Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

A Novel

By: Robin Sloan

Narrated by: Ari Fliakos

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

A gleeful and exhilarating tale of global conspiracy, complex code-breaking, high-tech data visualization, young love, rollicking adventure, and the secret to eternal life - mostly set in a hole-in-the-wall San Francisco bookstore.

The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone - and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.

With irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Robin Sloan has crafted a literary adventure story for the 21st century, evoking both the fairy-tale charm of Haruki Murakami and the enthusiastic novel-of-ideas wizardry of Neal Stephenson or a young Umberto Eco, but with a unique and feisty sensibility that’s rare to the world of literary fiction. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave, a modern-day cabinet of wonders ready to give a jolt of energy to every curious listener, no matter the time of day.

©2012 Robin Sloan (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

There were moments when I had my doubts, but as a whole it works

This book is based on our endless curiosity and need for meaning. In the sense that the book promises to answer so much, one might think it is condemned to failure. And the book's seeming overreach is a nagging issue throughout.

But it's also very rewarding in its language, ideas, characters, and twisted plot. Ultimately it succeeds in taking us someplace that does have meaning. And for me, the journey and its end were both quite worthwhile. The book has charm and wit and was worthy of the time spent. I might have given it a 4.3 or something similar, but here immediately following the conclusion, and considering how well read this was, and even the occasional clever production devices, I gave it five stars. Enjoy.

Loved it!

Narrator: excellent! ✅
Story: great! ✅ it was so fun learning about computer things that I know nothing about. The story was intriguing, funny at times and entertaining. It kept my attention (which can be difficult in my easily distracted brain).
Should you listen: yes! ✅

Fantastic narrator. Fun story.

This has great potential to be a series. I hope the author can work that out...you'll see what I mean!

FUN!

Would you listen to Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore again? Why?

I don't typically do this. However, I would listen again to introduce the story to my family on a road trip. It is a fun story, very engaging.

What did you like best about this story?

I like the eccentric characters, the narrator's voice (both the voice of the writer and the performance), and the creativity of the story.

Have you listened to any of Ari Fliakos’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any other performances by Ari Filakos. His performance here is excellent. He sounds like the character - very believable.

Who was the most memorable character of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore and why?

All of the characters are memorable. The author is especially talented at describing characters so that you can easily see them in your mind's eye. All a little quirky and eccentric but also rooted in reality.

Completely unique

It's not at all the same book as Ready Player One, but it has that same combination of high fantasy, high tech and mystery. I didn't want to stop reading, but I didn't want to finish, either.

The answer is right in front of you.

I absolutely love this book and I love how the narrator brought Clay and Mr. Penumbra to life. This is a book that makes want to slow down and take a closer look at the things we take for granted in life and I want to own a bookstore like Mr. Penumbra's!

Performance Shines, Story Left Me Wanting

I enjoyed listening to the narrator navigate through the author's enciteful observations, yet I expected and genuinely wanted more from the storyline's climax. I wouldn't hesitate recommend this book because of the dialogue which kept me entertained throughout.

A Gifted Storyteller

An intriquing tale. Ari Fliakos is one of the best narrators I've ever listened to.

My new favorite book ever!

This story is indescribable! It is charming, mysterious, romantic, sarcastic and an old fashioned adventure you've never experienced before! Can't say enough about this book....it's a trip, to say the least lol.

A Book for Book Lovers

Where does Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's high on the list

Would you recommend Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes to any book lover.

Which character – as performed by Ari Fliakos – was your favorite?

The roommate artist. He had a small but significant part and didn't seem like a loser.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I pretty much did on a long trip across Florida.

Any additional comments?

The book is full of mysterious conspiracies, and features some modern times losers who have great jobs or are underemployed, and all are drawn together to solve the riddle of an ages old cult that seeks eternal life through scholarship. It's weird and cute and funny, and sometimes disappointing - in the characters, not necessarily the story or the writing.