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Available
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Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Short Stories. HTML:Deep below the University, there is a dark place. Few people know of it: a broken web of ancient passageways and abandoned rooms. A young woman lives there, tucked among the sprawling tunnels of the Underthing, snug in the heart of this forgotten place.Her name is Auri, and she is full of mysteries. The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a brief, bittersweet glimpse of Auri's life, a small adventure all her own. At once joyous and haunting, this story offers a chance to see the world through Auri's eyes. And it gives the listener a chance to learn things that only Auri knows.... In this audiobook, Patrick Rothfuss brings us into the world of one of The Kingkiller Chronicle's most enigmatic characters. Full of secrets and mysteries, The Slow Regard of Silent Things is the story of a broken girl trying to live in a broken world.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ansate
I was really uncomfortable about how much her life revolved around "him". Though to be fair, I do get the stuff about easier to do nice things for other people.
LibraryThing member Daniel.Estes
The Slow Regard of Silent Things is the first work by Pat Rothfuss that I found, I hate to say it, boring. I rated it 3 out of 5 stars because Rothfuss is still a master wordsmith even though I'm pissed that we've been tossed this sugar-free candy of a book meant to tide us over while we wait for
Auri is a fascinating enigma from the Kingkiller Chronicle so I'm surprised at how drab she's characterized here. I recognize Rothfuss' signature writing style—it's one of the reasons he's one of my favorites—but this story lacks purpose. It's like we've been granted a peak at the author's pre-writing notes, something he would use to warm-up with before tackling some particularly difficult passage of a longer novel he's working on. Admittedly, Rothfuss wasn't keen on releasing this story into the world anyway according to his blog and both the book's forward and endnote. That's a lot of pseudo apologizing. Maybe he's hedging his bets by trying to explain himself to his readers. It sounds like his editors and close friends encouraged him to publish it against his natural inclination, and I'm certain it'll still make bank.
Who am I to say this novella is unnecessary? After all, I want Pat Rothfuss to publish more books. Or, so I thought I did. I want more books like The Name of the Wind. I loved The Lightning Tree from Rogues. What happened here? If wading through annoying and bewildering inbetweeners like The Slow Regard is what it takes to get to the real magic, then I can make peace with it.
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The Doors of Stone.Auri is a fascinating enigma from the Kingkiller Chronicle so I'm surprised at how drab she's characterized here. I recognize Rothfuss' signature writing style—it's one of the reasons he's one of my favorites—but this story lacks purpose. It's like we've been granted a peak at the author's pre-writing notes, something he would use to warm-up with before tackling some particularly difficult passage of a longer novel he's working on. Admittedly, Rothfuss wasn't keen on releasing this story into the world anyway according to his blog and both the book's forward and endnote. That's a lot of pseudo apologizing. Maybe he's hedging his bets by trying to explain himself to his readers. It sounds like his editors and close friends encouraged him to publish it against his natural inclination, and I'm certain it'll still make bank.
Who am I to say this novella is unnecessary? After all, I want Pat Rothfuss to publish more books. Or, so I thought I did. I want more books like The Name of the Wind. I loved The Lightning Tree from Rogues. What happened here? If wading through annoying and bewildering inbetweeners like The Slow Regard is what it takes to get to the real magic, then I can make peace with it.
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LibraryThing member vwinsloe
This is a very difficult book to review. Some of the writing is gorgeous, and carries the reader along effortlessly. Some of it is like reading a catalog. I was disappointed in that in a spin off of a fantasy series, there really was no fantasy or magical elements. My chief complaint is simply that
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it was too long and repetitive. There were portions that I enjoyed enormously, but enough is enough. Show Less
LibraryThing member ivan.frade
The story have some good details, like the labyrinthine setting, the "sorting of things" or the hints to other stories, but they cannot cover the lack of real plot. Nothing happens except a lot of cooking and walking around.
