{"id":7973,"date":"2020-10-03T12:23:16","date_gmt":"2020-10-03T10:23:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/?p=7973"},"modified":"2025-09-07T00:25:44","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T22:25:44","slug":"der-name-des-windes-patrick-rothfuss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/2020\/10\/the-name-of-the-wind-patrick-rothfuss\/","title":{"rendered":"The Name of the Wind \u2022 Patrick Rothfuss"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

I love beautiful deluxe editions and regularly comb through publishers\u2019 catalogues for fine bibliophile books. This year looked rather bleak at first, but then I discovered this gorgeous luxury reissue of The Name of the Wind<\/em> and was doubly delighted. First, because it seemed to be a truly splendid book whose specifications sounded almost too perfect. And second, because deluxe editions of fantasy novels are a real rarity. There are several beautifully produced editions of Tolkien\u2019s The Lord of the Rings<\/em>. And there\u2019s also a beautiful leather edition<\/a> of The Hobbit<\/em>. So I was very pleased that the publisher Klett-Cotta dared to take the step and include a truly bibliophilic edition of a non-Tolkien fantasy novel in its list. The book is a real gem\u2014simply magnificent. A treat as rare as it is delightful. During the read, however, this beautiful book did reveal a shadow side.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

I read Patrick Rothfuss\u2019s The Name of the Wind<\/em> several years ago and found the story thoroughly entertaining. For me, Klett-Cotta is absolutely leading in the fantasy field, and with Tolkien and Tad Williams they already have two premium heavyweights in their programme. I\u2019d place Rothfuss in that league as well, even if he doesn\u2019t quite reach Tad Williams. Since my first reading was nearly eight years ago, The Name of the Wind<\/em> has been on the list of books I definitely wanted to revisit. All the more reason to be excited about this deluxe edition.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The story is about Kvothe, a young arcanist\u2014that is, a wizard\u2014who has withdrawn to a remote village and lives there incognito as a simple innkeeper. A chronicler tracks him down, and Kvothe begins to tell him the story of his life. Starting from his childhood, Kvothe recounts a defining experience that uprooted him and eventually led him to a university for magicians. It\u2019s a classic hero\u2019s journey, with Kvothe standing out for his resourcefulness and wit. The whole thing is set in a typical, medievally tinged fantasy world. In sum, well-aged elements that should quickly draw out anyone who enjoys fantasy\u2014because Rothfuss knows how to pull every narrative lever.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In terms of sentences and linguistic construction, the book is rather unspectacular. It\u2019s the narrative devices that drive the story forward, and Rothfuss is really adept here, making good use of well-trodden paths. The story is written in the first person, and the confidential way in which Kvothe recounts his life quickly creates a strong sense of closeness between reader and protagonist. He appears very human in his thoughts and feelings, and it\u2019s easy to put oneself in his place and feel with him. Building on that, Rothfuss repeatedly creates situations that keep the reader engaged and generate a steady underlying tension. He repeatedly puts his protagonist in a tight spot, and the reader soon learns that while Kvothe keeps taking his lumps, he ultimately proves to be an Edmond Dant\u00e8s<\/a> or a Jean Valjean<\/a>\u2014in other words, essentially part of the ranks of the invincible. This creates a foreknowledge that makes one look forward to how Kvothe will slip out of trouble with a clever ploy or sheer intelligence. Or Rothfuss sets up an unfair situation in which the reader feels with the protagonist and is then, of course, pleased when the scales balance out. There are also scenes where he lets Kvothe truly triumph, and the success becomes palpable to the reader to a certain degree. In doing so, he tickles that little bit of narcissism we all have, which further boosts the reading pleasure. There are even a few blunt end-of-chapter teasers in the style of \u201cand he had no inkling of the catastrophe this would bring,\u201d which appear several times. Overall, I find this quite conspicuous in his work; you can tell he\u2019s studied the craft of writing intensely. It makes the novel very entertaining, but for me it also diminishes authenticity a bit, because these stylistic devices are very noticeable and the situations can feel a touch contrived.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What I really like is the atmosphere the story exudes. The world feels very authentic, and Rothfuss doesn\u2019t overexplain; he often leaves open what the foreign words for places, peoples, countries, and units mean exactly. For that, the accompanying booklet is useful, offering more on the calendar, currency, and the fictional land. The map of Rothfuss\u2019s world has been improved from the old edition and is now more visually appealing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

