That's another thing. It's bizarre that people criticize that Kvothe accomplishes everything with ease, then in the same breathe claim he just pull himself out of abject poverty like it's no big deal.
Kvothe is, after his street urchin days, solidly middle class. His main money woes are whether or not he can afford to pay for Harvard. His agonizing over making those tuition payments is nothing more then pointless, boring wankery in a book that does little enough already. It's an idiot plot and a total waste of time but apparently supposed to be more interesting to the reader than pirates and a massive storm.
Kvothe is, after his street urchin days, solidly middle class. His main money woes are whether or not he can afford to pay for Harvard. His agonizing over making those tuition payments is nothing more then pointless, boring wankery in a book that does little enough already. It's an idiot plot and a total waste of time but apparently supposed to be more interesting to the reader than pirates and a massive storm.
Harvard doesn't vary charges across students this way. Depending on who you are, the University can charge you the equivalent of a couple hundred bucks to dozens of thousands. Kvothe is often charged minimal fee and can barely afford it. He can only afford it because he puts all his investment in it. Actually, no, as a matter of fact, he can't afford even that because he needs to use Devi's exorbitant services as a loan shark to even stay in the game. Your poor if you can't afford to buy a shirt or shoes or wash your clothes, buy more than a strict allowance of food, or even paper and ink to take notes for class. Paycheck to paycheck would be a generous way to describe his situation. He has to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet and any minor disaster can ruin him. This is not middle class. This is very, very far from it.
And even if you were right, how do you propose he fix it. Idiot plot implies that Kvothe has an easy solution to his poverty that he isn't using. Does he have a magic wealth stick that I somehow missed in my reading?
Harvard doesn't vary charges across students this way. Depending on who you are, the University can charge you the equivalent of a couple hundred bucks to dozens of thousands. Kvothe is often charged minimal fee and can barely afford it. He can only afford it because he puts all his investment in it. Actually, no, as a matter of fact, he can't afford even that because he needs to use Devi's exorbitant services as a loan shark to even stay in the game. Your poor if you can't afford to buy a shirt or shoes or wash your clothes, buy more than a strict allowance of food, or even paper and ink to take notes for class. Paycheck to paycheck would be a generous way to describe his situation. He has to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet and any minor disaster can ruin him. This is not middle class. This is very, very far from it.
And even if you were right, how do you propose he fix it. Idiot plot implies that Kvothe has an easy solution to his poverty that he isn't using. Does he have a magic wealth stick that I somehow missed in my reading?
I'm going to propose something radical here: What if he just didn't write about Kvothe having money issues in the first place? Kvothe ekes out a living selling his artificer stuff and by playing at the Eolian. Oh look, now we have 500 pages for the plot to develop.
I'm going to propose something radical here: What if he just didn't write about Kvothe having money issues in the first place? Kvothe ekes out a living selling his artificer stuff and by playing at the Eolian. Oh look, now we have 500 pages for the plot to develop.
There isn't a limit on pages he has to work with. It's not a zero sum game. Besides, you're all acting like the money issues is pure filler. His money issues is part of what motives him to do the things he otherwise wouldn't do. His poverty colors most of his aspects of his life indirectly. His insecurities and how he chooses to pursue certain subjects. If money wasn't such a motivator for him, he wouldn't bust his ass to be this super student.
Besides that, this is a nonsensical way to think about resolving plots. You can make the same argument for any piece of the story. Hey, what if kvothe just found out everything he needed to learn about the Chandrian the moment he got accepted into the University. Oh look, now we have 2.5 books of more plot we can use!
And even if you were right, how do you propose he fix it. Idiot plot implies that Kvothe has an easy solution to his poverty that he isn't using. Does he have a magic wealth stick that I somehow missed in my reading?
In fact he does. He makes magic shit, being one of a limited number of people who can make magic shit, which then go on to sell for small fortunes. He's also a widely acclaimed bard. And still, despite this, we get endless pointless money and tuition problems because apparently that's what Rothfuss thinks is interesting.
Last I checked Kingkiller wasn't the historically accurate account of an actual guy named Kvothe who really has a dozen names or some such nonsense. Everything that happens in the books that people scoff at is there because a fiction author put it there.
In fact he does. He makes magic shit, being one of a limited number of people who can make magic shit, which then go on to sell for small fortunes. He's also a widely acclaimed bard. And still, despite this, we get endless pointless money and tuition problems because apparently that's what Rothfuss thinks is interesting.
