Read Runners discussion

Utkarsh wrote: "@Gehna I just remembered something, how old was Denna? She was older than our genius, right."

Yeah... she was older... by 1 year, I think, don't remember :|

@Gehna she seemed to be doing her 'vanishing tricks' for quite some time. Her age and actions doesn't match. One more thing that I didn't like about NOTW.

Zaara wrote: "@Manu, @Vimal...any thoughts outside the "perfection" discussion? Language, pace, setting/world, unfolding of story arc, roles given to secondary chars? Any likes, dislikes? Pls use spoiler tags if..."

I must admit, I didn't expect quite how polarised this debate will get. There's been a lot of Kvothe and Denna bashing and I think we are somewhat 'talked out' on those two chars. I kinda agree with Purvi.

@Utkarsh... How many stars did you give it? :)

@Gehna, There are multiple discussions going on in this thread. That's why it is so active. It is not necessary that every single person should discuss every single point. Me Abhay and Manju are debating over something we wish to discuss. U can always start any other topic about the book and others will join you.

We've only discussed from past 2 or so pages now. Rest are unrelated discussion. A lot if it is even Spam. So those who have not read locke can always resume other discussions

If you don't want to discuss comparisons feel free to start new discussion.

@Purvika, @Zaara, then it wouldn't be much of a debate. I don't mind if Abhay does not agree with me. That's what makes it interesting.

@Gehna that's not relevant here. :P 2.5 i guess. Rothfuss described magic, the fictional world and human nature quite nicely. but story wise, things didn't go much far...

@Anirudh I agree but then again it takes the mood to a different level and then it spoil the fun or lack of, w.r.t. reading. I personally have no objections if you hate or dislike any of the character. But it gets tiring to read same points again and again.

@Zara, Polo, Manju and Gehna.

What do you think of Auri and Bast's character. ( Polo I know what you think still would love to read them).

If you have read past 70% then check this spoiler.
Also, what do you think of(view spoiler)[ the incident when Kvothe was followed with the help of a finder and he tricked them and ran off. He did confess there that he was scared like hell. (hide spoiler)]

@Anirudh..... interesting only to you..... :) :P

@Utkarsh.... I gave it 4, but I agree with you.... story line good, but some characters sounded incomplete :)

@Purvi.... Bast (view spoiler)[ I loved the fact that he was a Fae, and the suspense it created was also nice. Bast is a nice companion to Kothe and I really loved their friendship. They both are just different. That part where Bast goes to Chronicler's room at night to talk about Kvothe, that actually showed how much he cared for Kvothe. (hide spoiler)]

Auri (view spoiler)[ Prolly she is my favourite character in this book. Innocence in her works. Kvothe said that she was his best audience. I love her a lot. She did want she wanted, that independence! :) (hide spoiler)]

@ Gehna I agree completely. (view spoiler)[ I loved when Bast sang for Kvothe just to remind himself that he is alive. It showed how much he cared for Kvothe. And Auri, she is my favorite among all even more than Kvothe himself. I agree about her Independence and innocence. Have you read the book that is dedicated to her. I cannot remember the name as I am yet to read it. (hide spoiler)]

@Purvika, If u see my post you can see that it is clearly marked for Abhay. he didn't agree with me and presented his own points so I presented mine.

As I said there are multiple discussions going on. You can always continue with that or start a new post.

I don't particularly hate kvothe, But I don't particularly like him. So I put forth my points in the discussion thread that's all.

Gehna wrote: "@Utkarsh.... I gave it 4, but I agree with you.... story line good, but some characters sounded incomplete :)"

yeah.

Enough Discussions about this book for me now. now moving on.
may you have fun reading future adventures of kvothe...:)

So you mean to say if its marked for Abhay others shouldn't read or notice it.. It get noticed if the length of post become big and is without spoilers. Maybe next time you guys plan to discuss big post put it under spoiler and tags like only for such and such person. Then others might simply ignore it. And carry on with their discussion.

Yes surely we can continue and I really want to but all this big posts making me tired of posting something new. Still I did post regardless of all this Kvothe/Locke arguments. So let's see how much one can carry discussion on the same thread in a parallel form.

okay people no more fighting. any more Tension and my laptop would break.

Stop and think, and start Anew. lets focus on positive point of book for now.

