KKC Theory WikiThe Name of the Wind
“Day One of Kvothe's framed first-person account”
also known as NOTW, The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One
Appearance§
The novel is built as a three-part frame: a prologue and epilogue evoking a 'cut-flower silence,' interludes that return to the lamplit Waystone Inn, and Kvothe's first-person narration in between. Denna's ring, designed by Rothfuss, bears Yllish knots that echo the faint knots on the Lackless box.
Description§
The Name of the Wind is the first volume of Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicle, subtitled 'Day One.' It frames the story of Kvothe, who now hides as the innkeeper Kote at the Waystone Inn and agrees to tell his life over the course of three days to the scribe Chronicler. The novel covers Kvothe's childhood among the Edema Ruh, the Chandrian's murder of his parents and troupe, his hard years as an orphan in Tarbean, and his rise at the University. Along the way it introduces the magic of sympathy, the lost art of naming, the great Archives, and characters such as Denna, Bast, Elodin, Ambrose, Devi, and Auri. The book opens with Kote killing scrael at the inn and closes with him taking 'one perfect step.' Rothfuss spent roughly thirteen years writing and revising the novel, and a 10th anniversary edition was later published with distinctive cover artwork.
Relationships§
- Tells Story Of Kvothe — frames Kvothe telling his life over three days as innkeeper Kote
- Covers The Chandrian — covers the death of Kvothe's parents by the Chandrian
- Covers The University — covers Kvothe's entry into the University and the Arcanum
- Establishes Naming — establishes naming, including the 'name of the wind'
- Establishes Sympathy — establishes sympathy as energy-transfer magic
- Opens At Waystone Inn — opens with Kote running the Waystone Inn and killing scrael
- Covers Edema Ruh — covers Kvothe's childhood with the Edema Ruh troupe
- Features Chronicler — Chronicler persuades Kote to tell his life story over three days
- Covers Tarbean — covers Kvothe's time as an orphan in Tarbean
- Opens With Scrael — the opening scrael fight at the inn
Established facts§
- The Name of the Wind is the first book of the Kingkiller Chronicle, subtitled 'The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One.'
- Patrick Rothfuss spent roughly thirteen years writing and editing the novel.
- The book opens with Kote running the Waystone Inn under an assumed name and killing scrael, before Chronicler persuades him to tell his life story over three days.
- Kote chose the name 'Kote' carefully; Kilvin's later comment implies 'kote' means roughly 'disaster' in Siaru.
- Kvothe introduces Bast as 'Bastas, son of Remmen, Prince of Twilight and the Telwyth Mael,' and leads the inn in the song 'Tinker Tanner.'
- The book covers Kvothe's childhood with the Edema Ruh troupe, the death of his parents by the Chandrian, his time in Tarbean, and his entry into the University and the Arcanum.
- It establishes core worldbuilding: sympathy as energy-transfer magic, naming including the 'name of the wind,' the Archives, masters such as Elodin and Kilvin, and characters including Denna, Ambrose, Devi, and Auri.
- In the opening scrael fight Kote proves 'stronger than he looks,' yet later fails against bandits.
- The book ends with Kvothe taking 'one perfect step.'
- A 10th anniversary edition of The Name of the Wind was published with distinctive cover artwork.