Ajax Penumbra 1969

This was cute! Felt much more heisty than the first one. I loved getting to see beloved (??) characters starting off and where it all began. Probably much less enjoyable if you don't already have context, but I am not sure.

This was a pleasant look back at the 24 hour book store. I read it too far away from the other story to really connect with it, but it was a nice little visit with these characters again.

This was ok. Ok in that it “wasn't anything spectacular but I don't feel I wasted my time” kind of way. It's been over a year since I read Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore and maybe if I'd read it closer to finishing that, I'd feel differently. Then again, I wasn't a huge fan of the Google Love Letter that book turned into, so maybe not.

I do still like Ajax and it was fun to see Corvina before he was an evil mastermind. In a way this made me wish the original story had been more like this - more about Ajax and his adventures instead of bumbling Clay and stupid love interests.

A return to the 24 hour bookstore. This slim book is a prequel to the full novel, filling in the backstory of how young Ajax Penumbra came to work there. It's a fun diversion for half an hour, and an interesting footnote to the main novel.

Not as good as “Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour bookstore,” but quite fun nonetheless. The core ideas are there but aren't as developed as in the “main” book.

It is a quick read that somewhat lays the groundwork for the story and characters we come to know in the later book.

If you've heard about “Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour bookstore” and haven't read it yet, I believe that reading this one first will enhance the experience and set the scene for the main book. Since it is around 70 pages, it's a fast-paced read, and you have literally nothing to lose.

I hope that Sloan, in the future, may write more stories in this setting. However, if I'm being sincere, I would prefer something more developed like “24-hour bookstore” than a “short story” like this one.

I wanted to give this 3 stars because it was too short and some details seemed rushed. I wanted more of a backstory or reintroduction to some of the other characters that we meet in book 1. However, the actual history of the curious little bookstore that I wish were real (and my very own)was very imaginative and exciting to read about. You saved yourself with that one, Sloan.