The Kingkiller Chronicle is an ongoing fantasy series by Patrick Rothfuss, telling the story of Kvothe, an adventurer and famous musician. Much of the story is narrated by Kvothe in first person as he tells his autobiography to a scribe. The first two books, The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear, were released in 2007 and 2011, respectively. A third is planned to fill out a trilogy, but a release date has not been announced. Together, the book series has sold over 10 million copies.
The plot is divided into two different action threads: the present, in which Kvothe tells the story of his life to Devan Lochees (known as Chronicler) in the Waystone Inn, and Kvothe's past, which makes up the majority of the first two books. The present-day interludes are in the third person from the perspective of multiple characters, while the story of Kvothe's life is told entirely in the first person from his own perspective.
The series also contains many metafictional stories-within-stories from varying perspectives, most of which are recounted by Kvothe, having been heard from other characters in his past.
Video The Kingkiller Chronicle
Books in the series
The first two novels in the trilogy, The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear, were released in 2007 and 2011 respectively; Patrick Rothfuss has said that the third book will be the end of this particular arc in the story.
Three other works are set in the Kingkiller Chronicle world:
- "How Old Holly Came to Be" in Unfettered (2013), edited by Shawn Speakman - an experimental short story;
- "The Lightning Tree" in Rogues (2014), edited by George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois - a novella about Bast;
- "The Slow Regard of Silent Things" (2014, ISBN 978-0756410438) - a novella about Auri.
Maps The Kingkiller Chronicle
Structure
The series is framed as the transcription of the three-day-long oral autobiography of Kvothe, a renowned musician, scholar, and adventurer now living anonymously as a rural innkeeper, with each day depicted in a separate book. The autobiography is book-ended and interspersed with interludes describing the interaction between Kvothe and Chronicler, the scribe recording the account.
Settings
The world is called the Four Corners of Civilization in the book, and officially named "Temerant" by Patrick Rothfuss in his blog. Kvothe often travels, and the books follow his adventures across multiple lands.
Tarbean
Tarbean is the capital of the Commonwealth, and (informally) divided into two sections: Waterside and Hillside. Waterside is a slum and home of beggars, thieves, and whores, while Hillside is home of solicitors, politicians, and courtesans. Kvothe spends three years living on the streets in Tarbean after his family and performing troupe are killed, and before he attends the University. Pronounced tar-bee-en.
University
Situated across the Omethi river from the town of Imre, the University is the center of higher learning. The people of the university are well respected and even feared. Master Elodin hints that the University is very old, with the subject of Naming having much more importance in the earlier days.
Subjects studied at the University include history, algebra, and geometry as well as sympathetic magic, medicine, alchemy and sygaldry (a form of magic based on runes and engineering). Calculus appears to be unknown, however.
During Kvothe's time at the University, the faculty are nine Masters (similar to "Roke Island" of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series), each specializing in a different field. One of the masters also holds the title of Chancellor, which confers additional administrative authority. Graduates of the University are known as "arcanists".
Vintas
Vintas is an ancient and wealthy kingdom southeast of the University. Its people are known to be naturally suspicious of anything remotely magical. One such city, Severen, is divided by a large cliff, the Sheer, the higher section of which is inhabited by nobles and ruled by the Maer. Nobles of Severen often send rings as part of summons, which is seen as a courtly game: one sends an iron ring to a lesser, a silver ring to a peer, and a golden ring to a superior, and nobles often make the game of displaying the rings they have received to show their influence.
Ademre
A harsh, barren, rocky, and windy land inhabited by the Adem people, famous for the fighting force called the "Adem mercenaries". It has many schools which teach different styles of fighting, and a fundamental philosophy known as the Lethani; similar to eastern martial arts and their supporting philosophy. The people of Ademre communicate emotion with little or no facial expression (other than laughter and tears), and use gestural language to communicate emotions, believing that showing emotion is a natural thing, and thus barbaric, while controlling emotion, and displaying it through a constructed sign-language is civilised, as civilisation is a constructed concept.
