Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Fantasy reading

The Name of the Wind: Patrick Rothfuss: If you like your fantasy fast-paced and action-filled, this is not your book. If, however, you don't mind a book that takes its time to develop its characters so that you can get to know them, this may be a book you'll enjoy. I've seen it called the Harry Potter for grownups, and I guess in the sense that it's about a young boy, Kvothe, who discovers his magical abilities at a young age and ends up at a university where magic is taught, the comparison is valid. But The Name of the Wind is more than just Harry Potter for adults; it's its own magical universe. There's also a dread that builds up in this book -- the fear of what Kvothe is going to have to eventually face -- that I never quite felt in the HP books. I am actually afraid for Kvothe -- for what he is going to have to do and what he's going to have to become to defeat his enemy, the Chandrian, legendary figures he learns are all too real. The Name of the Wind can be slow at times, and Kvothe's obsession with this girl, Denna, can be tiresome, but even given all that, the book is well-written and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

1 comment:

Peter Tobey said...

Congratulations. Your blog has been nominated for our Library Blog Awards. In fact, your blog was suggested more than once. We're in the process of assembling information about all those nominated and will be sending a short questionnaire, including the categories of awards and the judges involved. Would you please send me your email address so that I can send you the questionnaire? If your email is on your blog, I couldn't locate it.

Thanks in advance,
Peter W Tobey
ptobey@salempress.com