LibraryThing member renbedell
A very cute book that gets you more connected with physical stuff then other books can with people. The way it is written reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. All Auri's little interactions and concerns with the items around her is so peculiar and so interesting that you don't even notice there is
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one person in this book. While I would recommend reading the first two books of Kingkiller Chronicles, it isn't completely necessary to still enjoy this book. You may not understand who this girl is, why she is all alone, and who she is waiting for, but the general theme of the book is still clear. Show Less
LibraryThing member Goldengrove
Anyone who has enjoyed the two volumes of the Kingkiller chronicles published so far will love this novella.
It focuses on Auri, the girl that Kvothe discovered living in the 'underthing'. Auri's world is a very private and special place; a place governed by rules that go beyond physics, rules that
Auri is beautifully realised in this little book - a damaged and delicate being, but one with great strength who has found her own ways to survive, both physically and mentally. It is, in its way, a study of mental illness, but it is also a sensitive and wonderful window into a different way of looking at the world. There is a sadness, because you can't help but realise that Auri has been drastically hurt and wounded in her earlier life; but there is also hope, because she has protected herself by using hr knowledge and intelligence in new ways that make it possible for her to continue living.
I didn't want it to end.
It focuses on Auri, the girl that Kvothe discovered living in the 'underthing'. Auri's world is a very private and special place; a place governed by rules that go beyond physics, rules that
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determine her safety and sanity.Auri is beautifully realised in this little book - a damaged and delicate being, but one with great strength who has found her own ways to survive, both physically and mentally. It is, in its way, a study of mental illness, but it is also a sensitive and wonderful window into a different way of looking at the world. There is a sadness, because you can't help but realise that Auri has been drastically hurt and wounded in her earlier life; but there is also hope, because she has protected herself by using hr knowledge and intelligence in new ways that make it possible for her to continue living.
I didn't want it to end.
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LibraryThing member stefferoo
I have so much to say about this novella, but to make a long story short: The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a gorgeously written novel, both haunting and whimsical at once if such a thing is possible, and an incredibly detailed exploration into one of the Kingkiller Chronicle series’ most
As a lot of reviewers and even the author himself have pointed out already, this book isn’t going to be for everyone. Rothfuss warns readers that without the context of the first two books of the series, you’re going to feel pretty lost. I’d carry that further to say that heck, even if you have read The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear, you might feel pretty lost. On the one hand, I really appreciate Rothfuss’s caveat – that this book is going to be strange, different, and not going to do things that a classic story is supposed to do – and I admire him a lot for being straight up with us. But on the other hand, I wish he hadn’t plastered both his foreword and endnote with all these “warnings” and “apologies”. This is why I often skip author content like this. I’m not going to deny that getting hit first thing with a line like “You might not want to buy this book” might have biased me somewhat against it right off the bat. It grated me a little, because you’d figure something like that should be my prerogative to decide for myself.
But anyway, that’s beside the point. For this review, I’m not going to attempt a description or summary of plot summary, because to be truthful, there really isn’t one. All you have to know is that the book is about Auri, a secondary character from the main Kingkiller Chronicle series. I’ll admit, she’s not my favorite, but I don’t think that had any effect on the experience at all. What did affect me was the story and its plodding pace and its total lack of variation. Auri’s unique way of viewing even the most mundane objects around her as special and magical was fun at the beginning, but like all magic, it starts to wear off after a while with nothing else to drive things along. It’s a silent and lonely world that, while not completely devoid of color or life, gets tedious.
I guess I’m just the kind of reader that the author’s warning “The truth is, it probably just wasn’t for you” describes. And that’s totally okay. I’m into characters, and even though this whole novella pretty much boils down an incredibly detailed account into a week of Auri’s life as she makes her way through the ancient and labyrinthine halls of the Underthing, it didn’t work for me. I had originally thought it would, based on some of Auri’s feelings and behaviors that I can certainly relate to. As someone who has struggled with obsessive-compulsiveness and the resulting endless sleepless nights, some of the descriptions of the abject fear, anger, and anxiety Auri experiences when she feels something is not where it belongs or “out of sync” rings uncomfortably true for me. While I suppose I might count as “slightly broken”, sorry, but this still just wasn’t my cup of tea.
