The short version
Lyrical storytelling, a gifted narrator, and a story whose larger series remains unfinished.
Quick answers
What to know before you start
- Where does it fit?
- Book 1 in The Kingkiller Chronicle.
- Can I start here?
- Yes — this is the indexed first volume in the series.
- Is the series complete?
- No — the indexed series is ongoing.
- When was it first published?
- 2007. Edition publication dates may differ.
- How long is it?
- 662 pages in the reference edition.
- Is an audiobook indexed?
- Yes — narrated by Nick Podehl, with a runtime of 27 hrs 55 min.
- What is the point of view?
- First-person life story inside a third-person frame narrative.
What it's about
A spoiler-light premise
Kvothe, now living anonymously as an innkeeper, agrees to tell the true story behind his legendary reputation. His account begins with a childhood among traveling performers, a devastating encounter that leaves him alone, and his determined path toward the University, where magic is studied through language, sympathy, and craft. The novel follows both his education and his obsession with understanding the forces that shaped his life.
The reading experience
What to expect on the page
- Point of view
- First-person life story inside a third-person frame narrative
- Prose style
- Lyrical, voice-driven, and attentive to music and language
- Pacing
- Patient coming-of-age story built from episodes and mysteries
- Story focus
- Voice, education, survival, and the making of a legend
- Reading commitment
- Substantial — readable prose, but deliberately digressive
You'll probably like it if
Readers who love beautiful prose and a charismatic narrator telling his own legend.
Maybe skip it if
You need a series to be finished before starting — the trilogy has been unfinished for over a decade.
Story profile
Themes & familiar elements
Themes
- Story and reputation
- Knowledge
- Poverty
- Grief
Tropes
- Magic school
- Gifted storyteller
- Framed autobiography
- Mysterious ancient enemy
Before you start
Content considerations
Spoiler-light subjects that may matter when choosing this book.
- Family death and grief
- Poverty and homelessness
- Violence
- Threats of sexual violence
Editorial perspective
The Name of the Wind succeeds through voice: Kvothe's polished account is captivating, but the frame story leaves room to question how completely he understands his own legend. The prose and atmosphere carry as much weight as the plot.
Ways to read
Formats & editions
Print edition
662 pages
- Publisher
- DAW Books
- Length
- 662 pages
- Published
- 2007
Page count and cover can differ between editions.
Audiobook
Narrated by Nick Podehl
- Runtime
- 27 hrs 55 min
- Edition
- unabridged
- Language
- English
- Listed for
- US
Details verified Aug 10, 2026. Retailer availability and edition details can vary by country.
Sources & verification
Where the edition facts come from
Publisher, format, ISBN, page-count, narrator, and runtime details are kept at edition level because they can vary between versions and markets.
- Audible US Unabridged English audiobook · checked Aug 10, 2026
At a glance
Fantasy Index scorecard
Continue in order
The Kingkiller Chronicle
This series is still ongoing.
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