Exciting news for fans of Patrick Rothfuss and his epic fantasy series The Kingkiller Chronicle: a new book set in the Kingkiller world of Temerant has just been announced. No, this isn’t The Doors of Stone, but it’s still plenty exciting if you’re eager to get back to the Waystone Inn.
Rothfuss broke the news today on his blog and Twitch channel: the new novella The Narrow Road Between Desires is coming to bookstores and online retailers on November 14.
“In a lot of ways, it’s going to be similar to The Slow Regard of Silent Things,” Rothfuss wrote. “It’s set in Temerant. It’s going to be illustrated by the fabulous Nate Taylor, and it centers on one of the secondary characters from the Kingkiller Chroniclers: Bast.”
New Bast novella will expand The Kingkiller Chronicle world
Obviously, this news is huge for fans of The Kingkiller Chronicle. The last book released in Rothfuss’ fantasy world was The Slow Regard of Silent Things back in 2014. That book centered on Auri and her life in the Underthing beneath the university where magic users are trained.
This new novella follows Kvothe’s protégé Bast, a fae who serves as his companion at the Waystone Inn. Bast is a mysterious character who has more than a few secrets; perhaps we’ll learn some of them in The Narrow Road Between Desires?
This isn’t the first time that Rothfuss has written about Bast. The character also received his own standalone novella called The Lightning Tree in George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois’ Rogues anthology, which was also released in 2014. As it turns out, The Narrow Road Between Desires is an expansion of that story, so if you’ve already read The Lightning Tree this official synopsis from Rothfuss’ blog may fire your memory:
"#1 NYT bestselling phenomenon Patrick Rothfuss returns to the wildly popular Kingkiller Chronicle Universe with a stunning reimagining of “The Lightning Tree.” Expanded to twice its previous length, and lavishly illustrated by Nathan Taylor, this touching stand-alone story is sure to please new readers and veteran Rothfuss fans alike.No one taller than the stone.Come to blacktree, come alone.Tell no adult what’s been said,lest the lightning strike you dead.When you come to the lightning tree to trade with Bast, your mortal money isn’t worth much. What holds true value are older things: secrets and favors. Buttons and flowers. Lies, tricks, riddles, stones, and whatever else your heart truly desires.Follow the Kingkiller Chronicle’s most charming fae as he schemes and bargains his way through the small town of Newarre. While at first it seems that Bast must be master of this tiny domain, but while he cares nothing for the laws of man, there are older, deeper laws that bind him. And for all his cleverness, Bast finds himself trapped in ways he has never experienced before, and make hard choices and help an enemy.Playful, sweet, and sly as Bast himself, The Narrow Road Between Desires is Bast’s story. In it he traces the old ways of making and breaking, following his heart even when doing so goes against his better judgement. For after all, what good is wisdom if it keeps you from finding your way to danger and delight?"
The Narrow Road Between Desires is due out wherever books are sold on November 14.
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