That said, there’s just no way I can write this book off, simply because there’s a so much else to like. The writing was probably worth it alone. It’s exquisite, probably the best I’ve seen from Rothfuss to date. I might not have enjoyed the particular style of storytelling, but if bringing out this side of the author’s writing was the result, then who am I to complain that much, really?
To sum it up, this book reads very much like a love letter to Auri. We know that Rothfuss has a soft spot for her, so I see it as a pet project of sorts. If Auri is a character that intrigued you in the main series, you will find this novella very enlightening. Even as someone who didn’t really care for her, the writing and atmosphere in here took my breath away. Despite wishing I had enjoyed it more, personally speaking I didn’t think this was a waste of my time. The book has its merits, and no doubt has an audience. The opinions will range all over for this one, I’m sure. Whether or not you’ll enjoy it isn’t a question I can answer, though; either you’ll like it or you won’t. Regardless, I’m grateful to the author for sharing this one with us.
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fascinating and mysterious characters. And yet for all of that, I was disappointed and left feeling unsatisfied.As a lot of reviewers and even the author himself have pointed out already, this book isn’t going to be for everyone. Rothfuss warns readers that without the context of the first two books of the series, you’re going to feel pretty lost. I’d carry that further to say that heck, even if you have read The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear, you might feel pretty lost. On the one hand, I really appreciate Rothfuss’s caveat – that this book is going to be strange, different, and not going to do things that a classic story is supposed to do – and I admire him a lot for being straight up with us. But on the other hand, I wish he hadn’t plastered both his foreword and endnote with all these “warnings” and “apologies”. This is why I often skip author content like this. I’m not going to deny that getting hit first thing with a line like “You might not want to buy this book” might have biased me somewhat against it right off the bat. It grated me a little, because you’d figure something like that should be my prerogative to decide for myself.
But anyway, that’s beside the point. For this review, I’m not going to attempt a description or summary of plot summary, because to be truthful, there really isn’t one. All you have to know is that the book is about Auri, a secondary character from the main Kingkiller Chronicle series. I’ll admit, she’s not my favorite, but I don’t think that had any effect on the experience at all. What did affect me was the story and its plodding pace and its total lack of variation. Auri’s unique way of viewing even the most mundane objects around her as special and magical was fun at the beginning, but like all magic, it starts to wear off after a while with nothing else to drive things along. It’s a silent and lonely world that, while not completely devoid of color or life, gets tedious.
I guess I’m just the kind of reader that the author’s warning “The truth is, it probably just wasn’t for you” describes. And that’s totally okay. I’m into characters, and even though this whole novella pretty much boils down an incredibly detailed account into a week of Auri’s life as she makes her way through the ancient and labyrinthine halls of the Underthing, it didn’t work for me. I had originally thought it would, based on some of Auri’s feelings and behaviors that I can certainly relate to. As someone who has struggled with obsessive-compulsiveness and the resulting endless sleepless nights, some of the descriptions of the abject fear, anger, and anxiety Auri experiences when she feels something is not where it belongs or “out of sync” rings uncomfortably true for me. While I suppose I might count as “slightly broken”, sorry, but this still just wasn’t my cup of tea.
That said, there’s just no way I can write this book off, simply because there’s a so much else to like. The writing was probably worth it alone. It’s exquisite, probably the best I’ve seen from Rothfuss to date. I might not have enjoyed the particular style of storytelling, but if bringing out this side of the author’s writing was the result, then who am I to complain that much, really?
