long run.
It seemed to me that Kvothe was not justifying how Gibea obtained the knowledge, but justifying the idea that the knowledge is available and it should be used. Sim, on the other hand, didn't even want to look at the book because it was Gibea's research.
18. Kvothe's invention saves his money woes just in the nick of time. This is something of a pattern. The constant struggle for funds adds some tension, but when he always ends up with enough it loses some of the tension as well. What do you think of Kvothe's money struggles propelling the story?
It's starting to bother me a little bit! I definitely get that money struggles are a bit part of his life, but it also seems to me that he could better budget some of his money. I feel like every time he gets lucky financial he spends it all. There was a long while he was drinking coffee regularly - why not save that money, you know you'll need it!
19. Both the trial and shipwreck/journey are skipped over. What did you think of this choice?
I was glad we didn't see the trial, I feel like it would have been pretty boring. I was bummed that we didn't get more information about his journey to Vintas, but I also like how it adds to Kvothe's development of the story. If it's not important to his overall story, I can understand why he wouldn't mention it. Although it was kind of boring that he ended up penniless again! lol
20. Kvothe has traveled a long way for a patron. What are your first impressions of Maer?
Well, my first impression was that he was a Mayor, silly audiobook! haha
I didn't know what to think of him at first, but I definitely respected that he was testing Kvothe. He obviously had something in mind and he wanted to make sure Kvothe had the qualities he needed.
Questions for Chapters 55-68
21. What does the Maer want with Kvothe?
I was never sure what he wanted until we actually found out. The fact that he wanted discretion had me thinking he wanted him to work as some sort of spy - using his musical talents to get into dinner parties or something and picking up gossip that might have benefited Maer.
22. I love the court intrigue aspect of life in Vintas. Do you like Bredon? Do you trust him?
I liked it as well! I often find that political intrigue bores me in novels, but I think Rothfuss did it really well. I loved the rings and thought it was interesting to see their culture through that sort of thing. I do like Bredon, but I'm also wary of him. He's definitely trying to teach Kvothe something, but why? What does he want out of him and does he know who Kvothe is? It seems odd that he passed over the formal introduction and just showed up at Kvothe's rooms one day.
23. We've seen another locked and lockless (Lackless?) door in the Archives. Is it a coincidence?
I didn't make that connection, but probably not!
24. Poor birdies! Kvothe had to go to some extreme lengths to prove Caudicus' treachery. Was it an even trade given the favor he earned?
I think it was definitely worth the favor he earned, Maer (and Stapes too) have huge pull in society and can definitely help Kvothe.
@Sandy - I also thought Stape was working with Cadicus. We never did find out why Stape was visiting Cadicus the night Kvothe saw him in his rooms. I'm still curious about why he was there!
25. Kvothe is constantly surrounded by complicated women. Any guesses as to how he knows Meluan? Or who Denna's patron is?
I think I spoiled myself on why Meluan is familiar, so I'm not going to say anything. :( lol
Denna's patron, I don't know. At first I was thinking it was someone in Ambrose's family, cause that would a blow to Kvothe, but why would someone that high in the court be so secretive about being a patron? I think there's definitely something more sinister about her patron. I wonder if he's not somehow connected to the Amyr, it seems odd that of all things he would be helping her make a song about Lanre.
@Vicky24. I know! It wasn't explained. Maybe he was expressing his concern about Kvothe or that the birds were dying.
25. Oh, no! I am looking forward to seeing the answer to this one.
Questions for Chapters 83 - 9732. Things pick up a bit. I enjoyed Tempi's fight scene. Was there any doubt that he'd win? What do you think of the Lethani as a code of behavior rather than magic, as Kvothe had thought?
33. Is there any point to the stories the characters tell? Jax and the moon was a nice story, I suppose, but does it serve a purpose for our main story?
34. Finally! They find and fight the bandits. Kvothe certainly proves his abilities. It's funny how the others are scared of him now.
35. The leader of the bandits is (once again)someone familiar to Kvothe. Who could it be? Any guesses? And, he got away!!
36. They meet Felurian, whom we have been told uses sex to kill men. Kvothe is seemingly helpless against her power. Is that surprising, given his training and prior knowledge? I keep forgetting how young he is -- 16! Why didn't the others try harder to keep him from going with Felurian?
I just started yesterday's reading, so I'm getting closer to getting caught up.
Nothing But Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
The Wise Man's Fear (other topics)The Wise Man's Fear (other topics)
The Name of the Wind (other topics)
The Name of the Wind (other topics)
The Wise Man's Fear (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Patrick Rothfuss (other topics)Patrick Rothfuss (other topics)
Patrick Rothfuss (other topics)
This topic is open for discussion of The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. Be prepared for SPOILERS.
Book Synopsis:
"There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in a storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
My name is Kvothe.
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.
You may have heard of me.
So begins the tale of a hero told from his own point of view--a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in THE WISE MAN'S FEAR, Day Two of the Kingkiller Chronicle, an escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King's Road.
All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the FAe realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived...until Kvothe.
In THE WISE MAN'SFEAR, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.