Book Review: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, Tenth Anniversary Edition

The Name of the Wind
Tenth Anniversary Edition
by Patrick Rothfuss
Illustrated by Don dos Santos

I first read The Name of the Wind several years ago and loved it.  I bought the sequel The Wise Man's Fear when it was first published and read it within a week of purchase.  Since that day in 2011 I've been eagerly awaiting the announcement of the publication date of the anticipated third book in the series that should wrap up the trilogy.  Sadly while that announcement has (as of the time of writing) not yet been made, there was an opportunity to pick up a new copy of The Name of the Wind on the tenth anniversary of its publication.  My previous copy was a mass market paperback, so I gladly swapped it out for this gorgeous hardcover edition.

No one writes about economic reality within this genre like Pat Rothfuss. The real-world weight of the sometimes impossible distance between the things you want and need and what you have in your pocket.

No one writes about music like Pat Rothfuss. The way it sneaks into your soul, the way it feeds you like nothing else.

No one writes about stories like Pat Rothfuss. How the right story at the right time can change the world, how the teller can shape a life.

No one writes like Pat Rothfuss. Full stop. Read this book.
--Lin-Manuel Miranda

The story starts with a frame story set in the present day.  "It was night again.  The Waystone Inn lay in silence, and it was a silence of three parts."  Then it transitions into the telling of the first part of the life of the mysterious character Kvothe, who is now of legendary stature.

The story is very well written and an amazing story that will pull you in until you don't want to leave.  Kovthe is very interesting and not always exemplary.  He has had a hard life and made many different choices.  The tale is rich and full of details and clearly rests on the background of an amazing world.  It may appear to be a typical coming of age tale, but constantly takes different twists and surprising turns that you wouldn't otherwise expect and thus hasn't yet disappointed.

Several appendices have been added to the end of this special volume along with an updated map of The Four Corners of Civilization.  The appendices cover the prior history of the region (there was once an area-spanning empire that left behind remnants like a common language), the calendar in use, various currencies of the region, and how certain words are to be pronounced.

If you have already read or own The Name of the Wind I would encourage you to check out this edition for the additional content which make it well worth buying as your copy of this volume.  If you've never read the story before but are interested this version is an excellent one to select for your first reading.

Rating: 5 out of 5
Summary: An enhanced edition of the now classic adventure tale telling the first part of the life of the mysterious Kvothe.
Technical: Hardcover with dust jacket, 729 pages, multiple black and white illustrations and red edging on all pages.  Includes a detailed map and appendices covering history, calendars, currency, and language of the world.

~Matt