Are you a fan of Patrick Rothfuss’ fantasy epic, The Name of the Wind? The book’s 10th anniversary is coming up this year, and to celebrate, DAW is re-releasing a deluxe, hardcover version of the novel! The book will contain 50 new pages of material, including some gorgeous illustrations from Hugo Award-nominee Dan dos Santos.
Check out one of the illustrations below!
Here we see Kvothe and Denna sharing a quiet moment on a waystone beneath the stars after years apart:
The deluxe edition of The Name of the Wind will debut on October 3, 2017. In the meantime, you can see more of the lovely illustrations over at io9, and read more about Rothfuss’ plans for Book 3 of The Kingkiller Chronicle!
I’m not putting anymore money in Pat’s pockets.
I picked up The Name of the Wind a couple of years ago, before I learned that he still hasn’t finished book 3. Sorry, but I no longer am willing to be suckered by authors and publishers. (Still waiting for David Gerrold’s next War Against Chtorr book 24 years after the previous book!)
I might be in a minority on this, but I will no longer buy series that are unfinished unless they are open-ended. If it’s supposed to be a 1-2-3-and-done trilogy, then don’t publish 1 unless 3 is ready to go.
And definitely don’t ask us to buy commemorative copies of the first book of an unfinished trilogy. Fool me once and all that…
Rothfuss is a fine writer and a wonderful activist, but I think there’s a lot of gall in issuing a fancy tenth anniversary version of the first book when he’s spent six bloody years working on the third one.
@2:
Yeah, you’re basically saying “don’t ever publish trilogies from authors who haven’t already hit the best-seller lists with previous books” because no publisher is going to make the financial investment required to publish THREE books without knowing how well the first book sells.
I must say I sympathize with the idea that bringing out a fancy illustrated copy of the first book, while fans have been very clear in voicing that all they truly want at the moment is book three, is a little frustrating…
Reading Pat’s blog, he is far too busy with anything but finishing this book. It is his prerogative of course, but indeed I would not buy a single Rothfuss endorsed product, or special copies/editions of his existing books. Not until I can read book three that is. And even then, he may have eroded too much support to even buy any of his future work.
Please refrain from making disparaging personal attacks on individual authors, and let’s keep the discussion civil. Thanks.
It’s an edition for collectors, but I agree with those just want the text for Book 3. I still love physical books, but read mostly on my tablet, so all I want is to finish the story.
Rothfuss appears to be a perfectionist who agonizes over his craft. The success of the first two volumes have given him room and time to do that, similar to the seeming endless extension on GRR Martin’s next GoT book. So commerce has created space for art. Others writers may not have that luxury and must produce a text to get paid.
As has been said, readers can’t begrudge a writer enjoying their success, but there’s a limit to how long interest can be stretched. Once Rothfuss and Martin publish new volumes, my interest may return, but right now it’s at a very low ebb.
I also want Book 3. Having said that, I gotta have this one too.
I agree with most of the comments I’ve read here. There is no way I’m spending money on a re-write of the first book when I’m still waiting for the 3rd book. I was actually really angry when The Slow Regard of Silent Things came out. I wanted to yell a him for daring to stop working on the one book everyone is waiting for to give a story to a side character that no one (or at least not me) cares about. Auri’s story could have waited. A re-write of book one can definitely wait. I really just want to know the end of Kvoth’s story.
@9 Is it a rewrite or are those 50 pages all art
I’m torn on this. The illustrations are beautiful, and being an Audible ‘reader’, I haven’t ever actually purchased a hard copy of these books, so, I’m going to buy this one. I also agree with most who just want Pat to ditch all the side projects and works he’s doing and finish the trilogy. Yes, we expect quality, and the first two books give a high standard to match or surpass, but…come on. Trust the instinct and skill that made the first two so great and just give us the 3rd!
I guess I don’t mind that his books are taking so long. I’ve enjoyed the first two (and Slow Regard, and Mr. Whiffle) and think they were worth the money spent for the entertainment received. Probably just a perspective thing, or a good match of writer-reader paradigms.
@@.-@: “Yeah, you’re basically saying “don’t ever publish trilogies from authors who haven’t already hit the best-seller lists with previous books” because no publisher is going to make the financial investment required to publish THREE books without knowing how well the first book sells.”
Um, yeah, that’s what I’m saying. If the first book isn’t complete in and of itself, then it’s a partial product, an incomplete work of art. Same for book 2. If they expect us to buy into a trilogy, they need to be able to assure there *is* a trilogy. Or they should publish books 1 and 2 at deep discounts since they are only partial stories.
