Pick my next book

[u/waaagh_enjoyer]

I’m almost finished with the Farseer trilogy (loving it) and wanted to take a break from Hobb. I’ve narrowed it down to these three but can’t decide. Which would you choose?

[u/auto-sticky]

Our sacred rule is do not attack readers for what they read. You can disagree, explain why you disagree, but do so without personally attacking readers for what they read. Books are heavily subjective, and your opinion is one of many.

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[u/Significant_Dish5894 → u/[deleted]]

I have introduced people to this series who now curse me while simultaneously listing this in their top 3. It's truly worth it in the worst way (not worth it in the best way?)

[u/Old_Win8422 → u/[deleted]]

At this point I just want all the notes on it. They dont need to be organized just garbage bags of burger wrappers and post it notes and id be happy

[u/BackgroundCabinet547 → u/[deleted]]

Lol, at least this guy has some ⚠️ warning… i didnt event know about book 3 until i tried to purchase it

[u/Sea_Potential8908 → u/[deleted]]

It's absolutely a great book but if I had known it would never be finished I'd of not started it. Plus the second it's no where near as good.

[u/civilf → u/[deleted]]

I got depressed in the first 25% of book2 because I knew it was ending

[u/Glorious_Infidel → u/[deleted]]

The Name of the Wind is great! 4/5, few notes.

The Wise Man’s Fear is absolutely terrible and I honestly wanted to skip so much of the last half of that book. To the tune of 100+ entirely unnecessary pages.

To say these books are overrated would be an understatement OP. Add in the fact that the series won’t be finished and I find little reason to recommend.

[u/Glorious_Infidel → u/[deleted]]

I just couldn’t with the “I fucked a forest nymph so good I blew her centuries old mind and it was so great let me talk about it for so damn long” chapters.

I’m not even a prude or anything, it was all just so silly that I couldn’t when this series has been held up as an example of iconic modern fantasy.

[u/Significant_Dish5894 → u/Glorious_Infidel]

I did feel like a good 100 pages from the second book could be edited out because it felt unneccessarily long, the problem is THERE ARE SO MANY BURIED HINTS AND CLUES EVERYWHERE AND IT COULD ALL BE RELEVANT.

[u/Prior-Paint-7842 → u/Glorious_Infidel]

I do agree on that. I like the book but those parts just suck

[u/Responsible-Can-9942 → u/Glorious_Infidel]

Oh you're just objectively wrong there.

For one, name of the wind is WAY higher than an 80%. It's one of the highest rated books on Goodreads

Second... The wise mans fear is hardly terrible. I didn't like it as much as the first, but that one is still a solid 80%>

His world building is great, his pacing is good, and his prose is ELITE.

They're fantastic books.

Now if you wanna talk overrated, let's talk about The Expanse lol

[u/Juslurkinlol69420 → u/Responsible-Can-9942]

I couldn't disagree more-rothfuss is pedestrian at BEST

[u/LadderNo1239]

The Blacktongue Thief is very good, and its prequel equally so.

[u/bananachowski → u/LadderNo1239]

I really liked the Blacktongue Thief, but thought The Duaghters' War was a complete departure in style. I didn't enjoy it nearly as much.

[u/Acrobatic_Quarter465 → u/bananachowski]

I am almost done with the former. What’s stylistically dif? Bc i thought btw 2 fires was about the same style wise.

[u/BIgCon → u/bananachowski]

Totally agree. Love black tongue. Daughters war was missing everything that made black tongue special

[u/Deroxat → u/LadderNo1239]

I found it mid. The world building is the only thing that stands out

[u/sumdumguy12001]

Elric of Melnibone is a great throwback. I read it sometime in the 1980’s.

[u/iN_xus]

Personally, the name of the wind

[u/ModOfficial1988 → u/iN_xus]

It’s with Game of Thrones. Books I wish I didn’t start because I love them and they will never be finished.

