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A Slow Regard of Silent Things

A Slow Regard of Silent Things

FolkloreHigh Fantasy
Pages
176
Published
2014
Language
English

Synopsis

A companion story to the Kingkiller Chronicle, A Slow Regard of Silent Things follows Auri, the fragile, luminous girl who lives alone in the Underthing — the vast forgotten network of tunnels, cisterns, and rooms beneath the University. Over seven days, Auri moves through her hidden world, tending to its objects, finding the true names and proper places of things, and preparing for a visit from someone she cares about.

Patrick Rothfuss is upfront that this is an unusual book: there is almost no dialogue and no conventional plot. Instead it is a quiet, poetic character study of a broken, gentle mind and the private order she imposes on her world to keep it — and herself — from coming apart.

Short, strange, and deeply atmospheric, it is a gift for readers already in love with this world, and best read after the main novels. Newcomers are gently warned it is not a typical story.

Prose complexity
4/10

Vibe

MelancholicAtmosphericWhimsicalDreamy

Genres

Folklore High Fantasy Dark Fantasy Fantasy Literary Fiction Short Stories

About the author

P
Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss (born June 6, 1973) is an American author, best known for his epic fantasy series The Kingkiller Chronicle. Born in Madison, Wisconsin, he matriculated at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, initially studying chemical engineering before switching to English. Rothfuss spent nearly a decade working on his debut novel, [The Name of the Wind][1], which was published in 2007 to critical acclaim. The novel won the Quill Award and became a New York Times Bestseller. The...

Characters

AuriProtagonist

A fragile, luminous young woman living alone beneath the University, who assigns hidden objects their true names and places.

All characters in A Slow Regard of Silent Things

Frequently asked questions

  • Do I need to read the other Kingkiller Chronicle books before this one?

    While the story is technically a companion piece, it is highly recommended to read the main novels first to gain the necessary context for the protagonist and her world. Without prior familiarity with the series, the narrative approach and the character's unique perspective may be difficult to fully appreciate.

  • How does this book fit into the timeline of the main series?

    The events of this novella take place concurrently with the second novel, specifically occurring during the timeframe covered between chapters seven and eleven of The Wise Man's Fear.

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