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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
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?
I absolutely adore Tempi. I thought his fight was awesome. I keep picturing him as a Mr. Miyagi type of character what with the tai chi like dancing and martial arts like code of ethics. I do wish Kvothe would stop telling us how he misinterpreted Tempi at the time and just tell us what's going to happen. I feel like this relationship is building up to something important.
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?
I wondered that too. While the stories are interesting, I'm not sure how closely I should be paying attention or if he's trying to tell us something.
34. Finally! They find and fight the bandits. Kvothe certainly proves his abilities. It's funny how the others are scared of him now.
That was a cool battle. I really want to know who the leader was! Kvothe, stop seeing people you think you know! It's killing me!
35. The leader of the bandits is (once again)someone familiar to Kvothe. Who could it be? Any guesses? And, he got away!!
My first thought was Ambrose. But maybe it's somebody even less expected like Elxa Dal or another one of the Masters. Or Dagon?
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 think his age worked against him here for sure. Was it a bit much to have him able to overcome her? Maybe. But I get the idea that this helped solidify his training.
@Lisarenee - 15. I think there must have been another girl. Maybe we'll never find out who she was.
@Vicky - 19. The penniless again thing was boring to me too. Eyeroll!
20. I think Maer must imply something close to mayor. It's definitely used like a title, and Rothfuss has been using slight spelling changes like that in other places, so I don't think that was a bad assumption. I assumed it too.
22. Yeah, What does Bredon want? That's what I keep coming back to.
25. Spoilers eh? I'm so tempted to go look now! :)
Lisarenee wrote: "So how did Ambrose poison his drink? Was there a second girl?"Definitely two girls. The one who Ambrose sends is Modegan (or playing at it if nothing else). It mentions her glove was wet where it gripped the handle of the glass, Kvothe assumes Anker just washed the mug, but I guess not!
I think Nina acting similarly to the mystery girl was just to throw us off and get us thinking that Ambrose was up to more mischief!
Logan wrote: "20. I think Maer must imply something close to mayor. It's definitely used like a title, and Rothfuss has been using slight spelling changes like that in other places, so I don't think that was a bad assumption. I assumed it too."
I don't feel quite so crazy then! haha I did notice as I continued to listen that he is sometimes referred to as "The Maer." It looks like his full title is "Maershon."
Logan wrote: "25. Spoilers eh? I'm so tempted to go look now! :)"
Don't do it! haha
Questions for 69-82
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.
This is the most backstory we've every had on Denna, I think. I don't think she's a full blown prostitute, but she's definitely a high-end escort. When she's having the conversation with the girl, Denna says "If they want more than you’re willing to give, that’s the only way. You leave, quick and quiet in the night.”
When Denna returned from her absence (where Kvothe gets depressed and can't write for Maer) she tells him "Sometimes I leave, quick and quiet in the night." Definitely too similar to be coincidence! I wonder how much Denna is willing to give though.
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 think he's still worried about not being believed and I can definitely understand why. Kvothe's friends know that he is an Edema Ruh and that he loves stories. There's no guarantee his friends would believe such a story. They might think he cracked under the pressure of being at University and that would also make things worse. There's also the possibility that telling his story would "call" the Chandrian in the same way that Arliden's song did and put anyone he told in danger.
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 don't know. On one hand, I follow Kvothe's reasoning on why Maer would want him out of the way while he finishes up his courtship. But Maer has stated that he owes Kvothe a great debt and even though Maer has a bit of a relentless streak to him, I'm hard pressed to believe he wouldn't hold up his end of that debt. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Kvothe returns!
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 actually enjoyed this part of the story. Tempi is now on my top character list, I definitely enjoyed his cultural aspects.
30. Kvothe demonstrates some of his powers for his new friends. Is this a mistake?
I think it could have been done a little more elegantly and not as a surprise, especially knowing of the Vintas superstitions. But I don't think it was a mistake, it definitely gave him a bit more credibility to the group.
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?
I definitely think this will come in handy. When Kvothe begins his story in Name of the Wind he says "The Adem call me Maedre. Which, depending on how it's spoken, can mean The Flame, The Thunder, or The Broken Tree". It sounds to me like there's a trip to Ademre in Kvothe's future.
Questions for Chapters 83 - 97
32. 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?
I did too, I think Tempi is a great character! I think it's interesting that the Lethani is more of a code of behavior than a magic, even though it's still a bit abstract.
I loved the scene where Tempi is trying to explain the Lethani to Kvothe: "Not mad-thinking word fire." I think Rothfuss did a great job with Tempi's ability to communicate, it definitely seems natural for someone with such a language barrier. The narrator of the audiobook is also doing an excellent job with Tempi!
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?
I think all the stories served small purposes in their own way.
The story about Felurian that Dedan tells in definitely served a purpose as we see Felurian shortly thereafter. The story Marten tells about Taborlin opening the locked chest comes into play when Kvothe and company take the bandit camp. The loose screw story served to help Kvothe realize what Elodin was doing and also helped break through a barrier between him and Tempi. The Jax story introduces the idea of names which comes in handy when Kvothe makes Dedan swear on his name and claims he has mastery over him.
Still a lot of fluff for those small things, but I think it goes a long way towards shaping a culture and a world, and I really appreciate god world building in novels!
34. Finally! They find and fight the bandits. Kvothe certainly proves his abilities. It's funny how the others are scared of him now.
What an intense scene! I think I could be a little scared of Kvothe at that point as well, especially after the lightning. One of my favorite things about this series is how Kvothe's small clever things turn into feats of legends - the herb that kept him from bleeding while he was whipped, the expulsion from university that was immediately rescinded, the clever trick with the lightning we see here.
35. The leader of the bandits is (once again)someone familiar to Kvothe. Who could it be? Any guesses? And, he got away!!
No idea! I'm very curious to see how he got away, one might guess magic but based on what we know of sympathy it doesn't seem like the ability to teleport elsewhere would be within the confines of that magic. I wonder if he's somehow related to the Fae or the Chandrian, though that seems like a stretch.
I don't know if it would be any of the masters - would they be away from University during the term? Dagon is a possibility, but it also seems like a stretch. Very curious indeed!
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?
Felurian is an interesting mix of siren and succubus. I think he could have resisted going with her at the beginning, but for his stubbornness and not wanting to be afraid like the rest of his group. I didn't find Kvothe completely helpless against her, since he was able to separate his infatuated mind from his own mind and keep his sanity. I liked how it was more of a battle of the mind, definitely a different approach.
I also forget how young he is, he seems older than 16. Do we know how old he is in the frame story? He can't be much older than 20 if the current time progression stands.
I think the other opted not to try harder to keep him from going because they were scared of meeting the same fate as him!
Answers to 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?
I think they said something about sometimes what they do in classes can alter a person. Perhaps that what happened to him or could he just be old? Did we get a handle on his age? He is a mystery and the fact he has candles made me wonder if Kvothe will get in trouble with the archives again by association? It made me nervous.
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 don't think he's justifying what was done just the use of the materials. BTW, this happened in real life as well. Remember the natzi experiments? There was a doctor who performed all sorts of cruel and unusual tests to see how things worked. He even did experiments on pregnant woman. This is just another form or art replicating true life. Sad, but true. I say they not give the doctor credit, but if the work is useful to saving others by using. It's a true dilemma.
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?
I would have liked a little more information, but perhaps the author had to slim down the book? It would make for an excellent short story. How did the lute case save him?
20. Kvothe has traveled a long way for a patron. What are your first impressions of Maer?
A little odd and if he's sick, how will he be able to help Kvothe?
Answers to Questions for Chapters 55-68:
21. What does the Maer want with Kvothe?
At this point I had no idea.
22. I love the court intrigue aspect of life in Vintas. Do you like Bredon? Do you trust him?
He worries me.
23. We've seen another locked and lockless (Lackless?) door in the Archives. Is it a coincidence?
Could that be where all the missing books are? I hadn't made the connection with the doors. Hmmm.....
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 don't like Maer at this point. It looked like he was going to do something awful to Kvothe right before the death of the birds was revealed. Not sure I trust the valet guy either. What were he and Caudicus discussing? What if Maer is evil.
25. Kvothe is constantly surrounded by complicated women. Any guesses as to how he knows Meluan? Or who Denna's patron is?
No idea. Could Caudicus be Denna's patron or one of the Chandrian? Ash makes me think of Cinder (was that one of their names?) Having one of the Chandrian as your patron would definitely make be not want to betray them. That's for sure. It has to be someone powerful.
Quick thought and it may be a crazy one, but wasn't Kvothe's mother of some noble birth and she ran away with his father? Does this sound almost exactly like the tale Kvothe found out about one of the local nobilities(I don't think it was the Maer, but some Baron)? I need to look it up. Could he be Kvothe's grandfather?
Answers to next set of questions: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 always assumed she was, though everything is vague about her profession.
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 think he's afraid and still emotionally choked up over it. He's never told anyone and when he's shown interest in the Chandrian they've scorned him.
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 wondered about this too.
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?
It was an abrupt change, but it didn't bother me, but it did seem to slow down my reading.
30. Kvothe demonstrates some of his powers for his new friends. Is this a mistake?
I think it was the only way to establish himself higher in the hierarchy of things and earn him a little respect.
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?
I kept thinking the hand signals would be a nifty way to communicate in an attack situation where voices would give you away. I can see why assassins would use it. I think perhaps his knowledge of the language may get him out of a jam later. Perhaps allow him to befriend Adems later? It also shows how easily he usually gets along with people of all kind. I think at this point his age is a hindrance to him.
