Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss was born in Madison, Wisconsin, graduated from DeForest Area High School, and received his BA in English from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in 1999.{{cite web |url=http://locusmag.com/2010/08/patrick-rothfuss-worldbuilder/ |title=Patrick Rothfuss: Worldbuilder |work=Locus |date=August 12, 2010 |access-date=December 13, 2017}} He contributed to The Pointer, the campus paper, and produced a widely circulated parody warning about the Goodtimes Virus."Legend/AntiLegend: Humor as an Integral Part of the Contemporary Legend Process", in Rumor Mills: The Social Impact of Rumor and Legend, ed. Gary Alan Fine, Veronique Campion-Vincent, and Chip Heath, pp. 131-33. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. {{ISBN|978-0-202-30747-3}} He taught part-time at Stevens Point. In 2002, he received a master's degree in arts and English from Washington State University.{{Cite web|title=WSU alum nails two fantasy bestsellers; third coming|url=https://news.wsu.edu/news/2013/02/27/wsu-alum-nails-two-fantasy-bestsellers-third-coming/|access-date=2021-10-24|website=WSU Insider|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |date=2010-08-12 |title=Patrick Rothfuss: Worldbuilder |url=https://locusmag.com/2010/08/patrick-rothfuss-worldbuilder/ |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=Locus Online |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Patrick Rothfuss ’02—World Builder |url=https://magazine.wsu.edu/2013/01/31/patrick-rothfuss-02-world-builder/ |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=Washington State Magazine |language=en-US}} He won the Writers of the Future 2002 Second Quarter competition with "The Road to Levenshir", an excerpt from his then-unpublished novel The Wise Man's Fear.

In 2006, Rothfuss sold his novel The Name of the Wind to DAW Books, which was released in 2007. It won a Quill Award (for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror){{cite web|url=http://www.wnbc.com/thequills/14078987/detail.html |website=WNBC.com (Internet Archive) |title=2007 Quill Award Winners |archive-date=20 February 2008 |access-date=29 October 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220114638/http://www.wnbc.com/thequills/14078987/detail.html}} and was listed among Publishers Weekly{{'}}s Books of the Year. It also won an Alex Award in 2008.{{Cite web |url= http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/bookawards/alexawards/alex08 |website= ala.org |title= 2008 Alex Awards |publisher=Young Adult Library Services Association, American Library Association |date=14 January 2008 |access-date=29 October 2019}} An illustrated tenth anniversary edition was published in 2017.{{Cite web|last=Rocket|first=Stubby the|date=2017-05-11|title=The Name of the Wind Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary with a Gorgeous Illustrated Edition|url=https://www.tor.com/2017/05/11/patrick-rothfuss-the-name-of-the-wind-illustrated-10th-anniversary-edition-art-by-dan-dos-santos/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Tor.com|language=en-US}} Its sequel, The Wise Man's Fear, was published in March 2011 and reached No. 1 on the New York Times Hardback Fiction Best Seller list.{{Cite web |url= https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2011/03/20/hardcover-fiction/ |title= Hardcover Fiction Books – Best Sellers |date= March 20, 2011 |work= The New York Times| via= NYTimes.com}}

The Slow Regard of Silent Things, an illustrated novella, was published in October 2014 as a companion story for The Kingkiller Chronicle, centering on the character Auri.{{cite web|url=http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2014/11/interview-nate-taylor-arts-silent-things.html|title=Interview: Nate Taylor Arts SILENT THINGS – Unbound Worlds|date=10 November 2014|first1=Shawn |last1=Speakman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331225738/http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2014/11/interview-nate-taylor-arts-silent-things.html |archive-date=31 March 2015 |url-status=dead |publisher=Suvudu}}

Rothfuss has also released two stories set in the same world as The Kingkiller Chronicle in anthologies. The first was "How Old Holly Came To Be", published in Unfettered in June 2013. The second was the novella The Lightning Tree, released in Rogues in June 2014, featuring the character Bast. The whole anthology was nominated for the 2015 World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology.{{cite web| url= http://www.sfadb.com/World_Fantasy_Awards_2015|title=World Fantasy Awards 2015|date=November 8, 2015|website=Science Fiction Awards Database|publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation|access-date=March 2, 2016}}