@Purvi... (view spoiler)[ I too love that part where Bast sings for Kvothe :)
And I don't know about Auri's book! :O Do tell me when you know it ^_^
And leave Anirudh.... he won't listen :-) (hide spoiler)]

+1 to what Utkarsh said :)

I enjoyed the verbal paring. I love taking a ring seat on such occasions. But if forced to take sides, I would tilt towards Anirudh, Abhay, Manju et Al.

This is because comparison is invariable between Kvothe and Locke , if the reader has read both books. They have superficial similarities but differences are glaring. And to be frank, no spoilers have been given away. And the few details provided won't stick in the minds of readers for more than a few hours, unless they make a conscious attempt to remember the facts.

@Purvika, I said that because u said u were tired of reading the same post. What I meant was that you didn't have to read all my posts.

Don't see what I can do about big posts not making u feel like posting :/

@Gehna, I don't have to agree with everything you guys say :/



Coming back to discussions, Some like drawing comparisons and some dislike many qualities about Kvothe. There is no need to get upset about it. Everyone need not like the book they read.

I went away for a day and so many comments.:)

@Gehna & Purvika: Abhay, Anirudh and me are comparing Locke and Kvothe because I am finding it hard to like Kvothe. Locke being the only character very similar to and yet very different from Kvothe at the same time. In our discussion I am trying to grasp something that will help me understand Kvothe and why you all are loving him and what is am missing in the story. and Abhay is helping me with this Locke comparison. And seriously I don't think there is anything else to discuss in the book as right from the start to the very end (I hope as am yet to finish the book) its Kvothe. Everything else is in shadow of him. There is no politics to talk about, there are no other characters to talk about and there is no romance to talk about. I get it the book is first person narration but it's all Kvothe and only Kvothe. :)

Also I get it you love a character and you hate a character but I don't think there is any harm when someone tries to convince you that he actually isn't that bad character by comparing him to someone else.
Is there?

Oh and I can totally draw comparison between Kvothe and Jericho Barrons as you haven't read Locke yet.;);)

@Purvika: About your question:

I have met Auri only once as am still stuck at 62%.
Bast is likeable but there is not much about him. I know he is faery and that's all. Why he is with Kvothe, how the two met, and what purpose he was serving in the book is not clear to me yet.:(

Purvi :
About Bast.. (view spoiler)[I like this man. (Like I'd hate anything about NoTW :P) I like his faith towards Kvothe; its almost like he reveres him. The part towards the first half, where he sings that song for Kvothe, its touching.
Towards the end, the confrontation between Bast and Chronicler reveals about Bast's nature. I like the features of a Fae that have been reflected in him. I love how he manipulated the Chronicler just to make him rejuvenate Kvothe and make him come out of the shell he has retreated into. There's a lot left unsaid there, and I remember how I was dying with curiosity to know what made Kvothe give up everything. (hide spoiler)]

About Auri, (view spoiler)[she is the prettiest, loveliest, most adorable creature in all over Kvothe-land. I love how innocent her world was. How she was Kvothe's best audience, always waiting with sheer enthusiasm to watch him play. How Kvothe cared for her when that fire broke out. Whenever she appeared in the story, it made me smile. :)
Rothfuss has done a splendid job in painting a character so wonderful. (hide spoiler)]

I'm in for The Slow Regard of Silent Things anytime, but I think its better to read that after the Kingkiller Chronicles series.

@ Manju. I get it..but if a book can't make you like a character then no amount of discussion can. If you don't like him while reading then you certainly won't love him at all while discussing about him. And In my opinion comparing it to some other character of another fantasy makes it more difficult to like certain character. Its like comparing two different people who have different persona. And since you don't like him at all you think he is shadowing every aspect of the story. You can discuss other characters, and there are many incidents worth discussing if one ponder onto it.

Also, the harm starts from the moment when it's compared. For instance look in your discussion, the more comparison is brought up the more you are saying Kvothe is all perfection and Locke was not like that hence he was likable ( said differently I know). Still. This comparison is making you more determined towards not liking Kvothe. Which you already do by reading Itself.
Still if you'all want to continue comparing then ok.

Also, many times in series...the first books are normally not much informative about most characters. I have no idea how this series will continue and how much light will be shed on other characters. But I will surely find it out. As I, myself am fan of knowing the back story of side characters. And am hell lot interested to know more about Denna and Bast. Also, Ambrose.

I hope by the time you end this book..something you find in it worth discussing :) I will be looking forward to it.

@Genha and polo... You didn't check my other spoiler :(

@Purvika: May be you are right. Will come back to this thread once I finish reading this.:)

@Manju, Was there anything in this book you liked?

