The Wise Man's Fear

I never thought I'd ever finish a 1000+ page book in a little over 2 weeks. That's how good this follow-up novel is.

The continuing story of a living legend in hibernation; detailing how he became the man of legend. This book goes into more of the mysterious and fantastical legends about Kvothe's past. They're too good of pay-offs to mention here, but this book is a great example on how such a well-fleshed out character in book 1 becomes even better. It's amazing how much happens in this book, yet how little is resolved regarding our main character.

One of my biggest reservations about this series is how, since the story is being told by Kvothe later in his life, the sense of peril could be minimized because you obviously know that he makes it through whatever is thrust upon him. To battle my reservation, Rothfuss makes KVothe's journey so much one of legend that the scenarios feel important. Kvothe makes it through, but these rights of passage are so huge in the making of Kvothe that peril takes a back seat.

I, like every other reader of this series, am waiting on bated breath for book 3, and it can't come soon enough!

I will say that the journey through the woods and Kvothe's time in Ademre seem to be very drawn out and could've used some trimming. When so much other potentially interesting things were glanced over and rushed through, I didn't need a good chunk of the story being about tracking footprints through a forest.