I've got roughly 50 more pages of reading to go. This next section is getting interesting, but I first felt like it was an interruption, kind of like a commercial in the middle of a show, but I am understanding its importance now. I just have to say his decision to go was a crazy one.
Lisarenee wrote: "Quick thought and it may be a crazy one..."Not so crazy! I just read an interesting theory about the Lackless runaway. Nothing is confirmed in WMF, but there's some speculation based on some key pieces of information that appear through chapter 74.
1. We know that Kvothe's mother is a noble who ran away with Arliden to become a Ruh, but we don't know much else about her. This fits with the story of Netalia Lackless running away with a troupe of traveling performers that we glimpse in Chapter 74.
2. Remember the song about Lady Lackless that Kvothe sings in NotW? His mother takes exception to it and tells him that he can make it up to her and Lady Lackless by doing some chore. It seems odd that she would be so offended by a children's rhyming song if there wasn't something more there.
3. Kvothe recognizes Meluan's features but can't figure out where he recognizes her from. If Meluan is Kvothe's aunt, it's likely he recognizes his mother's features but she doesn't look enough like his mother to really trigger the light bulb.
4. We also know that Arliden is clever like Kvothe and he wrote songs with hidden meanings for Kvothe to reason out. Here's the song he wrote about Laurian:
Dark Laurian, Arliden’s wife,
Has a face like the blade of a knife
Has a voice like a pricklebrown burr
But can tally a sum like a moneylender.
My sweet Tally cannot cook.
But she keeps a tidy ledger-book
For all her faults, I do confess
It’s worth my life
To make my wife
Not tally a lot less...
He calls her Tally and we are to assume it is because of her tidy ledger-books, but Tally is also a nickname for Natalia. Also, the last line is a bit tricky on Rothfuss' part. Read it quickly and it sounds quite a lot like Natalia Lockless (Not-tally-a Lot-less). Tricky, indeed.
It definitely seems like a pretty solid theory so far. Other people seem to think Denna is the runaway Lackless, but it seems odd that they would mention Meluan is left as the heir if it was a younger sisters who ran off. It seems more likely that the runaway was Meluan's older sister.
Well whoever came up with that is a lot better detective than I am. Granted, I read NotW several months ago. The two songs totally were lost to me. I should have known better than to disregard them as just cute extras to the story. It does seem like I may be right after all.
Finally finished yesterday's reading and have discovered I need reading glasses. I got lasik a while ago, but this is totally the reverse of my near sightedness. I keep having to hold the book farther and farther away from my eyes to read. I'll start working on questions for yesterday then start today's reading.
Wow, thanks for sharing that Vicky! Interesting stuff. I think it's been a year since I read NotW so I definitely had forgotten some of this stuff. I got behind yesterday so I haven't started that section yet. I'll be doing that on my lunch break. :)
Questions for Chapters 98 - 11137) Well, I kind of chuckled and rolled my eyes at this section. Such a guy thing to put in a story. I was glad there was some significant information given here which I appreciated. The fact he came out of this with a fairy look to his eyes was interesting. So one of the bits of information we learned is that moon story Hespe told was real and the whole situation was started by the Cthach who apparently likes to start wars. Sounds like Kvothe's actions when he gets out of Felurian's presence will set things in motion for the war that takes place in the present day Koth time period. I still haven't a clue what he does.I may have to revisit the tale that one man told Kvothe about the in the first book. Could one of the Chandrian rise to power? I keep having to remind myself that the series name is The Kingkiller Chronicle. I'm guessing Kvothe will kill a king, but my main question is why?
38) The shadow cloak is pretty cool and again reminiscent of Harry Potter. Does the cloak do more than just hide a person? Why did she need the iron? Could it perhaps conceal and protect? I wonder if we know all there is to it?
39) We know there were men/beings who walked the earth and knew the names of all things. I wonder if any of them still exist?
40) What do you make of Kvothe going off with Tempi? Is it wise? Will he loose the Maer's favor by doing so? I think Kvothe is one of those people with so few family and friends that when he makes them he's very loyal and sees friendship as a great gift.
41) It's looking more and more like Denna may be employed by Cinder. Cinder = Ash. Were you shocked to find the leader of the rebels was him? I wonder how you kill one of the 'Seven'. Seven is a significant number, interesting how it's usually a lucky number, but in this instance not so much.
42) Do you think Kvothe is getting too full of himself? At times he seems humble and other times, like when he reasoned he was too powerful for Felurian to mess with him, he seems the exact opposite. Did you like how he played upon her vanity to get himself free? Did you notice he told his friends he'd see them in three days and that's when he made his way back? I wonder if he aged in his time away from the human realm?
I read NoTW in April, so it wasn't too long ago. I definitely remembered the Lady Lackless rhyme, but I'm also not that great of a detective. It seems like PR is good at dropping small hints! I feel like I need to go back and read NotW.Questions for Chapters 98 - 111
37) Well, I kind of chuckled and roll my eyes at this section. Such a guy thing to put in a story. I was glad there was some significant information given here which I appreciated. The fact he came out of this with a fairy look to his eyes was interesting. So one of the bits of information we learned is that moon story Hespe told was real and the whole situation was started by the Cthach who apparently likes to start wars. Sounds like Kvothe's actions when he gets out of Felurian's presence will set things in motion for the war that takes place in the present day Koth time period. I still haven't a clue what he does.I may have to revisit the tale that one man told Kvothe about the in the first book. Could one of the Chandrian rise to power? I keep having to remind myself that the series name is The Kingkiller Chronicle. I'm guessing Kvothe will kill a king, but my main question is why?
I don't know how I feel about the Cthaeh, it feels a lot like predestination and I don't like that for Kvothe's story. It will be interesting to see what comes of it. I thought it was especially interesting to see Bast's reaction - I wonder why these guards were no where to be seen. Was it a trick of the Fae? Can the Chandrian enter the Fae?
We also get some info about the doors of stone. Felurian says that the first and greatest of the shapers is shut beyond the doors of stone, the Cthaeh says "Stick by the Maer and he will lead you to their [the Chandiran's] door." The third book is rumored to be The Doors of Stone. The Four Plate door is made of stone and we know that the Underthing (where Auri lives) is the ruins of an ancient city that the University was built upon. I wonder if Auri is somehow involved with the shapers?
I also thought it was interesting that Felurian's way of speaking reminded him of Elodin. Had Elodin been to the Fae? Anyone else catch that his question to Kvothe during admissions was about where the Moon goes when it's no longer in our sky?
My favorite part was the Lackless song that the young boy shares with Kvothe while they are on the road from Pennysworth (emphasis mine).
Seven things stand before
The entrance to the Lackless door.
One of them a ring unworn
One a word that is forsworn
One a time that must be right
One a candle without light
One a son who brings the blood
One a door that holds the flood
One a thing tight-held in keeping
Then comes that which comes with sleeping.
I wonder what the other things are!
38) The shadow cloak is pretty cool and again reminiscent of Harry Potter. Does the cloak do more than just hide a person? Why did she need the iron? Could it perhaps conceal and protect? I wonder if we know all there is to it?
Tough call. It definitely becomes a part of his legend, it will be interesting to see if it keeps him from trouble at any point.
39) We know there were men/beings who walked the earth and knew the names of all things. I wonder if any of them still exist?
I think I covered this with the Doors of Stone stuff in Q. 37. I wonder if Auri is somehow related, maybe Elodin too? I also wonder if Kvothe could be a relation, it seems there is more to him than meets the eye.
40) What do you make of Kvothe going off with Tempi? Is it wise? Will he loose the Maer's favor by doing so? I think Kvothe is one of those people with so few family and friends that when he makes them he's very loyal and sees friendship as a great gift.
I think it was both wise and unwise. Wise because I think Tempi needed him to plead his case, if Kvothe had not gone with him, Shehyn would not have had the chance to see what Tempi saw in Kvothe. Unwise because he followed the Cthaeh's words about having to make it to the Stormwal before anyone would believe him about the Chandrian and because it leaves Maer hanging (although at this point he's not sure Maer wants him back).
41) It's looking more and more like Denna may be employed by Cinder. Cinder = Ash. Were you shocked to find the leader of the rebels was him? I wonder how you kill one of the 'Seven'. Seven is a significant number, interesting how it's usually a lucky number, but in this instance not so much.
I don't know if she's employed by Cinder, although he's definitely more prominent in the story than we thought. I think it's interesting that the Cthaeh was talking about Cinder and then switches to "her patron" - it could be a trick by Rothfuss, but if he's giving up Cinder's identity as the leader of the bandits, why keep his identity as Denna's patron secret?
It is interesting that they're both in the same area though. What does Cinder want with Maer?
42) Do you think Kvothe is getting too full of himself? At times he seems humble and other times, like when he reasoned he was too powerful for Felurian to mess with him, he seems the exact opposite. Did you like how he played upon her vanity to get himself free? Did you notice he told his friends he'd see them in three days and that's when he made his way back? I wonder if he aged in his time away from the human realm?
He's definitely confident in his cleverness and I think he has somewhat of a disregard for the trouble he could/is getting himself into, but I don't think he's quite full of himself. He definitely has his cocky moments, but he also knows that he has much to learn.
Vicky wrote: "Lisarenee wrote: "Quick thought and it may be a crazy one..."Not so crazy! I just read an interesting theory about the Lackless runaway. Nothing is confirmed in WMF, but there's some speculation ..."
