Fourteen years to write the story
Rothfuss explains that he originally wrote the complete story over seven years until it hit 400,000 words, followed by another seven years of endless revisions before it was published.
Patrick Rothfuss
American
Born 1973
Patrick James Rothfuss is an American author. He is best known for his highly acclaimed series The Kingkiller Chronicle, beginning with Rothfuss' debut novel, The Name of the Wind (2007), which won several awards, and continuing in the sequel, The Wise Man's Fear (2011), which topped The New York Times Best Seller list.
On LuvemBooks, we've reviewed 2 of Patrick Rothfuss's books, including The Wise Man's Fear and The Name of the Wind.
2
Books ReviewedIn Patrick Rothfuss' own words
Patrick Rothfuss discusses his debut novel The Name of the Wind, his writing process, and his fantasy inspirations.
Uploaded by Orion Publishing Group, 2008 · Watch on YouTube ·
Moving beyond fantasy tropes
Having read fantasy novels daily as a child, Rothfuss grew bored of formulaic stories and decided to write a story without relying on elves, dragons, or world-conquering dark lords.
Nine-year undergraduate degree aided worldbuilding
Rothfuss spent nine years earning his bachelor's degree while exploring anthropology, Eastern religions, philosophy, and Sanskrit, which gave him diverse material to build his fictional world.
Absorbing Kvothe's personality traits
Rothfuss says he shares Kvothe's relentless curiosity, admitting that method-acting behind Kvothe's eyes for fourteen years led him to unintentionally absorb some of the character's traits.
Also in this interview
Patrick Rothfuss books in order
2 books, 1 series; 2 reviewed on LuvemBooks. Dates and covers from Amazon.
Kingkiller Chronicle2 books
#12007Our review →
#22011Our review →
The Wise Man's Fear
4.7/5
reader rating · 77,850 ratingsThe Wise Man's Fear is the second volume of Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicle, continuing Kvothe's first-person account of his life — from his ongoing feud at the University to a dangerous journey through the courts of Vintas and beyond. It debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller chart and won the David Gemmell Legend Award, making it one of modern epic fantasy's most commercially celebrated sequels.
Reviewed Aug 19, 2026
The Name of the Wind
4.7/5
reader rating · 89,552 ratingsThe Name of the Wind is the debut heroic fantasy novel by Patrick Rothfuss and the first entry in The Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy, following the legendary wizard Kvothe as he narrates his own extraordinary life story to a scribe. Originally published by DAW Books in 2007 after more than 14 years in the making, it became a New York Times bestseller and has since sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Reviewed Jun 16, 2026
Ask LuvemBooks about Patrick Rothfuss
Patrick Rothfuss writes epic fantasy built around first-person storytelling: in The Name of the Wind, the legendary wizard Kvothe narrates his own life story to a scribe, a frame that carries through The Wise Man's Fear, the two books we've reviewed on LuvemBooks. Both titles hold a 4.7/5 reader rating on Amazon, each drawing tens of thousands of ratings. The books also stand out for their craft and longevity — the first took over 14 years to write and went on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide.
- Where should I start?
- Start with The Name of the Wind. It's the debut that opens The Kingkiller Chronicle, introducing Kvothe as he narrates his own extraordinary life story to a scribe — so it's the natural entry point before the second volume continues the account. It holds a 4.7/5 reader rating from 89,552 Amazon ratings, the widest readership of the two books we've reviewed.
- What's their writing style?
- Across the 2 books we've reviewed, Rothfuss's defining technique is the retrospective first-person frame: Kvothe, a legendary figure, tells his own life story to a scribe, so the narrative moves between the man he became and the events that made him. The Wise Man's Fear keeps that same structure while widening the scope — from a feud at the University to the courts of Vintas and beyond. The result is epic fantasy with an unusually intimate, confessional voice.
- Books we've reviewed
- We've reviewed 2 Patrick Rothfuss books, both in The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Name of the Wind (reader rating 4.7/5 from 89,552 Amazon ratings) is the debut heroic fantasy that introduces Kvothe narrating his own life story. The Wise Man's Fear (reader rating 4.7/5 from 77,850 Amazon ratings) continues that account, moving from the University to the courts of Vintas, and debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller chart.
- How do their books compare?
- The Name of the Wind is the origin story — Kvothe begins narrating his extraordinary life to a scribe — while The Wise Man's Fear continues that same first-person account, expanding from his feud at the University into a dangerous journey through the courts of Vintas and beyond. Both hold an identical 4.7/5 reader rating on Amazon, though the debut has the larger pool of ratings at 89,552. The sequel matched the debut's success commercially, opening at #1 on the New York Times bestseller chart and winning the David Gemmell Legend Award.
- What genre do they write?
- Both books we've reviewed are fantasy. The Name of the Wind is described as a heroic fantasy novel, and The Wise Man's Fear sits within modern epic fantasy, continuing the same saga of the legendary wizard Kvothe.
- What should I read after The Name of the Wind?
- The natural next step is The Wise Man's Fear, which we've also reviewed. It picks up Kvothe's first-person account right where the debut leaves off, following his ongoing feud at the University and a dangerous journey through the courts of Vintas and beyond.
Who is Patrick Rothfuss?
Where should I start?
What's their writing style?
Books we've reviewed
How do their books compare?
What genre do they write?
What should I read after The Name of the Wind?
Who is Patrick Rothfuss?
Patrick James Rothfuss is an American author best known for The Name of the Wind, the debut heroic fantasy novel that began The Kingkiller Chronicle. The book was originally published by DAW Books in 2007 after more than 14 years in the making, became a New York Times bestseller, and has since sold over 10 million copies worldwide. We've reviewed 2 of their books on LuvemBooks.
Follow up
How many Patrick Rothfuss books have you reviewed?
What is Patrick Rothfuss known for?
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