bought this book because I already own Patrick Rothfuss's two fantasy novels, which I enjoyed tremendously, and hope the third book in the trilogy will soon be published! I checked on to see if there was any hint of when numbermight be available he doesn't seem to have written it yet but while looking I saw this book, The Slow Regard of Silent Things, which features a character from the Kingkiller series, Auri.
This book is very unusual, It follows no typical format and ignores all the formulas for writing a fiction story, It unfolds very slowly hence, no doubt, its having 'slow' in its title, The author's other books are bursting with action and adventures, and brimming over with interesting and in some cases unusual characters, This book is totally different, Auri is the only character, although she spends a lot of time thinking about another character from whom she's expecting a visit we never meet this character nor even discover the character's name.
The 'characters' in the book, apart from Auri, are inanimate objects the 'silent things' of the title, Auri invests them with thoughts and feelings and her presumably self appointed task is to take care of them all and make sure they are always in the right place.
It is Auri herself who decides where the right place is and sometimes the right place changes and the 'silent thing' is carried elsewhere, The book unfolds so slowly as we follow Auri's daily care of the silent things, Auri lives to a very strict set of principles, which require her to be completely unselfish, She lives very frugally and takes great pleasure in ordering her solitary world, As the book progresses, the reader starts to understand about Auri, even though nothing is explained by the author, We have no back story for Auri, She simply 'is'. Almost all of the book is gentle, Almost all of it is unhurried, The reader needs to drop any idea of this book becoming an adventure or a love story or of there being a denouement that will explain everything, There are no explanations. It's left to the reader to make of Auri what they will, Somehow the book wove a sort of spell over me, It slowed me down too life just prior to Christmas is hectic and rather rushed, Auri shares an aura of peacefulness and rest with the reader, I think there is a moral in this tale, though I can't tell if the author intended one, I think it's about simplicity, and being satisfied with simplicity, while still remaining vigilant about the needs of one's environment and the things in it, I can't say that this is what the author intended, quite possibly not! I suspect that everyone who reads this book will draw their own conclusions about the character and the place where Aruri lives and the purpose of the narrative.
Being very drawn to language and linguistics, I was delighted by the words that Auri uses many of them would never be found in a dictionary of the English language! But they fit, and their meaning is clear from their sound and shape a sort of playing with onomatopoeia to express the truths of Auri's world and the things that are in it.
The book is an enigma, It has none of the tricks authors are supposed to use to make the reader keen to keep turning the pages, There are no cliff hangers, although Auri does have a few obstacles to overcome, I suppose it's the very strangeness of the book that keeps one turning the pages, It's 'strange' in a thoughtful way, an attractive way, and it doesn't remind me of anything else I've ever read! I'd say it's a book for winter hibernation.
The Produce:The book arrived on time with no blemishes, creases or stains, I ordered it during the beginning of the initial COVIDlockdown, so its timely arrival was much appreciated, The Book:First and foremost, it must be stated that although this book is set within the world of the King Killer Chronicles this book is not a continuation of that narrative.
This is a side story set within the underthing following the character of Auri who was introduced in The Name of the Wind, For those seeking a continuation of the tale of Kvothe and the many legends that follow him, this book is not for you, For those interested in the reading the King Killer Chronicles who think that this book, due to its very short length less thanpages, would be a easy introduction to this world I would advise that you stay away as it does require an understanding of the character of Auri and how she views/interacts with the world.
But
for those interested in keeping their feet wet in this world that you're already familiar with its not a bad read, Plot wise it can be best summarised as "a week in the life of Auri", as we follow her on her day to day life in the underthing.
Given the character of Auri and her strange outlook of the world we do start out questioning many of her decisions leaving certain objects where they are, but taking others, but come the end of the book we do start to question whether Auri's outlook is logical than previously understood especially given the magic of this world and the ability of those who are able to name them.
The book itself is harmless and Auris daily adventures are pedestrian compared to the tales of Kvothe the Bloodless, but it isn't so much about the destination or location of the place travelled, but the thoughts and feelings of the one who travels them.
Auri is a peculiar character to say the least, but as we gain further insight into her and her world we begin to see her justification and mindset regarding the exchange of gifts between Kvothe and her may not be as one sided an attempt at help as previously believed.
Is there some foreshadowing possibly, but if so they are hidden within the riddles and rhymes which make up most of the conversations between our Edem Ruh bard and this mysterious whisp of a girl.
