NEWS | The Name of the Wind to TV and Abercrombie's new trilogy

According to The Bookseller Job Abercombie has just sold a new loose trilogy to Harper Voyager in the UK with the first book slated for 2014 to be titled Half a King. The new books will not be related to the First Law world, but a more traditional yet alternative ancient Europe in the time of the Dark Ages. The books will also be aimed at both a younger demographic as well as Joe's traditional adult audience. For Abercrombie this probably just means cutting down on the cuss words and graphic sex. Abercrombie said:

“In some ways this is a very different sort of book from what I’ve written so far. It’s aimed partly at younger readers (maybe the 12-16 range). It’s much shorter – 80,000 words compared to 175,000 for my shortest, Red Country, and 230,000 for my longest, Last Argument of Kings (though still over twice the length of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, believe it or not). It’s set in a very different world with what you might call a viking or anglo-saxon feel. It’s much more focused, with a single point of view. It’s not so overtly ‘gritty’ although it’s a long way from smooth. It is punchy. It has drive. I aimed to deliver a slap in the face with every page.”

No word on the US rights, but those should come quickly. Abercombie has mentioned a July 2014 publication date as likely on both sides of the pond for Half a King with the sequels spread 6 month apart thereafter. The rub is the next First Law trilogy is still in the works, but we probably won't be seeing that until at least 2017, but there will be a short story collection of the First Law  in 2015 or 2016. It will be interesting to see how Abercrombie transitions his style to a younger set and if it can truly hold a candle for those of us who are use to Lord Grimdark.

The other big piece of news is according to Deadline.com  New Regency and Fox have have optioned  The Name of the Wind for a TV show.  Now don't hold your breathe too much on this as option often lapse, but Fox is in a period of growth splitting FX into two channels with the new FXX starting in the not too distant future though the credits of some involved don't impress me much. Still I'll be there in a heartbeat once it starts airing.

I'm honestly not sure which piece of news excites me more. More Joe Abercrombie fiction is always a good thing, but being able to see the characters that Rothfuss has brought so well to life on to the page being fully realized could be an amazing thing.

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NEWS | The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss in Webcomic Form!

If you're anything like me you have been salivating for The Wise Man's Fear. It is without a doubt the most anticipated Fantasy sequel of the last decade. Because The Name of the Wind is such detailed read I underwent a re-read last month in anticipation of The Wise Man's Fear and now Rothfuss teamed with Nathan Taylor have put together a very funny comic version of The Name of the Wind to refresh readers memories. Check it all out here on Rothfuss's blog. Taylor is also Rothfuss's collaborator on The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle. If you're looking for me tomorrow I'll either be at Barnes & Noble picking up my copy of The Wise Man's Fear or nose deep in said book.

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RE-READING | The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - Part 2

My re-read of The Name of the Wind is done. I was planning on splitting these posts into three discussing every 200 pages or so, but I zoomed through the last few hundred pages in a day and a half due to some free time and the fact no one could pry it from my hands. My discussion of the first two hundred pages can be found here.

"He's telling the truth."
"Why do you say that?"
"He sounds more sincere than that when he lies."

The Name of the Wind is an immersive reading experience. It's a very personal story and Kvothe's voice is so strong you feel like you're sitting at the Inn listening alongside Bast and The Chronicler. His voice demands your complete rapt attention and draws you into his world deeper and deeper as the telling unfolds.

Magic is not overused. It is certainly present and important in certain sections, but even Kvothe's time at the College is more about him learning to deal with others and setting up events that build him up to the person he becomes and his eventual change to an inn keeper hiding himself away than just trying to be flashy. Plus he is still learning about magic. He's clearly powerful and a fast learner, but there are many mysteries for him to uncover about the nature of magic and the world at large. Woman are a big mystery to him, which makes it easier to like him even if he is blind to the attention from the fairer sex. He has other flaws that will probably only enlarge as he grows older.

There is something to say for a society where a man can cry in public because of a beautiful song and not be thought of as weak because of it. The scene I mention was one of the most vivid in The Name of the Wind for me despite not being high action yet the tension and desire for Kvothe to succeed is where he comes into his own as more than just a know-it-all. I could almost hear the song he played and feel cheated that it doesn't exist is our own world.

Rothfuss certainly tugs at the heart strings creating a deep emotional resonance with Kvothe building him up just to knock him down. Why has he lost his magic, but what led him to this path? Is it all for show? Rothfuss has captured the essence of any character driven story and dressed it in a highly detailed world I lost myself in. It is a world of magic, mystery and legends coming alive. And Bast is a lot more bad-ass that I recall.

