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I'm having a tough time getting into this book. It's hard to tell where any of it is going so far, and I can't get invested in it at all. I REALLY don't wanna lem it cause I used my free audible credit on it. Does it pick up at all? I need some motivation to keep listening!

If you're not enjoying it, there is no point forcing it. That won't make you like it any better. No book is for every person. Try emailing Audible, they might give you another credit.

I think the hype of this book makes people start building their own ideas about what it must be and that damages their reading experience. I speak from experience. It took me almost a year to read it the first time just because it was like nothing I had ever read before. Now, I love it because it's like nothing I've ever read before. I can tell you this, though, based on your book list, I really think you'll like this book. It does pick up, especially once he gets to the Academy.

How far into it are you? Still in the bar? Because once you get to Kvothe telling his story it becomes much more of a traditional coming of age sort of fantasy. If you are into the flashback and still no interest, well, it might not be for you, but hopefully you get to the school with him, you might enjoy that more.

The story really picks up once Kvothe gets to the university. I'm also having trouble getting into the story and I've read it before.

He's already started telling the story, but he isn't at the university yet. I'll at least keep reading until he gets to the university based on your comments. I think the previous hype definitely influenced my perception; hearing that this was a book everyone loved made me think it would be impossible to put down, but it's turning out to be much slower and more character driven. I'm hoping I end up enjoying it, as this is my first time reading along with the group and I don't wanna make my S&L debut with a lem :(

Yeah, I went into this book knowing nothing about it, except that some bartender named Kvothe had done fairly well in the Suvudu fantasy cage match I'd followed the year before, and the book was on massive Borders-going-out-of-business sale.

It ended up being right up my alley. Then, I decided to see who this Patrick Rothfuss fellow was. You know how some people hate Ender's Game because of Orson Scott Card? With Mr. Rothfuss, I actually enjoyed the book more, retroactively, because he happens to be a wonderful human being.

I personally like that, while it's a traditional coming-of-age story, and while it can be annoying that Kvothe seems to be amazing at everything, we have a every reason to believe that he's a highly unreliable narrator... but you get some hints about the truth of things during the interludes. Personally, I can't wait to see how the story ends.

The best character in the book is Elodian. It's hit and miss, but overall the story is good.

I started reading this book about a year ago and stopped after his first year at the University. I actually liked the beginning a lot but was bored to tears after he started the flash back narrative. I really want to like this book. What am I missing?

I will say this, if you don't grow to like it, you can always return it. Audible is really good about letting people do that.

You haave a long time to return your audible books and you can either get your credit back or trade books.

I'm sorry you're not enjoying it so far. Audible will gladly allow you to exchange for a different book.

Sky hits the nail on the head with the unreliable narrator thing. I'm pretty sure he's lying about certain things, but I can't tell which. Also, I only decided to re-read this book because I have seen Rothfuss talk and I sort of started to understand him more as a person, which in turn allowed me to enjoy the book more.

Sky wrote: "It ended up being right up my alley. Then, I decided to see who this Patrick Rothfuss fellow was. You know how some people hate Ender's Game because of Orson Scott Card? With Mr. Rothfuss, I actually enjoyed the book more, retroactively, because he happens to be a wonderful human being"

Alex wrote: "I'm having a tough time getting into this book. It's hard to tell where any of it is going so far, and I can't get invested in it at all. I REALLY don't wanna lem it cause I used my free audible cr..."

Your not alone, I forced my way through this book the whole time hoping it would get better. Didn't happen for me. So many people love this book and I just don't get it. I also don't like the Wheel of Time series and the first book of that had the same feel as this for me.

Yes it picks up and all sorts of stuff happens. I am baffled by the people who do not get this book.

It took me months to get through the first hundred pages. Once the university plot line gets going it really picks up. Well, ok, the plot never actually picks up. But the book picks up. Very little actually happens in the first, and not much more happens in the next. But it's much more about enjoying the way kvothe relates anecdotes, and the discovery of the world filtered through his voice than it is about crazy twists and turns, or, honestly, delving deeply into characters. And all of that is indeed a good deal of fun to read once you get to university. Before that it's like a poor dickens novel.

