Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore
This is a book I've been hearing about for a while. Not in the "you should read this" sense; more in the "you haven't read this?" sense. From the title, I knew it took place in a strange bookstore, and I assumed there would be an element of magical realism. Used bookstores seem ripe for magical realism. Except that there isn't a fantasy element to this story at all. It could be considered science fiction by some, except for the fact that I am intimately familiar with all of the technology mentioned in this book. So what we have is a plot that seems ripped from a modern science fiction book (it reminded me of Ready Player One , had that book been well-written), but firmly rooted in the current world. The story is a bit of an adventure and a bit of a mystery. There's a code to be discovered and cracked, and an entire secret society that's been built up around this code. Add in a fantastic love interest (who also walks away and is allowed to wal...