To sum it up, this book reads very much like a love letter to Auri. We know that Rothfuss has a soft spot for her, so I see it as a pet project of sorts. If Auri is a character that intrigued you in the main series, you will find this novella very enlightening. Even as someone who didn’t really care for her, the writing and atmosphere in here took my breath away. Despite wishing I had enjoyed it more, personally speaking I didn’t think this was a waste of my time. The book has its merits, and no doubt has an audience. The opinions will range all over for this one, I’m sure. Whether or not you’ll enjoy it isn’t a question I can answer, though; either you’ll like it or you won’t. Regardless, I’m grateful to the author for sharing this one with us.
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LibraryThing member theWallflower
If you're any fan of Patrick Rothfuss, you've heard about this book and the split decision. In the author's preface, he states "you are probably not going to like this book" and most reviewers seem to come on one side of that extreme or the other. Sadly, I am on the side of hating it.
The biggest
The good thing is Rothfuss admits this, and that's fine. I believe that he accomplished what he set out to do, and that's a big achievement for any writer. He knows the general audience, even the audience of his previous books, are going to have a visceral response to this. There is great beauty and energy in the way that these inanimate things are given empathy by the main character.
It's a good book for bibliophiles and writers who want to see something different. It's not for the masses.
The biggest
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problem is that it's not a story. It has no dialogue. It has no plot. It has no events. There is one, single character who crawls around the undercity, looking for interesting trash-treasures like Gobo Fraggle, and rambling in abstract, "precious" attachments. If you remember Auri from Kingkiller #1 and #2, she's not any saner when she's in first person. You won't learn anything new about Kvothe or the Kingkiller Chronicle mythology from this book. I couldn't even find a summary online to help me understand what I'd read better. It defies explanation. At least it's short.The good thing is Rothfuss admits this, and that's fine. I believe that he accomplished what he set out to do, and that's a big achievement for any writer. He knows the general audience, even the audience of his previous books, are going to have a visceral response to this. There is great beauty and energy in the way that these inanimate things are given empathy by the main character.
It's a good book for bibliophiles and writers who want to see something different. It's not for the masses.
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LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
"The Slow Regard of Silent Things," or "A Week in the Life of Auri."
If you've read Rothfuss' 'Kingkiller Chronicles' you may recall that his protagonist, Kvothe, is acquainted with an odd, fey woman named Auri, a former student at the University who's suffered some kind of mental breakdown, and now
This book is basically character background on Auri. We follow her obsessive-compulsive ramblings and gain insight into her illogical - but not unintelligent - thought processes. She refers obliquely to Kvothe.
It's a mood piece - there's no real plot, as such.
It's a nice ancillary to the other books, but I'd suggest reading at least 'The Name of the Wind' before trying this one.
If you've read Rothfuss' 'Kingkiller Chronicles' you may recall that his protagonist, Kvothe, is acquainted with an odd, fey woman named Auri, a former student at the University who's suffered some kind of mental breakdown, and now
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lives secretly in the school's abandoned basements and passages.This book is basically character background on Auri. We follow her obsessive-compulsive ramblings and gain insight into her illogical - but not unintelligent - thought processes. She refers obliquely to Kvothe.
It's a mood piece - there's no real plot, as such.
It's a nice ancillary to the other books, but I'd suggest reading at least 'The Name of the Wind' before trying this one.
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LibraryThing member randalrh
The uncontexted maze of it slipped it away. It was full of honeycomb and apples. Auri grinned.
LibraryThing member jscape2000
A nice long vignette featuring an interesting minor character from Rothfuss' Kingkiller Trilogy. In some ways, it's a fascinating and at times painful portrayal of madness; Auri is a little bit OCD, a little bit PTSD. I would never recommend it to anyone who didn't love Name of the Wind and Wise
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Man's Fear, and even then I'm not sure I'd recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member wunder
The author correctly notes that this does not follow the rules of successful fiction. But clearly, the rules were not written for Patrick Rothfuss. His problem with rules is my delight.
This is a lyrical daybook from Auri, who does not perceive things the way we do. There are no other characters and
Best read in one sitting.
This is a lyrical daybook from Auri, who does not perceive things the way we do. There are no other characters and
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none of the usual aspects of plot. But there is beauty.Best read in one sitting.
