Contributed by Gordon Ross.
Ever since April 2017 the Duke and Duchess Podcast has been bringing together fantasy readers from across the globe to bask collectively in the glory that is Patrick Rothfuss’s as-yet-unfinished Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy. Here, we take a look at five things we love about The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear, and explore five similarly-skilled authors who can help fill the wait for Doors of Stone.
1. Memorable Characters
Why Kingkiller is awesome?
We all love Kvothe. Everyone hates Ambrose. And, even though opinion is split, everyone seems to have a strong opinion about Denna. The principle cast make us laugh, cry and gnash our teeth in frustration on a page-by-page basis, and the series has a diverse host of unforgettable supporting characters.
Who else does this brilliantly?
GRRM, Pullman and *shudder* Rowling each deserve an honorable mention, but the outstanding candidate here is Robin Hobb, whose incredible Realm of the Elderlings books cycle through unforgettable characters that other fantasy authors can only dream of. To achieve this even while giving them silly names like Verity, Regal and The Fool is all the more impressive.
Where to start with Hobb?
There are dozens of novels and short stories to choose from, written under the names Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm, but as a starting point it is difficult to look past Assassin’s Apprentice. This is the first book set in the Realm of the Elderlings and which kicks off the Farseer Trilogy.
Don’t Miss!
The Tawny Man trilogy, which follows on from Farseer (with the also-excellent Liveship Traders books in-between) and has been known to reduce grown men to blubbering wrecks at the simple unexpected appearance of an old friend.
2. Humor
Why Kingkiller is awesome?
Present-day Kvothe’s willingness to make his younger self look foolish all for the sake of a good story leads to many a hearty chuckle for the reader.
Who else does this brilliantly?
The late, great Terry Pratchett is of course the undisputed king of fantasy comedy.
Where to start with Pratchett?
Literally anywhere. Part of the beauty of Pratchett’s Discworld books is that they are separate stories set in the same world. The more you read the more you will appreciate the crossovers, but there is endless debate about whether the stories centered on Death, the Witches or the City Watch are superior. Try Small Gods, which is extremely stand-alone even in this company, and also happens to be one of the funniest books written by… anyone.
Don’t Miss!
Good Omens, an uproarious non-Discworld tale of angels and demons, co-written by Neil Gaiman.
3. The Prose
Why Kingkiller is awesome?
Whether in his novels, novellas, blogs or even Goodreads reviews of other books, Rothfuss writes beautifully. He is as much an artist with the written word as Kvothe is with his lute, and can both pluck at heartstrings and craft moments of euphoria with an outrageously small number of words. The man is incredibly gifted.
Who else does this brilliantly?
As well as Rothfuss? Potentially nobody. Tolkien might be the obvious choice, but let’s go with Josiah Bancroft, who is demonstrating incredible talent in his Books of Babel series.
Where to start with Bancroft?
Senlin Ascends, Bancroft’s debut novel launches hapless headmaster Thomas Senlin on a steampunk-esque adventure and inadvertent quest of self-discovery through the eclectic Ringdoms of the mysterious Tower of Babel.
Don’t Miss!
The Arm of the Sphinx; the second Babel book brings an extended cast, superb character development and heaps of style; the high-point in the series so far.
4. A Layered Story
Why Kingkiller is awesome?
Afficionados of The Duke and Duchess or CasterQuest podcasts, or those who have treated themselves to multiple Kingkiller re-reads, will testify that the story is much more complex than it first appears. Easter eggs that are impossible to catch on the first read set up events that don’t pay off until many hundreds or even thousands of pages later.
Who else does this brilliantly?
Brandon Sanderson is the master of complex, believable magic systems, strong, unexpected endings, and incredibly intricate plots. Many of his standalone novels, short stories and longer series are all set in the same universe, promising an epic conclusion when it is all tied together in years to come. The Cosmere is the Infinity Saga of contemporary fantasy, and that’s a very, very good thing.
Where to start with Sanderson?
There are plenty of options here, but the standout is Mistborn: The Final Empire, which introduces Allomancers, magic users who ingest metals to activate their powers. A strong dystopian baddie and a heist-style narrative make this a fun jumping-off point.
Don’t Miss!
A Memory of Light, Sanderson’s phenomenal conclusion to the Wheel of Time series which was left unfinished by the untimely passing of Robert Jordan. Sanderson’s ability to rapidly churn out the final three Wheel of Time books while spinning so many of his own plates makes this all the more impressive.
On a side note: Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series is currently being covered by The Duke and Duchess Podcast!
5. Masterful Subversion
Why Kingkiller is awesome?
Early on in The Name of the Wind Kvothe warns us that this is not your traditional fairy story, and not to expect miraculous escapes or heroic interventions. Despite the warning it is incredibly difficult to predict that events in Tarbean, Imre or on the roof of the University will go the way they do. Kvothe’s is a world where we should expect the unexpected.
Who else does this brilliantly?
Australian author James Islington is the mind behind the soon-to-be-completed Licanius Trilogy, which superficially has a lot in common with Wheel of Time, but where nothing is quite what you expect.
Where to start with Islington?
Islington’s self-published debut The Shadow of what was Lost. It’s the first book in the series.
Don’t Miss!
The ending to the second book in the trilogy, An Echo of Things to Come. Oh, what an ending!!!
Gordon originally hails from a small town by the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and now lives in Sheffield, England with his wife and two young daughters. He didn’t really know what fantasy was until he saw ‘Fellowship of the Ring.’ Gordon has been slowly plodding his way through books about incredible new worlds ever since. He was recently delighted to discover that he shares a Myers Briggs personality type with Tywin Lannister, Charles Montgomery Burns and Emperor Palpatine.
Gordon likes to bore friends and family with board games, book talk and motorsport. He watches a lot of Formula 1, races karts at amateur events. He looks forward to buying a motorbike when the time comes for a mid-life crisis. He has recently taken up cycling around the hills around Sheffield as a means of getting out of the house and of catching up on podcasts and Horus Heresy audiobooks.
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