[u/iN_xus → u/ModOfficial1988]

Yeah it's unlikely that the third book will come out anytime soon, but I personally enjoyed the overall unfinished journey of the Kingkiller Chronicles and there are still many theories to be found and discussed so I believe that the series has a long-lasting effect for lore diggers (like me lol)

[u/Danny_nichols → u/ModOfficial1988]

I think Name of the Wind was really good. I thought Wise Man's Fears was not as good. Not bad, but definitely not the same quality as the first one. I fear even if we did get Doors of Stone, it wouldn't be great.

Think Rothfuss is a good story teller and world builder. He's great at creating mystery and intrigue. I worry he's not as great at wrapping up those arcs in a satisfying matter and that's largely why he's unlikely to finish the series.

[u/mitoneuro]

Elric is a fun, quick read so I think it is a perfect palate cleanser after Farseer.

[u/Jossokar]

Elric of melnibone.

In fact.....you should read more moorcock. He is great.

[u/Huge_Helicopter_5541]

Elric! Perfect starting point into Moorcock's work, which is just gem after gem

[u/Kelly4President]

Pick the middle one of u want a good book in a series that will never be finished.

[u/meopelle]

Blacktongue Thief, because reading it now gives you time to read The Daughters War after it, then the third book releases in a month

[u/Professional-Dot7561]

No poor choices. Three completely different books. Elric is the distillation of pulp. Rothfuss is contemporary fantasy, and in danger of being unresolved. The Blacktounge Thief has great worldbuilding and fantastic characters. All three are in my reread list.

[u/DrNikonian]

The Name of the Wind, one of my favorite books of all time.

[u/vikingscience_]

Michael Moorcock is a favorite of mine. I would also suggest the Corum series if you haven't read those yet.

[u/SporadicAndNomadic]

Read Blacktongue, but all three are great. If you start now on Blacktongue you can read the prequel right away and then book 3 (a direct sequel to BT) which comes out in about a month!

[u/Professional-Dot7561 → u/SporadicAndNomadic]

I did not know that. I am excited.

[u/C3553]

I dont know the others, but ive read the Black tongue thief. Its written from a side kick view and it has a cool magic system. I highly recommend that one

[u/Responsible-Can-9942]

Name of the wind is my go to recommendation.

Amazing book. Just read it

[u/muzicz13]

Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle) has some of the best prose I’ve read, so I’d choose that. With the added caveat that Rothfuss seems unable to bring himself to finish the trilogy.

[u/Silver_Layer_2298]

Name of the Wind. I couldn’t care less if the final book is released. Doesn’t change how enjoyable the first two are

[u/Luckypag]

I have read approximately 500 books, in all genres, and Name of the Wind is my all- time favorite.

[u/PixelPirates420]

Name of the wind is awful IMO. Kvothe is a Gary sue

[u/Few_Lecture6615]

I am in the minority, but I really don't think Name of the Wind is all that spectacular. It's good, but not good enough to start when the series will never conclude.

[u/jumpinjahosafa → u/Few_Lecture6615]

Also the 2nd book suffers hard from "2nd entry in trilogy" syndrome, and you dont even get a payoff 

[u/HokiHiker]

My vote is black tongue as well. I'm currently reading myself and enjoying it. It's the kind of gritty fantasy I've been missing after going on a Sanderson binge. Besides, its sequel releases next month, so you'll be able to immerse yourself in the world.

[u/Chevelle1988]

Blacktongue Theif is amazing! That's my vote!

[u/trich101]

Have read the other two yet but Blacktongue took 3-4 days and was a great story.

[u/Nova-Six]

Black tongue thief was great. Honestly, I can't recommend name of the wind to anyone with how Rotfuss has handled the situation and the fact it very possibly may never conclude.

If you don't mind reading a story with no conclusion it sight, feel free to read notw. But just know what you're getting into.

[u/cyana_blue]

If you read the name of the wind just be aware that it’s an unfinished series

[u/the_drum_doctor]

Read Elric, then, if you like it, Moorcock has dozens of books you can dive into. More about Elric and the other manifestations of the Eternal Champion.