@Abhay, was there anything in this book you didn't like?

Purvi : I seemed to have forgotten that incident.. Remember it only vaguely. :-/
Blame my brain cells rotting away.

@Abhay, (view spoiler)[I thought so too. It was really unnecessary to spend so much time on that. But I think Rothfuss wasn't ready to reveal anything about Chandrian so he extended this one. (hide spoiler)]

@Polo, I'm in, and you're right...once we finish with Book 2. We should read them in the order(?) Rothfuss wrote them. Not sure which one was written first, Fear or Things.
@Purvi...
Re the part you mention in your spoiler (view spoiler)[ when Kvothe is attacked...he does freak out and completely loses his head, threatens them like a kid (he is after all barely 16), and then runs away. That is an un-Super moment, see? His head was so full of Denna :-) not much else in it...
He panics enough to leave town about it, which is when he hears about the Chandrian attack. I guess it moved the story fwd.
(hide spoiler)]
Re Bast (view spoiler)[ chapter 96 is one of my faves too...I literally picked Polo's brain apart over that scene. I wish bast had been given more prominence, I hoped/hope we get to know more about his backstory. He does not seem to be happy in his forced exile, for him to have sent out those disguised distress calls.
(hide spoiler)]
Re Auri (view spoiler)[ she has rare eyes! she sees into the heart of things and speaks them for what they are. (hide spoiler)]

Done reading.With the amount of light that has been(or hasn't been) thrown on Kvothe's psyche and the Chandrian, I feel compelled to read book 2 quite soon.

I read through all the discussion about Kvothe and was seeing if my mind swayed this way or the other, but all I could think of were some minor irritations as I'd noted down in an earlier comment.Didn't find Kvothe or Denna repulsive at any point.

@Abhay
(view spoiler)[
Same feeling regarding the ending.After all the build-up in Trebon initially, I was thinking Kvothe was going to secure some vital clue regarding the Chandrian.Didn't expect it to drift into a Drachus hunt.Most confusing of all was how Kvothe almost completely shifted from wildly ambitious to deeply humane, in his bid to save the village.There is some inconsistency somewhere.Hoping to find some answers in the next 2 books.
(hide spoiler)]

@Vimal 807 and @Ab 803, good points!

~~Poulomi Nymphadora Tonk$~~ wrote: "Purvi : I seemed to have forgotten that incident.. Remember it only vaguely. :-/
Blame my brain cells rotting away."

Oh.... It happens :P (view spoiler)[Remember when Kvothe was returning to university after talking with Deoch where they discussed Danna? And he was attacked and bundled in a dark alley ? (hide spoiler)]

@Abhay (view spoiler)[ Yeah, I wanted to explore more about Bast and Kvothe. Maybe we will know it in Wise man's fear ? I liked Bast's easy nature and his devotion towards Kvothe. I think he understood Kvothe like no other.

Auri was Such a delight. It gave me lot of pleasure to read about her. (hide spoiler)]

@Zaara (view spoiler)[ I actually loved that scene. It showed his humanly quality that he too could get scared and feared his life. It was actually quite funny how he ran away. :D don't you think so ?

I too wanted more of Bast, he was best character after Auri. And I felt his story was missing from the book. Now the more I think the more I want to know how he became such devoted to Kvothe. How he first ever met him. How was their first battle and such firsts.
You are absolutely right about Auri. I wish we all could :) (hide spoiler)]

Purvika wrote: "@Genha and polo... You didn't check my other spoiler :("

Oops, missed it... will check it now....

Purvi : (view spoiler)[Oh yeah, the dark alley incident! :O
That did make him shit scared. Especially after all those uneven days in Tarbean that had almost exhausted his physical and mental pursuits, it was natural to react the way he did. (hide spoiler)]

Zaara : Rothfuss wrote Slow Regard after Fear, I guess..Its labelled KC #2.5. Since he's still writing #3, we can read it after Fear, what say? :)

@Purvi.... (view spoiler)[ Yeah, Kvothe was scared, but c'mon he can be genius and all, but still he is just 15 yr old.... and 2 men attacking him.... but I liked that part where he tricked them... brave dude! :D (hide spoiler)]

~~Poulomi Nymphadora Tonk$~~ wrote: "Zaara : Rothfuss wrote Slow Regard after Fear, I guess..Its labelled KC #2.5. Since he's still writing #3, we can read it after Fear, what say? :) "

Sure. I'm in.