On an emotional level, the book also won me over. Kvothe\u2019s thoughts and feelings are relatable, and you do find yourself empathising with him. I find Denna particularly successful\u2014Rothfuss shapes her beautifully: mysterious, wrapped in the veil of first love. Well, I\u2019m simply susceptible to such elements; they are the salt in the soup. Too much isn\u2019t good, too little neither\u2014and here the reader gets just the right balance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

I also noticed that Rothfuss generally doesn\u2019t describe places and people in great detail. I think that works very well here, because for him the events take centre stage, and readers who, for example, weren\u2019t thrilled by the landscape descriptions in The Lord of the Rings<\/em> will find a story that isn\u2019t expansive in that respect and maintains a pleasantly brisk pace throughout. I do like it when an author describes the setting in detail and especially weaves nature strongly into it, but in this book it suits very well that this isn\u2019t the case. The text feels very coherent, and you can tell Rothfuss polished it a lot to achieve a rounded story. Somehow you still end up with a very clear picture of the characters, and it\u2019s quite an art to make them tangible with few descriptions and primarily through the story itself. In the afterword, we learn that Rothfuss made this choice deliberately and wants each reader to form their own image of the characters.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As hinted, this book is simply beautiful, and it\u2019s a pleasure to hold. The binding is made from a golden material with embossed black embellishments, and in the sun it shimmers magnificently. The embossed clouds symbolise the wind and Kvothe\u2019s search for the name of the wind. The book is truly thick, large, and heavy, projecting exactly what you get: a richly expansive story. From a fantasy novel one does expect a hefty tome that transports you to another world for a good long while.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The book contains numerous illustrations by Marc Simonetti<\/a>, and they\u2019re simply wonderful. That\u2019s exactly the style I love and one often found in the world of computer and board games. The drawings visualise the scenes from the book beautifully and fittingly, yet they\u2019re calibrated so that one\u2019s own imagination isn\u2019t constrained. I actually discovered the illustrations online years ago<\/a> after I first read the book and liked them a lot back then. The illustrations definitely elevate the book further.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The book itself uses sewn binding. Yes, you read that right: sewn binding. That\u2019s not so common these days, and with the coloured\u2014i.e., black\u2014thread, my heart immediately skipped a beat. The book is bound really solidly. And it has two ribbon bookmarks, which is downright decadent, since one would be completely sufficient given there\u2019s no afterword or similar. A luxury much to my taste as the ribbons are perfectly colour-matched. Everything is perfect here, and you immediately notice you\u2019re getting something for your money. In terms of features, every cent seems justified.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The book also comes in a slipcase, which feels very high-quality. It\u2019s covered in black cloth with the title printed in gold, which looks particularly beautiful backlit. The fact that the slipcase is, so to speak, the inverse of the book itself is especially appealing. And the colour coordination of everything shows that someone who knows their craft was at work here.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Included is a thin booklet with additional information and a few illustrations. It\u2019s a nice little extra, though it would probably have fit in the main book as well. From my perspective it\u2019s a pleasant add-on that makes the whole package look a bit more substantial. It also contains the author\u2019s afterword, though that\u2019s rather slight and doesn\u2019t reveal much. I found the sections on the calendar and currency system informative, since those aren\u2019t explained elsewhere in the book.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So is the book a perfect bibliophilic jewel? Sadly, only almost. One weakness showed up while reading: the cover material is delicate. Although I handled the book very carefully and read it only in bed and on my yellow armchair, it had two scratches on the back after a very short time. Around the halfway point, the black imprint on the front board and spine\u2014right at the joint\u2014started to rub off a little, as if I\u2019d opened the book countless times. After just a few days of reading, that felt like rather quick wear. Looking at the cover material, the effect is understandable. I\u2019m not sure what the material is\u2014it looks gorgeous but doesn\u2019t have the durability of sturdy cloth. I suspect you can\u2019t easily apply such an irregular cloud pattern to linen, and that golden sheen likely isn\u2019t easy to achieve either. Classic