The Fae
A parallel reality inhabited by faeries and other species. In the Fae, the sun neither rises nor sets; but one can walk from lighter areas to darker areas, from morning to evening to night and back toward morning, or vice versa. The story's moon oscillates between the world of the Fae and the world of mortals; therefore, Fae can enter and exit the latter world easily during Full Moons, whereas mortals can become trapped in the Fae on moonless nights.
Waystone Inn
The present day activities occur at the Waystone Inn which is owned by Kvothe. Here Kvothe retells his life story to the Chronicler and Bast.
Characters
Central character
Kvothe: Kvothe, pronounced nearly the same as quothe with the "kv" sounding as in the Yiddish kvetch and the e being silent, is the protagonist of The Kingkiller Chronicle. At a young age he is orphaned and forced to survive alone. Through skill and talent he attends the University and learns combat from the Adem. He is a talented lute player, a skill which earns him his tuition for university.
At the Waystone Inn
Devan Lochees: Also known as Chronicler, Devan convinces Kvothe to dictate his memoirs to him. Devan is a well-known author, including one of the first books Kvothe ever read at the university's Archives, and is considered to be the foremost biographer of his time.
Bast: Kvothe's assistant and pupil; a Fae disguised as a young man. Bast's hope is that by recounting his life and adventures, Kvothe will return to his former heroism.
At the University and Imre
Denna: Described as dark haired and beautiful, she is a young woman who is romantically interested in Kvothe, but rejects long-term attachment. Denna changes her name frequently according to role. Beautiful, graceful, and intelligent; also a talented musician and singer. She has secured the support of a mysterious wealthy patron, to whom she and Kvothe refer as "Master Ash". This patron has harmed her purposefully in the past so she would avoid suspicion for having been the sole survivor of a massacre, and Kvothe is informed that her patron continues to beat and whip her as a test of her attachment to him. "Master Ash" is always careful to hit her in areas that will not be exposed though. She has many other names she goes by like Dinay, Dianah, Dinnah, and many more.
Ambrose Jakis: Kvothe's rival at the University, and the firstborn son of a powerful and wealthy baron. Throughout the story, Ambrose and Kvothe often commit sabotage and subterfuge against each other.
Master Kilvin: Master Artificer, one of Kvothe's most influential mentors. Kilvin spends much of his time inventing and fabricating devices, and has made numerous attempts to produce an "ever burning lamp". Kilvin is Cealdish, with thick shoulders and a bristling black beard.
Master Elodin: Master Namer, an eccentric but brilliant professor, considered insane by most of the students. Later initiates Kvothe into the discipline of 'Naming', which enables control over objects by utterance of secret names.
Master Arwyl: Master Physicker, an older professor described as having a "grandfatherly" appearance. Arwyl presides over the instruction and day-to-day operations of the Medica.
Master Hemme: Master Rhetorician, who resents Kvothe for embarrassing him, and tries to make Kvothe's life in the University as difficult as possible. Jasom Hemme replaces Herma as Chancellor near the end of The Wise Man's Fear.
Master Herma: Chancellor of the University and Master Linguist during The Name of the Wind and most of The Wise Man's Fear. Herma falls ill near the end of The Wise Man's Fear and his duties are taken over by Master Hemme.
Master Lorren: Master Archivist. Keeper of the University's vast and legendary Archives. He notoriously bans Kvothe in his first semester for having a lit candle in the archives.
Master Elxa Dal: Master Sympathist. Often referred to by simply "Dal" or "Master Dal". It is in his sympathy classes that Kvothe competitively duels with other University students. After Kvothe's trial in Imre, Elxa Dal advised Kvothe to leave the University until the backlash from the trial had died down, by telling him a story called "The Ignorant Edema". Described as having severe dark eyes, a lean face, and short black beard; to Kvothe, Dal looks the archetypal sinister magician in bad Aturan plays.