Vicky, I love it! You have a much better memory and attention to detail than I do! :-)
Vicky said, "I don't know how I feel about the Cthaeh, it feels a lot like predestination and I don't like that for Kvothe's story. It will be interesting to see what comes of it. I thought it was especially interesting to see Bast's reaction - I wonder why these guards were no where to be seen. Was it a trick of the Fae? Can the Chandrian enter the Fae?" It could be the guards were farther out. Here's something that just occurred to me, maybe when Felurian took him into the heart of the forest (the one he used some light and she told him to stop and then threw herself upon him to, I presume, protect him) was when they passed the guards?
Vicky also said, "We also get some info about the doors of stone. Felurian says that the first and greatest of the shapers is shut beyond the doors of stone, the Cthaeh says "Stick by the Maer and he will lead you to their [the Chandiran's] door." The third book is rumored to be The Doors of Stone. The Four Plate door is made of stone and we know that the Underthing (where Auri lives) is the ruins of an ancient city that the University was built upon. I wonder if Auri is somehow involved with the shapers?"
I like the way your mind works. I need to pay more attention to doors. This book is so refreshing because I love books where everything is carefully planned and almost everything has meaning. I adore it when an author makes us think because he draws us farther into the story and gives the illusion of us being part of it. There aren't a lot of stories that do this.
I also thought it was interesting that Felurian's way of speaking reminded him of Elodin. Had Elodin been to the Fae? Anyone else catch that his question to Kvothe during admissions was about where the Moon goes when it's no longer in our sky?
I did wonder if he is part fae or perhaps what the mercenaries are. Remember he said his eyes reminded him of his teacher's her name started with a V (got a headache and am too tired to look it up).
Good catch with the admission's question. I had forgotten that. Of course didn't they say something about the heads of the University professors knowing more then they'd tell him? Will Kvothe ever make his way back to the University I wonder?
Vicky also said, "My favorite part was the Lackless song that the young boy shares with Kvothe while they are on the road from Pennysworth (emphasis mine).
Seven things stand before
The entrance to the Lackless door. (Chandrians? Note 7)
One of them a ring unworn (??fairy ring/ring of a bell??)
One a word that is forsworn (??No idea??)
One a time that must be right (??No Clue??)
One a candle without light (??the light device Kvothe made??)
One a son who brings the blood (??Kvothe??)
One a door that holds the flood (??a dam??)
One a thing tight-held in keeping (??No clue??)
Then comes that which comes with sleeping. (??Dreams??)
I wonder what the other things are!
I put my thoughts in parenthesis. I don't remember this. Drats! I wish I had the ebook. I'm number three on the wait list at my library.
FYI, I found the poem on page 784 for future reference.
Vicky said, "I think it was both wise and unwise. Wise because I think Tempi needed him to plead his case, if Kvothe had not gone with him, Shehyn would not have had the chance to see what Tempi saw in Kvothe. Unwise because he followed the Cthaeh's words about having to make it to the Stormwal before anyone would believe him about the Chandrian and because it leaves Maer hanging (although at this point he's not sure Maer wants him back).I agree it's both wise and unwise. It will be interesting to see what will happen when he returns.
Vicky said, "It is interesting that they're both in the same area though. What does Cinder want with Maer?"I wonder if he didn't want the alliance to go through? He wanted him sick and out of favor with the king. Didn't they say the Maer couldn't be bought or influenced by others or something of that nature and that is the very reason he was looking at the Lackless heiress as a bride?
Vicky asked, "I don't know if she's employed by Cinder, although he's definitely more prominent in the story than we thought. I think it's interesting that the Cthaeh was talking about Cinder and then switches to "her patron" - it could be a trick by Rothfuss, but if he's giving up Cinder's identity as the leader of the bandits, why keep his identity as Denna's patron secret? The Cthach's goal is to create friction and he knows how things will affect and influence people. Would telling Kvothe that Cinder is her patron, change where Kvothe would go first? Would that change things enough that he didn't tell him?
Questions for Chapters 98 - 11137) Well, I kind of chuckled and rolled my eyes at this section. Such a guy thing to put in a story. I was glad there was some significant information given here which I appreciated. The fact he came out of this with a fairy look to his eyes was interesting. So one of the bits of information we learned is that moon story Hespe told was real and the whole situation was started by the Cthach who apparently likes to start wars. Sounds like Kvothe's actions when he gets out of Felurian's presence will set things in motion for the war that takes place in the present day Koth time period. I still haven't a clue what he does.I may have to revisit the tale that one man told Kvothe about the in the first book. Could one of the Chandrian rise to power? I keep having to remind myself that the series name is The Kingkiller Chronicle. I'm guessing Kvothe will kill a king, but my main question is why?
I feel a little lost, so I'm just trying to roll with it. It was creepy that Chthaeh knew everything about Kvothe, and then when Bast freaked out that Kvothe had spoken to it. (Also, Felurian was worried about him too). How did he not meet the fate that he should have met?
38) The shadow cloak is pretty cool and again reminiscent of Harry Potter. Does the cloak do more than just hide a person? Why did she need the iron? Could it perhaps conceal and protect? I wonder if we know all there is to it?
??
39) We know there were men/beings who walked the earth and knew the names of all things. I wonder if any of them still exist?
Maybe in the fae world?
40) What do you make of Kvothe going off with Tempi? Is it wise? Will he loose the Maer's favor by doing so? I think Kvothe is one of those people with so few family and friends that when he makes them he's very loyal and sees friendship as a great gift.
I thought this was another pointless detour. LOL I'm sure it will mean something. He has gained new knowledge which is always useful.
41) It's looking more and more like Denna may be employed by Cinder. Cinder = Ash. Were you shocked to find the leader of the rebels was him? I wonder how you kill one of the 'Seven'. Seven is a significant number, interesting how it's usually a lucky number, but in this instance not so much.
Yes, I was very surprised that the leader was one of the seven. He very well could be Ash, considering how badly he treats Denna.
42) Do you think Kvothe is getting too full of himself? At times he seems humble and other times, like when he reasoned he was too powerful for Felurian to mess with him, he seems the exact opposite. Did you like how he played upon her vanity to get himself free? Did you notice he told his friends he'd see them in three days and that's when he made his way back? I wonder if he aged in his time away from the human realm?
He is rather cocky, but to be fair, he can usually back it up. He was very clever in his method of getting away from Felurian. Not sure if he aged or not.
Questions and Comments for Chapters 112 - 12443) Thoughts of Vashet? For someone who isn't supposed to lose her temper, she sure seemed to and struck out at Kvothe with her anger.
44) What do you make of the people of Aden and their sexual culture? It sounds like they probably don't marry.
45) While Tempi would definitely have suffered, I wonder if Kvothe would have been better off not going with him? He has to appear worthy in the Aden's eyes or he'll be maimed in some way and not being able to create music would kill him figuratively.
46) In a way the whole Lethani is something I feel Kvothe truly needs to master. He needs to get his temper under control. It would be a priceless gift if he could learn to do that.
47) If Vashet had known how powerful Kvothe already was, do you think she'd have treated him differently? Even if he doesn't master Lethani, he'd could kill a man much more efficiently. Does that make him mastering it less of a threat I wonder? Do you think Shehyn didn't mention it on purpose?
Questions for Chapters 98 - 11137) Well, I kind of chuckled and rolled my eyes at this section. Such a guy thing to put in a story. I was glad there was some significant information given here which I appreciated. The fact he came out of this with a fairy look to his eyes was interesting. So one of the bits of information we learned is that moon story Hespe told was real and the whole situation was started by the Cthach who apparently likes to start wars. Sounds like Kvothe's actions when he gets out of Felurian's presence will set things in motion for the war that takes place in the present day Koth time period. I still haven't a clue what he does.I may have to revisit the tale that one man told Kvothe about the in the first book. Could one of the Chandrian rise to power? I keep having to remind myself that the series name is The Kingkiller Chronicle. I'm guessing Kvothe will kill a king, but my main question is why?
I'm also struggling to find Kvothe's motivations as a killer. Does he kill the king of the Chandrians? I liked the info we got from this section, but honestly the Felurian stuff really dragged for me and I found myself wishing he and Tempi were back sweeping the forest for clues.
@Vicky - I bow down to your investigative prowess! Seriously, that's amazing that you can pull all of these clues together and I'm so glad I'm reading this with you!
@Lisarenee - I completely agree that part of the fun of this book is knowing the author has a larger story in mind and that he's laying the groundwork for the climax. I trust that we'll get all of the puzzle pieces together by the end, but it's fun to try and figure it out ourselves.
38) The shadow cloak is pretty cool and again reminiscent of Harry Potter. Does the cloak do more than just hide a person? Why did she need the iron? Could it perhaps conceal and protect? I wonder if we know all there is to it?
I wondered about the iron too. I hope we get to see his magical cloak do some cool things in the future.
39) We know there were men/beings who walked the earth and knew the names of all things. I wonder if any of them still exist?
Good question. I think they do, somewhere. Whether Kvothe will encounter them is another question.
40) What do you make of Kvothe going off with Tempi? Is it wise? Will he loose the Maer's favor by doing so? I think Kvothe is one of those people with so few family and friends that when he makes them he's very loyal and sees friendship as a great gift.
More than anything I just wanted to know why Kvothe found it so necessary to learn the ways of the Adema. Just because he wants to learn to fight? I realize with Denna gone he doesn't have as much to go back to, but the Maer was pretty good to him and it seems a big risk to take off with the money and go do something else for a while.
41) It's looking more and more like Denna may be employed by Cinder. Cinder = Ash. Were you shocked to find the leader of the rebels was him? I wonder how you kill one of the 'Seven'. Seven is a significant number, interesting how it's usually a lucky number, but in this instance not so much.
