Why I like the Kingkiller Chronicles.
Look, I’d like other tumblr blogs to stop implying that KKC fans are sexist with bad taste for reading KKC. They’re entitled to their opinion, but I have to disagree with them. Let’s look at their arguments:
Question: Why don’t you and other KKC fans read female and people of color authors? Why is KKC everywhere on tumblr?
My answer: There are tumblr blogs that love kkc, female and poc authors. One well known tumblr blog that loves KKC, poc and women authors is bookcub. I think bookcub makes some of the defenses I’m about to mention - apologies if I’m repeating what she or other tumblr bloggers have already said.
The KKC fandom bloggers on tumblr already read diverse authors from what I can see. To be fair, I’m fairly new to tumblr, so I don’t know everyone in the KKC fandom on tumblr.
Also, the KKC fandom is really small on tumblr, so I’m not sure why you think KKC is everywhere on tumblr blogs?
I do read female and people of color authors. I’ve posted a lot about Sarah Rees Brennan’s books, The Lynburn Legacy and the Demon’s Lexicon trilogy, and J K Rowling’s Harry Potter books.
Apologies if I make crappy spelling mistakes, my spellcheck is atrocious.
I’ve read women and poc authors, such as: Any mystery novel by Agatha Christie, especially the Hercule Poirot books and the Miss Marple series.
Lgbt authors and poets I like - I have so many, but my favourite ones are Scott Ryan Tracey (author), Malinda Lo (author), any poetry by Sappho (Ancient Greek poetess), and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. I also don’t like Lord Byron’s sexism towards women writers, but I like his writing.
Other female and or poc authors I like: Anything by Emily Rodda - especially Deltora Quest, Rowan of Rin series and the Teen Power Inc books.
Ten things I hate about me. By Randa Abdel-Fattah, who is Palestinian Muslim.
Tahereh Mafi. Iranian American author. Shatter Me series.
Cecilia Dart-Thornton. The Bitterbynde Trilogy.
Diana Wynne Jones, The Christopher Chant books.
N K Jemisin’s 100 thousand kingdoms trilogy books. I’ve already read and loved this trilogy prior to 2014. The last book in the series was published in 2011.
Cassandra Clare. Shadow hunter series - City of Glass. The Dark Artifices. Magnus Bane books.
Holly Black - Spiderwick Chronicles.
Malinda Lo - Ash, Adaptation, Inheritance, Tremontaine.
Ursula K LeGuin - Wizard of Earthsea, The ones who walk away from Omelas.
Ellen Kushner - Swordspoint and Privilege of the Sword.
JK Rowling - Harry Potter books.
Stranger (The Change series) - science fiction and fantasy young adult apocalyptic fiction, by Rachel Manija Brown and Sherwood Smith.
Crown Duel - fantasy, by Sherwood Smith.
Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, anything else by Tamora Pierce.
Question: You shouldn’t read Patrick Rothfuss because there’s better women writers and poc writers than him.
My answer: Actually, I can read what I want. My spare time, my hobbies, my decision. I agree it’s important to read women and poc authors too. ❤️ But that shouldn’t prevent me from reading KKC.
Question: Can’t you stop blogging about KKC? I don’t like KKC.
My answer: No, sorry. You’re entitled to your opinion, and I’m entitled to mine. If you don’t like my KKC posts, you can either scroll past them or stop reading my tumblr blog.
Question: aren’t you bothered that Patrick Rothfuss writes sexist parts in his books?
My answer: Yes. I like The Name of the Wind, but I was bothered by the lack of women in the first few chapters, and the constant tactless jokes made by Kvothe and his friend Sovoy about sex workers.
And Wise Man’s Fear is way less sexist than The Name of the Wind. Patrick Rothfuss takes on constructive criticism really well, hence why he has way more female characters who appear more often and have much more skills and knowledge than Kvothe.
Sexism in fantasy books is not solely a Rothfuss problem. Sexism appears in a lot of books by men, women and gender queer people, and I agree we should work hard to not write books with sexist messages, and include more equal number of well written female characters. đź’•
Kvothe even gets female martial arts teachers from the Adem mercenaries. There are plenty of brave, smart, kind and interesting female characters, like Auri, Devi, Denna, Fela, Mola, and Kvothe’s mum Laurian.
Laurian was brave enough to leave a loveless arranged marriage and unsupportive family to marry Kvothe’s dad Arliden. And the antagonist Cinder said Laurian was tougher than Arliden.
Plus you get a book from Auri’s point of view, The Slow Regard of Silent Things.
I come across other authors who are really bad at taking constructive criticism from readers and even have the nerve to bully and sue readers who disagree politely. Authors who sue people for writing fanfiction. At least Patrick Rothfuss never does that.
I’ve read across plenty of books that are incredibly racist and frustrating. I’ve also been disappointed by books with negative and cruel portrayals of musicians. Say what you want about Rothfuss, he’s strongly anti racist and he respects musicians.
I’m a poc of South East Asian descent and I have relatives who play in a band and other relatives who play music in their spare time. I play piano as a hobby. I don’t have to worry about seeing racist rubbish or insults to musicians when I read any book by Rothfuss.