materials like leather or linen remain unbeaten and have rightly prevailed. I suspect there\u2019s also a financial lever at play, and I\u2019ve noticed with the new Manesse classics reissues that linen is no longer used; instead, another material is employed and given a texture that comes close haptically but isn\u2019t quite the perfect solution for longevity and stability. It remains an open question for me how much the book will suffer with multiple reads or if you take it on a daily commute. The slipcase is a different story; it makes a very robust impression and is covered with a very durable cloth. If you take the book out with you, it\u2019s advisable to transport it in the slipcase. Overall the book does feel very high-quality, and the sewn binding seems very sturdy. In the end it\u2019s a bit like IKEA furniture: you pick up a few small dings during assembly, but then it lasts the next hundred years.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Name of the Wind<\/em> is the first volume of The Kingkiller Chronicle<\/em> and was published in German in 2008. The second book appeared in 2011 and 2012, because in German it was split into two volumes. The third book has been awaited ever since. In 2015 a rather poor novella came out, which left me very disappointed at the time<\/a>. Since then there\u2019s been no sign of a continuation. It\u2019s almost like George R. R. Martin, who has also taken his time. The internet is rife with speculation, and supposedly Rothfuss has already completed The Doors of Stone<\/em> and it\u2019s in revision. There\u2019s even a photo of a stack of pages in front of a 1990s keyboard\u2014not exactly confidence-inspiring as a source. There are also rumours of an adaptation, but I didn\u2019t look further into that, since even if one existed, I wouldn\u2019t watch it. Why would I\u2014there\u2019s the book.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Patrick Rothfuss<\/em> was born in 1973 in Wisconsin, USA, and was apparently a perennial student who studied umpteen subjects and had very broad interests. You can tell he has a lot of experience with university life and that it occupied a large place in his life\u2014The Name of the Wind<\/em> strongly reflects that focus. You can also see the author\u2019s versatility in the way the book is developed content-wise. The way he describes magic in his world alone is fascinating\u2014it reads like a branch of natural science. He isn\u2019t particularly prolific, though; beyond the two (or three in German) books and the novella he hasn\u2019t published anything else. I very much hope he finishes The Kingkiller Chronicle<\/em> soon, because the story is beautiful and entertaining and you just want to know how things continue with Kvothe\u2014what made him the Kingkiller\u2014and, of course, with the lovely Denna.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Conclusion:<\/strong> This deluxe edition of The Name of the Wind<\/em> is simply wonderful. A very entertaining and classically beautiful fantasy story has been packaged here in a gorgeously designed, highly bibliophile, and visually striking book that also features imaginative, well-executed illustrations. Sewn binding, slipcase, two ribbon bookmarks, gilded embossed cover\u2014what more could one want? Unfortunately, the book itself is quite sensitive, so it\u2019s best enjoyed in the home reading chair. All in all, this sumptuous edition is blockbuster-level bookmaking\u2014pure reading pleasure and worth every cent. A clear buy recommendation and an excellent gift for anyone who loves fantasy or Tolkien\u2019s books and appreciates a magnificent volume. I very much hope this is the start of many more such deluxe editions from Klett-Cotta.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Book information:<\/strong> The Name of the Wind<\/em> \u2022 Patrick Rothfuss \u2022 Klett-Cotta Hobbit Press \u2022 864 pages \u2022 ISBN 9783608938159<\/p>\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I love beautiful deluxe editions and regularly comb through publishers\u2019 catalogues for fine bibliophile books. This year looked rather bleak at first, but then I discovered this gorgeous luxury reissue of The Name of the Wind and was doubly delighted. First, because it seemed to be a truly splendid book whose specifications sounded almost too … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “The Name of the Wind \u2022 Patrick Rothfuss”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Der Name des Windes \u2022 Patrick Rothfuss - lesestunden","description":"Ich liebe sch\u00f6ne Prachtausgaben und durchforste regelm\u00e4\u00dfig die Verlagsvorschauen nach sch\u00f6nen bibliophilen B\u00fcchern. Dieses Jahr sah es erst einmal sehr schlecht"},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"_slim_seo_primary_term_category":0,"_slim_seo_primary_term_post_tag":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fantasy","category-reviews"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/der_name_des_windes_beitrag.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7973"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7973\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}