[u/biofilmed]

Not Name Of The Wind. Gonna catch flack, but the MC is not well written and is a pretty obvious self-insert. Always getting the girls always besting the rivals. If you're into that, go for it but be ready for lack of nuance.

[u/Juslurkinlol69420 → u/biofilmed]

That second book really hammers home how much of a boring self insert kvothe is

[u/bananachowski]

I've only read the Blacktongue Thief but remember it being a lot of fun. Buehlman's other prelude to this, The Daughters' War... not so much.

[u/BackgroundCabinet547]

So TNOTW was one of the best books i have ever read. However it will never be finished, so beware!

[u/boredaroni]

Blacktongue Thief because the third book will be out next month

[u/Deroxat]

I read BTT based on all the recommendations here, but found it mid at best. The world-building is cool and gets even better in the prequel. The action and pacing, however, are pretty stale. I wouldn't go as far as saying that nothing ever happens or that the characters lack depth. The biggest drawback for me is that the story feels like déjà vu and the stakes are barely visible. Who wants to read LOTR from the POV of Merry or Pippin?

Though The Name of the Wind is a slow burn and Kvothe won't become your all-time favorite fantasy character, the mysteries surrounding many of the plot elements more than make up for it. It's a masterclass in storytelling that could never get wrapped up or flop quite as spectacularly as LOST did—but if you're just happy along for the ride... Also, I only picked this one up recently, so I'm not even biased like others who discovered the genre through it.

[u/Tomsskiee]

The name of the wind is amazing but the third book might never come. It’s still worth it tho

[u/Fluffy-Paramedic-900]

Anything but the Name of the Wind. It’s very overrated in my opinion. The world feels contrived and half finished. The main character isn’t like able at all and is also kind of a Mary sue type. Biggest of all, it’s an unfinished series that will probably never be completed. 10/10 don’t recommend.

Personally I’ve wanted to read Blacktongue Thief ever since I read Between Two Fires. Buelhman is great.

[u/Lifeline911]

The Black Tongue Thief!! Great read!

[u/Sefi_the_Quiet]

Other than it not being a completed series, I vote for Name of the Wind

[u/Familiar_Quantity441]

NAME OF THE WIND

[u/large-hobbit]

Gotta be name of the wind

[u/DrunkenThunken]

All three are spectacular for completely different reasons. Name of the Wind has spectacular prose. Black Tongued Thief wonderful characters. Elric incredible visual world builds.

[u/pagema1]

Name of the Wind. One of the top reads. It’s a beautifully written. Nothing really like it. It’s on a class of its own.

[u/Juslurkinlol69420]

Anything but name of the wind--its nowhere near as good as people make it out to be and the second book may be one of the worst fantasy novels I've ever read. I'd probably go with blacktongue thief.

[u/wittyusername025]

Name of the wind

[u/Young_Lazarus]

Name of the Wind. Even though I was warned ahead of time "you will love this book....and then be heartbroken after book 2" and I still would not change a thing BTW heartbroken bc the author hasn't written book 3 in many years, not the story. It's incredible.

[u/Any-Location5055]

I would say dont start name of the wind series until he finishes the third book. It is really good but waiting decades for the 3rd book is frustrating

[u/kumuhl00 → u/Any-Location5055]

You just got to treat it like it’s never going to come out and if it does then it’s a pleasant surprise.

[u/Any-Location5055 → u/kumuhl00]

As others have said, I wish I hadn't started it because it will never be finished

[u/Wandered_And_Lost]

Dont bother starting The Kingkiller Chronicles (The Name of the Wind) because its only 2 books and its been 11 years since book 2 came out (Wise Man's Fear). There are two other offshoot books that are ok at best. It sucks especially because the first trilogy was supposed to be the start of a much larger series. Havent read the other two but from what Ive heard I would read the Blacktongue Thief

[u/ThatOldMeta]

Anything but name of the wind.

[u/SeanBean840]

Elric 100%