Last I checked Kingkiller wasn't the historically accurate account of an actual guy named Kvothe who really has a dozen names or some such nonsense. Everything that happens in the books that people scoff at is there because a fiction author put it there.
Oh, yes, use magic, what a novel idea at the university, where they teach magic. If that was an available avenue, literally every student out there would be exploiting townsfolk to get paid. The only way he can sell his services that won't get him kicked out of the university is through the university (which he already does as he makes sygaltry). They have very strict rules about not exploiting the townfolk. And if he does decide to go out far and wide, selling his services isn't as easy as you think since superstition will incline folks to burn him than pay him. Look how the King of Vintas, an educated man as any, still has his hairs stand on edge when Kvothe uses even basic sympathy. As far his bard services, he already does that. Problem is that he pissed off the wrong noble, so now he's an untouchable in the eyes of patrons, so now no one wants him.
This is good writing. Rothfuss set up a challenge and is tackling it realistically. It being good writing doesn't mean you have to like it, but good writing isn't defined by how much any person likes something but if it functions in a believable, consistent way. As much as we'd all like Kvothe to just get a wealth stick and dance his way out of poverty, it's not that easy. Your suggestions simply do not work with the way Kvothe's sitaution is set up. Your merely arguing against the notion that this is a worthy thing to write about. Okay, but there are a lot of people who found his money situation depressingly relatable and were happy to see their experience depicted fairly realistically. So while you're perfectly entitled to not like it, there are people who disagree with you and their preferences are as valid as yours. Now, if you want to argue that it's badly written, that's a whole different story, because then you are tasked to find some major fault with the logical consistency of the story. Now if you have anything like that, then I can concede that Rothfuss F'ed up. But crying about a writer writing about a trope you don't like is meaningless as a statement beyond your own personal enjoyment of the novel.
It's worth mentioning that while before the fairy sexcapades women were still pretty into Kvothe this is still part of the power fantasy. Nearly every female character introduced into the story is sexually attracted to Kvothe or offers herself sexually to him. If you can't see how that's idiotic power fantasy writing then I don't know what to say to you. I guess this is quite the setting where grown women lust after a virginal, socially awkward, 15 year old nerd.
Hell, even notorious fedora-wearer Harry Dresden meets some women who don't drop their panties for him through sheer force of his presence.
Holy shit. I have the first book but haven't read it yet. Now I never want to. Barf.
Abercrombie FTW. First Law was great, but everything else he's written was also great, Red Country possibly being my favourite. I'm early into Half a War and I think it'd make a kick-ass TV series or at least mini-series.
(Also, First Law wasn't bad for female characters, but still, he has come a long way, and the Shattered Sea has tons of amazing, varied, well-rounded, believable female characters. <3)
You do understand that the world is that way because Rothfuss wants it to be, right? Kingkiller isn't actually something thats happening in real life. If Rothfuss had just said that the arrowcatcher solved all of Kvothes money problems, that would have been fine. It wouldn't be logically inconsistent with the book at all and then we could have moved on to more interesting topics.
Ultimately, though, it doesn't matter. If you really do find the constant money struggle interesting to read then more power to you, honestly. I don't find it interesting and I think that his second book is terribly paced and boring to read. That's really all there is to it.
You do understand that the world is that way because Rothfuss wants it to be, right? Kingkiller isn't actually something thats happening in real life. If Rothfuss had just said that the arrowcatcher solved all of Kvothes money problems, that would have been fine. It wouldn't be logically inconsistent with the book at all and then we could have moved on to more interesting topics.
Ultimately, though, it doesn't matter. If you really do find the constant money struggle interesting to read then more power to you, honestly. I don't find it interesting and I think that his second book is terribly paced and boring to read. That's really all there is to it.
It isn't just about logical consistancy, I just gave it out as the most immediate example of how you can criticize writing. There are other ways to examine it's validity. There's also the way Kvothe's poverty affects his character and how it drives many of his actions. His poverty is well written because it is fully integrated into his character, it isn't just an irrelevant problem that he can't seem to get over. I feel there are a good number of reasons why it's worth writing about. Because you're right, it didn't have to be. In fact, not a single word of the KKC had to be written. Not a single word of any book had to be written. But it was chosen to be written, and it's dismissive to say it's not worth writing about simply out of personal distaste.
