Goal #59 was to read 100 books through to completion which, honestly, shouldn't be too hard for me. I love to read.
I finished The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss a few days ago, and I'm just now getting to writing about it. I needed a little bit of time to absorb it and accept that yes, it really was over. And I'm really going to have to wait a couple years until the next book comes out to find out what happens next.
I have a love/hate relationship with finishing a book. On the one hand, yay! I finished a book and now I can read ANOTHER book! And meet new characters and discover new adventures and be absolutely floored/intimidated/inspired by the amazing authors that reside on my bookshelves. I LOVE starting new books and I don't usually allow myself to read more than one book at a time. I get too easily confused.
On the other hand, that book is done. And if I've been reading it for a significant period of time (like I do with Rothfuss's books because they're freakin' huge) I'm always a little bit sad. I'd gotten so used to spending my breaks at work and my evenings with Kvothe, that now I find myself musing about what trouble he's going to get into now that he's back at the university, and how he's coming learning Yllish. But I can't. I feel like a good friend has moved far away and didn't take the internet or a phone with them, and didn't leave an address where they can be reached.
I especially feel this way after a particularly good book. I feel like no matter what I read next, it's going to be a disappointment because it's not my friend. Even if it's a very good book, if it's not as good as that book, it will forever be tainted in my mind. "Oh, yes, it was alright, but not nearly as good as this OTHER book that I read!). I then have to put a lot of consideration into what I read after I finish a spectacular book. I don't want to set myself up for failure by reading something that I know is going to be awful (If I wanted to do that I'd go pick up a copy of Twilight...) but I don't want to read something that I have high hopes for. What if I'm disappointed? Will I ever forgive that author? I just don't know.
Anyway, in case you haven't guessed, I would highly recommend The Wise Man's Fear and, before that, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Especially if you like beautifully crafted character driven fantasy. The third book in the trilogy (known as The KingKiller Chronicles is due out... eventually. When Pat is finished with it. I love how dedicated he is as an author to the quality of his books, but dang. I can't even describe how much I want that third book right now. I'll be patient though. Books like these are worth waiting for.
Anyway, I decided to step back into The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher next. Lots of books to keep me busy while I get over my heartache for Kvothe, and a completely different writing style. Where Rothfuss spins an absolutely epic tale with spectacular imagery, Butcher is full of funny wit and unexpected circumstances. And each book is a little more extreme than the next. I don't really know what else Harry Dresden is going to be able to get himself into that will top riding a re-animated dinosaur to battle evil necromancers in down-town chicago, but Butcher has yet to disappoint me. You'll be sure to hear about White Night when I'm finished with it in a few weeks. Maybe sooner. The availability of the following book might keep me from sitting around for a while being depressed that it was over. The Gamer owns the entire series, after all.
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