The only people who probably would not enjoy The Name of the Wind are those looking for stories that move at breakneck speeds. You won't find that with the methodical The Name of the Wind, but when you look up at the clock you'll be surprised how fast the time flies and how hard it is to pull yourself away from Kvothe's story. The life of a living legend can be the hardest for the legend themselves to accept.

The Name of the Wind can come off as a frustrating yet fulfilling first date with Rothfuss playing the part of a tease and in may ways this novel just feels like an appetizer of the feast that is to hopefully come. So many little things are mentioned about what Kvothe will do no matter how long this book is or the next it will never be enough. I can't wait to meet the Amyr and the Adem and hopefully learn how he earns the name "Kvothe the Kingkiller". Now I'm ready for The Wise Man's Fear. Anyone else with me?

I'm also planning on doing a re-read of A Game of Thrones before the HBO series starts. I've actually been itching to do a re-read of the whole series, but have been waiting for word on A Dance With Dragons as many other readers are. I'd like to see how the book matches up with the series. I expect somethings to change such as character introductions and the combining of some characters, but beyond that I've no clue what will translate to the small screen.

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RE-READING | The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - Part 1

These posts might be more meandering than my usual review since I'm doing them more stream of consciousness than my normal take.

My anticipation is growing. Well, gnawing at me really. All for The Wise Man's Fear. I've mentioned a little here and there, but in case you're a new reader I'll fill you in. If it weren't for Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind I probably wouldn't be blogging today. It was that book that made be delve deeper and deeper into book review sites such as John, Ken, Aidan, and Pat's places most of whom did interviews with Rothfuss. From there they led me into a world I thought I was involved with, but it turned me from a mere reader to a bonefide bookaholic for every shred of news I could find.

Firstly, I'm very glad to have started this re-read. I kept promising myself I would, but new books kept coming up and I've re-read only a few books since I started blogging. I first read The Name of the Wind the week it was released and re-read it once a few months after, but now, more than 3 years later, all of the details have faded from my mind except for some of the big happenings and a few particular scenes at the University.

The story starts much slower than I remembered and does tend to be overly detailed at times, which worries me a little about The Wise Man's Fear given it is half as long again as The Name of the Wind. But the love of the characters comes across immediately and there is no doubt it is a highly compelling read. The language of The Name of the Wind is deceptively simple. Rothfuss doesn't thrown in a 10 dollar word when a 50 cent one works just fine, which helps the flow easily from one chapter to the next and probably accounts for why people of almost any age find it so engaging. It is certainly just as hard to put down as when I first read it as I kept telling myself the past few nights.

"Just another chapter.  It is only a few pages long and than to bed."

"Well maybe just another. I can't stop at this point."

"Crap I should have been asleep an hour ago."

"Just one more..."

Whole parts of the story were lost to me. Oh, yeah the Chandrian. Wasn't that something in the beginning of the book? The story is a very slow build, but Rothfuss does sow the seeds of anticipation well if not too heavily at times. Talk about foreshadowing, which can be a bit too much with all the tell and not enough of the show. I forgot how intricate the mythology of this world is and how much was covered in the first two hundred pages along with the sly drops about what is to come that I'm probably reading too much into. All the connections and stories about Lanre and the Chandrian seem much more central to the story than I remembered, which has given me a better sense of where things will go in the future.

Young Kvothe can get annoying. Oh, he is super smart. Oh, he can pick up any skill within hours including languages. His fiery red hair will set the world ablaze. He is just too good at everything and no reason is given in particular. Maybe it will come up in a later volume, but it seems doubtful. It is also possible throwing in a noble bloodline or demon blood of some sort would dilute his accomplishments. Still Kvothe is endearing and as the story progresses it fades. Having the scenes at the inn help temper things with young Kvothe as it seems deservedly so and does draw you to his plight and battle for survival. This is a guy that inspires legends and lives up to the tales even after some myths are dissembled.

While the story is told from Kvothe's point of view the secondary characters are given a lot of life even if they are only around for a few pages. The world at large is very sketchy. While the scenes are described well the hierarchy and most groups are only alluded to at a few points. No real power structure or places of importance are delved into save the University. It is all about Kvothe, but I don't think I'd have it any other way. I hope we see a lot more of Skarpi, but I don't think he is in the rest of The Name of the Wind.

To summarize the re-read of the first 200 pages or so:
The first 100 pages = carefree Kvothe
The second 100 pages = Kvothe on hard times

I should also add I'm enjoy the heck out of the book all over again. UPDATE: Part 2 of my re-read is now up here.

