"There are three things all wise men fear; the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."

Wise Man's Fear Picks up right where The Name of the Wind (The Name of the Wind review) ended. As these books are a part of a series known as the Kingkiller Chronicle, Wise Man's Fear is a continuation of the beginning of the story, though it does not contain the end. Those who read the first book in the series will remember that the story left young Kvothe at the University studying to become an Arcanist. Years of searching lead him to discover the name of the wind, and though he has much more to learn from the Masters at the University, his circumstances in Wise Man's Fear does not allow for much of it.

Kvothe is persuaded by Threpe to take some time off from his studies for a while. Kvothe's interactions with Ambrose Jakis had a series of negative consequences, which left him unsure of his ability to pass through Admissions with a reasonable attendance fee. So, at the persuasion of Threpe and others, Kvothe sets out to seek a Patron. With a Patron, he will be able to afford the rest of the fees decided by the Masters and Chancellor at the University, as well as much else he desires. And so he comes to stay with the Maer in Vintas, quite a ways from the familiar University.

As Kvothe gains the Maer's trust, he is pressed into duty with several others at the request of the Maer. Their objective is to rid the King's roads of bandits who are stealing the money that had been gathered for taxes. Kvothe leads a group of mercenaries, getting into trouble along the way and making an unlikely connection with Tempi, an Adem mercenary.

Wise Man's Fear is just as perfect a book as The Name of the Wind is, and I was delighted to finish it, until I realized that the next book, Day Three: The Doors of Stone isn't due to be released until May 1st of this year. Truly sad, since I was so caught up in the story. As with the first book, the writing is superb. The story takes place in it's own world with it's own Mythology and creatures, and though foreign to "us", each are explained throughout the books without reading as either boringly detailed or else worked awkwardly into the chapters.

I stayed awake quite a few nights reading, and can honestly say that I've lost more than a bit of sleep over this book; that's how difficult it's been to put it down. An excellent story, amazing characters, and a world as horrible and beautiful as our own. I definitely recommend this to everyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel.

/ [Nioniel]

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