Bookof the King Killer Chronicles this is not, but it is an intriguing read none the less, Given the tale it wants to tell its length is long enough, as a longer pro's would have ruined it, This book also has illustrations, which gives it of a bed time fairly tale vibe which sets it apart from the other books in the series and likewise sets its main characters apart.
The real crux of whether you enjoy this book or not really depends on if, by the end of it, you come to understand and embrace Auri's view of the world and understand or if you still read it as an outsider looking in as the consequences of actions may seem catastrophic for one kind or reader and non existent for another.
It won't be for everyone, but its an enjoyable diversion nonetheless, What was Patrick thinking I know he had a big mansplain at the beginning of the book, but really!! Just get therd book out please, Not remotely interesting Having romped through The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear, I stonily ignored The Slow Regard of Silent Things, Auri's world teased so wonderfully through the previous two that I was afraid that Rothfuss' deeper telling of her story might not align with my imagining of it.
As a character, she hits hard in the Chronicle, yet remains a mysterious figure, hidden in the shadows, This book, I feared, may unveil that mystery, rending dear, dear Auri from her correct place in the world in my head, No. I could not take that risk, I can't even remember the site that Rothfuss linked to, All I know is he is a very successful bully, in the nicest way, That link was enough to convince me to dip my toes in the waters of Rothfuss' rendering of the Underthing, What kind of idiot am I How could I ever have imagined that the creator of Auri, and her world, could possible get it wrong Such a perfect complement to the trilogy, Slow Regard does not dissapoint.
We are taken into Auri's world in a way that gently reveals much, yet her mystery remains, The minutiae of days spent waiting for him to come back, The detailed description of the places that make up the Underthing, create questions than answers, Auri's world is filled, by measure, with soaring joy, deep set fear and dread, and heart wrenching pathos, Would it work as a stand alone book, without the background of the other two Perhaps not, but it feels like it would for a reader's reader if that is even a thing.
I suspect that many hardened Rothfuss fans may struggle with its unusual form, Rothfuss, however, shouldn't apologise for it, Slow Regard is an assured, smouldering masterpiece, I really cannot recommend this short work highly enough, Go! Read it! At the beginning of the book the author says that you may not wish to read the book, how right he was, I was expecting a continuation and perhaps some conclusion to his earlier two books in the series, This book is about a character who appears in the first two books and seems to have some ability to survive on virtually nothing and has a compulsive nature.
A pure indulgence by the author perhaps he just needed some extra cash, Slow Regard of Silent Things
This book is very unusual, It follows no typical format and ignores all the formulas for writing a fiction story, It unfolds very slowly hence, no doubt, its having 'slow' in its title, The author's other books are bursting with action and adventures, and brimming over with interesting and in some cases unusual characters, This book is totally different, Auri is the only character, although she spends a lot of time thinking about another character from whom she's expecting a visit we never meet this character nor even discover the character's name.
The 'characters' in the book, apart from Auri, are inanimate objects the 'silent things' of the title, Auri invests them with thoughts and feelings and her presumably self appointed task is to take care of them all and make sure they are always in the right place.
It is Auri herself who decides where the right place is and sometimes the right place changes and the 'silent thing' is carried elsewhere, The book unfolds so slowly as we follow Auri's daily care of the silent things, Auri lives to a very strict set of principles, which require her to be completely unselfish, She lives very frugally and takes great pleasure in ordering her solitary world, As the book progresses, the reader starts to understand about Auri, even though nothing is explained by the author, We have no back story for Auri, She simply 'is'. Almost all of the book is gentle, Almost all of it is unhurried, The reader needs to drop any idea of this book becoming an adventure or a love story or of there being a denouement that will explain everything, There are no explanations. It's left to the reader to make of Auri what they will, Somehow the book wove a sort of spell over me, It slowed me down too life just prior to Christmas is hectic and rather rushed, Auri shares an aura of peacefulness and rest with the reader, I think there is a moral in this tale, though I can't tell if the author intended one, I think it's about simplicity, and being satisfied with simplicity, while still remaining vigilant about the needs of one's environment and the things in it, I can't say that this is what the author intended, quite possibly not! I suspect that everyone who reads this book will draw their own conclusions about the character and the place where Aruri lives and the purpose of the narrative.
Being very drawn to language and linguistics, I was delighted by the words that Auri uses many of them would never be found in a dictionary of the English language! But they fit, and their meaning is clear from their sound and shape a sort of playing with onomatopoeia to express the truths of Auri's world and the things that are in it.
