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/lit/ - Literature

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6194018 No.6194018 [Reply] [Original]

Lit, what do you feel about Genius protagonists? I personally can't stand them, I can't relate to them and I find it boring when they pick everything up right away. The reason I ask this is because people have been telling me to read The Name of the Wind, but I can't handle this dude's childhood.

>> No.6194046

>>6194018
Agreed. Heard this was such a. Good book, but the protagonist annoyed the hell out me. Not every character needs to be relatable, I get that, but I struggled to find any pleasure in reading about this character's amazing talents. Even his "flaws" felt forced.

>> No.6194056

>>6194046
>Even his "flaws" felt forced.

Surely you're not referring to the anal rape

>> No.6194551

>>6194056
Did I miss something?

>> No.6194766

>>6194551

Kvothe gets raped during his homeless period in Tarbean

>> No.6194901

>>6194766
Guess I missed that...

>> No.6194912

He does not get raped lel

I get that you can't relate to the character, but when I started reading it, I got hooked. It's one hell of a book.

>> No.6195102

I hate them when they're done poorly, as Kvothe is

>>6194901
Guess ya did

>> No.6195534

>>6195102
he didn't get raped, he was beat up and stabbed in the torso with a blade.

>> No.6195564

>>6195534

lower rear torso with a flesh blade more like it

>> No.6195705

>>6194018
>>6194046
butthurt low-IQ scum detected
>durr, why are the ADHD intellectually challenged F students like me underrepresented, it's unrealistic and oppressing
gb2tumblr

>> No.6195763

>>6195705
Go back to reddit, your euphoria is showing

>> No.6196072

>>6194018
I don't mind them. As long as the obstacle fits the character. Growth gives me a fussy feeling inside too, so i enjoy that.

>> No.6196102

I like say for instance J R Vansandt or Hal Incandeza because they have such a dysfunctional background and either naiveté or emotional issues that obscure and foil their genius aspects.
>I have been reading the name of the wind
Okay so I don't know anything about this book other than /lit/ saying it's even more of a power-fantasy than most sci-fi; but this guy who like lives on my friends couch and doesn't go out with us or do much beyond playing PS4 said it's his favorite book ever and he re-reads it every few months. I mean I guess more power to him but hot damn I wouldn't even read Gulliver's Travels every few months and like is this book really as bad as you guys say?

>> No.6196225

>>6196102
I really like it.

>> No.6196249

A better case for genius protagonists could be made with Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, I think. Yes, muh rationalism and all that shit but the story itself is pretty good at what it wants to be, and the fact that EVERYBODY is a genius makes it enjoyable since the protagonist isn't that unique of a Mary Sue.

>> No.6196255

>>6194018
Genius protagonists are ok, but Kvothe isn't a genius. Rothfuss doesn't have the mental capacity to write a genius because he has no idea how a genius thinks. He isn't Hesse, he isn't Dostoevsky. Kvothe is a forced wit character who is better than everyone else not because of his abilities, but because the plot wants him to be one.
As for enjoying the book, I had fun reading it, but the more time passes the more I hate it.

>> No.6196266

The first book was okay, but I almost dropped the second one during the Felurian nonsense.
Also, Rothfuss is trying really hard to be a celebrity. You're a balding fat man, you'll never be Bieber.

>> No.6196338
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6196338

>>6195705
A well-thought and interesting contribution to the discussion. Thank you for your participation.

>> No.6196347

>>6194018
So long as they are properly flawed/tragic then it's fine.

I'm too drunk to think of any literature examples, but my favorite tragic genius who is executed brilliantly is Malcolmfrom Malcolm in the Middle

>> No.6196495

>>6196102
It's a bit of a slog for me, I've tried reading it once before and gave up on it. Kvothe is just one of those characters who picks everything up instantly. Maybe it'll get better once I get past his childhood.

>> No.6196507

>>6194018
anyone else actually like this book and think its genious?

>> No.6196513

>>6196507
>its genious

Rothfuss fan, everyone.

>> No.6196523

>>6196513
lol have u even read it? it is genious, im not kidding, give it a try, rothfuss knows how to weave a story together, no plot holes, solid character development, good world building, seriously pick it up

maybe u dont think its genious now but if you read it u will lol

>> No.6198105

>>6196523

>genious

He wasn't questioning the quality (although that's not hard to do considering it's Rothfuss). His problem is you can't spell genius properly, you plank.

