The Name of the Wind By Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind

Author: Patrick Rothfuss

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: DAW

Publication Date: 2007

Recommendation: Oh Yes, you must pick this one up!





Book Cover Synopsis:

MY NAME IS KVOTHE

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature - the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.

My Review and Summary:

In this story you actually get two stories for one. There is a current time period and the story time period. In some books this blending is at times hard to keep separate. However, in this book it is very distinctly divided and there is no confusion as to what time period you are reading in.

The story starts off with an Inn Keeper, named Kote, tending his customers and maintaining his Inn. Kote is listening to all the talk at his inn for something... Some information as to how the world is doing, see there is a war currently being fought. Then a man named Chronicler comes in looking for Kvothe. Chronicler recognizes Kvothe as the Inn Keeper, and requests him to tell his life story so he can record it.

Kvothe comes up with some guidlines for the recording of his lifes history and Chronicler reluctantly agrees to them. As the story starts Kvothe takes you all the way back to when he was a happy, go lucky child with his family and troupe, and how he meet and was intreged by an Arcanist. Kvothe learned many things from this Arcanist, Ben, along with touching on Sympathy, or as we may call magic. Kvothe was very interested in the sympathy and after watching Ben call upon the wind Kvothe wanted to learn the name of the Wind in the worst way possible. With the many things Ben taught Kvothe, Ben learned that Kvothe was an exceptionally brilliant child. Ben told Kvothe and his parents of the University, the place for learning all there is to learn to be a guilded Arcanist.

Kvothe is not sure if he wants to leave the life style he currently has to go to the University, though it does sound wonderful to him. However, as you know in books there is sometimes not a choice, life leads the way for you. There are many unfortunate things that happen to Kvothe here as he is growing up and he losses his way for a few years. But, when Kvothe comes out of the state of shock he had been in for three years he makes the decision to go to the University. Kvothe is one of the youngest and poorest kids to sit for the admissions of the University. Kvothe is accepted in with a tuition he needs to figure out how to pay.

Kvothe has many trials and tribulations he needs to over come and surpass to keep going throughout the book. You are probably asking, what sets this book apart from others or makes it special. Aside from the troubles Kvothe gets into and the unique resolutions, the writing style holds you attention. You are left wondering what analogy Patrick is going to use next. Or what discriptive words he will rhythmically link together to make the perfect visual, sound, touch or taste. The descriptions of all the senses are so detailed you can visualize with ease what is being told. The story itself has a rise and fall like poems or music do. There is a flow to the way of the story that you just follow along very smoothly.

You get to hear what happens from Kvothe then you get to hear the stories that are spread and told by the other students and towns people. It is funny to hear the legendary stories and compare them to what really happened, amazing how a story can get changed around depending on what people thought they saw then mix in their believes.

Do I recommend this book? Whole heartedly! You may think the story is just the simple story of another poor boy, but I have to say this story is anything but simple. The uniqueness of the problem solving used, along with the descriptive writing should be shared with all.

Do enjoy this book.

My ABC's

My ABC's

Krista at Life_or_Something_Like_it... has tagged me. Great list Krista! Now it is time to get to know me a little better. Ha, I don't know if I know my self this well, but I will give it a try. Here we go...

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Share your ABCs
3. Tag three people at the end by linking to their blogs
4. Let the three tagged people know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website
5. Do not tag the same person repeatedly but try to tag different people, so there is a big network of bloggers doing this tag

Available or single? What? Aren't they both the same? I would have to say always under consideration.

Best Friend? Sue

Cake or Pie? Both? Okay have to pick one... Do I get milk with it? Okay... cake, pie, no...Cake.

Drink of choice? Lately it seems to be hot, black tea with vanilla or 3 berry

Essential item for every day use? I would have to say computer with internet and my current book of choice.

Favorite color? Blue

Google? Everything, everyday, all the time.