The book is an enigma, It has none of the tricks authors are supposed to use to make the reader keen to keep turning the pages, There are no cliff hangers, although Auri does have a few obstacles to overcome, I suppose it's the very strangeness of the book that keeps one turning the pages, It's 'strange' in a thoughtful way, an attractive way, and it doesn't remind me of anything else I've ever read! I'd say it's a book for winter hibernation.
The Produce:The book arrived on time with no blemishes, creases or stains, I ordered it during the beginning of the initial COVIDlockdown, so its timely arrival was much appreciated, The Book:First and foremost, it must be stated that although this book is set within the world of the King Killer Chronicles this book is not a continuation of that narrative.
This is a side story set within the underthing following the character of Auri who was introduced in The Name of the Wind, For those seeking a continuation of the tale of Kvothe and the many legends that follow him, this book is not for you, For those interested in the reading the King Killer Chronicles who think that this book, due to its very short length less thanpages, would be a easy introduction to this world I would advise that you stay away as it does require an understanding of the character of Auri and how she views/interacts with the world.
But
for those interested in keeping their feet wet in this world that you're already familiar with its not a bad read, Plot wise it can be best summarised as "a week in the life of Auri", as we follow her on her day to day life in the underthing.
Given the character of Auri and her strange outlook of the world we do start out questioning many of her decisions leaving certain objects where they are, but taking others, but come the end of the book we do start to question whether Auri's outlook is logical than previously understood especially given the magic of this world and the ability of those who are able to name them.
The book itself is harmless and Auris daily adventures are pedestrian compared to the tales of Kvothe the Bloodless, but it isn't so much about the destination or location of the place travelled, but the thoughts and feelings of the one who travels them.
Auri is a peculiar character to say the least, but as we gain further insight into her and her world we begin to see her justification and mindset regarding the exchange of gifts between Kvothe and her may not be as one sided an attempt at help as previously believed.
Is there some foreshadowing possibly, but if so they are hidden within the riddles and rhymes which make up most of the conversations between our Edem Ruh bard and this mysterious whisp of a girl.
Bookof the King Killer Chronicles this is not, but it is an intriguing read none the less, Given the tale it wants to tell its length is long enough, as a longer pro's would have ruined it, This book also has illustrations, which gives it of a bed time fairly tale vibe which sets it apart from the other books in the series and likewise sets its main characters apart.
The real crux of whether you enjoy this book or not really depends on if, by the end of it, you come to understand and embrace Auri's view of the world and understand or if you still read it as an outsider looking in as the consequences of actions may seem catastrophic for one kind or reader and non existent for another.
It won't be for everyone, but its an enjoyable diversion nonetheless, What was Patrick thinking I know he had a big mansplain at the beginning of the book, but really!! Just get therd book out please, Not remotely interesting Having romped through The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear, I stonily ignored The Slow Regard of Silent Things, Auri's world teased so wonderfully through the previous two that I was afraid that Rothfuss' deeper telling of her story might not align with my imagining of it.
As a character, she hits hard in the Chronicle, yet remains a mysterious figure, hidden in the shadows, This book, I feared, may unveil that mystery, rending dear, dear Auri from her correct place in the world in my head, No. I could not take that risk, I can't even remember the site that Rothfuss linked to, All I know is he is a very successful bully, in the nicest way, That link was enough to convince me to dip my toes in the waters of Rothfuss' rendering of the Underthing, What kind of idiot am I How could I ever have imagined that the creator of Auri, and her world, could possible get it wrong Such a perfect complement to the trilogy, Slow Regard does not dissapoint.
We are taken into Auri's world in a way that gently reveals much, yet her mystery remains, The minutiae of days spent waiting for him to come back, The detailed description of the places that make up the Underthing, create questions than answers, Auri's world is filled, by measure, with soaring joy, deep set fear and dread, and heart wrenching pathos, Would it work as a stand alone book, without the background of the other two Perhaps not, but it feels like it would for a reader's reader if that is even a thing.
I suspect that many hardened Rothfuss fans may struggle with its unusual form, Rothfuss, however, shouldn't apologise for it, Slow Regard is an assured, smouldering masterpiece, I really cannot recommend this short work highly enough, Go! Read it! At the beginning of the book the author says that you may not wish to read the book, how right he was, I was expecting a continuation and perhaps some conclusion to his earlier two books in the series, This book is about a character who appears in the first two books and seems to have some ability to survive on virtually nothing and has a compulsive nature.
A pure indulgence by the author perhaps he just needed some extra cash, Slow Regard of Silent Things
Patrick Rothfuss had the good fortune to be born in Wisconsin in, where the long winters and lack of cable television encouraged a love of reading and writing.
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