Author Topic: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?  (Read 5156 times)

fireflyz

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Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« on: March 06, 2011, 02:19:18 PM »
Hey all,

  My friends haven't finished the book yet, but I finished it on wednesday so I'm dying to hear what others think.  I won't post any spoilers, but I'll briefly give my impression. 

  First off, his prose was beautiful, as always.  He really has a gift for that.  It was well written and intriguing.  Having said that, I expected there to be more progress made plot wise.  I like books that have strong characters and intriguing plots.  His first book set up a very intriguing and historical plot that had me hooked.  This one I'm conflicted about.  I enjoyed reading it, thought it was a very good book.  But there were so few sections that I felt advanced the actual plot and that lessened my enthusiasm somewhat.  I enjoyed the section where he does something (and Kvothe says this in the story) that puts him on the level of a true hero, rather than something was still amazing, but then the stories make it more than it was.  HIs romantic life is killing me as well, haha.  I don't have any complaints with that, Mr. Rothfuss is doing the appropriate amount of tugging on the heart strings.

  I feel like this book packed all the dynamite up and set the fuses.  I'm really hoping the third book actuallys lights the fuse and the plot picks up.  There's so much left to cover (IMO) that I'm wondering how it's going to be sewn up in one more volume.  I certainly wouldn't mind him taking the series to a fourth or fifth book.

  Anyway, that's my take.  Well written, beautiful prose with a story that moved slower than I was hoping for.  What do you all think?
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Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2011, 08:37:54 PM »
I liked it. There were a lot of parts I really liked. I'm not sure I would agree with Brandon about the pacing—you know, it didn't build to any sort of climax or the like. But that's not really what Rothfuss's books are about, though the first book at least had a tacked-on climax in the draccus incident.

I continue to be very impressed at the subtlety of the storytelling. I read a thread on Westeros where they were talking about how Meluan Lackless's sister who ran away with the Ruh is probably Kvothe's mother, and I didn't catch that while reading. But I think it's probably the correct interpretation.

I'm not that impressed with the portrayal of casual sex, but I'm not surprised with it, coming from a writer who is very much a product of today's society. The Adem view of pregnancy is a nice touch (it's a view of several primitive societies in our own world). But the whole argument ignores several important facets. Which it's possible Pat intends to bring up later (judging by Denna's reaction to Kvothe's reputation at the end of the book), but I'm doubting it.

Overall I felt it advanced the plot and Kvothe's character enough for what this story is, comparing it to the first book. I've heard that Pat plans a second trilogy covering what happens after the Waystone Inn, and I'm wondering if that will be in third person or if Pat will find some other way to keep it in first person. I personally like the first person parts better, since the third person parts have a loose POV and I'm not fond of that.
All Saiyuki fans should check out Dazzle! Emotionally wrenching action-adventure and quirky humor! (At least read chapter 6 and tell me if you're not hooked.) Volume 10 out now!

fireflyz

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2011, 09:57:06 PM »
I agree that Meluan Lackless's sister is most likely Kvothe's mother.  I hadn't heard about the potential second trilogy.  I think that would make a lot of sense and you're right.  The first person POV is much tighter than the third POV parts.  I'm not sure how he would make that work, but he's got a few years to figure that out.
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hubay

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2011, 10:28:59 PM »
What struck me when they were talking about Ms. Lackless was the secret door. The Cthaeh had a comment about how the secret to finding the amyr was close to Maen (or something along those lines, since it was being all delphic). and of course there's the box. I was amazed at how many loose threads are floating around, and I'm curious if Mr Rothfuss plans to tie them up or leave them ambiguous.

I would love to read a second trilogy, but I wonder what it would do to the tone. We understand that terrible things are going to happen in the third book; and the "silence of a man waiting to die" is pretty powerful. I'd be excited to see some sort of redemption for Kvothe at the Waystone, but at the same I fear a second set of books will damage the experience of the first.

As an aside, I only got the book yesterday. None of the local chain bookstores had it, which ticked me off, so I ended up going to an indie seller called Boswell (I live in milwaukee). For whatever reason all their books were autographed, so without even trying to, I got a signed book. Pretty excited about that.

chandran

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2011, 12:30:27 AM »
I thought the book was pretty amazing. Although, I really hadn't caught on to the thing about Kvothe's mother. Makes me wonder how much else I missed going through it the first time. Oh well, guess I'll just have to read over it again.
Possible spoiler here, you've been warned:
Although, I'm curious: What are peoples opinions about Cinder being where he was in the book? I didn't think the Chandrian mingled with humans. But then, we have so little information on them.

guessingo

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2011, 02:41:16 AM »
When will the Elitist review be up? I am actually at the point where I don't read new fantasy books unless they review it. Well I won't go that far for this book.