I'm hoping to God this was bait, I'd rather fall victim to that than witness your foolishness.

>> No.6198264

I actually like this book a lot. Yeah, it's YA fantasy, it has some cliches, and there is a lot of better literature out there, but something in this book makes me feel... at home. It's comfy. Very few books acomplish that.

I get why people would criticise it, though.

>> No.6198332

>>6196266
this

who the fuck adds "I'm an expert at making love" to their writer profile

>> No.6198368

I love genius protagonists when they're done right, fantasy books like Name of the Wind are good for that after all. Someone to admire, who can do unimaginable shit just for you to read about.

Of course it doesn't work when all he does is "I sure showed him" every 20 pages, like when he played his so-cool flute way better than that caravan's bard, leaving everyone in tears because it was so deep. Add to that half the book being about a glamorous girl nobody cares about, and you got yourself a recipe for mediocrity.

>> No.6198550

>>6194018
I didn't mind the first book of this but the university parts of the second made me stop, they were fucking unbearable and never seemed to end

>> No.6198569

>>6195534
I know, I was just going along with the whole rape thing in the hopes that it became an epic new meme

>> No.6198602

I'm wary of genius protagonists. Most writers can't write characters smarter than themselves and most writers who write about genius protagonists aren't that smart.

>> No.6198617

>>6198332

>I'm an expert at making love

Lmao wut

>> No.6199094

>>6198617
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/108424.Patrick_Rothfuss

>For the next seven years Pat studied anthropology, philosophy, eastern religions, history, alchemy, parapsychology, literature, and writing. He studied six different martial arts, practiced improv comedy, learned how to pick locks, and became a skilled lover of women.
>became a skilled lover of women
>lover of women

>> No.6199624

No they fucking aren't, and the magic system is shit. And FYI, I've been into fantasy for as long as I can remember; it's why I despise this book. Any fucking generic RPG has a better magic system than this piece of trash.

On-topic, I HATE this book OP. And let me explain to you, that when I use the word hate, I mean it, I mean absolute unbridled hatred, and furthermore, I can't think of a single other thing in this world I hate. I can think of things I dislike, certainly, things I would subjectively classify as weak or inferior, but this book is just fucking S H I T in EVERY - CONCEIVABLE - WAY.

I should mention that I read this book because at the time, and I'm not sure if this is still the case, but fucking Steve Erikson had a quote on the cover, something along the lines of, "This is the dark version of Harry Potter we're all been waiting for." Now I don't like fucking Harry Potter either, but whatever, it was in /lit/'s god-tier fantasy list alongside TC and PoN so I figured what the hell.

And let me explain to you pussy-quitters - I FINISHED THE BOOK. YES. I FINISHED IT. AND NOTHING HAPPENS. NOTHING FUCKING HAPPENS IN 600 OR WHATEVER THE FUCK PAGES IT HAD. WOW.

SO IT STARTS OFF WITH A MYSTERY, HIS FAMILY DIES, NOBODY GIVES A SHIT, HE'S A POOR KID FOR A WHILE, THEN HE GOES TO SCHOOL, PLAYS THE FUCKING VIOLIN OR WHATEVER, AVOIDS A VEGETARIAN DRAGON AND THE BOOK ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER WITH HIM GOING INTO SOME LIBRARY. WOW. NEVERMIND THE FACT THAT THIS ROTHFUSS BITCH IS LITERALLY JUST WRITING ABOUT HIMSELF, AND ALL OF THESE FUCKING SHEEP ARE SAYING HOW GOOD IT IS. WOWIEEEEEEE. EVEN A HENTAI HAS A BETTER STORY AND WRITING.

Okay, I'm sorry /lit/, I literally can't help myself. This is the worst 'thing' I have ever experienced, and I've seen some REALLY SHITTY MOVIES and played some REALLY SHITTY GAMES, OKAY? NOTHING EVEN COMES CLOSE TO THIS. NOTHING IN THE WORLD IS AS BAD AS THIS BOOK, I GUARANTEE YOU.

Having said this, you must read this book. I am sincere in this OP, it's so bad that it must be read learned from. I understand, it will be hard: the characters are shitty, there is no plot, the prose is boring as fuck, and the world-building is babby's first fantasy - but it must be done.
This isn't just another shitty fantasy book. When I put this book down I knew that this was garbage of monumental significance, trash that went beyond all other trash in history; reading this is your walkabout, an anabasis, an event, a test of manliness. By reading this book you will learn to appreciate all other books, even the shitty ones, because at least they're works of love, even if they're the products of piss-poor authors; this is the work of Satan. There's a reason both of these motherfuckers have red hair, this book is the ANTI-literature the ANTI-art, the ANTI-quality, the ANTI-LIFE - OKAY?

