I am only giving this book three stars, although I wish I could give it more. First of all, this booked turned out to be totally different than I thought it was going to be. If I'd have known what it was going to turn into, I doubt if I'd have read.

The book was written really well, and for those of use who don't have any experience programming, decoding, 3D modeling, or other high tech activities, Robin Sloan wrote the book so that we still get an idea and a good visual of those parts of the book. That being said, I felt a real dichotomy with this book. On one hand, I felt a real interest in the book store, it's patron's, the day time clerk, Oliver, and Mr. Penumbra himself. I also was semi-interested in Mat, one of the main characters roommates. As for the main character himself, Clay, and his cohorts, Kat and Neel. I just didn't have much interest in them at all. The former characters had a real tactile sense of the world. Clay and especially Kat and Neel, had a sense of the world that was so involved and indulged in the internet and technology it was annoying. Especially Kat. She comes off as so removed from the world happening around her because her job at Google requires that she be consumed with new technology, that she just comes off as rude. Her character was a sucky person.

The book combines the newest forms and ways of the world with the oldest. In the way, it is interesting, but honestly I am glad I am done reading it. Personally, this book was just not for me. I am neither a technology or computer junkie. Mr. Penumbra's character was very endearing and held the two worlds, old and new, together, as did Clay Jannon. Penumbra was more with the old world trying to break in to new, and Clay was with the new world, trying to understand the old world.