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LibraryThing member hazysaffron
Auri imposes order on her strange solitary world.
LibraryThing member Alliebadger
Really interesting read - as long as you've already read Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear. Auri is such a fascinating character we only get glimpses of in the full books, so I appreciate getting to know this sweet and broken girl. I really identified with her at first, and then I got really sad
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for her. But I still really love this uniquely written glimpse into her life. (Again, only if you've already read Rothfuss' other work - don't start here.) Show Less
LibraryThing member GSB68
The only thing I can really say about this book is that maybe just maybe there is room for looking at the world through a different lens.
LibraryThing member Ailinel
Venturing into Auri’s world was always going to be strange, and this book, as is noted more than a few times in the author’s note, is not at all what a story is “supposed” to be. The beginning is slightly difficult, but soon the reader will find himself or herself immersed in Auri’s world
The author advises at the beginning of the book that it is necessary to have read The Kingkiller Chronicle for this story to make sense. Thinking back on reading this, I believe that to be wholly true. Although it is not a numbered book in the series, it relies heavily on the reader having previous knowledge of the world and its characters.
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and in Temerant. She’s a little broken, but it’s clear that she studied at University and is capable in her own way. Though Kvothe is not present, his presence is strongly felt as is the strength of her connection to him. Inanimate objects are full of personality and life when seen through Auri’s eyes, and, as is usual with Rothfuss’ stories, the novella leaves me eagerly awaiting more and wanting nothing so much as to slip back into that world and discover new things.The author advises at the beginning of the book that it is necessary to have read The Kingkiller Chronicle for this story to make sense. Thinking back on reading this, I believe that to be wholly true. Although it is not a numbered book in the series, it relies heavily on the reader having previous knowledge of the world and its characters.
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LibraryThing member devilish2
Just a beautiful, positive tale of Auri as she goes about her week in preparation for his arrival. Her world view is unique. She has a very particular voice that is completely endearing. She is alone but not lonely. She knows the way of things, the order of things. She is beautiful. Patrick
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Rothfuss has drawn her so, so well. Show Less
LibraryThing member Karlstar
This is a very short novel set in the same world as the rest of the Kingkiller Chronicle series. It features one of the minor characters from those books, Auri, Kvothe's friend from the University. It follows Auri during her daily life during 5 days which she spends exploring the area under the
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University and preparing for Kvothe's next visit. Unfortunately, which Auri leads a very different life, she desperately avoids other people, so she is the only person that appears in the story. This leaves out a lot of the usual plot elements, but even so, it was a good story. I've seen a lot of criticism from readers who expected more, but who says every story has to have all the elements? Its worth reading if you like Rothfuss, or like a quiet story about a very different soul. Show Less
LibraryThing member hoosgracie
I love The Kingkiller Chronicles and the character of Auri, but this was just odd. I guess I enjoyed it, but this is not the place to begin reading Rothfuss' work.
LibraryThing member BenjaminHahn
I gave this book to my wife as a Christmas present. We both really enjoy Patrick Rothfuss's King Killer Series, but we have the problem that most of his other fans have. That is, we read both the first two books back to back with great fervor and have been patiently waiting for two years for the
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third, and apparently final, volume of the story. So, The Slow Regard of Silent Things, is a bit of "tide me over" kind of story. And it is quite a strange type of story. The author's note in the back of the book speaks to this quite a bit. There is only one character, Auri, unless you count her various inanimate friends There is indeed a 10 page description of making soap. All this aside, this is a really interesting addition to Rothfuss' world. Kvothe is never mentioned by name. Slow Regard doesn't advance any of his story at all. If you pay attention though, there are some very interesting hints dropped here and there, especially ones that get at Auri's past. So, if you like the King Killer Chronicles and if you like the Auri character, then you should definitely read this book. If you haven't ever read anything by Patrick Rothfuss, do not start here. Nothing will make any sense. Show Less
LibraryThing member readafew
This book was a bit of a surprise to me. We spend a week with Auri, and we see her dealing with her issues. And she has plenty. She appears to be under the control of an obsessive compulsive disorder. Mingled with some schizophrenia. But she appears to survive by herself just fine in the forgotten
While it is a great chance to get to know Auri and feel for her on a whole new level. It is the end of the story that really packs a punch, if you are paying attention. You learn something about her that was only barely hinted at and you might learn that she is much more capable should she need to be. It also makes you wonder what part of her is broken and what part is just dealing with another whole level of reality.
