I want to start by saying that I am enjoying your reviews, which I am encountering all over (from RAFO t Twitter to Amazon. And this note: "Kvothe's dalliance with a famous Fae temptress goes on for far too long and winds up feeling a bit like the porn version of Tom Bombadil" really amused me. I was really bored during this point in the novel, and am glad to hear a little fun poked at it.

My first thought upon finishing the novel was that Kvothe is a total douchebag. He's arrogant, self-absorbed and myopic, and basically reigns destruction upon those around him. In the current time period, he is maudlin and really feeling sorry for himself. I really wanted to stuff a sock into his mouth much of the time. This comment does not take away from my enjoyment of the novel of course -- the idea that a protagonist can be so flawed and yet inspire me to keep reading is sublime. The very idea of capturing something so human in a fantasy character is inspiring.

That said, I really wanted to see the fairy sexploitation end up on the cutting-room floor and the crazed mord sith northern renshai section become about a third as long. It was toooooo muccccch. The fact I feel I am running with the aiel/mord sith (red leathers)/renshai/mri warrior culture was a little boring in and of itself. And (SPOILER) by using the name of the wind rather than physical warrior prowess to win, I just felt like Kvothe was cheating. Plus, the ridiculously overplayed sexual promiscuity made me feel like this section and the faerie section were written before during some adolescent phase. (Don't get me wrong -- I have no objection to sexuality in these novels -- just felt that the escalation from a basically non-sexual context into a teenaged boy fantasy was abrupt and it seemed like they were pasted together in hindsight).

I also thought that the entire mountain skaldic warrior race thing reminded me SO MUCH of Hobb's Jaampe town and Kettrekin, without the heart. During this second novel, between the Fae section and the Ademre, I felt there were so many little bits and pieces that were simply just TOO familiar from other epic fantasies. It could have been Phedre in Skaldia. Fitz in Jaampe. Daenerys in Dothraki. Etc.

Complaints of that sort aside, I really enjoyed any time we saw Kvothe in the current time. I am intrigued by Bast (why is this male Fae character named after an Egyptian cat goddess?.) I am constantly thinking about what current day climax will come from the events Kvothe tells Chronicler.

I loved Marion Lockless/Lackless and the mysteries of that family. Obviously this mystery will lead to the Chandrian, and the door to another place/FAE? And am I the only one that wanted Kvothe to make the connection that maybe her sister did not run away with the Edema Rue but was abducted, like the girls he saved? I loved Tempe. I like his university pals Wilem and Sim. And Elodan and Ari are fantastic.

I particularly find Denna annoying and Kvothe's pining for her hard to believe. And I am sure a lot of readers speculate that her mysterious patron is somehow Kvothe's enemy/one of the Chandrian or somehow on their side.

And lastly, Kvothe's teenaged party attitude with his newfound wealth at the end of the tale was really more douchbaggery. He is definitely not a "hero" that doesn't have his own giant flaws.
And Kvothe in current times -- I just want to slap him and say SNAP OUT OF IT.

That is all for now.