Keep in mind, these feelings have lasted for years; I read this when it came out. It's truly the worst a human has ever created.

>> No.6199783

>>6199624
What do you think about Locke Lamora, I've heard they're similar

>> No.6199809

>>6199783
First book was decent. More fun, less shits given.
Couldn't finish the second.

>> No.6199819
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6199819

>tfw you're smarter than the so called genius protagonist in the book
looking at you orson scott card

>> No.6199825

>>6199624
The first book was actually pretty good if you're not a sperglord, but I guess that disqualifies you.
The second book is like a reverse magnum opus though, 1000 pages and the main plot manages to go absolutely nowhere. Even in the awful romance subplot Kvothe is still the same giant cuck he's always been. Took him 4 years and multiple rewrites to make it too, lel.

>> No.6199844

>>6198332
>>6198617
How is someone this blind to comedy?

>> No.6199960

Genius is kinda the new cool. Of you can't handle the heat than its time to get a new hobby. Maybe you can work at McDonald's :)

>> No.6200087

>>6199819
>bread

>> No.6200156

>>6199819
Maybe everyone in the future is really dumb. (Makes sense if you subscribe to 'muh degeneracy' philosophy.)

>> No.6201468

>>6199624
>>6199624

whoa, powerful, saving this for turning into a pasta

>Having said this, you must read this book. I am sincere in this OP, it's so bad that it must be read learned from
hole-heartedly agree with this,

but not with this:
>When I put this book down I knew that this was garbage of monumental significance, trash that went beyond all other trash in history
It's just like another Mary Sue fanfic written by a 14 y.o. girl, perhaps only longer, more pretentious and slightly better technically. The sad fact is that in this case the girl in question is a middle-aged mentally handicapped man who for some reason gets mistaken for a professional writer, so his shame is know public. I'm tempted to think this was all a work of some troll publisher employee who just wants to see the world burn.

>reading this is your walkabout, an anabasis, an event, a test of manliness
lol, try some 'My Immortal' or '50 shades', bitch nigga.

>> No.6203018

Honestly have a hard time reading anything where self-improvement isn't a big factor. I never really grew out of Bildungsromaner

>> No.6203512
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6203512

>>6196266
Rothfuss' ego is what happens when a bunch of people who have never read James Joyce praise a fantasy writer for being the next James Joyce. One asshole made the comparison in a review and his fans just started parroting it.

>> No.6203550

It's nothing more than '50 Shades of Gray' for nerds. The nerdy, socially outcast reader sits around and reads about this super strong genius who's better than everyone else. The power excites them and they get all jizzy thinking about how great they are. It's essentially erotic fiction except it tickles the ego instead of the vagina.

That being said I hear it's got good language and writing, so I can't really deny it. I'm going to read both but I'm unsure if I'll enjoy it. If it's got good character development and plotting I will, but if it's just ego stroking like Artemis Fowl I'll find some poor sap with low self esteem and give it to him (got a few in mind).

Still kvothe should be kvunt.

>> No.6203555

>>6203550
* kvunte

>> No.6203614

>>6203555
kvunthe

>> No.6203640

>>6194018
I enjoy them. They're the only protagonists to which I can relate.

>> No.6203656

I think that some readers find realistically written geniuses inspire sour grapes. If I'm reading a book about an mc who struggles with the simplest shit and the simplest of ideas I find myself angry at the dumbass protagonist and upset that I've subjected myself to the mental torment of reading through dumbo try and master his abc's.

>> No.6203664
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6203664

>>6203640

>> No.6203692

In hindsight, I didn't actually dislike Kvothe. The book went by quickly despite its length. The biggest slight I can make against it is how it left me devoid of any desire to continue to the next one.

>> No.6203773

>>6196266
The Felurian stuff was the best part of the second book. Could care less about Rothfuss' persona.

>>6199624
Calm the fuck down.

>>6199825
The romance subplot was indeed awful.

>>6203550
The language was not good. Rothfuss is alright most of the time, pretty middle of the road. Occasionally he tosses out some real groaners, especially in the second book. Agree with you about the plot although some of it could've been trimmed.