In 2018, Rothfuss was the co-writer of the comics limited series Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons #1-4 with Jim Zub and with art by Troy Little. The crossover, between the adult animated sitcom Rick and Morty comic book and Dungeons & Dragons, was published by IDW Publishing and Oni Press.{{Cite web |last1=Mufson |first1=Beckett |last2=Messman |first2=Lauren |date=2018-04-09 |title=Rick and Morty Are Going on a 'Dungeons & Dragons' Adventure |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/rick-and-morty-dungeons-and-dragons-comic-book-vgtrn/ |access-date=2019-06-14 |website=Vice |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Plante |first=Corey |title='Rick and Morty vs. D&D' Review: Totally Nails the 'D&D' Newb Experience |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/48465-rick-and-morty-dungeons-dragons-review-comic-relatable |access-date=2019-06-14 |website=Inverse |date=August 28, 2018 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Rick and Morty D&D Chapter 2 Comic Unveiled at D&D Live 2019 |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/05/17/rick-and-morty-dd-chapter-2-comic-unveiled-at-dd-live-2019/ |access-date=2019-06-14 |website=www.bleedingcool.com|date=May 17, 2019 }} The Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition, by Rothfuss, Zub, and Little, was nominated for the 2022 "Best Graphic Album—Reprint" Eisner Award.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |author-link=Heidi MacDonald |date=2022-05-18 |title=2022 Eisner Awards Nominations Announced, led by DC and Image |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/2022-eisner-awards-nominations-announced-led-by-dc-and-image/ |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}

In July 2020, Rothfuss's editor and publisher Betsy Wollheim responded publicly on her Facebook account to an article speculating on reasons why The Doors of Stone, the concluding volume of the trilogy, had not been published,{{Cite web|last=Whalen|first=Andrew|date=2020-07-27|title="Kingkiller Chronicle" editor believes author hasn't written anything for years|url=https://www.newsweek.com/kingkiller-chronicle-editor-believes-author-hasnt-written-anything-years-1520812|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Newsweek|language=en}} saying she had "never seen a word of book three" and that she didn't think Rothfuss had written anything since 2014, despite having already been paid. While Wollheim partially agreed that readers shouldn't feel entitled to dictate how Rothfuss spends his time, but asked, "But what about the publishers who paid them?". The post has since been deleted.{{Cite web|last=Flood|first=Alison|title=First George RR Martin, now Patrick Rothfuss: the curse of sequel-hungry fans|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2020/jul/29/first-george-rr-martin-now-patrick-rothfuss-the-curse-of-sequel-hungry-fans|website=The Guardian|date=July 29, 2020|access-date=October 1, 2021}}

In December 2021, Rothfuss tweeted that he would "[s]hare a full chapter of Doors of Stone" if his charity reached a $333,333 fundraising goal.{{cite tweet|number=1466628791271407622|user=PatrickRothfuss|title=1. Share the prologue of Doors of Stone on my livestream.2. Share a full chapter of Doors of Stone.3. Share a t…|date=December 3, 2021}} Later that month he added more stretch goals, with the largest being for $666,666 to "assemble the Geek Glitterati equivalent of the Avengers and record [the full chapter] for you". He noted that such a goal would take some time but said "I'm pretty sure we'll be able to get it done early next year. February at the latest."{{cite web |title=Losing Wagers, Doubling Donations, and Playing a Beautiful Game… |last1=Rothfuss |first1=Patrick |url=https://blog.patrickrothfuss.com/2021/12/losing-wagers-doubling-donations-and-playing-a-beautiful-game/ |date=December 12, 2021 |access-date=May 28, 2023}} The chapter has not been released, with Rothfuss saying in April 2022 that the process was "moving more slowly than [he] would like."{{cite web | url=https://winteriscoming.net/2023/03/28/where-is-the-doors-of-stone-charity-chapter-that-patrick-rothfuss-promised/ | title=Where is the Doors of Stone charity chapter that Patrick Rothfuss promised? | date=March 28, 2023 }}