@Srividya, where have you reached in the story? Not a page count....your place in the story.
@Manu, do I dare even ask???
;-P
@all...is anyone other than these two still reading this?

@Zaara: I will finish this by the end of the month. Promise! :)

@Zaara - Am at the point where Kvothe is in Tarbean!

@Manu...great and I promise to finish Nightbird by that very deadline ;-)
@Sri...sorry for the late reply, (as you know) 11 to noonish is kinda a khadoos time for me to be on GR.
Re NoTW....
(view spoiler)[
Did you like the bit in Chapter 19 where he channels his grief into song?
The graf that begins "I began to play something other than songs..."
Fingers and Strings had me doubled over and keening. It was a punch to the gut and not merely because of my circumstances at the time, though I do admit they played a large part. It was beautiful and powerful writing. The musical parts of this book have more heart (or maybe a second more powerful and wiser heart) and definitely more soul than the rest of the book, I think, Sri. When you've read more (say past the 75 percent mark) I'd love to know your thoughts about this topic. (hide spoiler)]

Re Tarbean
(view spoiler)[
Yes that was a wretched time for our boy. But this episode serves as the backdrop for the legends that will become important later in the trilogy. Kvothe learns a lot in Tarbean, and I don't mean just survival skills. (hide spoiler)]

*wait for Sri to reply for comment 819*

*also waits*

*shares popcorn and coke with Zaara*

Hahahaha sorry guys to keep you waiting!

Anyway Zee to answer your question (view spoiler)[I think that was the most beautiful part in the book. In fact, most references made to his music in the book are really wonderful. I could relate to his creating music to suit what his eyes were seeing, his heart was feeling and the whole concept of how tunes became his own feelings and feelings became his tunes and the whole lot - simply because music holds the same value for me. When I am sad, a tune no matter how lively becomes more than a tune for me, it's words become more than mere words and it is the same when I am happy. This continues to be true for whatever emotions I am going through. I guess because of that, I could relate to Kvote and what he was feeling at that time and how his music was influenced by it and how he became one with it, so much so that nothing else existed for him. It is indeed powerful and I felt it deeply..so yeah I will give marks (full at that) to the author for creating something so powerful.

He continues this portion of me feeling sorry for Kvote and shedding a silent tear or so, when he meets Josn on the way to the University and plays his lute, without really thinking about it. That was another beautiful part... music when played from the heart touches the soul in a way nothing else does and that part was like true music because somewhere unconsciously it touched upon Kvote's soul and his love for music and it bound it to my own love for music... Umm not sure if I am making sense but I loved the second part more because it was unconscious and that made it heart wrenching, knowing all that he had lost and facing it for another time. (hide spoiler)]

Hope the answer was worth the waiting! :P If it wasn't...don't kill me! :P

Zee - Re. Tarbean (view spoiler)[I agree he does learn a lot from it and I think his learning will play a role in shaping his future but I also found Tarbean and his life there, a tad bit unreal. Before you or anyone else pounces, let me explain - He is this sheltered boy, one who has no idea about life or it's hardships, one who knows only love and acceptance - and here suddenly he becomes a great street child, someone who is shrewd and can face whatever life out there throws at him without any mistakes, it is a lot to take in. Agreed that it takes place over a period of time but I still feel that a cocksure person like him, who shoots out before he thinks (like he always did with Abenthy or his parents), to become shrewd in a short period of time and to be unscathed during that is unreal. You would say that he did get his beating (Pete and stuff) but still that was a one-off thing and did not really make an impact, other than making him stay away and keep safe. He survives there for nearly 3 years and we have only highlights of his stay without really going into the depths of how it changed him or how it affected him. If we are going to have a POV from his side, wouldn't you want to know how he changed - from a nice sheltered boy to this street smart person? I don't know..somehow I found this part had more questions for me than answers and it felt sudden! Suddenly, he became smarter than he was, suddenly he decides to kick it all and go to the University, simply because he hears a tale by Skarpi..it has no link! He keeps pushing away his memories of his parents and everything and then suddenly decides to get it to the forefront, simply because of a tale, and decides to go to the University and he is also allowed to do so because he starts acting the part! Not buying! (hide spoiler)]

Andrew - I have deleted your post because of the way you started it! This is a group which has members of all ages and looks down upon the use of words that are unwarranted. This first time, I have simply deleted your post.. Consider this as a warning. If I see it again, either the use of the same word or the use of something similar, which is unwarranted, you will be booted!

Also when making discussion points, kindly use spoiler tags. Thank you!