Master Mandrag: Master Alchemist, originally reminded Kvothe of his first mentor, Abenthy. Described as "clean-shaven and smooth-faced, with hands stained a half hundred different colors and seemed to be made all of knuckle and bone."
Master Brandeur: Master Arithmetician. Brandeur does not feature prominently in the first two parts of the trilogy and is primarily known as a henchman for Master Hemme, thus often voting against Kvothe in any matter before the masters.
Simmon: Often called Sim. He is of noble birth and is a close friend of Kvothe. Simmon is skilled in alchemy and poetry. Considered naïve despite his quick intellect, he is also a close friend with Wilem.
Wilem: Often called Wil. Cealdish, another close friend of Kvothe, and minor librarian in the University Archives. He and Simmon are the first to befriend Kvothe at the University.
Manet: A middle-aged student who has remained at the University for thirty years. He teaches Kvothe artificery in The Name of the Wind.
Fela: A beautiful young woman at the University. Kvothe and Fela help each other on several occasions. Fela is romantically interested in Kvothe, but later, in The Wise Man's Fear, she pairs with Simmon.
Auri: A young woman and likely former student who lives in hiding in passages beneath the university. Auri is frightened by strangers, loud noises, and direct questions, but is befriended by Kvothe. Her name is bestowed by Kvothe himself, in a language he does not remember, meaning "sunny". Kvothe calls her his "little moon fae" and plays his lute for her in the middle of the night.
Mola: A high-ranking student at the University. She works in the Medica and has healed Kvothe's injuries on multiple occasions.
Devi: A moneylender in Imre who makes loans to Kvothe to pay his tuition. An infamously expelled University student who lives in Imre, she is extremely skilled in sympathy, and many locals fear her. It is known that Devi, Fela, and Mola are good friends as well. At first a harsh moneylender, Devi later becomes a friend and adviser for Kvothe in The Wise Man's Fear. She continuously (and thus far, unsuccessfully) tries to find the Underthing secret path into the Archives, only known by Kvothe and Auri.
Count Dennais Threpe: A patron of the musical arts, living in Imre. He tries without success to find Kvothe a patron. He is eventually able to recommend Kvothe to the service of the Maer.
Deoch: The co-owner of the Eolian with his business partner Stanchion, Deoch serves as the establishment's "bouncer" and is a good friend to Kvothe, often giving him life advice. He is implied to be bisexual, and Stanchion is both his romantic and business partner in an open relationship.
Stanchion: The co-owner of the Eolian with his business partner Deoch, Stanchion serves both as a part-time bartender and as part-time M.C. for the musical performances. He is in charge of awarding silver talent pipes to talented musicians. He is another good friend of Kvothe's, and Deoch is both his business and romantic partner in an open relationship.
In Vintas
Maershon Lerand Alveron: Also called the Maer; ruler of a major portion of Vintas, and descendant of the King of Vint. Kvothe serves for a time as his adviser and occasional arcanist. The Maer is ultimately forced to dismiss Kvothe, but he allows Kvothe to travel and perform anywhere within his lands, and pays for Kvothe's tuition at the University. He is aided by Kvothe in various ways including helping him woo his wife, the Lady Lackless, and ridding the Eld of bandits. Kvothe's most important role in the Maer's life though was his instrumental role in saving the Maer's life.
Meluan Lackless: Heiress of the Lackless family, an ancient family of Vintas. In the oldest part of their estates there is rumored to be a secret door without a handle or hinges. She possesses an unusual box without handle, lid, or hinges. It seems that Kvothe has stolen her box. There are hints that she might be Kvothe's aunt. She deeply resents the Edema Ruh (Kvothe's ethnicity), possibly for enticing her sister away.
Stapes: The Maer's manservant and most trusted friend. Initially hostile to Kvothe, Stapes softens when Kvothe saves the Maer from Caudicus's poisoning and gives Kvothe his fabled 'ring of bone'.