The problem with the "I like this, I don't like that" line of criticism is that there's nothing to discuss with it. There's no defending against your personal preferences, no refuting it. You're not wrong to dislike it, but it also isn't something that, by itself, is insightful or meaningful to anyone. It's better for everyone, even you, to actually go and elaborate on how and why it works in such a way that you dislike it. Maybe find problems of how it breaks consistency, or otherwise negatively affects the narrative, or so. That's what is interesting to discuss and talk about.
Edit: Besides,
the Arrowcatch DID solve his poverty issues, it just happened at the end where it worked in conjunction with the Maer's money as well.
Edit1: FOr the record, I am indifferent to Kvothe's poverty. I don't dislike that particular plotline, but it's not my favorite in any sense. But by any standard I've applied, it's well written. If you know of a standard by which it might not be, suggest it, and we'll see if it works or does not.
honestly he comes off like a pretentious wanker. the series has its faults but this guy sucks.
I looked at the main page of his wordpress and yeah 'lets watch the hunger games!' where he just drive by shits on everything in the exact same fashion as this.
the hunger games sucks imo, but you can do this with everything. He seems like the wanker that stands around and says 'OOOHHH you had a great time at the party did you?!' in a sarcastic voice when anyone starts to try to tell a story.
Look at me I'm negative! give me a billion dollars.
Having said all that, I'll be surprised if either this series or the game of thrones ever gets done.
(Also, First Law wasn't bad for female characters, but still, he has come a long way, and the Shattered Sea has tons of amazing, varied, well-rounded, believable female characters. <3)
honestly he comes off like a pretentious wanker. the series has its faults but this guy sucks.
I looked at the main page of his wordpress and yeah 'lets watch the hunger games!' where he just drive by shits on everything in the exact same fashion as this.
the hunger games sucks imo, but you can do this with everything. He seems like the wanker that stands around and says 'OOOHHH you had a great time at the party did you?!' in a sarcastic voice when anyone starts to try to tell a story.
Look at me I'm negative! give me a billion dollars.
Having said all that, I'll be surprised if either this series or the game of thrones ever gets done.
Well he doesn't actually. He praises plenty of things in the first film. Are you sure you actually read the posts? Its possible to criticise something while still liking it.
Unlike many other fantasy authors he actually listened to criticism of his female characters and tried to improve in his later books.
Well he doesn't actually. He praises plenty of things in the first film. Are you sure you actually read the posts? Its possible to criticise something while still liking it.
actually i made an assumption based off his wise mans fear review and then saw his 'lets watch the hunger games' and figured it was his act. if its not, my bad! i was pretty annoyed by his wise mans fear review at that point
Absolutely, who do you think could play Locke and Jean?
almost couldnt finish the last book. im not usually one to whinge about how fantasy writers write women, but the entire last book read like the author was friendzoned by a girl and was trying to tell her about it through this book. it was awful.
This strikes me as a bad idea. I like the book a lot but I'm imagining the changes a studio would make in order to turn it into a viable fantasy film. IE adding action. I don't trust a studio to have the patience to do this right.
In terms of the series not being complete...meh. This film and show will be in development for quite some time, it's not like it'll be out next Christmas.
actually i made an assumption based off his wise mans fear review and then saw his 'lets watch the hunger games' and figured it was his act. if its not, my bad! i was pretty annoyed by his wise mans fear review at that point
almost couldnt finish the last book. im not usually one to whinge about how fantasy writers write women, but the entire last book read like the author was friendzoned by a girl and was trying to tell her about it through this book. it was awful.
Really? One person on the internet makes a gross over exaggeration about the events of a book, and on that you decided "now I never want to read it, barf"?
Yeah, Sabetha is what happens if you take a Denna type "unattainable" love interest and give her a personality, a desire for agency, and a level of competence that matches or exceeds the male hero.
Yeah, Sabetha is what happens if you take a Denna type "unattainable" love interest and give her a personality, a desire for agency, and a level of competence that matches or exceeds the male hero.
Denna has those things too, you know. She's got better memorization than Kvothe, can play and sing at the same level as him, her most significant characteristic is that she doesn't want to be tied to anyone and does everything in her power to ensure that.
I do like Sabetha for her epic troll abilities though. The shit she pulled on Lock and Jean....lol