Essentially a short story, the book reveals how Mr Penumbra started on the path that lead him to run the 24-hour bookstore. As Junior Acquisitions Officer for the Galvanic college library, Ajax is on the hunt for Techne Tycheon, thought to be an occult text which confers great fortune, or misfortune, on its owner. It’s challenging stuff but he’s not to be defeated. After all a previous incumbent had managed to track down a book made entirely of knotted string untangled and knitted into sweaters compared to which a trail gone cold in 1657 is a mere nothing. A breakthrough takes him to San Francisco at the tail end of the summer of love where he stumbles upon the 24-hour bookstore and a clue to the whereabouts of the elusive William Gray. The ensuing adventure results in a change of career as, intrigued by the real business of the bookstore – and if you’ve read last year’s novel, you’ll know what that is – Ajax anticipates many more ascensions of the bookshelves which stretch up further than the eye can see.
For readers of Mr Penumbra, this is undoubtedly a tasty little titbit but it left me hungry for another full-length novel, and if you haven’t read that yet, please do: it’s an absolute delight. As for prequels, what do you think about them? Enjoyable or something of a let down?
Good question! I do find them a let-down much of the time. I’ll have to pick this one up though, if only because Mr. Penumbra’s Bookstore was Pasadena’s One City One Story this year.
Pasadena has very good taste! If you loved Mr Penumbra I’m sure you’d want to read this one too, AnnMarie. I can’t wait to see what he does next but I hope it will be a full-length novel. I’ve been left feeling a little peckish!
I still have ‘Mr Penumbra’ sitting unread on my shelf, I am ashamed to say. Should I read this one first?
No, I don’t think so, Alex. This is just a little treat for those of us who fell in love with the novel. Mr P offers a nice piece of well-written escapism should you feel the need.