The Long Wait for The Doors of Stone: Why Fans Still Care in 2025

When Patrick Rothfuss released The Name of the Wind in 2007, fantasy readers were enthralled. The lyrical prose, the tragic but magnetic protagonist, and the depth of the Four Corners of Civilisation promised something rare: a modern epic to stand alongside Tolkien, Jordan, and Martin. Four years later, The Wise Man’s Fear expanded Kvothe’s tale, cementing the Kingkiller Chronicle as one of the most beloved fantasy series of the 21st century.

But since then, silence.

More than a decade has passed since the second book, and fans are still waiting for The Doors of Stone, the promised third volume. The fandom’s relationship with this delay is complicated-some resigned, some furious, some still hopeful. In fact, a 12-year-old Reddit thread titled “Why I Can Wait till 2025 for Doors of Stone” has become an almost prophetic capsule of patience and despair, still being rediscovered and commented on today.

So, in 2025, where do things stand? Why do readers continue to wait, meme, and argue about a book that may or may not ever appear?

The Original Post: Hope and Dread in Equal Measure

In that now-famous Reddit post, a fan described rereading The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear. They rediscovered their love for Kvothe’s narration, Denna’s mystery, and the world Rothfuss built. But when the second book ended, the painful realisation returned:

“At the core of the story, what we have here is a tragedy.”

The poster admitted they could wait, even until 2025, because they dreaded the heartbreak they believed awaited Kvothe. The series, unlike other fantasies where the hero saves the day, was destined to end in loss. Kvothe would fail against the Chandrian, lose Denna, cause a war, and fade into a broken innkeeper.

The optimism of the time was striking. They noted Rothfuss had already “finished” his trilogy before The Name of the Wind was published and assumed the delay was simply due to heavy editing. They predicted a 2016–2018 release, “realistically.” Looking back now, the naivety stings and fans joke about it constantly.

The Fandom’s Rollercoaster of Emotions

Over the years, the thread has become a time capsule of changing fan sentiment:

• Naïve optimism (2010–2016): “It’ll be out soon. Rothfuss just likes editing a lot.”
• Growing frustration (2017–2020): “Is he even writing this book anymore?”
• Humour as coping (2020–2025): “We’ll get GTA VI before Doors of Stone.”
• Resignation (2025): “I’d be shocked if it ever comes out.”

Some comments remain biting:

• “His editor has stated numerous times that she finally doubts he has even written a chapter yet.”
• “Yeah… he made his money. Why finish?”
• “Pat told fans to ‘F*** off and die’ when asked about book three.”

Others keep hope alive:

• “Collective belief in him and optimism prevail!”
• “If it came out tomorrow, I’d take the bus into town and buy a hardback copy immediately.”

This tension between despair and hope is what keeps The Doors of Stone alive in fan culture, even without a release date.

Patrick Rothfuss in 2025: What Do We Know?

Here’s the reality:

• No confirmed release date. Neither Rothfuss nor DAW Books has provided one.
• The “bloated manuscript” comment. In June 2025, Rothfuss joked that Doors of Stone was “bloated, unpublishable” suggesting that the problem isn’t a lack of words but too many.
• The Narrow Road Between Desires (2023). This novella, an expanded version of his short story The Lightning Tree, was seen by many as an attempt to reconnect with his world and perhaps loosen creative blockages.
• Ongoing silence. His editor previously admitted in 2020 that she had not seen any of book three, though Rothfuss has occasionally implied he’s still working on it.

In short, there is movement, but nothing concrete.

Why Is It Taking So Long?

Rothfuss’s struggle mirrors other fantasy authors caught in the weight of expectation:

1. Perfectionism. Rothfuss is infamous for endless revisions. He once said he rewrote The Name of the Wind “literally hundreds of times before it felt right. That habit seems to have only intensified.
2. The Pressure of Expectations. The first two books set the bar high. Fans don’t just want answers; they expect poetic prose, tragic beauty, and perfect continuity. That pressure can paralyse.
3. Personal Struggles. Rothfuss has been open about dealing with depression and mental health challenges, which could make writing about Kvothe’s own tragic decline particularly difficult.
4. Creative Diversions. From The Slow Regard of Silent Things (2014) to Twitch streams and charity events, Rothfuss’s time hasn’t been spent solely on Doors of Stone.

Fan Theories on How It Ends

Without a book, speculation thrives. Common theories include:

• Kvothe’s Suicide. Some readers believe Kvothe ends his life after finishing his story, with Bast discovering him.
• Heroic Sacrifice. Others think he will lure the Chandrian to the Waystone Inn and go down fighting.
• A Story as Suicide Note. A darker meta-theory suggests the whole Chronicle is Kvothe’s farewell letter, an extended goodbye written before his final act.
• A Looping Narrative. Some believe the story’s framing device means we’re trapped in cycles of tragedy fitting for a tale obsessed with names and fate.

Each theory underscores the same truth: readers expect tragedy, not triumph.

Comparisons: Rothfuss and the “Other Waiting Game”

It’s impossible not to compare Rothfuss to George R.R. Martin, whose The Winds of Winter has also been awaited for over a decade.

• Martin gives teasers. Chapters, blog updates, and interviews reassure fans he’s at work.
• Rothfuss stays quiet. Outside of jokes or cryptic comments, little proof of progress emerges.

Yet both authors share the burden of enormous fan expectation. In fact, their situations highlight how fantasy fans live in a paradox: they demand perfection but also demand speed, and those two rarely align.

Why Fans Still Care

After 14 years of waiting, why haven’t readers given up?

1. The Power of Kvothe’s Voice. Rothfuss’s prose is rare in modern fantasy: lyrical, intimate, tragic. Even critics who hate the pacing admit the writing is beautiful.
2. The Community. Subreddits like r/KingkillerChronicle and r/isbook3outyet thrive on memes, satire, and coping humour. The shared suffering is almost part of the fandom identity.
3. The Tragedy We Fear. As that original Reddit post said, part of the hesitation to see Doors of Stone finished is knowing it will hurt. The longer it takes, the longer Kvothe’s tragedy is suspended.
4. The Myth of the “Perfect Book.” For some fans, the absence of Doors of Stone has turned it into a kind of holy grail. The imagined book is perfect, perhaps more perfect than any real one could be.

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Final Thoughts: Waiting as Part of the Story

In a strange way, the wait for The Doors of Stone has become part of the Kingkiller Chronicle. Kvothe’s tale is about patience, silence, and the burden of storytelling. Maybe the endless delay mirrors that.

Back in 2012, a fan wrote:

“I don’t want to see how this tragedy ends sooner than I have to. And so that is why I can wait til 2025 or whenever Rothfuss plans to release it.”

Well, 2025 is here. The book isn’t. And yet fans still wait. Maybe they’ll still be waiting in 2030. Maybe the book will drop tomorrow.

Either way, the fact that we’re still talking about Doors of Stone proves something: Rothfuss created not just a story, but a myth. And myths, by their very nature, endure whether they end or not.