Hometown? Slickville, PA

Indulgences? Books

January or February? January

Kids and their names? Roger - son, Tiffany - step-daughter, Jayda - dog, Bentley - cat

Life is incomplete without…? Family, friends, books, and laughs.

Marriage? Do you really have to? Yes, I guess... I am married now for 8 years and we have been together for 12 years.

Number of siblings? 1 brother, Do you want extended? I don't really spend any time with any of the extended but they are there - 3 step-sisters and 2 step-brothers.

Oranges or apples? Green apples - The Granny Smiths

Phobias and fears? Maybe heights...

Quote for the day? Smile, it makes people wonder what you have been up to...

Reason to smile? The great comments and jokes from blog friends, and my son

Season? Spring or Fall... Spring the life jumping out, Fall for the beautiful colors.

Tag 3 people?
Alexia at Alexia's_Books_and_Such...

Froggarita at Froggaritaville's_Bookcase
Cecelia at Adventures_of_Cecelia_Bedelia


Unknown fact about me? I like to scribble my ideas down for books and make up scenes for them. (No one here at home knows this, they just think I am wierd with the journel in my purse and by my bed.)

Vegetable you hate? Kidney beans, eeewwww.

Worst habit? Cracking my knuckles.

X-rays you’ve had? teeth

Your fave food? Steak

Zodiac sign? Leo

Balderdash (3)

Word Verification Balderdash is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

This is very easy to do.

If you comment on blogs you can do this too.

Write down all the word verifications you get while posting comments on other peoples blogs.

You then play Balderdash with them.

In case you don't know how to play, you take the made up word and come up with an authentic sounding definition for it. Do this for a week and then post your best or favorite ones every Thursday.

Here are mine for this week:

jimpet - the tiny sliver of cookie or cake left on the plate which you have to push your finger to, to get it to stick so you can get it to your mouth to saver the last little taste.

precula - the time Vampires refer to as 'before turned to vampire state'.

trianke - a tricolored gold ankle bracelet.

destiz - the dreams you have in the quick naps with your eyes open that you feel may be a premonition to what will happen.

dentsmec - the mask the dentist wears to cover his mouth and nose before leaning in to examine your teeth.

Lets see your words!

Interview with Michael Sullivan!

I was fortunate enough to come across the author of a book I have just read and reviewed, Michael Sullivan of the Riyria Revelations. The book I read and reviewed, the first in the series, The_Crown_Conspiracy. I was very excited when this opportunity arose, so I asked him a few questions and have those with his answers posted below.


Here is the Biography Michael has on his website:
Born in Detroit Michigan, Michael J. Sullivan has lived in Vermont, North Carolina and Virginia. He worked as a commercial artist and illustrator, founding his own advertising agency in 1996, which he closed in 2005 to pursue writing full-time. The Crown Conspiracy is his first published work. He currently resides in Fairfax, Virginia with his wife and three children.


The interview:

Me: I was wondering if I could ask you a some questions?

Michael: I love questions.

Me: I am always curious as to the story behind the story. How or what sparred the thoughts of the stories of these two thieves?

Michael: The bulk of this is covered in detail in my blog, the February 9th entry entitled Genesis, and I would re-paste it here, but it might be too long. Just to add to that blog, I wrote about two adventurers long ago when I was in high school (I actually wrote a trilogy of novels between the ages of 14 and 17.) They were about a cunning warrior with a mysterious past and a prince in exile who team up and become the leaders of a band of adventurers.

Then when I was in my late twenties, a friend tried to cheer me up by proposing we write a chain story. He would write a page, then I would. It began with two men entering a medieval tavern one big one smaller. I named them Royce and Hadrian. My friend isn’t a writer. He would mail me a page (hand written and snail-mailed, this was before the Internet.) I would reply with a thirty-page chapter and frequently would re-write his portion. He soon lost interest, but I continued to think about Royce and Hadrian. This chain story was, in my mind, like a bad tv show that I often thought about making into a good feature-length movie.

