A young boy discovers magic; we follow him through his trials and tribulations as he develops his magical abilities while plodding through school. Does that sound familiar? Like Harry Potter? I've seen the book compared to Harry Potter but it didn't really feel like Harry Potter between the covers.
I devoured the book faster than I expected. I really enjoyed the way the story unfolds. It's told from the perspective of the main character Kvothe, as he reflects on his life. He's arguably the best "wizard" ever to have lived and he wants his story told the right way. Perhaps that means it's told with a bit of bias.
Sometimes he gets away with more than he should have, but overall I think Kvothe is a fun character to follow. In his years at the University, he's almost too good; too smart, too witty, too good on the lute. But I think things will take a turn later in the story (book three perhaps?).
I spent most of my youth stuck in the Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore so it's been great reading other work in the genre. The world building that Rothfuss did in the first book worked for me. Everything feels real enough and leaves me wanting to explore more.
I'm glad I'm a late comer to the series... maybe the third book will be out by the time I'm ready for it!