In December 2021, Rothfuss partnered with Grim Oak Press to create a new imprint called Underthing Press. The new imprint's first project will be a reprint of Ursula Vernon's webcomic Digger, which won the Hugo Award in 2012. Rothfuss stated that he'd always daydreamed of starting his own imprint and he decided to create Underthing Press when he realized he couldn't buy a new copy of Digger Omnibus after giving his copy to a friend.{{cite web |last1=Armstrong |first1=Vanessa |date=14 December 2021 |title=Patrick Rothfuss and Grim Oak Press Create New Imprint, Underthing Press |url=https://www.tor.com/2021/12/14/patrick-rothfuss-and-grim-oak-press-create-new-imprint-underthing-press/ |access-date=17 December 2021 |publisher=Tor}}

Rothfuss founded the charity Worldbuilders in 2008. Since its inception, the organization has raised over $11.5 million, primarily for Heifer International, a charity that provides livestock, clean water, education, and training for communities in the developing world.{{cite web|url=https://worldbuilders.org/our-story/history/|title= Our Story – History| website= worldbuilders.org}} Retrieved May 15, 2020.{{cite web |url= https://worldbuilders.org/|title= Geeks Doing Good| website= worldbuilders.org}} Retrieved May 15, 2020. By 2020, Worldbuilders had raised over $10 million in support of Heifer.{{Cite web|title=Author Pat Rothfuss on Fundraising for Heifer International via Worldbuilders, Joy in a Dark Time and What It Means to Be a Geek|url=https://www.heifer.org/blog/culture/author-pat-rothfuss-on-fundraising-for-heifer-international-via-worldbuilders.html|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Heifer International|language=en}}

It received a Charity Navigator score of 67% in 2025.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-21 |title=Charity Navigator – Rating for Worldbuilders Inc. |url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/900618018 |access-date=2023-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221033818/https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/900618018 |archive-date=December 21, 2022 }}

Rothfuss co-hosted a podcast with Max Temkin from 2015 to 2016, with one episode in 2018, called Unattended Consequences.{{Cite web |title=Unattended Consequences |url=https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/unattended-consequences-94706/episodes/recent |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Podchaser |language=en}} In June 2020, Rothfuss, in partnership with One Shot Podcast, released a mini-series which is set in the same world as his Kingkiller Chronicle fantasy series.{{Cite web |last=Liptak |first=Andrew |date=2020-06-23 |title=Patrick Rothfuss Partners With One Shot Podcast For New Kingkiller Chronicles Story |url=https://www.tor.com/2020/06/23/patrick-rothfuss-partners-with-one-shot-podcast-for-new-kingkiller-chronicles-story/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Tor.com |language=en-US}}

In 2014, Rothfuss began collaborating with James Ernest to create an abstract strategy game called Tak based on the game featured in his book The Wise Man's Fear.{{cite web|url= http://cheapass.com/node/215|title= Tak Abstract Strategy Game |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160515123650/http://cheapass.com/node/215 |archive-date=May 15, 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=May 30, 2016}}

He was a member of the story design team for inXile's Torment: Tides of Numenera game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/torment-tides-of-numenera-interview-with-colin-mccomb-and-patrick-rothfuss/ |title=Torment: Tides of Numenera interview with Colin McComb and Patrick Rothfuss|last=Hafer|first=T. J.| date=April 4, 2013|website=PC Gamer|language=en-US|access-date=April 24, 2019}} He also contributed to the backstory of the game Hero's Song, cancelled in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Minotti |first=Mike |date=2016-11-07 |title=Hero’s Song takes it retro open-world to Steam Early Access |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/heros-song-takes-it-retro-open-world-to-steam-early-access/ |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=published |first=Joe Donnelly |date=2016-12-27 |title=John Smedley's Hero's Song cancelled, Pixelmage Games shut down |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/john-smedleys-heros-song-cancelled-pixelmage-games-shut-down/ |access-date=2025-05-03 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}

