posted
Anyone else read The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I actually read it on OSC's recommendation.
It was a pretty strong recommendation:
quote: He doesn't waste a single word.
After reading the book, I do not agree. Not only did I find many wasted words, but I found quite a few said-book-isms, Tom Swifts, phonetic dialogue (once it even caused me to stop reading to try an decipher it), and a few times that information was withheld for dramatic purposes. It was not even done for suspense purposes.
I won't give any spoilers; it's not a bad story (though incomplete).
I wonder if he felt obligated to give it a "good review" because part of it won the Writer's of the Future Contest?
Opinions on the book or conjecture of OSC's motives are welcome.
posted
I haven't read it yet, but I have a friend who wants to read it in tandem with me. I've heard it's been highly praised by a few authors, but that kind of set-up usually makes me wary. And after reading your take, I might have to read it just to investigate.
Posts: 201 | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I know it was highly praised by a plethora of authors, Kevin J. Anderson (who is not only a WOTF judge, he actually introduced Rothfuss to his editor) was among them. However, I didn't know about the authors on the back of the book when I went in search of it.
[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited September 12, 2007).]
posted
I haven't read it, but I'll ask: is it a case where good story makes up for poor writing? (You say it's not a bad story, but I'm not sure how not bad it is, I guess.) Just curious.
I've seen a few cases where good authors recommend books I don't care for.
posted
I've read this one, and thought that it was amazing. Granted, the writing wasn't spotless, but for the most part I thought it very well done, and enjoyed the story immensely. For a first time author, I can't think of a better way to begin. Can't wait for the second in the series due out next April, The Wise Man's Fear.
Posts: 599 | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Phonetic dialogue? Oh, no. I was looking forward to The Name of the Wind. How much phonetic dialogue? I read 'Trainspotting' many years ago and dialect really hampered the reading for me. Others loved it.
James Clemens 'Shadowfall' was good, and I was about to buy the first of the Wit'ch series until someone told me it was littered with apostrophes. Can anyone elaborate?
[This message has been edited by zotius (edited October 06, 2007).]
posted
There is one character--a minor character--near the end whose dialogue is written phonetically. If it's easily understandable (like Brian Lumley uses in the Necroscope, Psychamock, and Dream Realms books) it doesn't bother me. If it's well done, my mind switches to the Scottish / Irish / Russian / Italian accents as the author intends; if it's in the least-bit clumsy, it tears me out of the story. One or two chunks of dialogue were so thick and/or poorly conceived that it ripped me from the tale. (This only happens near the end.)
I wasn't trying to give it a full review, but now that WriterDan said:
quote: I've read this one, and thought that it was amazing.Granted, the writing wasn't spotless, but for the most part I thought it very well done, and enjoyed the story immensely. For a first time author, I can't think of a better way to begin.
I have to ask: Really? You don't think--in light of many recent discussions--that it's riding the Harry Potter fame, just a little? I agree that it was a good read, and I will buy the next one just to see how Kvothe grows a pair, but I think it could be more original. The frame story, the early-childhood story, and the street-boy story were excellent (and what I want more of), but when he got to the University, I felt a little like I was reading Harry Potter's College Years. And, one of the major problems I had--though it could be just me--is that Kvothe is strong and fiercesome in the frame story (Kingslayer, Angel killer), a tough and smart kid at the beginning and through the middle, but as whiny as Eragon in the entire book of Eldest when he meets a girl. (Incidentally, this is one of the three main reasons I won't waste another dime on the writings of Christopher Paolini)
...and that My take.
[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited October 06, 2007).]
quote:James Clemens 'Shadowfall' was good, and I was about to buy the first of the Wit'ch series until someone told me it was littered with apostrophes. Can anyone elaborate?
I read that series in its entirety in my early teens, so it's been a little bit, but I don't remember it being littered with apostrophes so much as sprinkled. Peppered, even. Certainly not bad enough to turn me off of reading it - and like I said, I went on to read all of them.
posted
Really. In all actuality I never once thought about Harry Potter or had any connections with it come to my mind as I was reading The Name of the Wind. Now, looking back on the story, I can see how some people might draw parallels between the books because of the whole "wizarding school" idea that was present in both, but otherwise I can't say that I found a single thing that could be construed to be "riding the coattails" of Potter. Of course, that was just my experience. Personally, I was quite frustrated with the final three books of Potter and so when I put each one down, I promptly forgot about it. Others though, seem to have almost been living in the fantastical world of J.K.'s design (should probably be read as "most animate people" and not just "others"), and therefore might have seen more connection between the two as it was much more prominent in their mind during their read. I wonder what kind of reception Rothfuss's book might have garnered if it had been released years apart from Potter, and if any parallels at all might have been drawn in that instance. Of course, that's just a "what if". Never saw Kvothe as whiny either. Again, this could just be me. Although, I did find Eldest a complete waste of my time and won't read the third Inheritance book or anything else of Paolini's for that matter unless the kid learns to both write better, and tell a better story.
posted
I am predisposed to believe that I would agree with you IB and not OSC on this, without ever reading the book.
Posts: 2195 | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
