I once told someone that The Kingkiller Chronicles would be the books I would want if I was stranded on a desert island. We’ve been waiting more than a decade for the third book in the trilogy, and if it is never released I would still take the first two books with me. That’s how much I love them.
What are the books about?
The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss are currently two books, The Name of the Wind (2007) and The Wise Man’s Fear (2011). A third book, The Doors of Stone, has been rumored for many years.
They follow the story of Kvothe, a man who is somewhat of a Mary Sue, almost perfect in everything he does. He is a talented musician who goes to the University to pursue knowledge, in particular of the types of magic found in his world. There he expands to new discoveries and people, and begins investigating the Chandrian, a mysterious group of what I can only describe as boogeymen, given the little the books tell us about them.
The story is told as a story-within-a-story, where a much older Kvothe is spending a few days telling the story of his youth to Chronicler, a wandering scribe of sorts. While there is plenty of action and history within the storytelling part, we drop into the historical story itself for long portions of the books.
The Themes of the Kingkiller Chronicles
The Power of Storytelling
It should come as no surprise that storytelling is the main theme of the books. We are literally hearing Kvothe’s story as told, and much discussion happens around this idea. The concept of the unreliable narrator is an interesting one here, as we are led to believe he is telling all the truth during his story, but at times it is clear he is embellishing some parts and hiding others.
Still, it is also clear from the story that the importance of myth is being discussed, with the stories of Kvothe being tossed back and forth. We can’t really tell what is true and what is legend, and it shows how stories can both inspire and deceive in the telling. The Chandrian themselves are widely considered myth within the historical story, but it seems clear they are real—and coming for Kvothe—in the present day.
The Pursuit of Knowledge
Kvothe spends his youth desperately trying to get into the University, and to stay there when he does. He seems to want to know everything, and has many challenges as he tries to master music and magic and other skills. He is relentless in his pursuit of knowledge (and in some ways has particular reasons to know things), but we learn from him a lot about what it means to gain the knowledge he wants. Every step he takes is a step into both mastery of a skill and the responsibility of knowing how to use it. The consequences of what he knows really shape the way his destiny unfolds.
The Nature of Identity
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the unmasking of various characters as the story develops. By that I mean the initial appearance of a character will show one aspect of their character, but as time passes we see more and more of them. This very much reflects real life. In many ways we place our own interpretation of a person on them, but they are completely different (think of your morning barista: in your mind they’re simply serving coffee, but they are a fully developed person in their own story).
Many stories bring in new characters and we immediately recognize them for who they are: the Villain, the Sidekick, the Love Interest, etc. Rothfuss does this, but then adds twists so we discover more aspects of the person, not the character we know. This really brings us into the complexity of people, the different ways they show themselves to the world, and the entire nature of authenticity and the power of experience.
A Character of Great Interest
Relating the Kingkiller Chronicles to my own Kingsmoot series, I am struck by the similarities between the characters Auri and Vedi.
Auri is an enigmatic figure in the Kingkiller Chronicles, appearing as a sensitive young woman who lives on the edge of the University. By that I mean she is found on the roof, or in the underground tunnels, and not as a regular student. She can be described as ethereal, appearing only to Kvothe when she wants to be seen. She acts as some kind of wise guide to the inner workings of the University.
The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a book Rothfuss wrote about Auri. It’s not part of the Kingkiller Chronicles, but it is a very worthy aside.
Auri is mysterious, vulnerable, resilient. It is hard to describe her role in the story to someone who hasn’t read it, but the idea of the fully-formed character again comes to mind. We see just a little of what she is or can be in the world, and are left wanting to know more about her. She appears in her own spin-off novella, The Slow Regard of Silent Things, which frankly asks as many questions as it answers, and she is one of the favorite characters in the books. She is perhaps the epitome of harmony and order within Kvothe’s life.
My character Vedi has a surprisingly similar role in the Nine Kingdoms, although it might not be as obfuscated as it is with Auri. Vedi is thrust into a situation she doesn’t want to be in, and deals with it as best she can. She remains aloof and enigmatic, but there is much to learn from her, and more to come than what we’ve seen in Vedi’s Salvation.
Oddly enough I did not intend to base Vedi on Auri at all, not even in the slightest similarity in their names. Vedi was a character that came to me in her own right. I suppose there might be something to be said about seeping into the subconscious at this point, and hanging around for nearly a decade until parts of Auri showed themselves in Vedi.
Other series to read
It’s hard to recommend any books as similar to the Kingkiller Chronicles. I find them so unique and uniquely interesting. Are we looking at a person’s life story? A history of the world? A simple fantasy tale? All of the above, and much more than that. Other books seem to do just one of these things.
The books I recommend here are thus only tangentially related to the ideas of Kvothe. I have read and enjoyed them all, and will write about them sometime. If you’re looking for books to read after the Kingkiller Chronicles (and my own Kingsmoot!) these would be good places to go.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (Gentleman Bastard series): This series is as much about the character of Locke Lamora as Kingkiller is about Kvothe. He’s a cunning thief involved in heists and schemes, which could also be said about Kvothe (although maybe without the thief part).
The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson: Everyone knows Sanderson by now, and this series is one of the epic fantasy series you have to read. It is known for being a doorstop of a series, and I’d honestly say it might even be a little too long for me, but I enjoyed it anyway.
The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie: I will warn you straight away that Abercrombie is not for everyone. This is a much darker version of epic fantasy than almost any other I’ve read. If you’re willing to try there are some great characters inside.
The Broken Empire trilogy by Mark Lawrence: Okay, so if you want even darker fantasy, this is as much as it gets for me. Again the characters show up, but they have to try and shine through a lot of gore. Worth reading but I definitely wanted to put it down at times.
The Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks: A completely different style of writing, I devoured this series when I discovered it. Lots of political intrigue and perhaps the most unique magic system I’ve ever read. Much different to the one in Kingkiller, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting.
In Conclusion
The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss has become a beloved fantasy series, although not yet with the widespread appeal of Tolkien or Martin. Like many others I’m waiting for the third and perhaps final book in the series, but I’m much more patient than many people. Maybe because of delays in my own series, I’m willing to wait and be surprised when another book comes along. Even if it doesn’t, what we already have is wonderful.
These are what my books aspire to be: captivating, intricate, and powerful stories which leave you thinking about them for years after reading. The stories are full of imagination, with moving characters and challenging themes. I love them and I think you will too.