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underworld of the collage.While it is a great chance to get to know Auri and feel for her on a whole new level. It is the end of the story that really packs a punch, if you are paying attention. You learn something about her that was only barely hinted at and you might learn that she is much more capable should she need to be. It also makes you wonder what part of her is broken and what part is just dealing with another whole level of reality.
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LibraryThing member Kyle.Rose
This is a great short story. I really enjoy books that aren't the same old "Cookie Cutter" stories, that a lot of people who have reviewed this book wit a negitive opinion seem to want. Not all stories need to have an over the top, overcoming great perils, action packed, storyline. Auri is a
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broken, lost girl, who spends time placing things on their proper place. This story gives more character depth to Auri reto-activley. Thank you Rothfuss for writing a book that isn't a cookie cutter, appeal to the generic boring masses. I'd give it more stars if I could. Show Less
LibraryThing member nbmars
This novella is a supplement to the fantasy series The Kingkiller Chronicles. It is not necessary for the main story, but offers a brief glimpse into the life of one of the minor characters.
Auri is a psychologically damaged waif that Kvote (the main character of The Kingkiller Chronicles)
Auri lives in the abandoned underground rooms and passages of the university, a place she calls The Underthing. The story takes you into her world for a week of her life. It is in some ways a horrifying experience, but Rothfuss tells the story with compassion. I kept wishing I could get to Auri with some prescription medicine.
Evaluation: This story certainly conveys what it is like for those who have a psychotic condition for which they do not receive treatment. I didn’t find it all that engrossing, but it is well done, and it’s a very interesting departure for a fantasy writer. As usual, Rothfuss takes his writing where few others travel.
Auri is a psychologically damaged waif that Kvote (the main character of The Kingkiller Chronicles)
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befriended while he was attending university. In some ways, this book reads like a clinical study of a severe case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). We get one hint in one sentence that this condition might have been precipitated by sexual abuse, but by whom and for how long we don’t know.Auri lives in the abandoned underground rooms and passages of the university, a place she calls The Underthing. The story takes you into her world for a week of her life. It is in some ways a horrifying experience, but Rothfuss tells the story with compassion. I kept wishing I could get to Auri with some prescription medicine.
Evaluation: This story certainly conveys what it is like for those who have a psychotic condition for which they do not receive treatment. I didn’t find it all that engrossing, but it is well done, and it’s a very interesting departure for a fantasy writer. As usual, Rothfuss takes his writing where few others travel.
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LibraryThing member RobinWebster
I was looking forward to a peek inside Auri's world, but this was a bit slow based for my tastes.
LibraryThing member bell7
This novella, set in the same world as the Kvothe series, tells Auri's story as she goes about her business in the Underthing.
First of all, this book is really really really not a standalone even though it's not, strictly speaking, part of the trilogy that begins with The Name of the Wind. You
First of all, this book is really really really not a standalone even though it's not, strictly speaking, part of the trilogy that begins with The Name of the Wind. You
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definitely need to read the two books already out for it to make sense, and even then it has an otherworldly sense as we follow Auri around her beloved Underthing. She has a unique point of view about how the world works, which makes inanimate objects have as much personality as some human characters. It's hard to describe, different and whimsical. Show Less
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2016)
David Gemmell Legend Award (Shortlist — 2015)
Genres
Publication
Gollancz (2014), Edition: 01, 176 pages
Original publication date
2014-10-28
Language
ISBN
1473209323 / 9781473209329