Caudicus: An arcanist and alchemist in the employ of the Maer. Kvothe discovers that Caudicus has been killing the Maer slowly for many years by means of lead poisoning and warns the Maer. Caudicus kills several of the Maer's personal guard and escapes, but he is eventually killed by one of the Maer's generals, Dagon.
Bredon: A Vintish noble who lives at the Maer's court. He befriends Kvothe, teaches him the game of tak, and teaches him court customs.
In Tarbean
Skarpi: A relatively minor character in The Name of the Wind, though he has (in the present day) befriended Chronicler, and was instrumental in discovering Kvothe's whereabouts. He enters Kvothe's narrative in Tarbean as an eccentric old man who will tell any story asked of him. It seems that he is the crazy storyteller who has spread the true story of who the Chandrian are and how they came to be.
Trapis: A kindly old man who lives in the basement of a burnt building and feeds and tends to the needs of street children. Kvothe was befriended by Trapis, during Kvothe's three years living as a street urchin in Tarbean.
Pike: An orphan boy who lives in Tarbean. He was Kvothe's enemy in The Name of the Wind.
In the Fae
Felurian: One of the Fae, who enters the mortal world to seduce men into her own, where she reduces them to madness or death through excess of yearning and sexual debauchery. Kvothe spends time with her and eventually persuades her to allow him to leave. Before he leaves, she weaves him a magical cloak called a 'shaed'. The only reason Kvothe is permitted to leave is that he held back the song he made for her, as he needs to compare her to mortals before he can complete the song for her to hear.
Cthaeh: (pronounced kThay) A malicious entity living in a great tree in the Fae. The Cthaeh sees all possible futures and uses this power to cause anguish and pain. It manipulates in order to set those it encounters on "the most disastrous path" possible. Kvothe unknowingly speaks to this entity, and may have been affected by its revelations. Bast says that the Cthaeh is the most dangerous creature in existence and that all who talk to it are doomed.
In Ademre
Ademre is a barren land of little value populated by the matriarchal Adem society for several thousand years. The Adem are highly skilled mercenaries who fight in schools and send their earnings to their homeland to support their schools and families. The Adem follow a philosophy called Lethani and a barehanded/sword-fighting style called the Ketan.
Tempi: An Adem mercenary whom Kvothe meets in Vintas, under the employ of Maer Alveron. Tempi introduces Kvothe to the Ketan and Lethani. Tempi is a capable fighter, though considered only mediocre by Adem standards.
Shehyn: An old woman and master of the Ketan fighting style as well as the head of the school in Haert, where Kvothe stays. She approves allowing Kvothe to be taught the Ketan and the Lethani.
Vashet: Nicknamed "the Hammer", she is the teacher assigned to Kvothe to determine whether he is worthy to learn from her people. Vashet teaches Kvothe how to fight barehanded and with a sword.
Penthe: A young woman and a highly capable fighter. She is the first among the Adem to speak to Kvothe willingly.
Carceret: A female Adem who rebukes Tempi for teaching Kvothe their secrets, and resents Kvothe when he receives a sword formerly belonging to her mother.
Celean: An exceptionally talented student of the Ketan who becomes Kvothe's sparring partner. She is only 10 years old, and, although being much smaller than Kvothe, wins their sparring matches on a regular basis. By the time Kvothe leaves Ademre, Celean talks about him often to her friends.
Magwyn: Grandmother of Vashet, Magwyn gives Kvothe the name 'Maedre', meaning either 'The Flame', 'The Thunder', or 'The Broken Tree'. Later, Magwyn helps Kvothe memorize the history and names of the carriers of his sword 'Saicere'.
Mythos and history
Origin of the Lethani
The guiding ethical authority of the Adem is the Lethani; the Lethani is, by its nature, difficult to describe, but it resembles The Tao in Taoism. It could also be compared to Bushido, chivalry or virtue ethics. It is supposedly derived from 99 stories told by the dying 'Rethe' to her instructor 'Aethe' after she was mortally wounded in a duel against him.