I guess it makes sense. I was hoping for a bigger reveal than that. I had a hard time trusting the Cthaeh thing. And like Vicky said, I really want to know why Bast reacted so strongly to hearing that part of the story!
42) Do you think Kvothe is getting too full of himself? At times he seems humble and other times, like when he reasoned he was too powerful for Felurian to mess with him, he seems the exact opposite. Did you like how he played upon her vanity to get himself free? Did you notice he told his friends he'd see them in three days and that's when he made his way back? I wonder if he aged in his time away from the human realm?
He does come across as pretty cocky most of the time. I wonder if his money struggles are meant as a way to keep him likeable, since besides that, he always excels at everything he does. Now I'm just waiting for him to be like a super mercenary that impresses the Adem.
I do wonder if he aged some as well. This is the first time we're really hearing about him needing to shave I think. And what 16 year old grows a beard in 3 days?
Lisarenee wrote: "Here's something that just occurred to me, maybe when Felurian took him into the heart of the forest (the one he used some light and she told him to stop and then threw herself upon him to, I presume, protect him) was when they passed the guards?"They returned to Felurian's grove before he leaves and stumbles on the Cthaeh though. From what Bast says it seems like the guards wouldn't let anyone near the Cthaeh, they shouldn't have let even Felurian that close.
Logan wrote: "@Vicky - I bow down to your investigative prowess! Seriously, that's amazing that you can pull all of these clues together and I'm so glad I'm reading this with you!"
I can't take full credit for it! Some of it is bits I've gathered online. I do wish I had the ebook though. I listed to audiobooks while I fall asleep and I keep trying to remember to mention things when I get up and then I forget what it is that I meant to mention! If I were reading it on my Nook I could take notes.
Before I answer the next set of questions, I noticed another oddity. I'm not sure what to make of it though.Back in Chapter 2, Aaron says that Kvothe's sword was Kaysera, the poet-killer. We know that Kvothe is named Kingkiller. What of Vashet's "poet-king," could he be the king of kingkiller and the poet of poet killer? It seems a bit of a stretch, but knowing what I know of PR's ability to weave stories, it seems odd that the connection would be mere coincidence.
Questions and Comments for Chapters 112 - 124
43) Thoughts of Vashet? For someone who isn't supposed to lose her temper, she sure seemed to and struck out at Kvothe with her anger.
I was pretty certain that Vashet's initial anger was a test. Shehyn decided to give Kvothe a teacher as opposed to the less-desirable to Kvothe options, I didn't think she would just give him to a teacher that wouldn't take his studies seriously.
44) What do you make of the people of Aden and their sexual culture? It sounds like they probably don't marry.
First of all, I think it's amazing what PR has done with Adem and The Commonwealth. I think it's interesting that these two very different cultures look at each other and convincingly see barbarians. Even Veshet who has spent a lot of time in The Commonwealth thinks Kvothe is barbarian.
Their sexual culture is definitely strange, but it also makes sense when they explain it. I also thought it was weird that Kvothe happens to go from virgin to Felurian to Adem where sex is (quite literally) rampant.
This is a little ahead of these questions so I won't say too much on it, but I thought it was interesting that Kvothe built up an understanding of their culture and a respect for their differing idea of what is civilized and then was blindsided by their idea of pregnancy that definitely gives them a few minus points on the scale of how civilized they are.
45) While Tempi would definitely have suffered, I wonder if Kvothe would have been better off not going with him? He has to appear worthy in the Aden's eyes or he'll be maimed in some way and not being able to create music would kill him figuratively.
Definitely an interesting thought. Although, I wouldn't think it past the Adem to hunt Kvothe down. They are clearly concerned with information about them leaking out into the world.
46) In a way the whole Lethani is something I feel Kvothe truly needs to master. He needs to get his temper under control. It would be a priceless gift if he could learn to do that.
Agreed! I think he's starting on his way to that. I think he's definitely grown up a bit in his travels. Vashet (and Celean) definitely helped put him in his place and I think that him being able to calm himself and recall the Name of the Wind during his test is proof that he's learned something.
47) If Vashet had known how powerful Kvothe already was, do you think she'd have treated him differently? Even if he doesn't master Lethani, he'd could kill a man much more efficiently. Does that make him mastering it less of a threat I wonder? Do you think Shehyn didn't mention it on purpose?
She is already wary because there is something dark in Kvothe, I think she would have been even more so had she known the extent of his power. Perhaps Shehyn kept it to herself to ensure that Vashet was a unbiased as she could possibly be in training Kvothe.
Another random thought on Kvothe's Ademic name: Maedre. At the beginning of NotW Kvothe says:
The Adem call me Maedre. Which, depending on how it's spoken, can mean The Flame, The Thunder, or The Broken Tree.
"The Flame" is obvious if you've ever seen me. I have red hair, bright. If I had been born a couple of hundred years ago I would probably have been burned as a demon. I keep it short but it's unruly. When left to its own devices, it sticks up and makes me look as if I have been set afire.
"The Thunder" I attribute to a strong baritone and a great deal of stage training at an early age.
I've never thought of "The Broken Tree" as very significant. Although in retrospect, I suppose it could be considered at least partially prophetic.
I'm curious about "The Broken Tree" part of his name. When I first saw the definition of his name in WMF I thought perhaps it was related to the tree in the bandit's camp where he called down lightning, a nod to his prowess as a sympathist. I also thought of Ctaeth and the Lathantha, but I don't know.
When we learn about what Vashet means (and when we learn about what Tempi means in 128) it seems like their meanings are more about your personality and qualities than any deeds that you do, so I'm not sure that there is a literal broken tree. I think for now I'm settling on some sort of break in his connection with the Lathantha - maybe killing the king is not of the Lethani? Is Folly Caesura? If Kvothe renamed himself did he rename the sword as well, thus breaking his bind with the Lathantha?
This makes me want to read the first book again, ahhh! lol
Questions and Comments for Chapters 125 - 13748) Vicky, I had to bite my tongue not to write about the pregnancy issue. This so reminded me of The Clan of the Cave Bear mentality in regards to reproduction. It also might explain why they have such a low birth rate. They are to inbred and that is why they all look so much alike. They wouldn't know a half sibling from others in the population. I shudder at the thought.
49) Kvothe saying he ate some herb that kept him from impregnating woman was interesting. I've never heard of such a thing. I wonder if he used it while he was there. It was mentioned he couldn't gain access to the apothecary. Will little Kvothes be running around nine months later?
50) Again I held my tongue about the sword (I had read a couple of chapters ahead yesterday before I realized I read past the day's reading. I didn't make the Poet-King reference however.). Another thing about the sword I found interesting is that when Kvothe chose it, it's name changed. Does that mean the sword chose Kvothe as well? I found this interesting that after 2000 years it would change its name. Does that mean Kvothe will be the last to wield it?
51) Vicky! *Gives her a stern look while laughing* I probably should have had you do the questions for this section. :)
"A man should know the meaning of his own name."
Vashet hesitated, then relented, "It means flame, thunder, and broken tree."
I think the flame and hair make sense.
Thunder--after the episode with the military type thieves I think that one is a no brainer.
Broken Tree. Well, I think that is what Kvothe is somewhat broken after his parents' deaths. Interestingly enough, "Trees are Nature’s gladiator, who despite great imbalance in odds, fights to keep a foothold in the most extreme conditions. This strength is one of the characteristics that have led to the symbolic use of trees. The tree has three parts in terms of symbolism – roots, trunk and branches." (Davies 1988) Also, didn't he tell Granny that he thought something was wrong with him because he killed all those posing as his people?
52) Speaking of the murders, what did you make of the whole situation? Could he have done something else? I wonder what Vashet would think? Was it necessary to kill even the women? I did like the insight into Edema Ruh and how they are an honorable group.
Questions and Comments for Chapters 112 - 12443) Thoughts of Vashet? For someone who isn't supposed to lose her temper, she sure seemed to and struck out at Kvothe with her anger.
It's hard to put my finger on the culture. Vashet has actually adopted the culture, and comes from her own unique and very talented background, so perhaps that explains the outbursts? Also, she got the angriest about Kvothe saying he will use the training outside the school. Apparently that's forbidden? Why, because he may teach other "barbarians", either mistakenly or on purpose?
44) What do you make of the people of Aden and their sexual culture? It sounds like they probably don't marry.
Well, it's certainly very different! I suppose if one is raised that way, it's not troubling. So there are no families, in a traditional sense? I don't recall mention of any.
45) While Tempi would definitely have suffered, I wonder if Kvothe would have been better off not going with him? He has to appear worthy in the Aden's eyes or he'll be maimed in some way and not being able to create music would kill him figuratively.
Yes, but in the overall story, it sounds like his time here is going to be very valuable when he finally faces the Chandrian, or any other foe for that matter.
In a way the whole Lethani is something I feel Kvothe truly needs to master. He needs to get his temper under control. It would be a priceless gift if he could learn to do that.
Yes, it would, but can he do that? He's still so young and prone to acting first, thinking later. This training is definitely helping with that, I think.
47) If Vashet had known how powerful Kvothe already was, do you think she'd have treated him differently? Even if he doesn't master Lethani, he'd could kill a man much more efficiently. Does that make him mastering it less of a threat I wonder? Do you think Shehyn didn't mention it on purpose?
Shehyn was wise not to tell her. I think she would definitely have treated him differently. She didn't have much respect for him when they began training. He had to earn what little respect she gave him.
What was the deal with the mommet? Was it Vashet's?
