The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss

by Paul
(Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, USA)

The Name of the Wind is the first book in a series of two. The second, The Wise Man's Fear is scheduled for an April 2009 release. There will be a third book, but that is unconfirmed as of now.

It is set it a time when knights and kings still hold power over the land and magic is used by those who have the talent.

Kvothe (the hero) is a child in a traveling show when he meets a magician who joins them. He teaches Kvothe in all subjects, including magic. One night, while he is gathering firewood, his family and the rest of the show is killed. He vows to go to the Academy to learn about the killers and try to get revenge on his family. He makes some unlikely friends and some obvious enemies, but that just adds to the story.

It might not sound all that interesting, but with over 650 pages, Kvothe has time to go from a wandering troop to a school to a powerful magician.

I read this book when I was in 8th grade, and I thought it was fantastic! It is great if you have a few hours to read because you won't want to stop reading until you have finished.

Webmaster's Note: I've read some excellent reviews on The Name of the Wind, though I haven't gotten around to reading it myself just yet. The buzz around it is very positive and, as Paul says, they're well worth a try.