I always had the beginning: Two guys going to steal something and it goes bad right at the start. Royce and Hadrian hung on the outside of that tower for about five years before I decided to actually write the story having been inspired by B5 and Buffy…now if you go read the blog you’ll get the rest of the story. (http://riyria.blogspot.com/)


Me: You are planning this series to be six books, do you have any idea of the span of time they will be published in?

Michael: The books are coming out every six months. I can do this because I wrote all of them prior to the first being published. It is now only a matter of editing, proofing and painting the covers. Editing actually takes a lot of work and is often more time consuming than the original draft. So…


Crown was released on Oct. 1 2008

Avempartha hit shelves on April 1 2009

Nyphron Rising will be released Oct. 1 2009

The Emerald Storm will be out April 2010

Wintertide: Oct. 2010

Percepliquis: April 2011

Me: Just curious as to who was your inspiration to write? Or who is you favorite author?

Michael: Again this is covered in the blog, entry for Jan 15th “In the Beginning.” But to sum up, Tolkien was the author that got me writing. Stephen King took over after that and then I diversified into lots of others. Asimov, Steinbeck, Rand, Lovecraft, Richard Adams, Updike, Herbert. And finally it was Rowling who got me to write this series.

Me: Do you have any advice for any aspiring writers?

Michael: Don’t write to get published. Don’t write to make a living. Write for your own enjoyment—then you’ll always be successful.


Me: I have to say it is great that your wife works with you so closely. It sounds as she is a great help and support. This is wonderful to hear, you seem to have a great team going there.

Michael: Yes, she is wonderful. She is the business brains behind everything. I can’t sell myself. I hate selling myself. She loves the books so she can promote them passionately. For me, I can’t tell people how great my work is, it just feels like arrogance. She hates that.

Thank you Michael for chatting with me. I really did enjoy our talk and look forward to your future books and hopefully getting the opportunity to talk with you again.
If you would like to read more information on Michael and his books at his blog please click the link to head over Michael's_Blog.

Here is an attachment to a trailer for The Crown Conspiracy, the first book in the series, movie_trailer.

If you would like to visit Micheals' site for the World of Elan please click the site address.
http://www.michaelsullivan-author.com/index.html

Superior Scribbler Award

I want to thank Michelle @ The_Book_Addict for this award. I thought this was very neat. Once you read the post that explains this award you too will think it is just amazing to receive.

Here are the rules for this award:


1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.


2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.


3. Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.


4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!


5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.



Now... The 5 bloggers I present this award to is:

Alexia at Alexia's_Books_and_Such

Froggarita at Froggaritavilles_Bookcase

Sheila at One_Persons_Journey_Through_a_World_of_Books

Cecelia at Adventures_of_Cecelia_Bedelia

Book Chick at Book_Chick_City

Congradulations to all! Make sure to take the time to stop by all these blogs and say hello.

From Me to You!

From Me to You...

I have received this award from Nikola @ Nikola's_Book_Blog and Froggarita @ Froggaritavilles_Bookcase.

These two kind people are sharing the kindness I have seen all over the blogosphere so far. I want to say Thank You to both of these new friends.

I would also like to pass this cute little bear on to a few more friends.

Ryan at Wordsmithonia

Deb at Bookmagic

Kelly at Author_Kelly Moran_Blog

Congratulations to all and Thank you for visiting and being so kind!

Please take the time to visit these wonderful blogs!

Teaser Tuesdays (4)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event.

Sponsored by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page

Share 2 "teaser" sentences from anywhere on the page.

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away) Just enough to pique our interets.

List the book and author so other participants can get their hand on it if they choose to read it as well.

This week:

"Then I heard a voice, a voice like burning silver, like a kiss against my ears. Looking up, my heart lifted and I knew it was my Aloine."

The Name of the Wind

By Patrick Rothfuss