The Chandrian
The Chandrian are also known as the Seven and, by the Adem, as the Rhinta. Their character, origins, and purpose are unknown to most human characters; but they are presumed malevolent. Led by Lord Haliax, popular superstition describes "signs" of their presence, such as fire turning blue and the rusting of iron.
Skarpi's stories
Skarpi tells a tale of Lord Haliax's origins as Lanre, legendary warrior, hero of the embattled Ergen Empire, and husband to the sorceress Lyra. Lanre is killed in the battle, but Lyra revives him with her magic, and they go on to win the war. However, after the war, Lyra dies mysteriously, and Lanre finds himself unable to revive her despite gaining great powers. Filled with despair, he changes his name to Haliax and resolves to destroy the world, betraying the great cities of Ergen. While destroying the last city, Myr Tariniel, Lanre reveals to its king Selitos that his power has rendered him unable to sleep, forget, go mad, or die. Selitos curses Haliax to be surrounded by shadow and troubled by any mention of his name, extending the curse eternally on Haliax and his followers. Another of Skarpi's tales has Selitos gathering Myr Tariniel's survivors to form the Amyr, sworn to hunt the Chandrian whenever and wherever they can.
Denna's song
In "The Song of Seven Sorrows", composed by Denna with the assistance of her mysterious patron, Lanre is portrayed "in tragic tones" as a fallen hero "wrongly used". Kvothe and Denna argue over Denna trying to release the song to the public.
The Fae's account
Among the Fae, it is held that before Lanre betrayed the empire he had spoken to the evil Cthaeh.
The Creation Wars and the stealing of the moon
The Creation Wars ended with the world being split into two (Fae and mortal) and the moon trapped between both worlds by Jax, later called Iax, who was referenced in Hespe's story.
Felurian's account
The stealing of the moon ended the last chance for peace; whereas before men and the Fae were divided, two factions existed: the knowers and the shapers, whereof the shapers created the Fae realm, and one of these named Iax lodged the moon between the worlds. Among the Fae, it is held that before Jax stole the moon he had spoken to the Cthaeh.
Hespe's account
A variation of this tale is told by Hespe, a female mercenary, in which an unhappy boy named Jax bet a tinker that he could not make Jax happy. In the course of the contest, Jax decided to possess the moon. Taking his winnings, all of the tinker's packs and his hat (an unlucky sign), Jax traveled for some years, until he met a wise hermit with a vast knowledge of true names, and a talent for listening. Impatient to capture the moon, Jax built a crooked mansion and called to the moon by playing a sad song on a magic flute found in the tinker's pack. The moon came to him; and when she left, Jax said, "I have given you three things. My song, a house, and my heart" and asked for a touch of her hand, a kiss, and her name, Ludis. With these, he took her partially prisoner, which (in this story) explains the lunar cycle.
In other media
In July 2013, 20th Century Fox announced that The Kingkiller Chronicle was optioned for a TV series. The production team included Arnon Milchan, Andrew Plotkin, Brad Weston, and Robert Lawrence. The option expired by October 2015, and Rothfuss announced on his blog that the rights to the books had reverted to him.
In October 2015, Rothfuss announced that Lionsgate would be involved in adapting the series through a film, TV series, and video game. Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will executive produce the television series along with John Rogers, Jennifer Court, Robert Lawrence and Rothfuss, for Showtime. Miranda also will compose music for the series. In January 2018, Sam Raimi was announced as the director for the upcoming film.
References
External links
- The Kingkiller Chronicle series listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- The Kingkiller Chronicle at the Internet Book List
- Patrick Rothfuss' Web site
- Knackerman song, from lyrics Rothfuss had written for The Name of the Wind. Performed by Vi Hart, per the request of Rothfuss as part of an event for Rothfuss' Wordbuilders charity.
Source of article : Wikipedia
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