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The Wise Man's Fear

The Wise Man's Fear

AdventureMythology
Published
2011
Language
English

Synopsis

The second day of Kvothe's telling picks up where the first left off. Still a student at the University and perpetually short of money, Kvothe makes and unmakes enemies, chases the name of the wind and the truth of the Chandrian, and continues his maddening, on-again dance with Denna. When trouble forces him to leave, his road widens dramatically.

He travels to the court of the Maer in Vintas, hunts bandits in the Eld, survives an encounter with the legendary Felurian in the Fae, and trains among the Adem mercenaries, learning their fighting art and their philosophy of the Lethani. By the time he returns, the boy from the first book has become something closer to the legend the innkeeper is hiding from.

Longer and more sprawling than its predecessor, Patrick Rothfuss's second Kingkiller Chronicle novel deepens the world, the magic, and the mystery of how Kvothe fell so far.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

AdventurousAtmosphericRomantic
Coming of AgeMentor FigureQuest

Genres

Adventure Mythology Epic Fantasy Fantasy High Fantasy Young Adult Paranormal

About the author

P
Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss (born June 6, 1973) is an American author, best known for his epic fantasy series The Kingkiller Chronicle. Born in Madison, Wisconsin, he matriculated at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, initially studying chemical engineering before switching to English. Rothfuss spent nearly a decade working on his debut novel, [The Name of the Wind][1], which was published in 2007 to critical acclaim. The novel won the Quill Award and became a New York Times Bestseller. The...

Characters

KvotheProtagonist

Continues telling the story of his student years and travels abroad.

DennaSupporting

The woman Kvothe keeps encountering and losing across his travels.

The Maer AlveronSupporting

A powerful noble whose court Kvothe serves in Vintas.

TempiSupporting

An Adem mercenary who teaches Kvothe the Ketan and the Lethani.

BastSupporting

Kvothe's fae student, present in the frame narrative.

All characters in The Wise Man's Fear

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I read this book without reading the first one?

    This novel is the second installment of a trilogy and directly continues the narrative established in the first book, making it necessary to read the preceding volume to understand the protagonist's ongoing account.

  • Does this book conclude the series?

    The story is part of a planned trilogy and does not provide a final resolution to the overarching narrative, as it serves as the second day of the protagonist's three-day account.

  • Are there any other stories set in this world?

    Several companion tales exist that take place within the same setting, though these shorter works generally focus on characters other than the main protagonist.

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