Back in 2017, fans of The Kingkiller Chronicle series got a treat in the form of a deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition of The Name of the Wind, which kicked off Patrick Rothfuss’ fantasy series in 2007. It was absolutely spectacular. Not only was the cover art stunning, but it also featured red-edged pages, over 20 pages of additional content, and some breathtaking illustrations by Dan Dos Santos.
My boyfriend sent me a picture of The Name of the Wind 10th anniversary edition last week and I told him I've been admiring it from afar because its expensive and he just???? Bought it for me???? pic.twitter.com/ixuoFwRNvH
— Haunted Victorian Portrait 🐀 (@cuckleberryfins) March 31, 2021
The second book in the series, The Wise Man’s Fear, came out in 2011, 10 years ago, so it stands to reason that we’d be getting a special edition right about now… And yet, it’s not sitting proudly on any of our bookshelves. Why not?
It’s a mystery, and some fans worry it’s not happening at all. Fear not though, because it is definitely on the way. Don’t take it from me; take it from Patrick Rothfuss himself.
“Eventually but no news yet,” Rothfuss shared during a recent live stream on his Twitch. “I’m planning on, like, having a newsletter for everyone. And again, no rush there. I always feel so bad that that question gets asked again and again.”
How long it will be before we get a release date remains to be seen. Kingkiller doesn’t have the best track record in terms of prompt publishing — I’m sure you don’t need reminding — though it’s fair to think it’ll release sometime later this year. If it doesn’t, the whole idea of a 10th anniversary edition is kind of meaningless.
Patrick Rothfuss: You don’t want me to answers all your questions about The Doors of Stone
Then there’s the long-awaited third book in the series: The Doors of Stone. Speaking on Twitch, Rothfuss offered another lackluster update. “No news on book 3,” he said. “Rest assured that if there was news there would be a press release and it’d be on my blog and it’d be the first thing that I say.”
Perhaps his upcoming newsletter will keep us informed.
Rothfuss likes to occasionally reveal details about Book 3 on streams, many of which are archived on The Eolian on YouTube. For instance, someone asked him whether The Doors of Stone tie up loose ends? The answer is yes… and no:
"Think of any series that was wrapped up. Think of The Lord of the Rings, which has a pretty solid ending. Was everything wrapped up at the end of the third book of The Lord of the Rings? No, I mean that’s what happens in any sort of realistic world, in any sort of realistic story with realistic characters."
“I won’t be answering everything , but the truth is you don’t want me to,” he continued. “You might think you want me to, but no, you don’t. So I won’t.”
He sure has his work cut out answering every lingering question from the first two books. Who is Master Ash? Who is Cinder? What lies behind the Doors of Stone? There are so many more, and it appears as if he’s prepared to leave a few unresolved. Do you have any theories?
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