Okay, so I've went back to the first book because of what Vicky found and because of my own curiosity. This is what Kvothe said about himself:'I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon.
You may have heard of me.'
We have a long way to go before the author is done with this saga.
Questions and comments for chapter 138 - Epilogue53) So I was hoping we'd get farther into the story than we did with this book. When the book started Kvothe said they'd gone through half of his story. I was hoping we'd go through more. Does anyone know how many books Rothfuss was thinking of writing for this series?
54) I got this in a newsletter Wednesday from TOR, the publisher of Rothfuss' book:
"Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind is Coming to Television
20th Century Fox revealed this past week that they're bringing Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles series to television, beginning with the first book in the series, The Name of the Wind! The Tor.com office is currently in heated debate as to who should play Kvothe and have split into acrimonious Vin Diesel vs. Crow T. Robot camps."
(BTW, Crow T. Robot is a joke. Crow T. Robot is a fictional character from the American science fiction comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). Crow is a robot, who, along with others, ridicules poor-quality B movies.
I'm not sure about Vin either. Can you imagine him as a redhead?)
54) So if Lockless is truly Kvothe's aunt I wonder what she'll think if she learned he was her nephew? She was very cruel to him although he did get a little hot headed and say some unkind things to her. Were you surprised how things played out with the Maer?
55) What did you think of Denna's reason for not getting involved with Kvothe? Do you think that's a situation where the pots calling the kettle black? Would she actually stay in one place long enough for it to matter? I keep thinking she'd be Kvothe's perfect wife if he took up traveling in a troupe again.
56) What did you think of Fela's thoughts about Kvothe not being one to settle down? As Vicky said yesterday, he sure did change from being a virgin in the first story and first half of this one to sexually active. Could this be just him or something that happened because of Felurian? Could he be under some sort of spell?
57) What did you make of Kvothe and Edolin's attempt with Elodin to call the name of the wind and Kvothe's supposed failures? I personally thought the failures could have been avoided if Kvothe wasn't so hot tempered and cocky.
58) So in the book the following advice is given to Kvothe before he goes to the Maer's by Threpe:
"Be careful on your way there. (...) Remember: There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, the night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
What did you think of this? Did he encounter all these on his journey? Could the anger of a gentle man a reference to his own anger?
59) Did you think it odd that just when Kvothe got interested in story knots, Denna ends up with one in her hair? Is she some sort of spy? It just seemed odd to me.
60) Back with the Kote persona, were you surprised the soldiers got the better of Kvothe? Does this indicate, as the story at the beginning sort of suggested, that Kvothe has given up on living? Why did Bast pay the soldiers to do what they did? Do you think he wanted Kvothe to gain that extra spark and rise to the occasion? What could make Kvothe so devoid of spirit? Was he betrayed? Did he somehow get his friends killed or did he let his temper get the best of him and do something he regrets? Any ideas?
61) Overall thoughts of this book? Did you like the ending? Authors tell me the middle book is the hardest to write because they don't resolve anything and they need to keep your interest. Did Rothfuss do a good job? Did things slow down after the military thieves were caught?
62) Did you have a favorite quote or part you liked best? Did anything not sit well with you?
Looked up in the first book and this was the rhyme Kvothe's mother was upset he repeated. At the time he said he thought it was because of the sexual innuendo:"Seven things has Lady Lackless
Keeps them underneath her black dress
One a ring that’s not for wearing
One a sharp word, not for swearing
Right beside her husband’s candle
There’s a door without a handle
In a box, no lid or locks
Lackless keeps her husband’s rocks
There’s a secret she’s been keeping
She’s been dreaming and not sleeping
On a road, that’s not for traveling
Lackless likes her riddle raveling."
I looked up the meaning of the name Laurian, supposedly Kvothe's mother's name. It means a beautiful girl, inside and out. Loved by everyone who meets her. Could this be a nickname?
Lisarenee wrote: "We have a long way to go before the author is done with this saga."Not so long as you think. Keep in mind that the legend of Kvothe is carefully cultivated and widely exaggerated.
-I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings.
This we haven't seen.
-I burned down the town of Trebon.
Remember the situation with the Dragon from NotW? Not directly Kvothes fault, but he is indirectly blamed for it.
-I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life.
From WMF.
-I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in.
This happened in NotW as well. He is immediately readmitted, true, but he is still expelled!
-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.
I think these are all less specific. He walked the Fae in moonlight as well as other unsavory places. He does still have to talk to Gods but we can assume he will probably meet some sort of Amyr. He has loved women both physically and emotionally, but there is still the questions of his first real lover who calls him Dulator. And he has made other minstrels cry from his songs.
I'm 2 hours from the end of the book so I'll come back tomorrow to finish up the last questions! :)
Vicky wrote: "Lisarenee wrote: "We have a long way to go before the author is done with this saga."Not so long as you think. Keep in mind that the legend of Kvothe is carefully cultivated and widely exaggerate..."
If you see anything I missed feel free to comment. :)
Questions and Comments for Chapters 125 - 13748) Vicky, I had to bite my tongue not to write about the pregnancy issue. This so reminded me of The Clan of the Cave Bear mentality in regards to reproduction. It also might explain why they have such a low birth rate. They are to inbred and that is why they all look so much alike. They wouldn't know a half sibling from others in the population. I shudder at the thought.
I haven't read COTCB, but that's an interesting comparison. Very disturbing, indeed!
49) Kvothe saying he ate some herb that kept him from impregnating woman was interesting. I've never heard of such a thing. I wonder if he used it while he was there. It was mentioned he couldn't gain access to the apothecary. Will little Kvothes be running around nine months later?
Yes, odd that this all of a sudden is addressed. Where would he get it? Could it possibly grow in the wild and therefore he wouldn't need an apothecary?
50) Again I held my tongue about the sword (I had read a couple of chapters ahead yesterday before I realized I read past the day's reading. I didn't make the Poet-King reference however.). Another thing about the sword I found interesting is that when Kvothe chose it, it's name changed. Does that mean the sword chose Kvothe as well? I found this interesting that after 2000 years it would change its name. Does that mean Kvothe will be the last to wield it?
Hmmm, another interesting Harry Potter comparison. I had the impression that Kvothe changed the sword's name, and not that the sword indicated to him that its name was different, but that very well could be.
I'm amazed he memorized all the owners, even with his theatrical training!
51) Vicky! *Gives her a stern look while laughing* I probably should have had you do the questions for this section. :)
"A man should know the meaning of his own name."
Vashet hesitated, then relented, "It means flame, thunder, and broken tree."
I think the flame and hair make sense.
Thunder--after the episode with the military type thieves I think that one is a no brainer.
Broken Tree. Well, I think that is what Kvothe is somewhat broken after his parents' deaths. Interestingly enough, "Trees are Nature’s gladiator, who despite great imbalance in odds, fights to keep a foothold in the most extreme conditions. This strength is one of the characteristics that have led to the symbolic use of trees. The tree has three parts in terms of symbolism – roots, trunk and branches." (Davies 1988) Also, didn't he tell Granny that he thought something was wrong with him because he killed all those posing as his people?
I agree with all your observations.
52) Speaking of the murders, what did you make of the whole situation? Could he have done something else? I wonder what Vashet would think? Was it necessary to kill even the women? I did like the insight into Edema Ruh and how they are an honorable group. He acted according to the laws of his people. True, they weren't his actual people, but they were posing as such. I'm not sure what else he could have done. Even if he'd gotten the girls away, the bandits could still have come after him or the girls again. They could have taken more girls from the village. I'm glad he killed them (in the context of the book.)
Questions and comments for chapter 138 - Epilogue53) So I was hoping we'd get farther into the story than we did with this book. When the book started Kvothe said they'd gone through half of his story. I was hoping we'd go through more. Does anyone know how many books Rothfuss was thinking of writing for this series? I felt the same way. A lot happened, but not what I hoped (i.e., moving further along with the goal of killing the Chandrian). Not sure how many books are planned. Next one should be out next year.
54) I got this in a newsletter Wednesday from TOR, the publisher of Rothfuss' book:
"Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind is Coming to Television
20th Century Fox revealed this past week that they're bringing Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles series to television, beginning with the first book in the series, The Name of the Wind! The Tor.com office is currently in heated debate as to who should play Kvothe and have split into acrimonious Vin Diesel vs. Crow T. Robot camps."
(BTW, Crow T. Robot is a joke. Crow T. Robot is a fictional character from the American science fiction comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). Crow is a robot, who, along with others, ridicules poor-quality B movies.
I'm not sure about Vin either. Can you imagine him as a redhead?)
I used to watch MST3K all the time! Vin Diesel is NOT Kvothe. Please don't let them do this.
As a huge Outlander fan, I am thrilled by the Starz production due in 2014 and I'm following closely all the casting choices. I can see how people who are obsessed by TNOTW will be giving their casting opinions.
54) So if Lockless is truly Kvothe's aunt I wonder what she'll think if she learned he was her nephew? She was very cruel to him although he did get a little hot headed and say some unkind things to her. Were you surprised how things played out with the Maer? In a way, I admire the Maer for being so devoted to his wife. In another way, I don't like how he kind of gave Kvothe the shaft. Why didn't Kvothe reveal his identity? Perhaps she would have been more understanding. Guess that's an episode for a later book.
55) What did you think of Denna's reason for not getting involved with Kvothe? Do you think that's a situation where the pots calling the kettle black? Would she actually stay in one place long enough for it to matter? I keep thinking she'd be Kvothe's perfect wife if he took up traveling in a troupe again.
