If you’re itching for a bit of that Patrick Rothfuss wisdom while we all wait (and wait) for The Doors of Stone, here’s a little something. I’ve picked the best quotes from the Kingkiller Chronicle that are as sharp as a broken sword’s edge and as comforting as a warm inn on a rainy day. So, while we’re all here doing our best impression of patience, let’s revisit these iconic lines and give a little nod to the man who penned them. Sound good? Let’s dive in!
1. “Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.”
― The Name of the Wind
2. “It had flaws, but what does that matter when it comes to matters of the heart? We love what we love. Reason does not enter into it. In many ways, unwise love is the truest love. Anyone can love a thing because. That’s as easy as putting a penny in your pocket. But to love something despite. To know the flaws and love them too. That is rare and pure and perfect.”
― The Wise Man’s Fear
3. “When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind.”
― The Name of the Wind
4. “There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”
― The Wise Man’s Fear
5. “It’s like everyone tells a story about themselves inside their own head. Always. All the time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story.”
― The Name of the Wind
6. “The best lies about me are the ones I told.”
― The Name of the Wind
7. “Bones mend. Regret stays with you forever.”
― The Name of the Wind
8. “It’s the questions we can’t answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think. If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question and he’ll look for his own answers.”
― The Wise Man’s Fear
9. “All the truth in the world is held in stories.”
― The Wise Man’s Fear
10. “No man is brave that has never walked a hundred miles. If you want to know the truth of who you are, walk until not a person knows your name. Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet.”
― The Wise Man’s Fear
Feeling the magic of Patrick Rothfuss’ words? Share your faves on social media and tag The Rockle! And if you’re on the hunt for more fantasy wisdom, check out our other quote collections:
📚 Funny Quotes from Fantasy Books
🧝♂️ J.R.R. Tolkien’s Memorable Quotes
📜 Inspirational Lines from Fantasy Books
⏳ The Wheel of Time: 20 Best Quotes
☠️ Richard Kadrey’s Sharpest Quotes