I’m more than halfway through the book and like… what am I actually reading? Why is it accounted as high fantasy, considering that well over chapter 50 I’m still reading about a dude playing lute at a tavern? Why was it among the “must read if you like B. Sanderson, high fantasy and complex world building”? Where’s the actual world building here. I feel like I was scammed. It’s literally just the sad story of a guy who lost his parents to some evil creatures in an absolutely mainstream and plain conventional fantasy setting. I don’t get why was it even compared to Sanderson’s magic systems and world building. Please please someone tell me it’s still worth reading and that something will eventually HAPPEN that will shake this boring account of a sad university dude.
Best regards, Disappointed reader
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The biggest draw is the prose, if it hasn’t interested you, stop reading. I don’t read for plot or world building, I read for vibes and pretty sentences, so I really like his books, if that’s not your case, it’s not for you.
I really enjoyed the first book The Name Of the Wind, thinking it was setting up to be a trilogy and get pay off for what I was reading. But the second book only makes more questions and open ended story lines, the main character becomes even more “perfect” and the author came down with a case of GRRM and left us with a slim chance for another book. If you’re not enjoying it so far, there’s no payoff for any of it later lol
It’s very different from Sanderson, I’m going to guess that was a comparison from someone who hasn’t read very broadly in fantasy.
As someone who enjoyed Name of the Wind a lot, even though it’ll never be finished: the big draw is the prose (aka, one of the things Sanderson focuses least on, one of many ways they’re very different authors). Rothfuss’s prose is gorgeous. If you’re halfway through, you’ve been plenty exposed to his prose, and if it isn’t selling the book for you, I recommend quitting.
For books that actually feel like Sanderson, I suggest Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennet, which has a lot in common with Mistborn Era 1 (and, in my opinion, has significantly better character work than Mistborn Era 1).
You couldn’t be farther from truth, I’m very well read when it comes to fantasy, that’s why I don’t see how Sanderson’s world building was compared to Rothfuss’s. So it won’t get any deeper than what is shown in the first book, in terms of employment of magic and action?
Why must we continue having this same conversation with Rothfuss time after time?
I love the books, I liked them even after a few pages. It isn’t high fantasy, nor is it a densely developed world. And that’s ok. It’s a fun read in my opinion, and I liked the second books quite a bit too.
If you don’t like it, life is too short, go find something else to read and stop dogpiling on this dude. Plenty of other great stuff to read these days…
Downvote me Rothfuss haters, upvote me Rothfuss lovers, but at the end of the day, we obsess over him too much and need to move on to more productive conversations.
It’s just that I was looking for my next read after the cosmere series and all everyone was talking about on reddit and other comminities was Rothfuss above all other high fantasy authors, so you can imagine my disappointment and that’s why I posted. I was hoping someone would tell me that things would get deeper and more complex if I was just patient enough. Looks like not.
If I were you, I’d jump ship now.
I enjoyed the first book just fine, but I think the second book is a lot worse than the first, and, spoiler, there’s no third book yet, so nothing is resolved and may never be.
Put it down. Don’t read the one after as it is fae porn trash.
Fae Porn Trash is a great band name.
It’s like a D&D campaign, but only the side quests, and
somewriter insertion.I’ve come to the conclusion that the people who claim it’s a good series are inflating it with their own imagination. Unreliable narrator seems to be a common excuse from the fans of bad fiction, who can’t come to terms with having bad taste.
The prose is fine, and worth talking about. But considering it fails on every other front, I can’t call it a good book or series (if something that will never be finished qualifies as a series).
If you’re already not enjoying it, drop it. It’s extremely consistent at what it is.
Please post ‘Should I keep reading’ questions, in our Weekly Recommendation Thread.