Bookstore Guy

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2011, 05:01:42 PM »
We didn't request an ARC of Wise Man's Fear from DAW.  Since we don't request anything else from them, it seemed unprofessional to hit them up for just one novel.  Our reviewers are pretty much all tackling it at the moment...all except me.  All of the "ZOMG!!!!" is making me not want to read it until the fervor has died down a bit.  I'd much rather read the new Tchaikovsky or Barclay at the moment, and those novels are more portable on a plane trip to England.

However, from what people are saying, if you liked Name of the Wind, you'll like Wise Man's Fear.  No need to wait to see what people are saying with this one.
Check out our blog, Elitist Book Reviews at:
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guessingo

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2011, 07:18:00 PM »
what day of the week does the new york times bestseller list update?

I am wondering if the lack of enough books at bookstores will hurt him in the rankings or if he will still get #1.

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2011, 08:03:29 PM »
There's no guarantee he'll get #1 but it seems remotely possible, though it could also be down around #5 or so. (Judging by Amazon rank below other current-release novels; Amazon rank will skew higher than bookstores for a popular fantasy novel. BN rank is lower.) Daw should find out on Wednesday.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2011, 08:22:39 PM by Peter Ahlstrom »
All Saiyuki fans should check out Dazzle! Emotionally wrenching action-adventure and quirky humor! (At least read chapter 6 and tell me if you're not hooked.) Volume 10 out now!

ryos

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2011, 12:27:05 AM »
I thought the first two thirds or so were riveting. I found myself quite unable to put it down. Then came Felurian, and that whole sequence just dragged on and on. Then came the Adem, and I'm with Peter: the portrayal of casual sex had me rolling my eyes. Sex without complication or attachment just does not fit with what I have observed of the world.

After those two bits, I feel like very little happened. The book just wound gradually down. But it was effective in that it really drove home to me that this story is not going to have a happy ending. This is a tragedy that leaves its protagonist a broken shell of his former self. And it made me feel just a little of the profound sadness and loss that results.

It also made me realize that I will be very disappointed if that is all there is to the story. I want Kvothe to recover who he was and leave the Waystone behind. The trouble is that I don't see how the third book could have room to do that in any satisfactory way, so the mention of rumblings of a second trilogy make me happy.

So, I guess it's a mixed bag for me, but I'm glad I read it, and the good outweighs the bad.

In closing, some odds and ends:
  • I find the theory that Meluan Lackless is Kvothe's aunt especially likely considering his mother's reaction to the lewd children's rhyme he sung about Lady Lackless in the first book.
  • I bet the Lockless Box needs to be opened by one who can speak its name. I suspect that may have been what inspired Kvothe to do the same when crafting his thrice-locked chest. (Also, how sad that he can no longer open it. :()
  • I'd bet money that since Kvothe ran away before the Cthaeh could finish poisoning him, there's a chance that he's already done everything to ruin the world that he's going to do. At least I hope that's the case, or the second trilogy will also be a terrible tragedy.
Eerongal made off with my Fluffy Puff confections.

guessingo

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2011, 04:49:05 PM »
@Bookstore Guys: I was half kidding. I rely on you guys for authors I have not read or maybe authors I have read in the past, but they are doing something different now.  Even though I don't agree with all of your reviews (I did not like the first Stephen Erickson book. I had to force myself to finish it.), I like the way you write them.

that being said, how come you don't request DAW arcs? They seem to do alot of fantasy and science fiction.


Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2011, 10:47:36 PM »
One possible meaning of Kvothe's name being "the broken tree" is that he will defeat the Cthaeh somehow.

Then came the Adem, and I'm with Peter: the portrayal of casual sex had me rolling my eyes. Sex without complication or attachment just does not fit with what I have observed of the world.
Yep. Even in the cultures on our planet that I've read about where they don't believe sex has anything to do with pregnancy, they still have some form of marriage. And am I to believe that Adem bodies don't produce oxytocin?
« Last Edit: March 08, 2011, 10:51:15 PM by Peter Ahlstrom »
All Saiyuki fans should check out Dazzle! Emotionally wrenching action-adventure and quirky humor! (At least read chapter 6 and tell me if you're not hooked.) Volume 10 out now!

Erid

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2011, 01:40:12 AM »
  I wasn't turned off by the sex, I think it's good Pat didn't shy away from it as often happens in epic fantasy.  I think it fits with Kvothe's character too.  However I do agree with the comments about the Adem society, that felt a little unrealistic.

How do  you think Cthaeh is pronounced?

fireflyz

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2011, 01:56:25 AM »
That's an awesome catch about the broken tree.  Haha, I even remember thinking while reading that, hmm...what's up with this broken tree?  By the time the tree came into the picture I'd completely forgotten.
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Erid

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Re: Wise Man's Fear--Your Take?
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2011, 02:03:42 AM »
*SPOILERS*



I thought the broken tree was referring to the tree he destroyed with the lighting during the battle with bandits in the woods.  Just a thought.