I'm really sick of Denna, to tell you the truth.
56) What did you think of Fela's thoughts about Kvothe not being one to settle down? As Vicky said yesterday, he sure did change from being a virgin in the first story and first half of this one to sexually active. Could this be just him or something that happened because of Felurian? Could he be under some sort of spell?
I think it's called being a teenage boy. LOL
57) What did you make of Kvothe and Edolin's attempt with Elodin to call the name of the wind and Kvothe's supposed failures? I personally thought the failures could have been avoided if Kvothe wasn't so hot tempered and cocky.
I think he's come a long way in that he can call the name of the wind on occasion.
58) So in the book the following advice is given to Kvothe before he goes to the Maer's by Threpe:
"Be careful on your way there. (...) Remember: There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, the night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
What did you think of this? Did he encounter all these on his journey? Could the anger of a gentle man a reference to his own anger?
I think this could be the Maer's anger, or the anger of a professor.
59) Did you think it odd that just when Kvothe got interested in story knots, Denna ends up with one in her hair? Is she some sort of spy? It just seemed odd to me.
It is odd, and she could very well be some sort of spy. I'm beyond caring about her, though. (Sadly)
60) Back with the Kote persona, were you surprised the soldiers got the better of Kvothe? Does this indicate, as the story at the beginning sort of suggested, that Kvothe has given up on living? Why did Bast pay the soldiers to do what they did? Do you think he wanted Kvothe to gain that extra spark and rise to the occasion? What could make Kvothe so devoid of spirit? Was he betrayed? Did he somehow get his friends killed or did he let his temper get the best of him and do something he regrets? Any ideas?
I don't know the answer. I suspect he lost to the soldiers on purpose. I think Bast made some sort of deal with the soldiers, thinking that Kvothe would kick their rears and prove his awesomeness. When the opposite happened, Bast went after them to take revenge. Here's my question: have we always known Bast is fae and I just forgot??
61) Overall thoughts of this book? Did you like the ending? Authors tell me the middle book is the hardest to right because they don't resolve anything and they need to keep your interest? Did Rothfuss do a good job? Did things slow down after the military thieves were caught?
Yes, overall I'm giving it 4 stars. I was disappointed in TNOTW because I expected (hoped for?) something along the lines of A Song of Ice and Fire. With this book, I knew more what to expect so I enjoyed it more. My favorite parts were Kvothe helping the Maer find out if he was being poisened, and when Kvothe rescued the two girls from the fake Ruh. I thought it slowed down a great deal when Kvothe and the mercenaries went looking for the bandits. I thought the ending was very well done.
Rothfuss is a very good writer. I liked the humorous aspects of the book.
62) Did you have a favorite quote or part you liked best? Did anything not sit well with you?
See 61.
Thank you for this buddy read! I'm really glad to move this off my TBR shelf.
Questions and Comments for Chapters 112 - 12443) Thoughts of Vashet? For someone who isn't supposed to lose her temper, she sure seemed to and struck out at Kvothe with her anger.
I think Vashet is interesting because of her experiences outside of Adem. I like that she and Kvothe have a common language and that she is more expressive with him. I'm not sure she's the kind of gal I'd want to be my friend, but as a teacher it's ideal.
44) What do you make of the people of Aden and their sexual culture? It sounds like they probably don't marry.
I think they marry - or at least pair off and create families, though I wonder if they're monogamous. They consider love separate from sex, which I don't think is a bad or strange thing. Just different. It's an interesting way to create yet another cultural separation.
45) While Tempi would definitely have suffered, I wonder if Kvothe would have been better off not going with him? He has to appear worthy in the Aden's eyes or he'll be maimed in some way and not being able to create music would kill him figuratively.
Yes, the stakes are pretty high for him here. I doubt he knew what he was getting into, and I was a bit worried for him at this point.
46) In a way the whole Lethani is something I feel Kvothe truly needs to master. He needs to get his temper under control. It would be a priceless gift if he could learn to do that.
Agree! His temper and pride get him in boatloads of trouble.
47) If Vashet had known how powerful Kvothe already was, do you think she'd have treated him differently? Even if he doesn't master Lethani, he'd could kill a man much more efficiently. Does that make him mastering it less of a threat I wonder? Do you think Shehyn didn't mention it on purpose?
I wonder about that. I think Vashet may carry the same superstitions about magic, but even if she didn't I think it's not really relevant to his training.
Questions and Comments for Chapters 125 - 137
48) Vicky, I had to bite my tongue not to write about the pregnancy issue. This so reminded me of The Clan of the Cave Bear mentality in regards to reproduction. It also might explain why they have such a low birth rate. They are to inbred and that is why they all look so much alike. They wouldn't know a half sibling from others in the population. I shudder at the thought.
What I thought was really interesting about the pregnancy thing was just the fact that here the Adem are flaunting how civilized they are and how barbarous The Commonwealth is and here they going having such a theory on pregnancy and childbirth. I can't even think of a word to describe it, I feel like it's lower even than barbaric or uncivilized!
49) Kvothe saying he ate some herb that kept him from impregnating woman was interesting. I've never heard of such a thing. I wonder if he used it while he was there. It was mentioned he couldn't gain access to the apothecary. Will little Kvothes be running around nine months later?
Silphium. Interestingly this was a real plant, though it's now extinct and there are definitely herbs that were used as contraceptives in our own history. Weird that he doesn't mention it until now, not that there was a really good place to put it in earlier. I too wonder how he got it while in Ademre. What if Penthe has a red headed child in nine months, that would put a twist on their pregnancy beliefs!
50) Again I held my tongue about the sword (I had read a couple of chapters ahead yesterday before I realized I read past the day's reading. I didn't make the Poet-King reference however.). Another thing about the sword I found interesting is that when Kvothe chose it, it's name changed. Does that mean the sword chose Kvothe as well? I found this interesting that after 2000 years it would change its name. Does that mean Kvothe will be the last to wield it?
The Audiobook pronounces the two names like this: Saicere, SAY-sra and Caesura, Sa-SUR-a. I didn't even realize the words were spelled differently until I looked in the book to reference some things, I thought it was just the accent Kvothe put on it.
Saicere means to break, to catch, to fly. Caesura is what the Eld Vintic poets use as a break in the line of verse. The people of Newarre call it Kaysera which means poet-killer. It's interesting to see how they all tie together.
51) Vicky! *Gives her a stern look while laughing* I probably should have had you do the questions for this section. :)
"A man should know the meaning of his own name."
Vashet hesitated, then relented, "It means flame, thunder, and broken tree."
I think the flame and hair make sense.
Thunder--after the episode with the military type thieves I think that one is a no brainer.
Broken Tree. Well, I think that is what Kvothe is somewhat broken after his parents' deaths. Interestingly enough, "Trees are Nature’s gladiator, who despite great imbalance in odds, fights to keep a foothold in the most extreme conditions. This strength is one of the characteristics that have led to the symbolic use of trees. The tree has three parts in terms of symbolism – roots, trunk and branches." (Davies 1988) Also, didn't he tell Granny that he thought something was wrong with him because he killed all those posing as his people?
Haha, if we do Doors of Stone when it comes out I'll volunteer for some questions! ;)
I thought that about The Broken Tree, but I'm not so sure. The statement he makes about the Broken Tree portion is: "I've never thought of "The Broken Tree" as very significant. Although in retrospect, I suppose it could be considered at least partially prophetic."
He says this in the present day frame story. It seems to me that it would have to reflect something that happens between the time he is given the name and whatever is to happen in the next book. We'll have to wait and see for sure, I guess!
52) Speaking of the murders, what did you make of the whole situation? Could he have done something else? I wonder what Vashet would think? Was it necessary to kill even the women? I did like the insight into Edema Ruh and how they are an honorable group.
I still want to know how Kvothe knew they weren't Ruh. He tells Allig that he knew because Ruh don't do what they did (meaning the thieving, the kidnapping, and the raping) but he must have poisoned the stew pot when he speaks with Anne and tastes the stew. Prior to this there is only the introduction to the members of the "troupe" and even Kvothe admits they knew the traditions of the Ruh. It doesn't seem odd to me that a troupe would travel with bodyguards if there is talk of bandits, but perhaps that is unheard of even for Ruh? Did Kvothe's troupe travel with bodyguards, I can't remember. The only other thing I can think of is their poor repertoire of songs. Maybe he thought it odd that of all the songs they could have requested they asked for him to play Leave the Town, Tinker which seems to be a fairly common song. Surely a Ruh would want to hear a more musical song as opposed to one they doubtless hear and play everywhere?
I feel like the actions were more or less warranted and I liked how Granny validated what he did by saying that the women were just as guilty to let such a thing go on. Whether Vashet would have agreed or thought it "of the Lethani" is questionable, for sure.
Vicky wrote: "I still want to know how Kvothe knew they weren't Ruh."I wondered if it was more than one thing. First, they didn't know songs they should have. Kvothe always said the Edema Ruh knew all the stories and I'm guessing songs to. Notice he didn't end his one song with the death of Piper? He'd already poisoned the Lamb stew at that point.
Second, remember the story about the man down on his luck and who finally found help and shelter with the Edema Ruh? The swords at his neck were fairly telling. Not an Edema Ruh thing to do.
Thirdly, the water was a tradition according to Kvothe and they tried to talk him out of it.
Fourth, to confirm it all the girls who were kidnapped. That's when their fate was sealed.
Questions and comments for chapter 138 - Epilogue
53) So I was hoping we'd get farther into the story than we did with this book. When the book started Kvothe said they'd gone through half of his story. I was hoping we'd go through more. Does anyone know how many books Rothfuss was thinking of writing for this series?
