Author’s Note

The Wise Man’s Fear ends on the second night at the Waystone Inn. This book begins the next morning and follows Kvothe’s telling through the third day to its end. The Book Three that Patrick Rothfuss is writing is his alone, and I hope he finishes it; this is a continuation from one of his readers.

The Third Silence is a fan-written continuation of The Kingkiller Chronicle. It is not written by, endorsed by, or affiliated with Patrick Rothfuss, DAW Books, or Penguin Random House. All original characters, settings, and story elements from the series remain the intellectual property of their respective rights holders.

I made this because I love these books. I’ve carried Kvothe’s story with me for over a decade, and at some point the unfinished tale became something I needed to set down, and the only way I could find to set it down was to follow it forward. Rothfuss built something extraordinary, a narrative architecture so intricate that working inside it taught me more about storytelling than anything else I have tried. If he publishes his ending tomorrow, I will be the first in line to buy it.

This book is free. It will always be free, with no paywalls, no premium tiers, and no obligation of any kind.

This is a living document. If you spot an error or have a suggestion, I’d be grateful to hear about it at contact@thethirdsilence.com or through the feedback form at thethirdsilence.com/changelog. A note on how the book was made follows the story, at the end.

A word on scope. This volume completes the third day of Kvothe’s telling and brings its own story to a close. The larger struggle beyond the inn’s doors goes on after the last page, and a further volume takes it up.

Thank you for reading. I hope this gives you what it gave me: an honest ending to the third day, and the promise that the road goes on.

The Author