The term 'epic' applies to this book, and in many many ways. In the most literal sense, it is a nine hundred and ninety six page novel and the second part of a trilogy. Does that sound epic enough? How about its status as part of an autobiographical account of a legendary arcanist and adventurer, being related from his own self-imposed retirement behind the guise of a modest innkeeper? No? Gosh, you're difficult to please. Let's add in 'rites of passage' and 'coming of age' to the list of characteristics and move on.
Nine hundred and ninety six pages is an awful lot of paper, and my getting through the whole thing without resorting to another book for a break is a testament to the power of the prose, the humour of the author, and the sheer amount of enjoyable detail built into the world he's built. This is certainly a trilogy that has been built with a lot of thought, and a lot of heart. As with so many things admired here at the Quirky Muffin, that solid emotional presence at the core of the book is what makes it work, above everything else.
Two whole paragraphs down and still no substantial non-spoilery clues to the nature of the novel. As a second book in a trilogy, it's not at all essential to have read the first as I never have and didn't miss it at all. 'The Wise Man's Fear' is an epic fantasy novel, chronicling the middle part of the story of Kvothe, as told by the man himself, a legend in his own lifetime. It's a fascinating endeavour, and one that works spectacularly well. If the first book was about the childhood, then this is the adolescence and coming of age, and it does veer towards the mature side of things from time to time as a result. There were periods of some embarrassment during the reading, although that could be an overstatement as I was thrown out of saint academy for being too pure, and for naming all the candles after characters from Peanuts.
It's quite hard to classify 'The Wise Man's Fear', as it begins in an arcanist (wizard) university, segues into a court intrigue in a far off country, then a mercenary mission, and finally a fairly naughty fairy tale before finally returning to the university through the aftermaths of each of the intervening tales. That's what you can do when you're playing with almost a thousand pages, if you're a brave and thorough author. What kind of brain do you need to be able to write something like this? Is it all plotted out on the side of a building somewhere, do you think? For all my writing life, advance plotting has always been the thing I can barely even approach to handle. That's why all the stories here go on indefinitely, without ever seeming to get anywhere at all, and also why I admire such an accomplishment.
Of course, there is an emotional cost to reading a thousand page novel, and that has to explain the tears that flowed at the end. It's not necessarily a sad ending, but the implications are clear. Big things are clearly to come in part three, whenever that volume finally emerges. A very good epic fantasy. Now I might have two current authors to follow!
O.
Note: This might be a 'man' book. If anyone has any comments on that, then please let me know!
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