• The Name of the Wind (2007)
• The Wise Man's Fear (2011)
• "How Old Holly Came to Be" – short story (July 2013, Grim Oak Press), Unfettered, edited by Shawn Speakman. {{ISBN|978-0-9847136-3-9}}.
• The Lightning Tree – novella (June 2014, Bantam), Rogues, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. {{ISBN|978-0345537263}}.
• The Slow Regard of Silent Things – novella (October 2014, DAW Books). {{ISBN|978-0-7564-1043-8}}.
• The Narrow Road Between Desires – novella (November 2023, DAW Books).{{cite web | url=https://www.tor.com/2023/05/18/patrick-rothfuss-new-novella-the-narrow-road-between-desires-publishing-november-14-2023/ | title=Patrick Rothfuss Has a New Novella, and You Can Read It This November | date=May 18, 2023 }} {{ISBN|978-0756419172}}

• The Thing Beneath the Bed (2010)
• The Dark of Deep Below (2013)

• Your Annotated, Illustrated College Survival Guide (January 2005, Cornerstone Press).
• "The Lay of the Eastern King", as part of [https://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/09/20/clash-of-the-geeks-ten-years-on/ Clash of the Geeks] (2010), edited by Wil Wheaton and John Scalzi.
• Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons (with Jim Zub and Troy Little, 4 issues August 2018-January 2019, tpb March 2019, IDW Publishing).

• Writers of the Future (2002 Second Quarter)
• Quill Award (2007)
• "Best Books of the Year" (2007) – Publishers Weekly – Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror
• Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Epic Fantasy (2007){{cite web |url=http://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-awards/nominees-and-winners?year=2007#Sci-Fi/Fantasy |title=RT Award Nominees & Winners |publisher=RT Book Reviews |access-date=August 6, 2013 |archive-date=August 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803163727/https://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-awards/nominees-and-winners?year=2007#Sci-Fi/Fantasy |url-status=dead }}
• NPR Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books (2011)[https://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books "Your Picks: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books"]. npr.org. August 11, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
• David Gemmell Legend Award (2012)DeNardo, John (June 17, 2012). "[http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/06/winners-2012-david-gemmell-legend-award/ Winners: 2012 David Gemmell Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104060355/http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/06/winners-2012-david-gemmell-legend-award/ |date=November 4, 2013 }}." SFSignal.com. Retrieved October 12, 2012.(2012-06-15) "[http://gemmellaward.com/profiles/blogs/david-gemmell-legend-award-winners-2012-announced David Gemmell Legend Award Winners 2012 Announced] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921061056/http://gemmellaward.com/profiles/blogs/david-gemmell-legend-award-winners-2012-announced |date=September 21, 2013 }}." GemmellAward.com. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
• Ranked 3rd in "Best 21st Century Fantasy Fiction Novels" by Locus (2012){{cite web|url=http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/locus-announces-winners-of-best-novels-of-20th-and-21st-centuryq-poll |title=Locus Announces Winners of "Best Novels of 20th and 21st Century" Poll |publisher=Tor.com |date=December 22, 2012 |access-date=August 6, 2013}}

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}}

}}

{{wikiquote}}

• {{official website}}
• {{ISFDB name|id=40961|title=Patrick Rothfuss}}
• {{IBList |type=author|id=18560|name=Patrick Rothfuss}}
• [http://www.adriasnews.com/2015/04/patrick-rothfuss-interview.html?m=1/ Adria's News Interview (Summer 2014)]
• [https://www.sffchronicles.com/threads/562212/ Patrick Rothfuss interview (Autumn 2015)]
• {{Triangulation|99|Patrick Rothfuss}}
• {{LCAuth|nb2008008043|Patrick Rothfuss|4|}}

{{Patrick Rothfuss}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rothfuss, Patrick}}

Category:1973 births

Category:21st-century American novelists

Category:21st-century American short story writers

Category:Actual play performers

Category:American fantasy writers

Category:American male novelists

Category:American male short story writers

Category:Living people

Category:University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point alumni

Category:21st-century American male writers

Category:Writers from Madison, Wisconsin

Category:Washington State University alumni