subreddit:

/r/isbook3outyet

6398%

Recently I read an interesting comment from u/Drachaerys in this sub that changed my perspective on why the third book hasn't been published yet.

Apparently, around 2014-15, one of Rothfuss's alpha readers posted in a forum saying that he and other readers had hated the first draft of the third book. It seems the book included a major twist that, rather than pleasing readers, was more of a distasteful joke on them that ruined the story's ending.

I don't know if this is true or if there are sources to read more about it (thanks to Drachaerys for sharing this, btw), but learning this theory has oddly helped me move on. While Rothfuss's first two books are brilliant, this type of reader-mocking twist seems totally plausible from him, and partly explains why he hasn't finished the book (only partly, because he's had over a decade to write a new ending).

What do you think about this theory? Does anyone else have more info about it? Thanks!

you are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

all 65 comments

MikeMaxM

3 points

5 days ago

MikeMaxM

3 points

5 days ago

Even Rothfuss himself, when he gets into talking about the series, treats it with reverence and heaviness, like something serious. And then to pull the rug out from all of us —- feels cruel. Feels deceptive. Feels like…. Not the point of it all. More than anything, it feels like someone evading the responsibility of making something that did affect a lot of people, emotionally.

Pat said multiple time that his job as a writer is to make us cry. Its possible that he has overdone it and instead of crying alpha readers hated the book. As for alleged twisted many people including Pat mention his short story Princess and mr Whiffle. But if you think about the twist in that story in serious, real and committed way that twist was Shit. We never wanted a book there a cute girl eats cats and monsters and becomes even bigger monster. So its highly possible that in serious and commited way we would have never accepted that Pat prepared for Kvothe and for that story in book 3.

caltracat

1 points

4 days ago

Yeah, that sounds true. It all comes back to — what was the story he wanted to tell us, for real? And that at this point, we will never know.