Who should read The Name of the Wind?

Read it if you love rich prose and a slow, detailed build-up to a legend. Skip it if you need a finished series. The trilogy is still incomplete, and the pace is unhurried.

How long and how fast is The Name of the Wind?

It is a slow-paced, long read of about 661 pages, first published in 2007.

Does The Name of the Wind have content warnings?

Content we flag: Violence, Death, Grief.

Can I borrow The Name of the Wind for free?

Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Name of the Wind; the borrow button above searches it for you.

What should I read after The Name of the Wind?

Readers who liked it often move on to The Hobbit, Dune.

Epic fantasy

The Name of the Wind

by Patrick Rothfuss

4.5 out of 5, from 3,820 ratings from Hardcover readers

An innkeeper with a hidden past tells the true story of his life: a gifted boy who loses his family, survives the streets and fights his way into a university of magic.

Facts last checked 2026-10-16

First published: 2007
Pace: Slow
Length: Long
Pages: 661
Format: Book 1 of a series

Borrow free with Libby Compare prices

Read this if you love rich prose and a slow, detailed build-up to a legend.

Skip this if you need a finished series. The trilogy is still incomplete, and the pace is unhurried.

The feel

Content warnings

Violence
Death
Grief

Also reported by Hardcover readers:

Alcohol
Classism
Forced institutionalization
Death of parent
Animal cruelty
Bullying
Ableism

Reading order: The Kingkiller Chronicle

1. The Name of the Wind
2. The Wise Man's Fear

Quick answers about The Name of the Wind

What is The Name of the Wind about?: An innkeeper with a hidden past tells the true story of his life: a gifted boy who loses his family, survives the streets and fights his way into a university of magic.
Who should read The Name of the Wind?: Read it if you love rich prose and a slow, detailed build-up to a legend. Skip it if you need a finished series. The trilogy is still incomplete, and the pace is unhurried.
How long and how fast is The Name of the Wind?: It is a slow-paced, long read of about 661 pages, first published in 2007.
Does The Name of the Wind have content warnings?: Content we flag: Violence, Death, Grief.
Can I borrow The Name of the Wind for free?: Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Name of the Wind; the borrow button above searches it for you.
What should I read after The Name of the Wind?: Readers who liked it often move on to The Hobbit, Dune.

Where to get it

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