It's an excellent read, but if you enjoyed, say, the dance of cloaks pick, this probably isn't for you, as it's at the polar opposite end of exciting action vs pleasant discovery.

I'm reading this book for the first time. Just at the part where Kvothe recalls his experiences as a child with the Edema Ruh. It's pretty good so far imo. Not really as great as its reputation and rating indicates, but supposedly it gets better so I'm excited :)

You know i was having a hard time starting into this book but i always follow my stead fast rule.
Give it one hundred pages, and if you aren't enjoying it by then you aren't going to enjoy it any number of pages after that. But once i got past like page 50 everything started rolling so I'm enjoying this a great deal now.

Jack wrote: "I think the hype of this book makes people start building their own ideas about what it must be and that damages their reading experience. I speak from experience."

I think you're right. Two years ago, everyone around me kept talking about this book like it was the Second Coming. First time I read it, I found it to be a fairly rote fantasy with high quality prose built on the conceit of a self-aware Mary Sue character.

I normally wouldn't reread a book so soon, but I decided if I could get it from the library soon enough I'd give it another chance for this month's S&L. And it's much better the second time around--I'm seeing things I didn't notice the first time around, and a lot of the book makes more sense to me now. (Jo Walton's reread series at Tor.com has also been very helpful.) This reread might give me the push to finally move on to Wise Man's Fear.

Like everyone before me - the book can be slow until he gets to the University, and picks up after that.

On the other hand - that piece of the littke Kvothe is what I'm reading again now after reading book 2. There was a "wait, what?" part that sent me back to read a particular part. Also a very sad part.

For those who read book 2 (view spoiler)[ Seems obvious that he is lady Lackless niece, and that made understand in a whole new way the parte whetre Kvothe is singing the child's song... what it seemed at the time a no-sense, appears to have an interesting edge.

Also, the fact that their parents and troupe where killed by Haliax because they kept saying their names in song... just so sad. (hide spoiler)]

I will share that the reasons I love this series so much is 1) the language, and 2) the fact that there are a couple of storylines going on that weave in and out to form the bigger picture. For instance, there are the adventures and coming of age story of Kvothe, but then there are also the stories and allegories that come together to create the 'mythology' of the KKC world. All of the children's rhymes, fables, and campfire stories are building a bigger creation myth (not the best way to explain it, sorry) that seems to have some truth to it (not just the Chandrian). It's figuring out the mystery that I love. And the clues that Rothfuss drops are can be so subtle. For example (view spoiler)[ "not tally a lot less = Natalia Lackless" (hide spoiler)] = genius. To me it's like one of those pictures from the 80's that you look at one way and it's one thing, but stare at a while and another picture jumps into focus.

I was fairly non-plussed with it ... not terrible (actually quite well written), but I found the character driven story dull, Kvothe unlikeable, and the "foreshadowing" irritating (took forever to resolve).

A "one and done" for me ...

I, like you, have not finished NotW. But unlike you I've already decided to put the book down (for the time being in any case). It's just not grabbing me. I got all the way to the university (12.5 hours into the 27 hour audiobook), and things just aren't looking up.

I like my books to have a strong plot. Well, no, that's a lie. I like my books to have any plot whatsoever. NotW does not have any plot as far as I can tell. There has been no foreshadowing telling me about what will happen later on in this book, no repeating themes besides Kvothe's strengths/frailties, no reason for the narrator to discuss each and every detail of this man's life even when they are random or boring. Rothfuss spec'ed all his talent points into prose, neglecting storytelling structure in the process.

I read for plot because plot is the story, and thus far there has been no plot linking all the different scenes together. I'm twelve hours into the audiobook and it feels like there's no forward motion. I'm almost halfway into an audiobook which is longer than 24hours long and it feels as though the story has yet to start, which to me is extremely unacceptable.

I get it that this is supposed to be a character's biography, but it's just not clicking with me as being interesting. Every single vignette in the book is well written, but not exciting. I wanted a story I could sink my teeth into, a parable I could recount to friends, but NotW does not provide. I kinda wish I had given up listening to this book sooner.

