The Name of the Wind

by Patrick Rothfuss

     I was gifted this book by my fabulous friend Stephanie. She is an absolutely voracious reader, and I trust her reading opinion implicitly. When she gave The Name of the Wind to me for my birthday, it was because she's (and I quote) "obsessed" with the series, and "you like books like this". I do? I do! At first, I wasn't sure if I was a fan of  the fantasy genre, but on closer reflection it's pretty clear that I am. Especially since The Name of the Wind runs along the fantasy lines found in books like Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, which I LOVE. Add a mix of the magical academia found in Harry Potter, and I'm hopelessly sucked in.
     Enough rambling, back to the review. Set. Go. I'm not going to hold back... this book was fantastic. It is the beginning of an epic story that is supposed to last over the course of three huge novels (this one was over 700 pages long). The story is told by the hero Quothe in his later years, when he is discovered hiding from the world  and his past in a small tavern during a time when unspeakable creatures roam the countryside. Through his own storytelling, we learn about his early life and years at the university, his triumphs and his flaws. With his honesty, Quothe becomes a totally relatable hero despite his almost inhuman capabilities. There is a side plot regarding a drug-addicted dragon that I don't think was strictly necessary, but it added another opportunity for Quothe to demonstrate the hero that he was slowly developing into. Rothfuss mixes action, magic, love, and a hero story with seamless effort that I lost myself in. As soon as I feel up to starting another fat novel, his follow up in the series will be on my bedside table.