Fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss made a rare public appearance last month and briefly addressed the long-awaited The Doors of Stone, joking that the book is currently “bloated” and “unpublishable.”
Rothfuss appeared as part of the U.S. and UK book tour for fellow fantasy writer Joe Abercrombie, who is celebrating the release of his new novel The Devils. While the event was firmly focused on Abercrombie’s work, Rothfuss’s light-hearted comments quickly caught the attention of fans still waiting for the final book in The Kingkiller Chronicle.
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Joe Abercrombie’s The Devils Makes Waves
Abercrombie’s The Devils has been one of the biggest fantasy releases of the year. The novel follows a misfit group of monsters tasked with escorting a street thief with a hidden destiny across a war-torn, alternate-history Europe filled with elves, pirates, corrupt nobles, fanatics, and dangerous magicians, all under the command of a child pope seeking control of Troy.
The book debuted at number one on the UK Sunday Times Bestseller list and number five on the New York Times Bestseller list, marking career highs for Abercrombie. Momentum continued to build when it was announced that legendary filmmaker James Cameron has acquired the rights to adapt The Devils, with Cameron set to co-write the screenplay alongside Abercrombie.
A Packed Tour Featuring Fantasy’s Biggest Names
To support the release, Abercrombie embarked on an extensive book tour throughout May, covering both the UK and the United States. In the U.S. alone, he completed nine tour stops in just 12 days, each featuring conversations with some of the most recognisable names in modern fantasy.
Tour highlights included appearances with George R. R. Martin in Albuquerque, Brandon Sanderson in Salt Lake City, and Robin Hobb in Seattle, where more than 600 fans attended the event.
Among the guest authors was Patrick Rothfuss, whose presence alone generated excitement due to his increasingly rare public appearances.
Rothfuss and the Long Wait for The Doors of Stone
Rothfuss has been working on The Doors of Stone, the third and final novel in The Kingkiller Chronicle, since 2011, when The Wise Man’s Fear was released. Alongside George R. R. Martin, Rothfuss has become closely associated with the frustrations of prolonged delays between major fantasy installments.
Over the years, the author has spoken openly about personal challenges and creative struggles, making his public appearances increasingly infrequent. That context made his appearance on Abercrombie’s tour especially notable.
According to fans in attendance, Rothfuss jokingly referred to The Doors of Stone as a “bloated, unpublishable” book. The comment was clearly delivered in good humour and did not come with any concrete updates regarding a release date or progress on the manuscript.
Fans React: Relief, Frustration, and Familiar Debates
Many fans expressed happiness simply at seeing Rothfuss back on stage, sharing stories and engaging with readers. Others, particularly on Reddit, reacted with predictable frustration over the lack of substantive news about Book 3.
It is worth noting that the tour was intended to promote Abercrombie’s The Devils, not Rothfuss’s unfinished novel. A major announcement about The Doors of Stone would arguably have overshadowed the event. Instead, Rothfuss focused on conversation, humour, and supporting his fellow author.
Rothfuss’s Most Recent Release
Rothfuss’s last published work was The Narrow Road Between Desires, released in late 2023. The novella expanded his earlier short story The Lightning Tree into a standalone narrative centred on Bast, a fae companion to Kvothe.
While some readers enjoyed the deeper look at the world of The Kingkiller Chronicle, others were disappointed that it was not a more substantial continuation of the main story. Since its release, Rothfuss has remained largely silent online, with no major blog updates in the past year and a half.
Where Things Stand Now
At this stage, there is no reliable way to predict when The Doors of Stone will be completed or published. Rothfuss’s joking description of the manuscript as “bloated” may suggest an excess of material rather than a lack of progress, but that remains speculation.
For now, readers will have to wait until Rothfuss chooses to share more concrete information. In the meantime, authors like Joe Abercrombie continue to release new work at a rapid pace, keeping fantasy fans well supplied.