If the individual books are complete and standalone works, then publish away! But if books 2 and 3 are required to finish the story, then they shouldn’t publish book 1 until 2 & 3 are written. Or, more precisely, they can publish whatever they want, but more and more readers are turning away from unfinished series for the same reasons I state.
Many authors have stretched out their series over many years. But not many authors have made outright statements of what to expect and then left readers in limbo. Rothfuss marketed the series as being complete to the point that books 2 and 3 would be released the next year and the year after. In fact, he said the story was already written, that he was just fleshing out some characters and situations, and polishing up the prose. Since then, at least one additional claim was made about when to expect D3.
It is these claims that have frustrated fans to the point of being rude and disparaging. Readers feel deceived because claims were made that have not materialized. It’s a shame, but it also seems consistent with human nature.
Note to authors: Leave fans in the dark about your plans!
@9, @10: The Slow Regard of Silent Things is far too beautiful not to exist. In and of itself, it overcomes all objections to the time spent creating it.
@15
Not sure why this is directed at me. I loved Slow Regards. I was questioning #9’s assumption that the new edition of NotW was being rewritten.
Since the article is about the new version of book one, I’ll keep my response to that. I’m just not interested in a new version of his book, regardless of whatever new content it may have. This kind of thing is just not my thing.
He can write whatever he wants, and monetize his fan base however he wants. That does not mean I have to participate in everything he does or produces
For all those complaining about book 3 not being out and whining about the work moving slower than THEY would like, please read this blog by Neil Gaiman.
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html
Replace the name in the italics to read Patrick Rothfuss, as opposed to George R.R. Martin.
The time taken will be worth it for a quality book. Rothfuss spent over 15 years on his story, before it was even published. Read the blog. Before Book 2, he admitted that if he had released it before revisions and being happy with it, it would be missing HUGE things. Auri was added in a revision, for example.
The book will release when it is ready. He will announce it when it is ready. I will gladly support his art in the meantime. I have multiple copies of Slow Regard. I have limited editions of Princess and Mr. Whiffle. I support Worldbuilders every year. I want to see Book 3, but I want to read a story that the author has taken care with, rather than the hurriedly released, half assed books that some authors put out to try and get something out quick.
If it means the quality remains as good, I’m willing to wait as long as it takes. I have faith in PR.
~lakesidey
I will agree that any author is not our b*tch.
But we are not their’s either.
@16 “Directed” is the wrong word – “included” is better, since I affirm your point
@13:
Then what you really want is for publishers to not sign new authors unless they have stand alone novels to publish first… but even then, sometimes a series just doesn’t sell well, even from an established author. No business should be forced to keep manufacturing a product that loses money. And no author should be forced to continue WRITING a story that doesn’t earn them royalties. They have to eat. And pay rent/mortgage. Just like everyone else.
I totally get the frustration. I’ve lived it with several authors. But the economics of “don’t publish Book One until the final volume is written” just don’t make any sense. We’d be left without the kind of stories many, many of us like. Like the Wheel of Time, A Song of Fire and Ice, Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, The Dresden FIles, etc. Because, while the authors are spending years writing these stories they aren’t earning any money. Ultimately, a writer earns their money from sales, not from the act of writing.
So, if you can’t stand taking the risk of not being able to finish reading a series because either a publisher or a writer pulled the plug on a series, then don’t take it–wait until they are finished. But asking for publishers not to publish the first book in a series until ALL of them are written only means one thing–no series will ever be published. I for one, and obviously many others like me, am willing to simply pay for the book in my hand, with the understanding that while the intention is to put out another volume, I may not get it–because that’s the only way longform fantasy series will ever get written by professional authors who write novels for a living, rather than on the side while working another job to pay the bills.
@22
I literally addressed this in my last comment: “Or, more precisely, they can publish whatever they want, but more and more readers are turning away from unfinished series for the same reasons I state.”
So, thanks for the lecture, but I stand by every word I said, especially my closing comment about publishers being able to publish whatever they want (as you said) while I don’t have to buy it (as you said).
Just a reminder to keep the tone of your comments civil and be respectful or others, even when disagreeing. You can read our full Moderation Policy here.
“Here we see Kvothe and Denna sharing a quiet moment on a waystone beneath the stars after years apart.”
Except this never happens.
Leodious – maybe they meant “greystone”. There’s that bit where they spend the night up on the greystone after meeting the draccus
If Tor really wanted to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Kingkiller Chronicle, they should have published this new edition with the last 1/3 of the book being blank pages after ending abruptly, mid sentence.