I'm fairly certain it's supposed to be a trilogy. I too was hoping we got farther in the story. I found a timeline that estimated that Kvothe is 25 when Chronicler arrives. It gives 8 years from the end of WMF to the time he meets up with Bast, but I can't find reference to that in the book. Chronicler did mention at the beginning of NotW that Kvothe didn't look older than 25. Either way - that's still 8 years of time to put into the last book.
i09 has an article titled 10 Things Kvothe Absolutely Needs to Do in Day 3 of Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles Books. The list includes killing a king, uncovering the Amy/Chandrian, confronting Cinder, talking to Gods, confronting Denna's patron, uncovering the secret of the doors, steal a princess form a sleeping barrow-king*, transform into Kote, screw up the entire world and try to fix the present.
*I know I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that this hadn't happened yet, but that was before I read the chapter that talks about the stories of Kvothe rescuing the girls from Levinshir. He heard many exaggerations of that story and while barrow-kings were not directly referenced, princesses were; I would not be surprised if that is where this story comes from.
There are so many other things as well. He has to meet Bast, he has to loose Ceasura, I'm sure there will be more of the Lackless connection since the blood of the son is required to open the box. He also has a lot of names to master...
In Chapter 2 we're treated to this bit of verse:
On his first hand he wore rings of stone,
Iron, amber, wood, and bone.
There were rings unseen on his second hand.
One was blood in a flowing band.
One of air all whisper thin,
And the ring of ice had a flaw within.
Full faintly shone the ring of flame,
And the final ring was without name.
From Fela's ring of stone and Elodin's reference to a ring of air, we can assume he must have to master these names. The only ones he may not master are wood and bone, as I can see these as references to Meluan and Stapes' rings. Although he could be using those rings as representations of those names.
Ahhh, I don't want to wait!
54) I got this in a newsletter Wednesday from TOR, the publisher of Rothfuss' book
This has to be a joke, lol. No way is Vin Disel anything even remotely resembling Kvothe!
54) So if Lockless is truly Kvothe's aunt I wonder what she'll think if she learned he was her nephew? She was very cruel to him although he did get a little hot headed and say some unkind things to her. Were you surprised how things played out with the Maer?
I think she'll have to learn of it, I have a feeling the lockless box will come into play in the 3rd book. I wonder if “I think she rues the truth. A trouper’s tongue has gotten her to bed more quickly than her sister.” will come into play.
She seems extraordinarily upset with the Ruh for her sister being a runaway. It seems to me, if her sister ran away, that's her sister's fault. Perhaps Meluan was scorned by a Ruh and is jealous of Laurian's freedoms?
I was a bit surprised by the Maer, but only because I was expecting him to be less generous with Kvothe after his harsh words about Meluan.
55) What did you think of Denna's reason for not getting involved with Kvothe? Do you think that's a situation where the pots calling the kettle black? Would she actually stay in one place long enough for it to matter? I keep thinking she'd be Kvothe's perfect wife if he took up traveling in a troupe again.
I think Denna is more than she seems, but I'm not sure what. It's so odd that she appears in the oddest places, like she's planted there by someone. I think Kvothe needs to dump her ass!
56) What did you think of Fela's thoughts about Kvothe not being one to settle down? As Vicky said yesterday, he sure did change from being a virgin in the first story and first half of this one to sexually active. Could this be just him or something that happened because of Felurian? Could he be under some sort of spell?
I think Fela makes a good point, I wonder if Kvothe is too infatuated with Denna to really give his attention to another woman.
Thinking more on the question of his sexual activity, I think it's part of his maturity. It's mentioned many times before he goes into the Fae that he has no idea what to do in regards to women, though he's constantly looking at them. After Felurian he is more confident and more learned in the ways of pleasing women.
57) What did you make of Kvothe and Edolin's attempt with Elodin to call the name of the wind and Kvothe's supposed failures? I personally thought the failures could have been avoided if Kvothe wasn't so hot tempered and cocky.
The bit on the roof of the archives was hilarious, Elodin is a nut. As far as Kvothe's failures, the only one I think he could have avoided was the one with chemistry. If he had minded his teacher instead of butting heads with him he might have learned something! The other two didn't seem like failures to me - no one can be good at everything, and it seems like being able to learn a partially forgotten language like Yllish can't be easy for anyone.
58) So in the book the following advice is given to Kvothe before he goes to the Maer's by Threpe:
"Be careful on your way there. (...) Remember: There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, the night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
What did you think of this? Did he encounter all these on his journey? Could the anger of a gentle man a reference to his own anger?
Interestingly, I found a reference to this in NotW. After Kvothe is found in the archives with a candle he recalls that same bit of advice from Teccam's Theophany. Seems like he's relating it to Lorren's temper at that point.
As far as WMF is concerned, the sea in a storm and the night with no moon (the Faen) definitely occurred. I didn't see any gentle men who were angry - the Maer was not gentle. I suppose it would be Stapes, but that seems a stretch.
59) Did you think it odd that just when Kvothe got interested in story knots, Denna ends up with one in her hair? Is she some sort of spy? It just seemed odd to me.
So odd! Like I said before, I'm starting to think she's a pawn in someone's game. Maybe her patron is one of the Chandrian. Cinder seems a popular choice because of Cinder and Ash, but that seems rather in your face of a connection for PR, he seems more subtle than that. I wonder if it could be Haliax who is Lanre himself. This would explain why her story of Lanre puts him in the position of hero, perhaps Haliax was able to keep the more negative stories from her.
The Yllish knot is especially intriguing. We only notice it now because Kvothe has been studying, but I don't think it's the first time her hair was so braided. When they are fighting over her song she "untied her braids, smoothed them out, then absentmindedly retied them in a different pattern". She also starts to braid her hair before they go into the Maer's gardens and when they first meet in Severen. She seems to do it to keep her hands busy (except for the case where she uses it to tell him not to speak to her). How does she know Yllish?
Also, we know that Haliax/Lanre is wrapped in shadow.
60) Back with the Kote persona, were you surprised the soldiers got the better of Kvothe? Does this indicate, as the story at the beginning sort of suggested, that Kvothe has given up on living? Why did Bast pay the soldiers to do what they did? Do you think he wanted Kvothe to gain that extra spark and rise to the occasion? What could make Kvothe so devoid of spirit? Was he betrayed? Did he somehow get his friends killed or did he let his temper get the best of him and do something he regrets? Any ideas?
I wasn't surprised, because he is Kote. It seems like Kvothe is pushing his way through, but it's not enough to break the persona.
When Kvothe asks Elodin what he things about someone changing their name, he is blasphemed by the idea. It seems like there are some exceptionally bad consequences for that. By that conversation I suspect that Kvothe did indeed change his name to Kote and in doing so stripped away from himself his music as there is no music and a very severe silence at the Waystone. I don't think Kvothe has given up on living so much as he doesn't want to live without that part of himself.
I don't think that there is any sinister in Bast's motives. After Kvothe taking out the Scrael in NotW, I think Bast was hoping to jump start his transition back to Kvothe. I'm sure he has some ulterior movie for wanting him to go back to being Kvothe, but I think Bast truly cares for him and is trying to do what's best.
Perhaps still it is not Kvothe that's waiting to die, but Kote. If the persona of Kote dies, can Kvothe return?
61) Overall thoughts of this book? Did you like the ending? Authors tell me the middle book is the hardest to right because they don't resolve anything and they need to keep your interest? Did Rothfuss do a good job? Did things slow down after the military thieves were caught?
I did like this book. I've read a lot of trilogies where it was really obvious that the middle but was in the middle, but I didn't really feel like that with WMF. It still has a lack of finality, but I think all the things Kvothe did throughout this book are important in the book to come.
62) Did you have a favorite quote or part you liked best? Did anything not sit well with you?
I think my favorite part was realizing how subtle PR is and trying to fit together all of his clues! I'm definitely curious to see what comes next, there is so much going on!
Some additional thoughts.On Kings: In NotW Ben asks Kvothe what he knows of Lanre's story. He says "Lanre was a prince, or a king." Lanre is Haliax, is it possible that Haliax is the king that Kvothe kills?
I know everyone thinks it's Ambrose, and I see why, but I'm not entirely convinced. This is from Chapter 6:
“His [Ambrose] father’s one of the most powerful men in Vintas,” Manet added, then turned to Simmon. “What is he, sixteenth in line to the throne?”
“Thirteenth,” Simmon said sullenly. “The entire Surthen family was lost at sea two months ago. Ambrose won’t shut up about the fact that his father’s barely a dozen steps from being king.”
If Baron Jakis is 13th in the line of succession, that puts Ambrose at 14th at the earliest. But it's also possible (and probable) that the children of the 12 in front of Jakis would be in front of Ambrose. But even if that's not how the succession works, 13 is a lot of people to die for Ambrose to become king.
We also know that the killing happens in Imre. In Chapter 3 of NotW the man who recognizes Kvothe says:
"I saw the place in Imre where you killed him. By the fountain. The cobblestones are all shathered." He frowned and concentrated on the word. "Shattered. They say no one can mend them."
Why would the King of Vint be literally on the other side of the continent in Imre?
When I was searching for some indication of how long it had been between the end of WMF and the present day frame story I noticed that when Kote is recognized as Kvote in NotW and he's telling Bast to give the false story he tells him to "listen three times." Just as Sim used on him in WMF! Not really important, but I thought it interesting.