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NEWS | Patrick Rothfuss's The Wise Man's Fear is Done(ish)

Last week Patrick Rothfuss mentioned The Wise Man's Fear was nearly done, but I kept my squee in check. Gollancz just confirmed that the manuscript has been recevived so all systems are go to have the book out for the announced March 1st release in the states from DAW and Gollancz in the UK.

There is still some cleanup work to be done such as final copy editing, but galleys are apparantly in the works which means the book is on schedule. Huzzah!!! Apparently galleys will be in limited supply and numbered so I doubt one will find its way to me, but my fingers are crossed.

This is much welcome news given that Scott Lynch's The Republic of Thieves has been pushed back again this time to June and Richard Morgan's The Cold Commands is currently set for October, but both of these could change.  Now how long until people start complaining about the wait for The Doors of Stone (book 3,  Kingkiller Chronicles) from Rothfuss?


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NEWS | Patrick Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fears pub date

Patrick Rothfuss has just confirmed that the long awaited sequel to The Name of the Wind is nearing completion. The Wise Man's Fear has a firm publication date of March 1st, 2011. He is set to turn in the final draft by September. Mark your calendars! In his very candid post he said:

It’s the third draft she’s read, but it’s the first one I’ve really had any confidence in. The first one was pure crap. The second one was mostly complete but still pretty shaky in parts.

This draft was good. I’m verging on being proud of it. It still has a few problems, but they’re manageable problems. They’re problems I can perceive and get my head around, and that means they’re problems I can solve.

During his talk with his editor at DAW, Betsy Wollheim he was asked very pointedly whether he could commit to these dates:

I said I was sure I could finish it by September.

She asked me if I was sure. Really sure.

I thought about it. Back in 2007, I was sure I’d have the book done by 2008. But I was hugely ignorant and optimistic back then. So I was dead fucking wrong. That caused a lot of grief.

I told her I was really sure I could have it finished by September.

Come hell or high water? She asked me.

Come hell or high water, I said.

Let us all rejoice because come hell or high water we'll have some Kingkiller Chronicles goodness to look forward to in early 2011.  This is a series close to my heart as The Name of the Wind was the book that really turned me on to book review blogs what with Rothfuss doing so many interviews and eventually led me to start Mad Hatter's Bookshelf.  So you have Patrick to blame for all I've plied upon you.


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Patrick Rothfuss New Illustrated Story Announced from Subterranean Press

Patrick Rothfuss and Sub Press have been hinting at this novella for quite sometime. It is available for pre-order with a July 2010 release scheduled.  It looks to be a far departure from the Kingkiller Chronicles.  The title is The Adventure of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle, the Thing Beneath the Bed. Here is the description:

This is not a book for children.

It looks like a children's book. It has pictures. It has a saccharine-sweet title. The main characters are a little girl and her teddy bear. But all of that is just protective coloration. The truth is, this is a book for adults with a dark sense of humor and an appreciation of old-school faerie tales.

There are three separate endings to the book. Depending on where you stop, you are left with an entirely different story. One ending is sweet, another is horrible. The last one is the true ending, the one with teeth in it.

The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle is a dark twist on the classic children's picture-book. I think of it as Calvin and Hobbes meets Coraline, with some Edward Gorey mixed in.

Simply said: This is not a book for children.

Having the multiple endings reminds me of the Choose Your Own Adventure books I loved so much as a child.  Limited to 400 signed leather bound copies and 2,000 unsigned hardcover copies this will go quickly so get your pre-orders in.

Rothfuss also has his annual Heifer International fundraiser going on.  It is a very worthy cause, but the kicker is for every $10 you donate you get a chance at some amazing prizes.  Sub Press is the sponsor this year and has already donated a ton of books up for grabs in addition to a bunch of author signed books with more to be revealed.  Last year Pat raised a staggering $53,000 for the cause.  Let's help him surpass that number.


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Patrick Rothfuss new short story???

I just found out that in The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy, 2009 Edition a short story will be included from Patrick Rothfuss author of the fantastic The Name of the Wind. The most likely culprit is The Road to Levinshir which was in Subterranean Tales of Dark Fantasy the $75 limited edition anthology that was out of most fans price range. This story is supposed to be a chapter or two from The Wise Man's Fear. If anyone has any other clue please post away. This could be a nice hold over for us since The Wise Man's Fear still has no official release date. Also, if you haven't read Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind shame on you and get to it.