The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

In this first installment of The Kingkiller Chronicle, the protagonist Kvothe is introduced. Kvothe's past adventures are rumored to have led to the ongoing war. He is currently hiding in a town as the innkeeper Kote with his assistant Bast. The story is divided into two timelines, the present and the past which is narrated by the main character himself to Chronicler. Kvothe met the scribe Chronicler when he saved the latter from an attack of the creatures called Scrael. Kvothe agreed in a later meeting to tell his story.

The novel is recollection of Kvothe's early life,  a refreshing approach to an epic tale of a hero.

The series is not without some cliche. Like most heroes in epic myths, the young Kvothe had a knack for many things usually only adults with vast experience and education are capable of understanding. He also had to undergo severe psychological and physical trauma, a bitter-sweet first encounter at romance, and has a talent for getting into trouble. If you look more closely at him, he's not that different from most heroes. Unlike most heroes however, he wasn't a natural fighter or arcanist or destined to perform some task. Those skills he later became famous for he had to learn over time.

I think one of the novel's appeals is the approach in the storytelling---Kvothe is already a living legend and he is telling the story himself---which adds to the depth with which readers come to know him. The author also has an interesting approach to some typical fantasy creatures like the dragon and its similar forms. His approach to magic isn't unique but neither is it too easy to grasp or too complicated even for first-time readers of fantasy. He also left enough clues and mystery to make the sequel exciting but not to the point that the lack of information becomes frustrating.

Kvothe is easy to like and hard to forget once you're into his story. This debut has enough appeal for both new and hardcore fantasy readers. The Name of the Wind is both familiar and refreshing.

Rating: 9 out of 10