This book is not for the impatient reader who wants to make sense of a new fictional universe fast. I admit I got impatient and even frustrated at first, especially since a former professor recommended this book to me. You don't truly realize how good it is until you are more than halfway through. It is hard to find a character more fascinating than Kvothe. As he tells his story, you are drawn to him more and more: the hero, the beggar, the youth in love. He is so many things at once. Rothfuss's style strikes me as really neat, polished, masterful without artifice. New coined words and terms are introduced without producing a chaotic impression, unlike those of other fantasy writers. There are gaps, and abrupt turning points, but this is a first person narrative so this doesn't strike me as odd. Everything falls slowly into place. Read this book steadily and don't be impatient, and you'll be rewarded. I've purchased the second book in the trilogy right away,,,