I find Kvothe to be very unlikable even though it's hard for me to really put my finger on what I hate about him. Maybe it's his arrogance and the fact that I have no idea how to pronounce his name. I wonder if I might enjoy this book more if it was told in present from a limited 3rd person pov instead of flash back 1st person.

Amanda wrote: "I find Kvothe to be very unlikable even though it's hard for me to really put my finger on what I hate about him. Maybe it's his arrogance and the fact that I have no idea how to pronounce his name..."

Kvothe like 'quoth'

As others have shared, the book does have a couple of slow parts but then other parts I simply couldn't put down. Move through if you have the energy because I think overall the book and the story are really good.

Amanda wrote: "I find Kvothe to be very unlikable even though it's hard for me to really put my finger on what I hate about him. Maybe it's his arrogance and the fact that I have no idea how to pronounce his name..."

While he is presented as a hero and obviously the lead character of the book, I too struggle some with him (though hate is a bit strong). There are definitely unlikable aspects about him. One thing that helps me care more for him is what happens to his family.

Good to know things pick up after Kvothe gets to the university. I am at the point where he is headed there, leaving with the caravan.

This is my second attempt at reading it. The first attempt a year or so ago was audible only. This time I'm doing both audible and kindle versions. That seems to help...even if I'm not very far yet.

I thought that I had finally finished the audio version today. It was nearing the end of the 15+ hours or so -my second try - and I was feeling quite content...until it dawned on me...I was listening to part 1 !! There is still a part 2 to listen to. Duh.
I have to be honest. I'm struggling. If I was reading this in paper form, I might have stopped there and then. But the audiobook makes it somewhat more enjoyable..so I will continue until the (bitter) end. I hope it picks up a bit though...But I have to admit: I'm more laser than sword.

Anybody else thinks that in a lot of cases, the audio version is more enjoyable than the written version? More immersive? I have long thought that listening to an audio book was not in fact on a par with reading. But I now consider it another good and entertaining way to consume literature, especially for rereads.

I'm a little more than halfway through - this is a long book! I'm enjoying it so far, but I think it might have been more fun to hear it in audio form.

I seem to be loosing interest. Sigh. (Just got to the point where Kvothe successfully entered the university.) I think I'll take a break, read something completely different for a while, and give it another go later.

Yup, I had to give it several tries myself. But I have just finished it. Hang in there, it gets 'goodish' but overal it lacks pace and Kvothe is just too perfect to be believable. But I guess that's part of the fantasy tropes.I'm glad I finished it. I know now what the majority accepts as 'good' fantasy. And notwithstanding all the gripes I have with this book...it sort of gets addictive...

Ludo wrote: "Kvothe is just too perfect to be believable."

Is he though? He's incredibly prodiguous in so many things, yes... but he has a lot of traits that make him flawed as well. I think that Rothfuss' characterization of Kvothe is very balanced in that while is very skilled (guitar god, genius arcanist) he also has a good number of negative traits (lacks patience, too prideful).

I don't understand the concept that it's "nothing like I've ever read before." I'm only about 15 chapters in, but it feels like if the Earthsea Cycle were done in the style of "Interview with a Vampire."

I mean, Kvothe's seemingly perfect recall of conversations he had at 11 is a little strange to me, but it was no more strange than Louis recalling conversations from 200 years before.

It's standard fantasy trope that is adequately written and not very new and/or interesting. It has an unlikable main character who is the best in the world at pretty much everything but telling an interesting story apparently.

Give yourself permission to put the book down if it's not grabbing you. The gods know I did.

Paolo wrote: "Ludo wrote: "Kvothe is just too perfect to be believable."

Is he though? He's incredibly prodiguous in so many things, yes... but he has a lot of traits that make him flawed as well. I think that ..."

It's good to keep in mind the story is told from Kvothe's point of view. He may be putting his own "spin" on the story.

I don't think there is any "may" about it. He's inherently biased as part of the events he's discussing. He's said he was only telling the story to counteract the stories currently being told about him that he doesn't like.