Patrick Rothfuss
Where to begin. This book by Patrick was the first fantasy book I had ready in a very long time. What I find the best about fantasy is the ability to build a story. Typically, the sequels are often better than the original because the original spends 2/3rds of the book building the characters, world, etc. This was not the case here.
The best part of this book was his ability to keep me on edge throughout every chapter. And his storytelling and world building was amazing. + the book didn't feel overly fantasy which was great for me just starting.