I also stumbled across Laclith, a "huntsman" that traveled with Kvothe's troupe for a while. Interesting that his name is Laclith when we are interesting in the Lackless/Lockless/Lak-key/Leoclos/Liklos/Leoloes family. He is only mentioned by name 3 times and all in one chapter, but it seems odd for PR to just shove him in there. Could he be a relation?
Questions and Comments for Chapters 125 - 13748) Vicky, I had to bite my tongue not to write about the pregnancy issue. This so reminded me of The Clan of the Cave Bear mentality in regards to reproduction. It also might explain why they have such a low birth rate. They are to inbred and that is why they all look so much alike. They wouldn't know a half sibling from others in the population. I shudder at the thought.
The whole discussion sure made me think about the difficulty explaining things we take as givens. Like trying to prove gravity or something!
49) Kvothe saying he ate some herb that kept him from impregnating woman was interesting. I've never heard of such a thing. I wonder if he used it while he was there. It was mentioned he couldn't gain access to the apothecary. Will little Kvothes be running around nine months later?
I know there are real herbs/plants that can be used as birth control. They're not as reliable as modern methods, but they were used in the past. I know it's referenced in the Outlander books. Pretty cool the amount of medicinal properties that can be found in nature!
50) Again I held my tongue about the sword (I had read a couple of chapters ahead yesterday before I realized I read past the day's reading. I didn't make the Poet-King reference however.). Another thing about the sword I found interesting is that when Kvothe chose it, it's name changed. Does that mean the sword chose Kvothe as well? I found this interesting that after 2000 years it would change its name. Does that mean Kvothe will be the last to wield it?
I'm not sure what it means. Maybe it means that Kvothe is the first one to truly understand its nature/self.
51) Vicky! *Gives her a stern look while laughing* I probably should have had you do the questions for this section. :)
"A man should know the meaning of his own name."
Vashet hesitated, then relented, "It means flame, thunder, and broken tree."
I think the flame and hair make sense.
Thunder--after the episode with the military type thieves I think that one is a no brainer.
Broken Tree. Well, I think that is what Kvothe is somewhat broken after his parents' deaths. Interestingly enough, "Trees are Nature’s gladiator, who despite great imbalance in odds, fights to keep a foothold in the most extreme conditions. This strength is one of the characteristics that have led to the symbolic use of trees. The tree has three parts in terms of symbolism – roots, trunk and branches." (Davies 1988) Also, didn't he tell Granny that he thought something was wrong with him because he killed all those posing as his people?
I took the broken tree to also reference the bandit fight and the way he destroyed it with lightning.
52) Speaking of the murders, what did you make of the whole situation? Could he have done something else? I wonder what Vashet would think? Was it necessary to kill even the women? I did like the insight into Edema Ruh and how they are an honorable group.
I liked knowing that for such a gentle, happy people they have such fierce honor codes that he wouldn't even hesitate to kill them all, women included. Without their honor and reputation, the Ruh would literally have nothing else in their favor. They're already despised and looked down upon enough, so they have to protect their reputation at all costs. At least Kvothe seemed pretty shaken up about it, so he doesn't seem so cold.
Questions and comments for chapter 138 - Epilogue53) So I was hoping we'd get farther into the story than we did with this book. When the book started Kvothe said they'd gone through half of his story. I was hoping we'd go through more. Does anyone know how many books Rothfuss was thinking of writing for this series?
I think it's only three books. It feels like it could easily be longer.
54) I got this in a newsletter Wednesday from TOR, the publisher of Rothfuss' book:
"Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind is Coming to Television
20th Century Fox revealed this past week that they're bringing Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles series to television, beginning with the first book in the series, The Name of the Wind! The Tor.com office is currently in heated debate as to who should play Kvothe and have split into acrimonious Vin Diesel vs. Crow T. Robot camps."
(BTW, Crow T. Robot is a joke. Crow T. Robot is a fictional character from the American science fiction comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). Crow is a robot, who, along with others, ridicules poor-quality B movies.
I'm not sure about Vin either. Can you imagine him as a redhead?)
No way is Vin not a joke too. I think it would be cool to see this as a series! I'm definitely looking forward to Outlander next year too.
54) So if Lockless is truly Kvothe's aunt I wonder what she'll think if she learned he was her nephew? She was very cruel to him although he did get a little hot headed and say some unkind things to her. Were you surprised how things played out with the Maer?
I actually thought Kvothe showed good restraint in that scene. It was a little childish to run off the way he did, but he's still a kid. I wish he'd gotten some more security, but the deal with the bursar seems to have given him plenty. It was too much to hope the Maer could give him more given Meluan's hatred.
55) What did you think of Denna's reason for not getting involved with Kvothe? Do you think that's a situation where the pots calling the kettle black? Would she actually stay in one place long enough for it to matter? I keep thinking she'd be Kvothe's perfect wife if he took up traveling in a troupe again.
Denna is definitely being hypocritical. I think she needs to get over herself and figure out whether she wants to love him or just be friends.
56) What did you think of Fela's thoughts about Kvothe not being one to settle down? As Vicky said yesterday, he sure did change from being a virgin in the first story and first half of this one to sexually active. Could this be just him or something that happened because of Felurian? Could he be under some sort of spell?
I think her comment about his eyes may be the remnants of Felurian. Maybe it will pass with time, but we know in the present he's not married so maybe it won't. Or maybe he really is too much of a wanderer to settle down.
57) What did you make of Kvothe and Edolin's attempt with Elodin to call the name of the wind and Kvothe's supposed failures? I personally thought the failures could have been avoided if Kvothe wasn't so hot tempered and cocky.
At least he's improving. I still laugh every time I think of them naked on the roof of the Archives though! That was a good story!
58) So in the book the following advice is given to Kvothe before he goes to the Maer's by Threpe:
"Be careful on your way there. (...) Remember: There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, the night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
What did you think of this? Did he encounter all these on his journey? Could the anger of a gentle man a reference to his own anger?
The Maer's anger could apply here too. Did he have a moonless night?
59) Did you think it odd that just when Kvothe got interested in story knots, Denna ends up with one in her hair? Is she some sort of spy? It just seemed odd to me.
It made sense because she had mentioned she was headed there, but considering it's such a lost form that even the Master Linguist doesn't know well, it raised some suspicions. Maybe her patron is using her to get to Kvothe.
60) Back with the Kote persona, were you surprised the soldiers got the better of Kvothe? Does this indicate, as the story at the beginning sort of suggested, that Kvothe has given up on living? Why did Bast pay the soldiers to do what they did? Do you think he wanted Kvothe to gain that extra spark and rise to the occasion? What could make Kvothe so devoid of spirit? Was he betrayed? Did he somehow get his friends killed or did he let his temper get the best of him and do something he regrets? Any ideas?
I think Bast is desperate to get him out of his funk and on a new path, perhaps outside of Cthaeh's reach. I want to know what's in his locked chest!
61) Overall thoughts of this book? Did you like the ending? Authors tell me the middle book is the hardest to right because they don't resolve anything and they need to keep your interest? Did Rothfuss do a good job? Did things slow down after the military thieves were caught?
It wasn't as good as the first one for me, mostly because I know it's the middle and nothing will be resolved. I think some interesting things happened, but nothing that major, and that a lot of the scenes could have been cut down or eliminated entirely. What did we learn about Kvothe from this book? That he spent time with the Adem and gained some financial security? That he tangled with the Fae and still can't win Denna's heart? That's not much. Still, the writing is lyrical and comforting, and I enjoyed the book a lot.
62) Did you have a favorite quote or part you liked best? Did anything not sit well with you?
I liked the university stuff and his training with Vashet the most, and I hope that both of these things play a big role in his larger journey or it will feel like a waste.
Gah! I just realized I wrote 'right' for 'write'. Now a days when I type I tend to not think of spelling and just think a word and let my fingers do the rest. Every so often I type a homophone for the word I really intended. Does anyone else do this?
Lisarenee wrote: "Gah! I just realized I wrote 'right' for 'write'. Now a days when I type I tend to not think of spelling and just think a word and let my fingers do the rest. Every so often I type a homophone for ..."I've done it on occasion. I'm not sure what's worse though - that you made the mistake or that none of us even noticed, lol!
I'm not getting GR notices. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this.
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This topic is open for discussion of The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
Book Synopsis:
“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in 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 Trehon. 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, 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's Fear, 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.
Great this BR may be what I need to finally finish this book. I'm half trough it but I'm not feeling the urge to pick it again.
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)
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 really wasn't sure. I wondered if his injuries could have meant he'd left some of his blood behind at the break in, but as Kvothe questioned her I started thinking she had, but I thought Kvothe was a little quick to act even so. I was hoping for an explanation of why she refused before he jumped on her (so to speak).
13. Denna gave Kvothe an incredible gift. Do you think she's trying to tell him something?
Denna is a hard one to figure out and Kvothe unfortunately isn't in any position to take on a wife let alone girl friend. He needs to get a little more stable financially before he can think about something more substantial between them.
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?
To me the whole series so far reminds me of a grown up version of Harry Potter. There were claims The Magician was that, but in my humble opinion this is much better that The Magicians. This, for me, fits in is somewhere between Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. (FYI and by that I mean if you are comparing the series by age)
15. We have our mystery girl! Did you remember Nina? Where do you see the story going with the Chandrian and Amyr?
So how did Ambrose poison his drink? Was there a second girl?
Wow, I guess I should have seen something had to bring Kvothe back to the Chandrians. I have no idea where this will go in regards to the Chandrians. I'm guessing at some point we'll have another show down. Interesting how no one believes in them any more.